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July 30, 2008

rivals

Dell to roll out music initiative, head to Crazytown

Posted Jul. 30, ’08, 8:46 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Apple » Rivals

dellmusic.jpgApparently someone at Dell is feeling a little nostalgic for the heady days of 2003. It’s the only possible reason I can divine for the questionable logic that is Dell planning to release a digital music player and attendant download service.

Guys, seriously. I mean, we admire your demented, demented chutzpah, but you’ve tried this. A couple of times. How can you think this will be any different?

Instead of simply selling a piece of hardware tied to someone else’s music service, as it did in 2003, Dell is working on software for a range of portable PCs that will let users download and organize music and movies from various online sources.

Ah…yes. I see. Because, man, if there’s one thing Dell’s known for it’s definitely its firm grasp of interoperability. How are they going to pull this off, in a market dominated by Apple?

…Dell is tapping ex-Apple expertise to make its foray. Its device is based on software developed at Zing, a company Dell acquired last year and which is headed by an Apple veteran. Mr. Tatelman said Zing software can be used to retrieve and organize online music, movies and photos, and will come pre-installed on a series of new Dell notebook computers and other devices. The Zing service will let users access their content from locations other than their own computer.

It’s like the old saying goes: If you can’t beat ‘em, hire the people who no longer work for ‘em.

The hardware, which would reputedly be priced at under $100, would allow connecting to music stores via Wi-Fi and would require an online subscription service. That sound you here? It’s the sound of children everywhere crying. Where could they have possibly gotten the idea that this idea would succeed?

Rob Enderle, an industry analyst whom Dell hired to consult on the new entertainment strategy, said he is still discussing with Dell whether profits would come mainly from the subscription service or from devices tied to it. [emphasis added]

Sweet Moses on a pogo stick. Have fun in Crazytown, boys.


4 Comments

Don Morris Author Profile Page said:

Rob Enderle? Rob Enderle? John Gruber's Jackass of the Nation? Oh, there's a bright choice.

Here's how to fail at something: start with a bad idea and then surround yourself with idiots who will tell that what you're doing is a good idea.

July 30, 2008 9:26 AM
Rene H said:

I say, "Close the doors at Dell and give all the shareholders back their money."

July 30, 2008 10:01 AM
krye said:

FAIL!

July 30, 2008 10:36 AM
Kelmon said:

Can someone please pass the popcorn? This should be worth watching and may well resemble that scene where the Titanic hits the iceberg.

July 31, 2008 1:18 AM

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