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The program isn't slated to start until June, so there's no sense advertising with that long of a wait.

Support for WMA to be added to the iPod (or at least HP's version thereof)? Yes, according to Paul Thurrott, though who knows how accurate this is; the way it's phrased, it sounds almost more like a prediction than reporting of actual information gleaned from actual sources (to say nothing of the reliability of reports that also refer to WMA as a "superior" format, FWIW). (Come to think of it, isn't Thurrott an established anti-Mac zealot, or am I thinking of someone else?)

Even so, there it is, and it does make sense that a PC manufacturer partnering with Apple on the 'Pod would want it to offer this feature, so who knows...

Just in: HP is rejecting stories of WMA support being added to the iPod, at least for now:

HP has no plans to support Windows Media Audio (WMA) in its forthcoming own-branded iPod product, contrary to earlier reports.

HP product marketing manager Muffi Ghadali told Wired: 'We're not going to be supporting WMA for now."

He said the company had chosen to work with the most popular digital music distribution service, and wanted to focus on a single format in order not to confuse customers.

Microsoft and others have declared that choosing to adopt the open standards-based AAC format championed by Apple deprives consumers of "freedom of choice". By this, the company means consumers are not using its proprietary Windows Media Audio, which it claims is an industry standard.

However, Apple currently dominates the market, with 70 per cent of digital music sales and 30 per cent market share of iPod music players by units (55 per cent by revenues). Apple-sold music uses the open industry standard, AAC.

Speaking to analysts in November 2003, Apple CEO Steve Jobs dismissed the idea of repurposing Apple's music player to support other standards: "Why should we work with another music store when we are working with the Microsoft of music stores?" he asked.

Speaking in September, Apple's QuickTime marketing director Frank Casanova criticised Microsoft's commitment to industry standards, saying: "When you are part of a standards organization you don't develop it behind closed doors".

Why all these questions about differentiations (from the iPod)? Will HP be allowed to make any changes regarding price, features, etc. at their own free will, or are there restrictions?

Since Apple's the one actually building them, I don't think HP will do anything to them. I'm guessing the two will be identical except cosmetically (one white with an Apple logo and calling itself an iPod, the other blue with an HP logo and calling itself something else, but functionally the same). HP might have slightly different pricing on them than Apple, but I think it'll be comparable, at least.

I guess it's because they wonder whether the iPod will eventually support the other music download services. Since the copy protection used by those outfits like BuyMusic.com and others that serve stuff in WMA format isn't owned by those companies but from Microsoft, and they and the makers of the hardware players that play those files all license the tech from MS, Apple could presumably just license it from MS as well and make the iPod play WMA files, including protected ones from the other services, as well as its own iTMS files, in addition to stuff people rip themselves or whatever. There's no technical reason the iPod couldn't support everything.

That said, whether it would be a good move strategically is debatable. On the one hand, since the iTMS for Apple is more a means to sell iPods rather than a revenue source in and of itself, it makes sense for Apple to incorporate support in the iPod for as many formats and DRM schemes as possible, since it just makes the iPod that much more attractive. On the other hand, Apple might not want to help foster the spread and influence of WMA in the marketplace, and having an attractive, top-selling device that doesn't support it but supports several competing formats helps prevent WMA from becoming dominant.

I know it's an old thread, but I thought I'd answer it.

The Apple iPod from HP is the iPod (20GB and 40GB) with the HP logo on the back. It is marketed and supported by HP. Apple Stores will not even touch them, as HP is responsible for all service. In addition, HP's service contract is voided the minute the iPod is used on a Mac. That is to say, the iPod from HP will work with a Mac just fine, but it voids your warranty.

Just buy the thing from Apple. No HP logo, and your service contract wasn't written by a monkey.

This zombie was saved from a vicious and brutal lock-down and extermination due entirely to it's educational merit.

that is slightly retarded

Heck, why'd you want to buy an HP iPod, anyway?

I might have, if they had actually been that "corpse" blue . . .

Not considering that they probably don't know the differece.

How would they ever know if you plugged it into a mac at some point?

It's that look of despair in the iPods used only on PCs . . .



/meh