It's official: The Apple iPod from HP…is just like the Apple iPod from Apple
By Peter Rojas 
posted August 27th 2004 9:01AM
posted August 27th 2004 9:01AM
Well, the HP iPod just turned up on HPShopping.com and it looks exactly the same as the regular iPod, at least as far as we can tell (we haven't seen pics of the back or anything yet). It looks the same, (i.e. it's white rather than blue-colored as some had predicted), it costs exactly the same, and isn't in any way discernably different from the one Apple already sells. The only difference is that Apple's iPod is on sale now while the Apple iPod from HP isn't expected to ship now until September 15th.
UPDATE: Looks like there are a few differences.
Shame.
Support is provided by HP. Apple recently lowered the number of _days_ of free phone support to 90, or 2 incidents I think. Maybe HP offers better/longer support?
If its the apple device with the apple price tag why one should buy it from HP ?
Check out www.hp.com/music. HP launched what looks like a very comprehensive web experience to support the Apple iPod + HP. I've been clicking around and it looks to be very extensive. I think that HP has done a better job of presenting the iTunes and iPod information. Love how they incorporated the top 10 info from iTunes.
There is that old WHO song:
"meet the new boss, same as the old boss"
In this case though, we wont get fooled again.
Hmm, what am I talking about? Forget it :)
Per my site:
http://www.internet-nexus.com/2004_08_22_archive.htm#109361762579692135
Per my site:
http://www.internet-nexus.com/2004_08_22_archive.htm#109361762579692135
I think it's funny that when you look at the specs on hpshopping, it says it's only Compatible with Windows. I know this isn't true ,before I get yelled at, I just think it's funny.
pardon me, just one question.
what's the point?
If you look closely at the flash presentation on HP's site you'll see there's an HP logo on the back (underneath the Apple logo & iPod logo).
after announcing that they will bring a HP IPod this spring it took them such a long time to get this logo printed on the back :D What an invention by HP, I'm sooo impressed
On the upside, at least the HP iPod still smells, looks and feels like the Apple iPod so it both retains the branding of the original and does not diminish that branding either. But essentially, HP is just distributing Apple iPods. The potential downside, for Apple, at least, is that HP is develop television ads for the iPod, though I'm pretty sure that Apple will have some form of approval.
Will it play WMA? If it does, I'll buy one. If not, WTF?
Apparently is DOES play _unprotected_ WMA files. Is this different?
Hp iPod Compatible file formats:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00216824
Josh's link goes to the *iTune* format list. I recall Apple did a WMA converter app for Windows so iTunes can play non-DRM WMA.
Question here is whether iTunes from HP plays WMA natively?
Also it looks like iPod will sync with Outlook's address book and calendar. This *would be* different from Apple's iPod. HP website is confusing since it refers to Entourage, a Mac app, not Outlook.
I received the hp ipod for Christmas for my IMAC. It does not work on IMAC as it says on package "for windows". Is it possible to just change software to Mac? If so, where could I just get the software?
Thanks
everyones wondering what the point is, ill tell you. Money. If hp is smart about it, they could sell just as many or more ipods than apple. The point is that they do it quietly keep it simple, and confuse the uneducated consumer and associate hp with ipod and not bother the educated one by not changing the features. A consumer wont tell the difference and wont care, and buy whatever is on the shelf, and if hp outdistributes the apple iPod, they get rich. Plus they get to slap their logo on a device used all over the world.