The scoop on the Super Shuffle

Jack Campbell from DVForge just emailed us with some very interesting details about that Super Shuffle MP3 player Apple was up in arms about a few days ago—it turns out it was a publicity stunt. Read on for the full story:

A few moments after the first news story broke about the Super Shuffle at CeBit, I emailed LuxPro, asking for resale information. A day later, with no answer in hand, I called them. I spoke with Ms. Daisy Lee, Sales with LuxPro.

I introduced myself, referred Ms. Lee to two of our company's existing ODM partners in China, stated my interest, then let her go. She emailed me less than an hour later. Both of our manufacturing partners I gave to her emailed me to tell me that 'somebody from LuxPro' had contacted them. So, it seems Ms. Lee checked our legitimacy. From that point forward, I have had direct communications with Ms. Lee and with two senior execs at LuxPro, including two cell telephone talks from the floor at CeBit, before that show closed last weekend. Here is what I have learned:

LuxPro had a USB 2.0 based music player architecture already in development, when Apple launched the shuffle, in January. The guys at LuxPro hatched a plan to leverage the media attention created by Apple to their advantage. They are a contract manufacturer, making their living by selling their circuitry, put into enclosures designed by U.S. or European branded resellers. So, they saw this advanture as a wonderful way to swing the world�s spotlight in their direction for a few days.

The facts:

1. The Super Shuffle is not in production by LuxPro.

2. There is no intent by LuxPro to ever put the Super Shuffle into production.

3. LuxPro is looking for companies (like mine) to hire LuxPro to build uniquely designed players, based around the same electronics inside the Super Shuffle.

4. The entire CeBit sideshow was planned from the start as a gambit to gain a hugely disproportionate share of the industry�s attention, so as to find a few customers for the Super Shuffle�s electronics.

We have decided to go a different route, and will not be a LuxPro customer. However, as of yesterday, there are at least two well-known U.S. sold brands that have expressed firm interest in bringing original design players to market, based around the same electronics inside the Super Shuffle. So, it seems, the LuxPro CeBit gamble has paid off for them already.

So, there will be no Apple lawsuits, no Super Shuffles fighting their way onto racks at Circuit City, no angry mobs of Apple lawyers storming the LuxPro factory.
This was not a prank, nor was it an act of blind stupidity. In my view, it was one of the most clever PR maneuvers I have ever seen executed by a small company.

And, that�s the reality of the Super Shuffle. Enjoy!

Of course, this completely ruins our scheme to bring a Super Shuffle to the Apple Store in SoHo and have a little fun with the people working at the Genius Bar, but what can you do?

[n8 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

That makes a lot of sense. It never seemed plausible that Lexpro was actually going to bring the Super Shuffle to market. Of course, that doesn't mean that Apple isn't going to sue anyway...

[Big Dog @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Isn't this the same Jack Campbell that had a website written about his shady activities?

(Click on 'catch me if you can' graphic on right hand side, midway down the page.)

[Big Dog @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

wow, I forgot the link, sorry:

http://www.jackwhispers.com/

[Rus @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I'm the author of that website (jackwhispers) ... that was some interesting commentary on the Lux Pro PR ... I don't think I agree with the conclusion ... that said ... in answer to the previous post - giving link to my website ... Jack Campbell has turned MacMice and the DVforge enterprise into a decent company. NO one like how he got there or how he started ... but none the less he has changed his ways.

I would encourage anyone that reads that story that you also return for a followup that I have been meaning to post.

[dL @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I found an article on the Taiwan web site FrostyPlace.com about Luxpro. A reader of the web site reported that his counter was just opposite to Luxpro's and he saw the whole thing. Below is a summary of that article (originally in Chinese).

- At the request of Apple legal, Luxpro take off the Super Shuffle from its counter.
- The next date, Mr Wu, the boss of Luxpro, arrived and decided to show Super Shuffle again.
- Luxpro was subsequently fined by the German court for 3000 Euro for infringement.
- Mr Wu, upon received the order from the German court, apologized and immediately went to the bank to get money for paying the fine.

[Kacy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

it did seem too "good" to be true, didn't it? i am glad someone confirmed what a lot of us suspected. in the words of PE, "don't believe the hype!"

i just dated myself didn't i?

[Teddy Ruxpin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

"So, there will be no Apple lawsuits"

I do think that Apple has a right to sue LuxPro. They intentionally created a vaporware product to steal the hype from Apple at an event and in the press. Clever stunt, but a little too much like stealing for my taste. Apple creates an idea, a concept, a product - pays a lot of money on advertising and a company comes in with a complete fabrication and steals the spotlight? I may be talking out of my lower end, but I think Apple has a legal leg to stand on here if they wanted to sue LuxPro.

[Brad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Don't feel bad; I date myself every time I see a new picture of Angelina Jolie.

[Eion Murdock @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Well, I don't see how German law would protect the design of the Shuffle (but I can check - I'm not sure of the extent of registered design protection). I also doubt that the legal system would move that quickly.

[Teddy Ruxpin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

"So, there will be no Apple lawsuits"

I do think that Apple has a right to sue LuxPro. They intentionally created a vaporware product to steal the hype from Apple at an event and in the press. Clever stunt, but a little too much like stealing for my taste. Apple creates an idea, a concept, a product - pays a lot of money on advertising and a company comes in with a complete fabrication and steals the spotlight? I may be talking out of my lower end, but I think Apple has a legal leg to stand on here if they wanted to sue LuxPro.

[glad @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Top marks to Luxpro for the marketing scoop of the year (so far) but it can be a dangerous game to play and youn really only get one go at it.

[JK @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Teddy,

They didn't really "steal" the spotlight. The few nerds reading this (myself included) blog are the only ones who ever heard of the super shuffle.

[TheTspoT.org Admin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

this would have been great for the new engadget podcast. i guess i'll have to get a real shuffle instead.

[Glen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Actually, JK - The few who read this blog, the folks who checked out the hundreds of links posted to this blog on digg, and the people who read the blogs that found the link on digg...

My father doesn't read any tech blogs and he was asking me if I had heard about "this Super Shuffle ripoff" the other day.

[jbelkin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

While the legal system might not have actually moved as quickly - when the "show" owners ask you to remove something at a trade show - you do - mainly because you paid at least $50k to be there - and you got the attention you wanted. THe downside to their gambit is that they will NEVER score a manufacturing deal with Apple ... they have sevely restricted their manufacturing upside not justr in mp3 but in any CE that Apple might dabble in ... so long term, it might be real dumb.

[starlightmica @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Here's a recent tidbit about Jack Campbell:

http://www.hymn-project.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=634

and for the recap:

http://www.macintouch.com/mactable.html

[Trythis @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

To 15:

They are a chinese manufacturer, that is Chinese market, there will be enough of competition for Apple. A risky stunt, I'm thinking they had a good lawyer for legal consultant.

[Teriyaki @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

"THe downside to their gambit is that they will NEVER score a manufacturing deal with Apple ... they have sevely restricted their manufacturing upside not justr in mp3 but in any CE that Apple might dabble in ... so long term, it might be real dumb."

But really, how many endeavours does Apple really dabble in that involves outside companies?. Apple is so tight-lipped about its own products and research and chooses its partners with so stringent demands that this "Luxpro" would have never shown up on steve's desk anyways. Not being able to partner up with Apple is probably the least of Luxpros worries.

[Aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE
one thing is, it would be mightly difficult to change an FM station without a screen or scale thingy.

[bruce m @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

What Luxpro did has no integrity ... they could have generated the same buzz and garnered actual admiration (and not disdain) if they'd come up with thier own case design and promotional campaign. I would never hire a company that has no qualm "stealing" (if only temporarily). Imagine the other shortcuts they would be tempted to take in all other areas of business. Luxpro's Shuffle stunt stinks like ass, and it's karmic stench pervades the entire company.

[RW @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I read that one TV news channel interviewed Mr. Wu of LuxPro on the phone. And he stated that he was catching the hype generated by the Shuffle and claimed what he did was not wrong.
Now I don't know if that interview was also staged - but if you look at it from yet another angle: may be he DID try to market the Shuffle knock-off but because of so much negative publicity, he spinned it and changed his statement to say that it's all fake...
Just a thought...

[kenneth hammink @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Since all these conflicting rumours are going around about this Super Shuffle I wanted to known the facts. I simply sent an email to Luxpro and asked for pricing information.

I received an answer with all pricing information and technical specification of the Super Shuffle. So the only conclusion I can draw is that the Super Shuffle is in production by LuxPro and can be ordered right now.

[Geir T @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I dont think that this is the real story. Go have a look at the LuxPro website - http://www.luxpro-corp.com/ - and there it is glaring at you - the Super Shutle, fukll spec etc.

I believe that these guys actually believed thhat they could pull it off. Realizing what a hornets nest they had stirred up and probably with some sensible advise from a band of lawyers - the story presented here is the one they cooked up - to save face!

If it is something Taiwan really is trying to tighten these days (except fending off invasion and missile threats from PRC...) it is protection of IPR. AIT here - ot the de facto US Embassy here - is vigliant on these issues. My guess is that 'someone' called 'someone' and LuxPro cooked up a story, saving face for Taiwan, AIT and LuxPro.

[Chess @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

A publicity stunt? That makes absolutely no sense. Sounds more like a way out of a lawsuit to me.

[Hans Reiter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

If this player does exist I would buy it. The idea
of 'branding' by Asian Countries is common. Like the current Apple Shuffle &'Dataplay'(from 2001 CES)players are usually manufactured in Asia.
Dataplay didn't make it but the Super Shuffle should.

[Interested Party @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

People have been asking about Shuffle and does it play WMA so I was inerested and contacted them. Seems it will be available but in a re-designed casing (bet its not too different).

Whats gets me is that everyone thinks the Shuffle is so great. Apple have taken a floor in these players ie there ability to only handle 9 directories which is a hassle at anything over 256mb. They put it in a case without an LCD to save money and then run a typically good ad campaign. Then watch the money flow in from suckers than can get better from any chinese manufacturer.

Go figure.....

[Tito Chazo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

First a few comments: Yes the "Super Tangent" DOES exist (check it out at http://www2.luxpro.com.tw/e_570d.htm).

Second, to address "Hans Reiter", WHY would you buy it? It is MORE expensive, bulkier and terrible by all accounts (see the review and photos in the iPodloung site: http://www.ipodlounge.com/index.php/news/comments/ipod-shuffle-clone-worse-than-you-could-believe/). It is a BAD knock-off of the Shuffle and it is quite a baltant rip-off of the design and hard work that Apple has put into it's Shuffle player.

Third, to address "Interested Party's" claim that the Shuffle is ripping people off because they didn't put an LCD screen to "save money" is ridiculous! The Shuffle is an inexpensive alternative to many expensice MP3 players (including the iPod) by offering SIMPLE characteristics to a player. They didn't put in an LCD screen because it is simply a player that "SHUFFLES" your songs in a random order, thereby no NEED for a screen (hence the name "SHUFFLE") - get it? I guess you don't. By not putting in all the functions (i.e. more expensive) that a typical MP3 player has, Aplle can offer a simple alternative yet still provide a lot of enjoyment of music to people that do not want to spend a whole lot of money on a MP3 player. They are just giving you a choice that's all. Considering the price ranges of player out there, it is a nice alternative. The decision is up to you.

[mp3 player @ Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

where can i get super shuffle?