Well, the author seems to have a skeptical tone to his article, but this isn't anything we haven't heard before. Personally, I think Apple's leveraging of the iPod and fusing it with the iMac G5 is a very smart move. It allows Apple to have double name recognition. People know iPod, but may not realize Apple makes it, especailly now that HP is also advertising it. People know Apple, but may not care about iPod. Their current scheme gives them double the chance of someone recognizing the product.
Ok, I understand the idea of showing cell phone purchases in comparison to the iPod, since both are personal electronics. On the other hand, to compare the iPod to a cell phone is a stretch. Everyone has a use, in one sense or another, for a cell phone. For example, I use a cell phone instead of a wired phone for my home. So, if you qualify the cell phone as just another phone, anyone who owns a phone is a possible customer for a cellular phone, along with people who just want mobility and such. Yes, I understand that by that logic that anyone who listens to music is a possible customer for the iPod, but you also need a computer capable of using the iPod, along with $299+, which is considerably more than the upfront cost of a cellular phone.
