iPod Battles: HP Intros New H-Pod (shhh…it’s an iPod)

HP wants to make a big splash in consumer electronics this year. To get there, HP has tapped Apple Computer’s popular iPod portable music player to lead the way. The two HP models are 20 gigabyte, and 40 gigabyte, respectively.

Guess what? HP calls them “Apple iPod by HP.”

The company also plans to ship its first line of televisions, new printers, new digital cameras, and a new media center PC. The televisions are both plasma and LCD, in 42-inch, 26-inc, and 30-inch displays, respectively.

Of course, the big news is the HP version of Apple’s iPod. HP executives want to push more into consumer electronics and feel the best way is to be perceived as “hip and cool” and nothing is as hip or cool as Apple’s diminutive iPod.

HP is also offering printable iPod “tattoos” which you can use to personalize your iPod. Simply select graphics or artwork, print the tattoo (on an HP printer, of course), then wrap the printed tattoo around your iPod. They’re removeable so you could have a different iPod look each week.

What’s the real story here? Apple’s stock is on a surge as the iPod gains momentum and the company prepares to ship the long-awaited iMac replacement iMac (look for aluminum and chrome everywhere).

Will you consider buying an HP Pod? Will HP outsell Apple’s iPod? Will HP customers take to iTunes (now loaded on all new HP personal computers) the way Mac users take to the music player? They might. Apple’s support on the iPod is only 90 days. HP gives a full year of support.

What else does Apple have up its sleeve? Getting Dell to sell iPods is probably out of the question (they did sell the iPod on the Dell online store until the Dell DJ premiered).

Is a deal with Microsoft down the road?

There’s a great story at News.com that covers all the HP announcements. Click Here for the details.

Editor’s Spin:
Obviously, HP’s announcement and shipment of an HP-branded Apple iPod is good news for everyone (except the competition).

Apple will make some money on every HP Pod shipped, further extending the iPod’s marketshare. Most HP users will adopt iTunes and the iTunes Music Store for online music purchases, as that, arguably offers the best online buying and listening experience.

What will happen to the competition?

Will iPod stay king of the hill? Common wisdom says HP’s version of the iPod will soon outsell Apple’s iPod because of broader distribution capability, and a larger consumer market for personal computers?

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