……

Microsoft's acquisition of Sebeth is definitely a big event in the industry. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

However, Mr. the richest man, the promoter behind the scenes, gives it an effect that needs a short period of fermentation before it can be truly reflected.

After all, on the one hand, the lawyer team of Zheru Software led by David Boyce should polish the almost final killer feature that "there is still effective competition in the software industry"; On the other hand, those federal states that are about to undergo the baptism of the 1998 midterm elections will also need a buffer of a 180-degree turn after being focused on public relations.

Of course, even if the trip to various states in the United States comes to an end, Tang Huan can't really be idle.

No, Jobs called, and in a confident tone, he announced: The IPod is done, come and enjoy it.

Carefully calculated, the richest man asked Jobs to do a digital music Walkman for less than half a year, and Apple's efficiency is staggeringly fast.

This is not the case.

You must know: the technology of the IPod was given by Zheru; The music content of the iPod is given by Yanle Entertainment Group; The key components such as LCD screens, lithium batteries, and 1.8-inch micro hard disks used in IPods are provided by the supply chain of Tang's IT Kingdom; Even some key personnel were introduced by Tang Huan.

As for Jobs's work content, it is to make the product operation concise and user-friendly, how to have a tasteful product appearance, etc., and this is also his strength.

When it comes to giving products a fashion element that integrates technology and culture, Mr. Jobs trusts Jobs. One of the major proofs of the other party's ability is that after returning to Apple Computer and taking the helm of the CEO, the new personal computer model iMac launched by it can be described as a gust of literature and art.

What's more, Jobs was a music lover himself.

Therefore, even when Tang Huan came to the headquarters of Apple Computer in Cupertino and found that it was beginning to prepare for the official release of the IPod, he didn't blame this guy, how could he "croak" it, so he remembered to tell himself.

The richest man was able to be so indifferent, Jobs was depressed, "I deliberately let you get the trial last, and everyone before was amazed, but why didn't you react?" Don't you think there's anything wrong with that? ”

"Very good, of course very good......" Tang Huan, who still looked calm, carefully looked at the iPod in his hand and said playfully.

Steve Jobs asked, "Then give me an example, what's good?" ”

The richest man replied casually while playing with his iPad: "For example, this easy-to-operate adjustment turntable; There is also this body, the pure white of the earphones, cables, and power adapters. ”

Jobs, who was said to be proud, was complacent, but also muttered a little, "Don, even if you are well-informed, you are too calm, are you so powerful that you have already seen this trial?" ”

"All kinds of troubles have been coming in lately, which may have made my nerve reflex arc longer." Tang Huan put down his iPod and laughed.

This portable digital music player, which is so compact that it can be put directly in your pocket, is essentially a computer: 1 MB of flash memory, loaded with a micro operating system, after being successfully booted by the Holder embedded microprocessor, runs in 32 MB of memory, and manages all hardware devices including a black crystal display, a 1.8-inch hard disk, a USB controller, a lithium battery, and the music content in the hard disk.

Among them, thanks to the mature application of giant magnetoresistive technology, the capacity of the 1.8-inch hard drive is up to 5 GB, which can hold about 1,000 pieces of digital music. The large memory allows more data to be read at once, reducing the power demand of the hard drive, which is a large energy consumer, and allowing the battery to provide ten hours of working time.

Splicing these hardware and software together to become a portable digital music player is just a purely technical job, which is no longer a difficult thing for Mr. the richest man, he can do it by forming a team at will; But it's not so easy to shoulder the mission of merging high-tech and fashion.

It must be understood that there is a big difference between the thinking of engineers and the thinking of ordinary users, which is one of the main reasons why computers are "not close to people".

In fact, since the Apple Mac computer more than a decade ago, Steve Jobs has played a role in bridging the cognitive gap between the two.

Take the control turntable of the IPod as an example, all the operation processes are streamlined to less than three steps, and the operation mode is also from the perspective of ordinary users, which is not a "easy to use"!

and the "pure white" that Tang Huan praised just now that made a deep first impression, it is not so simple.

Ten years later, ordinary people must be surprised by white headphones; But at this stage, black headphones are a matter of course.

The reason for this is inseparable from the long-term thinking inertia in the process, just as the corners of the product need to be rounded, and it also needs to go through an adaptation process of the mold.

All in all, Mr. The richest man is very satisfied with this iPod that did not bring him a "surprise", and he is also full of expectations.

He instead asked, "What kind of price did you set for the IPod?" ”

"At the moment, there is only a 5 GB capacity of this product, which is priced at $399." Jobs complained: "Zheru's patent authorization, Apple is packaged and accepted, can't it be discounted?" This also brings more pricing space to the IPod, which is now equivalent to a Little Overlord console. ”

"Don't fool me! The IPod project has been going on for so long, and I don't believe you don't have a comprehensive understanding of the value of the digital music market. Mr. The richest man snorted, "At this stage, the U.S. market consumes nearly 300 million blank discs a year; The population of the United States is less than 300 million! ”

"Tell me, how many people in here are obsessed with burning digital music onto a blank disc?"

"A blank disc can hold about a hundred pieces of digital music, while an iPod is capable of ten times as much as it can hold about a thousand pieces of digital music."

"Isn't that one of the big selling points of your IPod?"

Jobs continued to complain: "The form you mentioned is unauthorized use, and the IPod supports genuine music." And in the iTunes online store that goes with the iPad, 70 cents of the 99 cents for every music downloaded by users is the authorized commission of Yanle Entertainment Group. ”

"Let's take a look at the sales of this year's Christmas season, and then discuss the details of the distribution of these benefits." Tang Huan smiled unmoved: "You have to correct your mentality, Apple Computer's old business is personal computers, and IPod is equivalent to a white business that falls from the sky." Big deal, I'll personally help you market your IPod. ”

Jobs' eyes lit up and he said, "Sales pitch like an Iridium phone? ”

The richest man waved his hand with a smile, "You are embarrassed for me......"

Jobs thought for a while and changed his request: "In terms of providing digital music content, Apple Computer and Yanle Entertainment Group have negotiated quite smoothly; But the music licensing of the Beatles was discussed at EMI without a clue. Don, you can help me get them out of your own hands. ”

Tang Huan, who was overwhelmed, asked helplessly: "Isn't the Beatle the same as Bob Dylan, who belong to your heart?" It stands to reason that your enthusiasm for work will definitely be high, how can it be in vain? ”

Jobs had an embarrassed look on his face and muttered stupidly: "It involves some early agreements, and now it's a little confusing." ”

It turns out that this is really a matter that can be called Chen Sesame Rotten Grain.

At the end of the 1970s, at the dawn of personal computers, Apple Computer, which rose like a star, formed a bond with the Beatles because of name infringement.

At that time, the Beatles had been famous for many years, and its rights were operated by Apple Music, and one level above was EMI in London, England.

Obviously, Apple Music felt that Apple Computer had "offended" it, so it started a lawsuit.

The end result: Apple lost $80,000 to Apple Music and reached a ridiculous agreement that at the time seemed serious and naïve, but now ironic, that the two sides promised not to enter each other's business.

In this way, in the past nearly 20 years, everyone's well water does not interfere with the river water, and there is nothing to do.

But now, the fun is coming.

The musicians of the Beatles have never entered the field of computers, but Apple Computer, which sells computers, has unbelievably stepped into the field of music.

Okay, then let's talk about the conditions in business!

You don't have to think much to know that although there is some restraint, but still do not forget that Steve Jobs, who sometimes calls himself an anti-mainstream, and the executives of traditional big record companies such as EMI, are simply people from two worlds, and they can't talk about it at all.

The richest man frowned and pointed to the core of the problem and said: "In my opinion, this is not a normal bargain, the essence of which is that other record companies other than Yanle Entertainment Group have not yet considered how to understand how the record industry can adapt to the transformation under the new situation, and even their attitude towards digital music is as hostile as it was to videotapes." ”

Jobs shrugged, "This kind of difficult stage is just the time for you to go out. ”

Tang Huan shook his head resolutely, "Now I don't have the extra energy, nor do I have the charm you described, to convince them." ”

"Again, the facts prove everything."

"If the IPod sells well in the first quarter of its official launch and proves that this digital music business model is viable, then the initiative is in your hands."

"When the time comes, these arrogant and rigid record company executives will definitely turn around and ask for your door."

"Of course, they might as well follow our example and start anew."

"It doesn't matter, though. We have a first-mover advantage, and we can directly crush these guys who don't know the current affairs and cry wolf! ”

As if thinking of an interesting scenario in the future, Jobs smiled evilly, "Okay, then wait for the facts to prove everything!" Just ......"

Speaking of this, Jobs sighed, "Without the Beatles, I always feel a little less flavorful." ”

"Be content!" Tang Huan snorted impatiently, "A Bob Dylan, can't satisfy your idol complex?" ”

For people like Bob Dylan who play music and can mix in the Nobel Prize in Literature, Mr. The richest man will definitely not leave Columbia Records, and later Sony Music, has long been in the bag.

Jobs's admiration for Bob Dylan can also be attributed to one of his characteristic tastes, which can be called one of the few big-name fans of the other party.

On the other hand, Bob Dylan's attitude towards Jobs can only be described as detached and lukewarm.

Like the richest man, he was selected by Time magazine as one of the "100 People of the Times: The Most Important People of the Century", and won the Nobel Prize in Literature more than ten years later, which is enough to prove how wise he is when running his own brand.

Bob Dylan's approach to his relationship with Steve Jobs, a big-name fan, is a bit similar to Yan Guang, a famous hermit in the Han Dynasty in ancient China, to his former classmate, Liu Xiu, the Emperor of Han Guangwu, that is, no matter how the big-name fan expresses his admiration, he keeps his distance.

As the saying goes, distance produces beauty, distance produces mystery, and then the relationship between each other can start and end.

Take February 24, 1985, Jobs, who had not fallen out with John Scully and was kicked out of Apple Computer, invited Bob Dylan to perform for his 30th birthday party, but Bob Dylan politely declined.

As a result, Jobs took this situation as Bob Dylan's personality, and he was not annoyed at all, and still admired it non-stop.

In a series of campaigns for the release of the iPad, Jobs made a special arrangement for Bob Dylan, his idol, to package all of Bob Dylan's old songs in the iTunes store and sell them for $199.

You know, this move is of great benefit to Bob Dylan.

No matter how much Bob Dylan breaks up, that's also in the past, and Jobs is helping Bob Dylan win over young fans.

I have to say that Jobs invisibly stole Tang Huan's operations on Deng Lijun and so on.

Sure enough, after the richest man posed for Bob Dylan, Jobston was in a good mood and continued to honestly and carefully prepare for the IPod press conference.

……

On Friday, October 23, 1998, the secretly developed iPod was unveiled at the iconic product launch event that was unique to Steve Jobs.

Apple also wrote a vague sentence on the invitation, "Hint: This is not a Mac. ”

After the technical parameters of the product are introduced, it is time to screen the product.

This time, instead of going to a table and pulling away the curtain covering the product, as usual, the personable Steve Jobs said, "I just have one in my pocket." ”

Then he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a dazzling white machine: "This wonderful little machine holds a thousand songs, and it fits just enough in my pocket." ”

With that, Jobs put his iPod back in his pocket.

Suddenly, the audience who was amazed burst into warm applause.

Mr. the richest man, who also applauded, sighed in his heart: "It's not easy, finally adjust~ the training can make a lot of money stably!" ”

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