Fortune Magazine's "Worst Product of the Year"

[Boyd Ostroff]

Here's a different use for live internet video: http://live-shot.com/demo.shtml

The same article named the iMac G5 as best product of the year. The article "Best and Worst Tech Products of 2004" can be found in the December 27 issue. Here's a link to the online version. You may need to register to view the entire article however: http://www.fortune.com/fortune/subs/...7325-2,00.html

[Dennis Liu]

Bwahahahhahah.... that is hilarious man! Just the sight of that camera strapped to the rifle cracks me up.

Dennis

[Richard Mellor]

this guy has his own opinion.http://www.ipodsdirtysecret.com/

[Alfred Okocha]

All that work when he should have written "irreplaceable " ;-)

I do agree though, that does stink.

[Boyd Ostroff]

I tried that link but gave up after waiting forever for the movie to load. I gather he's not happy that the battery died in his iPod, and then became less happy when he broke it trying to fix himself (which Apple warned him not to do). That's unfortunate and I can see why he's frustrated.

But obviously the millions of people involved in the current feeding frenzy are not voting the iPod as "worst product of the year." In fact, positive experiences with the iPod are driving a wave of new Mac converts. I was in my local Apple store two days ago and couldn't believe the mob scene. There was a long line at the cash register and people were spending freely. Seems like Apple is finally come into its own after all these years, let's see if they can keep the momentum...

[Dylan Couper]

I think Richard's comment about the worst product of the year was a little tongue in cheek.


What you missed in the video:
The guy had an 18 month old Ipod, and the battery died. He phoned Apple service to get it fixed/replaced, and they told him it would be $255, plus shipping, to replace the battery. They service guy then told him that he might as well go buy a new Ipod.

From his website.
"In September of 2003 the battery in my first generation ipod would hold a charge for no longer than one hour. I brought the iPod into the Apple store in Manhattan for repair and was told they did not currently offer a battery replacement program and my best option was to buy a new ipod. I then called the Apple Care 800 number regarding this issue and was told the same. I then sent my ipod to the Apple Executive office addressed to Steve Jobs with a note explaining my situation and requesting a replacement battery. The Apple Executive office contacted me via telephone to explain that Apple does not repair or replace dead ipod batteries and that it was policy of the company to recommend to the customer to purchase a new ipod when the battery fails. I then looked into and purchased a third party replacement battery, which was not endorsed by Apple. After the complicated installation, my ipod did not work at all, even when plugged in.

In response to this experience my brother Van and I made the short film "iPod's Dirty Secret." After we finished production of the film, Apple began offerring a battery replacement program for the ipod for a fee of $99 and an extended warranty for the ipod for $59.

We acknowledge Apple's new battery replacement policy. Our movie is a documentation of our experience.

-Casey Neistat "

[Richard Mellor]

well the small business that got published as the "worst new product" in a national magazine . needs our sympathy more than a billion dollar corp. plus I like his holland tunnel movie better

[Boyd Ostroff]

Somehow I can't muster a lot of "sympathy" for a company that lures exotic animals to a feeding station and lets you shoot them over the internet (if in fact it ever becomes a reality). But I'm also confused as to why this discussion has progressed from the original topic to iPods and Holland Tunnel movies either... ;-)

[Richard Mellor]

well I agree. It has always amazed me . that 40 million fathers take there sons to the waters edge. to catch ,and kill a fish.
when you can buy all the fish you want in a store that others
have killed.

[Richard Mellor]

well I would realy rather talk about camera's

my vote for the "best new product"


Is not a product . It is the combined efforts of the members of this board in making the 35mm adapter. It started with agus35
then the aldu 35 . the latest breakthrough has been chris rubins workflow to remove grain from the ground glass image . there
is a parts list for all members to follow. and the cost is under $150 with 24 hour support on this board . It truley is product of the year

[Dylan Couper]

Nah, worst product is way more fun than best product. :)

I'm with Boyd. No sympathy from me for those guys. Anyone that is too lazy to drag his carcass out into the fields to kill something with his own hands, but will do it from his office desk, needs to spend some time on the other side of the scope.... if you get my drift. I'm not against hunting, but I'm against lazy.

IMHO, this one is even worse than the "hunt naked women with paintball guns" in Vegas last year.

[Richard Mellor]

well maybe the worst new product is video compression.
have you seen what rai and markus are doing with a homemade high def camera. 1280x720p @24fps 4.4.4 10 bit captured to a mini pc on hardrives

http://www.drachenfeder.com/int/take1.avi

[Fred Finn]

The iPod dirtl little secret guy's are friends of the family. They got sooooo muc publicity from that. They were on all these talk shows it was amazing. He did end up getting a new iPod. He asked apple if it was because of his video and they wouldn't comment.