Rebirth of the Tech Madman - Chapter 1053

…

Microsoft’s acquisition of Sybase is definitely a big event in the industry.

However, the effect that the richest man, the promoter behind the scenes, bestows on it will take a short period of time to ferment before it can be truly reflected.

After all, on the one hand, the lawyer team of Philosophy Software Company led by David Boyce must carefully polish the “software industry still has effective competition”, which is almost the last killer; on the other hand, those who are about to endure the 1998 The federal states baptized in the mid-term elections will also have a buffer of 180 degrees after being keyed in public relations.

Of course, even if the trip to the states in the United States came to an end, Tang Huan would not really be free.

No, Steve Jobs called and knew in a confident tone: The IPod has been settled, let’s enjoy it quickly.

Calculating carefully, the richest man let Steve Jobs do digital music player for less than half a year, and Apple’s efficiency is astounding.

This is not the case.

You know: the technology of the IPod is given by Philosopher; the music content of the IPod is given by the Yanle Entertainment Group; the key components such as the LCD screen, lithium battery, and 1.8-inch micro hard disk used in the IPod are from the Tang Kingdom It was given by the supply chain; even some key personnel were introduced by Tang Huan.

As for the job content of Jobs, how to make the operation of the product simple and user-friendly, how to have the appearance of the product, etc., and this can be regarded as his strong point.

The richest man trusts Jobs quite a bit in giving products a fashion element that integrates technology and culture. A big proof of the other party’s ability is that after returning to Apple Computer and taking over the power of the CEO, the new personal computer model iMac launched by it can be described as a literary style.

Moreover, Jobs himself is a music lover.

Therefore, even when Tang Huan came to the headquarters of Apple Computer in Cupertino and found that he was preparing to officially release the IPod, he didn’t blame this guy for all “crawling”, so he remembered to tell himself.

The richest man was able to be so indifferent, Jobs was depressed, “I specially let you get the trial product last, and everyone before, was amazed, but why did you not respond? Don’t you think something is wrong?”

“Very good, of course very good…” Tang Huan, who was still calm, carefully examined the iPod in his hand, and said playfully.

Jobs asked: “Then you give me an example, what’s the good point?”

While playing with the iPod, the richest man replied casually: “For example, this easy-to-operate adjustment dial; and the pure white color of the body, earphones, cables, and power adapter.”

Jobs, who was said to be proud of himself, was complacent and murmured, “Tang, even if you have a lot of knowledge, you have been too calm, have you seen this long ago? tester?”

“All kinds of troubles have been coming recently, which may make my nerve reflex arc longer.” Tang Huan put down the IPod and laughed haha.

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

Among them, thanks to the mature application of giant magnetoresistance technology, the 1.8-inch hard disk has a capacity of up to 5GB and can hold about one thousand pieces of digital music; and the large memory can read more data at a time, reducing the hard disk, which is a big energy consumer. The power demand allows 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 work. For the richest man, it is no longer a difficult task. He can do it by forming a team at will; But to shoulder the mission of integrating high technology and fashion, it is not so easy.

It must be understood that there is a big difference between the thinking of engineers and the thinking of ordinary users. This is one of the main reasons why computers “don’t get close”.

And Jobs has actually played a role in bridging the cognitive gap between the two since the Apple Mac computer more than ten years ago.

Take the control dial of the IPod as an example, all the operation process is simplified to within three steps, and the operation mode is also from the point of view of ordinary users, it is so “easy to use”!

And the “pure white” that Tang Huan praised just now is not so simple.

Ten years after the original time and space, ordinary people must be surprised by the white earphones; but at this stage, the black earphones are taken for granted.

The reason for this is not related to the long-term thinking inertia in the process. Just as the edges and corners of the product need to be rounded, it also needs to undergo a process of adapting to the mold.

All in all, the richest man is very satisfied and full of expectations for this IPod that did not bring him a “surprise”.

He turned to ask: “What price did you set for the IPod?”

“Currently there is only this product with a capacity of 5GB, which is priced at US$399.” Jobs complained: “The patent authorization of Zheru is packaged and accepted by Apple. Can’t it be discounted? This can also bring IPods. More room for pricing is now equivalent to a Cassidy game console.”

“Don’t be tricky! I don’t believe the IPod project has been going on for so long. You don’t have a comprehensive understanding of the value of the digital music market.” The richest man snorted, “The US market at this stage, one year It consumes nearly 300 million blank discs; the population of the United States is less than 300 million!”

“Tell me, how many people are obsessed with burning digital music to blank discs?”

“A blank disc can hold about a hundred pieces of digital music, and the iPod can reach ten times as much as it can hold about one thousand pieces of digital music.”

“Isn’t this also a big selling point of your promotion for the IPod?”

Jobs continued to complain unwillingly: “The form you mentioned is unauthorized use, and the iPod supports genuine music. Moreover, in the iTunes online store that matches the iPod, users download ninety-nine cents of a piece of music. , 70 cents is the authorized commission of Yanle Entertainment Group.”

“Look at the sales of this year’s Christmas season first, and then discuss the details of the distribution of these benefits.” Tang Huan smiled unmovedly: “You have to put your mind right, Apple Computer’s business is an individual. Computers, and iPods are equivalent to a white picking business that fell from the sky. The big deal, I will personally help you sell iPods.”

Jobs’ eyes lit up and said: “The level of sales like the Iridium phone?”

The richest man waved his hand dumbfoundedly, “You are embarrassing me…”

Steve Jobs thought for a while, and changed his request: “In terms of providing digital music content, Apple Computer and Yanle Entertainment Group had a smooth talk; but the Beatles’ music licenses had no clue there. Tang. , You personally come out to help me fix them.”

The troubled Tang Huan asked helplessly: “Isn’t the Beatles in your mind like Bob Dylan? It stands to reason that your enthusiasm for work will be very high, why? Return without success?”

With an embarrassment on his face, Jobs murmured angrily: “It involves some early agreements, and now I am a little confused.”

It turned out that this is really a matter of what can be called Chen Zhizhi and rotten millet.

In the late 1970s, the dawn of personal computers, Apple Computer Inc., which rose up like a star, became a bridge with the Beatles because of name infringement.

At that time, the Beatles had been famous for many years, and its copyright was managed by Apple Music, and the next level was London, England.

Obviously, Apple Music felt that Apple Computer had “offended” itself, so it started a lawsuit.

The final result: Apple Computer Co. lost $80,000 to Apple Music, and reached a ridiculous agreement that seemed serious and naive at the time, but is now extremely ironic, that the two parties promised not to enter each other’s business field.

In this way, in the past nearly two decades, everyone did not offend the river, and everything was in peace.

But now, it’s fun.

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

Okay, let’s talk about the conditions in business talks!

You don’t need to think too much to know that, although he has converged, he still doesn’t forget that Jobs, who is anti-mainstream from time to time, and the executives of these traditional big record companies are simply people of two worlds, and they can’t agree at all.

The richest man frowned and pointed to the core of the problem and said: “In my opinion, this is not a normal bargaining. The essence is that other record companies other than Yanle Entertainment Group have not considered understanding how the record industry is. Adapting to the transformation under the new situation, and even the attitude towards digital music, is full of hostility as it did to video tapes.”

Jobs shrugged, “This difficult stage is exactly when you are out.”

Tang Huan shook his head resolutely, “Now I don’t have the extra energy, nor the charm you describe, to convince them.”

“It’s the same sentence, the facts prove everything.”

“If the IPod sells well in the first quarter of its official release, which proves that this digital music business model is feasible, then the initiative will fall into your hands.”

“At that time, these record company executives with arrogant attitudes and rigid thinking will definitely turn around and beg your door.”

“Of course, they may also follow our model and start anew.”

“However, it doesn’t matter. We have the first-mover advantage, so we can just crush these ignorant guys so much!”

As if thinking of interesting scenes in the future, Jobs showed a wicked smile on his face, “Well, then wait for the facts to prove everything! It’s just…”

Speaking of this, Jobs sighed, “Without the Beatles, I always feel a little tasteless.”

“Satisfaction!” Tang Huan snorted impatiently, “A Bob Dylan can’t satisfy your idol complex?”

For people like Bob Dylan who can play music and can get the Nobel Prize in Literature, the richest man will certainly not leave it to Columbia Records, and later Sony Music, has long been in the bag.

Jobs’ adoration of Bob Dylan can also be classified as one of his characteristic tastes, which can be regarded as one of the few big fans of the other party.

Conversely, Bob Dylan’s attitude towards Jobs can only be described as if it is detached, not lukewarm.

Like the richest man, this person was selected by Time magazine as “A Hundred People of the Time: The Most Important People of This Century”, and he won the Nobel Prize for Literature more than ten years after the original time and space, which is enough to prove that he is in business How smart I am when I am under this brand.

Bob Dylan’s approach to his relationship with a big fan of Jobs is a bit similar to that of Yan Guang, a famous hermit in the Han Dynasty in ancient China. For his former classmate, Emperor Wu of Han Guang, Liu Xiu, that is, no matter how the big fan expresses admiration. Love, keep a distance.

As the saying goes, distance produces beauty and distance produces mystery, so that this relationship between each other can start and end well.

Take Steve Jobs, who had not fallen out with John Sculley and was kicked out of Apple Computer on February 24, 1985. He invited Bob for his thirtieth birthday party. Dylan came over to perform, but was politely declined by Bob Dylan.

As a result, Steve Jobs took this situation as Bob Dylan’s personality, not at all irritated, and still admired more than just ~www.mtlnovel.com~ In a series of campaigns for the IPod release this time, Jobs specifically aimed at Bob Dylan, his idol, and made a special arrangement, that is, in the iTunes store, all the old songs of Bob Dylan were packaged together and sold at a price of 199 US dollars.

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

Bob Dylan is a good break, that’s a thing of the past, and Jobs is helping Bob Dylan win over young fans.

It has to be said that Steve Jobs invisibly stole Tang Huan’s operations against Deng Lijun and so on.

Sure enough, after the richest man put out Bob Dylan, Jobston was at ease and continued to honestly and meticulously prepare for the IPod conference.

…

On Friday, October 23, 1998, the secretly developed IPod was publicly unveiled at the iconic product launch conference that Steve Jobs had.

Apple Computer also wrote a mystery in the invitation letter, “Hint: This is not a Mac.”

After the technical parameters of the product have been introduced, it is time to turn off the screen product.

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

Then, he reached into his jeans pocket and took out a dazzling white machine: “This wonderful little machine contains a thousand songs, and it just fits in my pocket.”

After saying this, Jobs put the iPod back in his pocket.

Suddenly, the audience who were surprised by the scene burst into enthusiastic applause.

The richest man who also applauded, said in his heart: “It’s not easy, I finally tuned~ I can make a lot of money stably!”

?