Apple is Now Bigger than Dell

Recently, I ordered a new laptop from Dell (DELL). A few days later, a small brown box arrived. I thought “man, these laptops are getting tiny.” Then I was terrified that there might be “some assembly required.” Let’s just say that outside of gin and tonic, I don’t assemble well.
Turns out, it was a free Dell iPod which I got as part of the order. The laptop came the next day.
Just to show you the power of the Apple (AAPL) brand, I don’t even know what the Dell electronic musical device machine is called. Me? I’m calling it my Dell iPod. I think “iPod” is now the generic name as well as a brand name. As the proud owner of many shares of Dell, I have to concede that this thing is the hydrox of the industry.
Well yesterday, the UPS (UPS) guy shows up and gives me another small brown box. Lucky day! I rip it open (like I’m 12) and Ameritrade (AMTD) sent me a video iPod!
How cool is that? In no time, I went from being an iPodless American to having two iPods. Both un-frickin-expected!! I’m now a multiPod! A wePod?
I have a non-iPod iPod and a real iPod iPod.
Make that, a real VIDEO iPod.
(Update: Um…anyone how to work a video iPod? As a long-standing principle, I refuse to read directions. Ah..I’ll figure it out.)
I’m not sure why Ameritrade sent it to me. Something about a deposit. I use the service, but truthfully, I think their interface can be a bit confusing. (Yeah, I know…directions.)
Coincidentally, last week Apple Computer passed Dell in market value. Steve Jobs enjoyed a nice little in-your-face moment:

In 1997, shortly after Mr. Jobs returned to Apple, the company he helped start in 1976, Dell’s founder and chairman, Michael S. Dell, was asked at a technology conference what might be done to fix Apple, then deeply troubled financially.
“What would I do?” Mr. Dell said to an audience of several thousand information technology managers. “I’d shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.”
On Friday, apparently savoring the moment, Mr. Jobs sent a brief e-mail message to Apple employees, which read: “Team, it turned out that Michael Dell wasn’t perfect at predicting the future. Based on today’s stock market close, Apple is worth more than Dell. Stocks go up and down, and things may be different tomorrow, but I thought it was worth a moment of reflection today. Steve.”

Michael Dell shouldn’t feel too bad. According to Forbes, his personal fortune stands at $16 billion.

Posted by on January 17th, 2006 at 5:22 am


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