[MW Forums]

Select members of the press on Monday received an invitation to to a special Apple event taking place at the California Theatre in San Jose, Calif. The theme of the event would appear to be musically-related and is capitalizing on Apple's recently unveiled iPod and iTunes Music Store promotion with legendary rock band U2, judging from the invitation received by MacCentral. "Steve Jobs, Bono and The Edge invite you to attend a special event," reads the top of the invitation. The invitation-only event is scheduled to take place at 10AM Pacific Time on October 26, 2004. more

[ralph_malph]

Anyone want to give their invite to me? I think my wife would die to meet Bono & the Edge in person. (Not that I want my wife to die, I am speaking figuratively /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)

[sirmacsalot3]

Have Bono or The Edge ever been up at 10:00AM before?

[Dionysos_Taltos]

Absolutely ... when it's 6PM in Ireland

[macFanDave]

I've heard they're going to introduce a U2 iPod.
This is hilarious because Dell, Sony, Virgin, Rio and others have already released their "Me-too" iPods! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[d_escartes]

Bono? Bono ... wasn't there a musician by that name who, a few months back, was reported in the press as having paid some $1,500 dollars or so for a seat in first class ... for his hat!
Allegedly, whilst THAT caring B was @ a concert overseas, hatless-challenged he missed his favourite tifter SO much that he had it flown from Dublin in its own seat to his overseas somewhere dressing room.
Clearly, THAT bono can't be the same chap because we hear THIS bono on the TV constantly exhorting us to get our priorities right and dig deep for a few shekels to help the needy he represents.
If she gets to meet him, perhaps your wife could alert bono that there's someone of the same name who's been flying etc etc.
I'll alert Kofi ;-)

[schalliol]

there's been artist inscribed iPods for a while now.

[M_Aku]

Jeez, it must really suck to be the drummer and bassist in that band, you know, Bono, the Edge, and those other guys...

[MCCFR]

'Stealth' launch of iTMS in several new markets: Spain, Italy, Canada amongst others - no big deal now as iTMS is established on both sides of the Atlantic, everything else is considered 'incremental' growth. These could be launched at 10:00 (Europe) and at 09:00 (Eastern, for Canada) and therefore be open by the time Steve and chums take the stage in San Jose.
The launch of iTMS in several new markets would barely make jaded media hacks rise from their beds, and certainly not in California for markets that have nothing to do with USA, so why the hoopla?
U2's new album - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - launches 'physically' on 11/23, exactly 28 days after this event: I'll give dollars to doughnuts that they are going to announce that (for the first time with a 'major' album release) the virtual product is going to precede the physical product EXCLUSIVELY on all iTMS sites for four weeks as an album-only release.
It's what I'd do if my mix tapes had been stolen whilst I was mixing (U2), and it's what I'd do if I were SPJ trying to grind Napster et al into the dirt before Xmas whilst creating more column inches for the product that is making my market cap reach dizzying levels for the first time in five years.

[vaporman]

I wouldn't doubt that they announce an exclusive release, but I don't think that would be the only announcement. Maybe it will be the new 60 Gig iPods. Maybe it will be new video iPods with U2's 2 minute video pre-loaded. With all the videos on iTMS I could see that being a next step (even if Steve has repeatedly denied it.)

[macFanDave]

>> Jeez, it must really suck to be the drummer and bassist in that band, you know, Bono, the Edge, and those other guys...
I don't think Adam Clayton and Larry McMullen, Jr. are complaining too much.

[MCCFR]

Maybe, maybe not!
But Apple have become very savvy about maximising a 'slow-drip' approach to PR, thus maximising the public profile of the company through a series of announcements, rather than 'blitzing' the media in a single burst.
Also, I'm not sure it makes sense ot announce a 'revolutionary' version of the iPod at this time when the US media and the public have their heads focussed on the election.
In my opinion, better to get two or three days (maybe up to the 30th) of media focus on a U2 exclusive (the spin being that one of the world's major 'supergroups' has faith in the legal downloads industry generally and iTMS specifically, the secondary spin being that it demonstrates the maturing of the 'virtual' music industry) and then get another four days of positive PR by announcing the iPod 60GB on the 4th November with availability for Thanksgiving week.
The only exception to this is if iPod 60GB has video playback, and U2 are making the full video for Vertigo and other singles from their back catalogue available for download and playback through the iPod - but even then I'd use the drip-feed approach.
Remember what Oppenheim(er) (?) said - and I'm paraphrasing - "we have a set of things we're working on together".

[HiRez]

Hopefully they'll finally introduce the long-speculated-on ProBand and demo it with U2 doing live recordings! How cool would that be? Also GarageBand 2.0 is rumored to be progressing. But it seems like they'd really just save that for MWSF at this point...
Doing a special event at a theatre can't possibly just be for a U2 iPod. Even just introing a 60 GB model seems like a lame reason for a special invitation-only event. I highly suspect there is something else.

[samrod]

He has the money, so what if he uses it to buy his hat a planet ticket to send it over? How's that detract, in any way, from his philanthropy and altruism? Those with a lot of money, regardless of their ego and altruism, spend it in ways inimaginable to others. What's wrong with that? It's not like his action has harmed or invoncenienced anyone in any concievable way. In that case you'd have a valid point.
Besides, I doubt he literally bought his hat a plane ticket since the hat won't get on and off the plane by itself. He most likel bought some assistant the ticket who either held it throughout the flight or placed it on the seat for another assistant in the destination to retrieve it.
The rich don't have to act poor to prove they care.