We're not trying to get all wishy washy here on you but Obama's iPod gift to Queen Elizabeth II actually could be seen to have some deeper meaning.
For any of you that have to do work in Europe, you know that the prices of iPods over there are about 25% higher than you can find in the US. We often get hassled by our European colleagues to bring iPods (and sometimes iPhones and Macs) with us whenever we visit. It is also why, oftentimes, when you see Europeans in the US, they are likely looking for an Apple store or walking out of one.
But that's not the point. The Queen didn't ask Obama to get her an iPod to save a few bucks (hopefully).
Obama's choice of the iPod as a gift represents a lot of what America is good at. We are the world leader in Technology (for the time being). We may not manufacture all of it but we design a lot of it. Apple is also one of the leading brands in the world. It is a very recognizable symbol of ingenuity and creative thinking. The iPod also holds Music and Movies. We are also pretty good at those things as well. In fact, these areas are some of the last where the US still leads the world.
Of course the British press is all over Obama's gift giving choices. Hiis previous "gaffe" was getting Prime Minister Gordon Brown a set of 25 incorrectly region-coded DVDs. Who knows if this had some sort of deeper meaning or sentimental value? If gift giving is the biggest complaint they can throw at Obama, we're still in good shape.
We think the iPod Touch makes a great gift, even for a Queen. They even loaded it with videos of the Queen's last visit to the US and some Broadway showtunes.
It certainly beats a framed self portrait.
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Comments
It's a great gift. And Jon
It's a great gift. And Jon Ives is a Brit, so you have that 'better for being together' thing too…
I wonder if he knew that she
I wonder if he knew that she already has one?
If I were him I'd have given Gordon Brown a Zune.
Its a no goer
I like obama and am a self confessed fanboy but really?
I'd prefer to have a picture of the queen, you have to be special to get given a gift such as the queen's. My mum gave me an ipod for christmas, I was happy but it really isn't that special. If i hadn't have got one i would have bought it myself.
The US is the world leader in
The US is the world leader in technology?? Come on!!!
In electronics Japan is miles ahead!
The car industry of Germany is the grand daddy of the world!
Oil extraction: Norway, Arabian peninsula, Canada , ...
The list could go on and on. The US is good at designing iPods... so what?
(and I am American)
Actually no. Denmark
Actually no. Denmark actually. Not difficult to check.
So? If I am in Denmark I
So? If I am in Denmark I cannot be American?
credibility gap
It kind of hurts your credibility to a bunch of strangers when you are a US basher.
Thing of a computer or
Thing of a computer or software company located outside of the US? OK?
that company is a piece of shit. Shut the fuck up.
Piffle
First of all, you are confusing oil production with technology. Those places named use a great deal of American technology. I work for a company that supplies that type of technology.
Japan sells technology invented in America. They are not as good as developing it as improving it. TV, VCR, Stereos - all were once primarily American in the US, now almost entirely Japanese, and lately, Korean.
German cars - none for me thanks, far too Spartan and uncomfortable. Toyota is the largest car company in the world.
We did go to the moon, and no one else has anything like the Mars rovers.
Computer software .... let's see.
Apple - American
Microsoft - ugly American
Linux - a European copied an American OS
I appreciate Linus' work bringing Unix to the masses, but it's true. He then became a leader in the Unix world, and others began copying his methods.
(and you are young and ill informed)
Toyota is not American.
Toyota is not American.
Sigh
My point is Germany is not the auto center of the universe.
Now I think you are very young indeed ...
Well, you've 'hit the spot'
Well, you've 'hit the spot' with the prices.. strongest iMac in US is 2199$ and here in Europe (Croatia) the price for the same model is somewhere arround 3500$.. in the European Uninon the prices are a bit lower.. over there iMac are arround 3100-3200$..
So hell yeah, if anyone goes to US I am certanly ordering a MacBook or something Apple :)
p.s. Leader in technology? Khm.. come on.. I mean..
25% more, nah..
Looking at the 32GB iPod Touch, you pay USD 399 for it in the US. I'll assume you're not going to pay any sales tax on it.
So, how much would this cost in the UK and in Luxembourg if you were to but them from the Apple Store? I chose both those locations as their VAT (sales tax) rate is identical at 15%.
USD 399 converts to GBP 274.64... add 15% VAT and you get GBP 315. What does the Apple Store charge: GBP 283. So that's 10.2% CHEAPER that having somebody schlepp it from the US.
USD 399 converts to EUR 300.88... add 15% VAT and you get EUR 345. What does the Apple Store charge: EUR 360. 4.4% MORE!
Now, what if you're a business user in the UK or LU and so you don't pay VAT?
USD 399 = GBP 274.64. Apple Store (UK net price) is GBP 246.09, which is 10.4% CHEAPER than buying from the US.
USD 399 = EUR 300.88. Apple Store (LU net price) is EUR 313.22, which is 4.1% MORE than buying from the US.
So where the heck did you get that 25% higher figure from?
iPod Design is British?
Doesn't Jonathan Ive (a British guy) design the iPods?
One british guy involved.
One british guy involved. Bravo, not go get shitfaced drunk, get into a fight then rape your sister. Fuckking Chavs.
haha as soon as the CAPTCHA
haha as soon as the CAPTCHA is taken off tooo...
spam is quick to be posted ^
"we're so brilliant, we're
"we're so brilliant, we're the market leaders..."
the only thing the US leads in, markets wise, is fast food and obesity levels
Maybe if Obama was more
Maybe if Obama was more concerned with actually having us create wealth rather than steal it then your opinion would change.
Well I enjoy that we can get as fat as we want and people like you can freely complain about whatever you want. Try saying that in other parts of the world...
Oh and as a side note the Queen already has an iPod, actually she has atleast 2. Is it just me or is he really bad at giving gifts to world leaders?
Jonathan Ives designs the
Jonathan Ives designs the casings( the outside) not the circuitry and software inside, otherwise he would be god's god. The US is tops in medical, aviation and war related technologies. Oh, and interplanetary technologies. Only the US and Russia have mature space programs. GPS comes from the US space program. I could go on and on.....
I agree, let's not forget the
I agree, let's not forget the internet...
The internet is NOT American
The internet is NOT American technology.
Yes it is
It was developed by DARPA, a defense research branch of the US Government. It was built with government money. You should read the story about the first connection in 1969, where one machine sent a "HELO" then lost the connection.
HTML was developed in Europe, and I believe the first browser as well. The Internet was already there.
Have you missed the point of the visit?
It's not a case of who is best or who is worst... We'll leave that for the teens giving each other crap in online shooters.
The point is we have pretty much all been stunningly crap as nations in a very history busting way in recent years. Sitting pretty and thinking we are so great as nations is about as dumb as we can be - A bit like eating copious amounts of junk, smoking or drinking too much when we know it will cause us to die in a pretty unpleasant way.
The reason Obama is in the London, along with the other 70% of the wealth of the world, is to see how the hell we can fix just how bad we have been and try to make sure we can't do it again.
It really is time to stop chest beating and going on how great our nations are - because at this precise moment in time, we are anything but...
Sorry to bang on - But at this really isn't the time to be pretending we're great nations - In order to fix our problems, we first need to admit them - Sound familiar?
Spot on!!!
Dude... I could not agree more!!!
hmmmm
Movies, yes. At least considering big budget, larger than life movies.
Technology, well ok. Sometimes, like Apple.
Music, hmmm ... no. Of course like in any country there are great musicians, but really ... the US is not leading here in any way at all.
Per Capita ...
England has produced more good music per capita, I'd agree. There have been a couple "British Invasions" where most of the favorites in the US were British. I'd heard the way the industry worked there encouraged originality more, and didn't "mess" with the music as much.
British movies? There are some very good ones, but I don't feel like they come in massive quantities.
Hard to complain about British TV, since it produced Monty Python and Little Britain, two of the funniest shows of all time!
per capita? UK has the same
per capita? UK has the same population as California. There are 49 other states mate.
Huh? Don't understand your comment
Yeah, meaning that for a country only about a 10th of the US population, they produce a lot of good musicians. So more per capita.
She's more than the 'Queen of
She's more than the 'Queen of England' please change your story to reflect this or just put Queen Elizabeth II
It really is quite insulting, and I'm English
FYI
Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith