Dell’s CEO, Kevin Rollins may be a smart guy … but he’s a bit of a moron, too.
In an interview with News.Com he compares the iPod to the Sony Walkman.
I’m sure that Steve Jobs was happy to hear that.
But he continued by calling the Walkman a “fad” and saying:
“Well, those things that become fads rage, and then they drop off. When I was growing up there was a product made by Sony called the Sony Walkman–a rage, everyone had to have one. Well, you don’t hear about the Walkman anymore. I believe that one-product wonders come and go. You have to have sustainable business models, sustainable strategy.”
I’m not going to say that Walkmans weren’t a “must-have” popular item … but they weren’t like jelly bracelets or parachute pants. Fads die. They go away.
Sony’s Walkman, on the other hand, had a huge impact on the culture, and it definitely wasn’t just a “one-product wonder” as Rollins put it.
- Walkmans created an industry. They spawned a whole slew of portable electronics.
- How many people still listen to them at the gym or on the subway?
- I just did a search at Circuit City and found 24 “Walkman” branded items that they carry.
Oh well. I guess he’s right about one thing: It’s foolish for a company to bet its entire business model on a “one-product wonder.” I’m tired of thinking about it. I think I’m gonna go play NCAA Football on my PlayStation for a while.