MIR talks to Robert Putnam
I sent Robert a list of questions...and he called me back. I am typing in bold a paraphrase of his answer. I ANTICIPATE from talking to Robert..that we will be hearing about a whole host of Eastech devices (Circuit City , Best Buy possible) soon, the PC Bundling of the micro drive, possibly announcements of other Dataplay devices this fall or Q1 2002) as they rev up for the 2002 launch of Dataplay.
DATAPLAY:
Are we CURRENTLY working with Dataplay on any products OTHER than music players?
yes
If so, is it a reference design, or is it for a particular OEM (i.e.
Samsung)?
yes, and yes. they have at least one reference design and they are also working OEMS (orig equip mfgrs) on non music player Dataplay devices.[/B]
JOINT MARKETING:
Are we going to have joint products for each platform or will it only be the IBM micro drive product?
[B]IBM micro drive product is the first and big one, but we will have joint marketing programs with other platforms.
Some will have IBM and EDIGITAL branding, some just the OEM and some just edigital.[/B]
Why would a customer want to pay for the marketing for an edigital
branded product?
[B]to build consumer demand for the product, to grow the category. They are giving us generous terms and special pricing and we are piggybacking on their marketing. F&H will be working with magazines and PR to get edigital's name out there.[/B]
Are we talking about multiple branded products (more than one OEM) that will all say "powered by e.digital" (similar to Intel inside)?
[B]multiple products[/B]
If we have our own product, would we not be competing against our
customers?
[B]he says we are not competing...but helping to build the category. He said only Sony wants to go solo these days.[/B]
Were we working with someone else on the IBM micro drive and they dropped out...so IBM stepped to the plate and said, let's do it together becoming not only a supplier of the micro drive but a joint marketing partner?
[B]No...this is how it was set up with micro drive from the beginning. (remember I talked to the IBM rep at TechExpo and he said micro drive product would be out in Sept...and to remember the little guys like him (he knows I have a lot of edig stock). He said he had a shirt with the edig and IBM logo on it.)[/B]
COMMUNICATIONS:
Is Fleishman-Hillard working with us now on PRS and letters (did they
help with Fred's letter) or are they focusing on the bigger promotional push when we release products?
[B]NO F&H DOES NOT HELP EDIG WITH THEIR LETTERS TO SHAREHOLDERS. THEY ONLY WORK ON MEDIA RELATIONS.[/B]
OTHER:
Will we have a video player powered by edigital to see at this
Years shareholder meeting (we expected that last year, but it was delayed)?.
[B]NO, WE WILL NOT HAVE A VIDEO PLAYER AT THE SHMTG...BUT THEY WILL HAVE SEVERAL MUSIC PLAYERS.[/B]
Who is producing B&O product line, B&0 (their manufacturer), Maycom,
Eastech or Musical, or someone else?
[B]HE WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THIS[/B]
Is our relationship with Hango totally severed?
[B]NO, WE SEVERED OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH REMOTE SOLUTIONS, NOT HANGO[/B]
Do we have any retail customers other than B&O?
[B]WE HAVE oems who HAVE RETAIL CUSTOMERS THAT WILL HAVE STORE BRANDED PLAYERS.[/B]
XMAS PRODUCT:
Will all non-flash products out for Xmas have Voice Nav? Or is the
Voice Nav restricted to the micro drive product?
[B]WE WILL HAVE VOICE NAV AND "NON"
VOICE NAV PRODUCT ON THE SHELVES IN OCTOBER IN TIME FOR THE XMAS SELLING SEASON
BOTH ETAIL AND RETAIL.[/B]
HE EMPHASIZED THAT EVERYTHING AT EDIG NOW IS FOCUSED ON GETTING PLAYERS ON THE SHELVES ASAP.
Does out for Xmas mean a (flash or HDD) product release prior to Dec
25th, or retail distribution at a level where consumers can buy in time for the Xmas holiday?
[B]EXPECT THEM ON THE SHELVES IN OCT (MID OCT) AND EXPECT NEWS TO SET THAT UP BEFORE OCT 15TH.[/B]
Does in consumers hands mean sold through "retail distribution" or
Internet orders?
[B]BOTH ETAIL AND RETAIL. IN STORES AND ORDERING ON LINE. ON THE SHELF WAS EMPHASIZED[/B]
Will a Flash product be out by Xmas?
[B]+++++++++++++++++++++++YES. [/B]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[B]OTHER COMMENTS HE MADE.
BAND & OLUFSEN WILL HAVE SEVERAL PRODUCTS OUT BY XMAS
WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH MAYCOM
WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH IBM AS A PARTNER TO GET MUSIC PLAYERS BUNDLED WITH PC MFGRS FOR XMAS.
HE KEPT STRESSING HOW GOOD THE IBM PARTNERSHIP IS FOR EDIG.[/B]
