LOUISIANA PAPARAZZI:August 14, 2009
Dr. Dre and Interscope head Jimmy Iovine recently revealed that they have partnered with computer maker Hewlett-Packard in hopes of vastly improving the sound quality of digital music.
According to CNET.com, the plan is to roll out a line of premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the "Beats by Dr. Dre" brand this fall.
However, it's been made clear, it's not an attempt to fix the business woes the record industry has been suffering from in recent years.
In an interview with CNET last week, Iovine confirmed that he and Dre are devising a plan to reconstruct the "digital music ecosystem" from the sound file to the computer and culminating with high-end headsets. But, declined to discuss the parties involved.
"We have to fix the entire chain," Iovine said. "Our position is to go to all the sources and try to improve sound and educate people ... We can't put anything weak in the line. Whoever puts out things that sound bad shouldn't be as cool as something that sounds great."
While Iovine downplayed inklings that the project would rival Apple, experts said it has the makings of an attempt to lure away some of the iTunes market share in the music biz.
An analyst told CNET that there's room for competitors to take on Apple, if they were to offer better sound quality. But, added that there might be struggles to move beyond the niche digital market.
According to CNET.com, the plan is to roll out a line of premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the "Beats by Dr. Dre" brand this fall.
However, it's been made clear, it's not an attempt to fix the business woes the record industry has been suffering from in recent years.
In an interview with CNET last week, Iovine confirmed that he and Dre are devising a plan to reconstruct the "digital music ecosystem" from the sound file to the computer and culminating with high-end headsets. But, declined to discuss the parties involved.
"We have to fix the entire chain," Iovine said. "Our position is to go to all the sources and try to improve sound and educate people ... We can't put anything weak in the line. Whoever puts out things that sound bad shouldn't be as cool as something that sounds great."
While Iovine downplayed inklings that the project would rival Apple, experts said it has the makings of an attempt to lure away some of the iTunes market share in the music biz.
An analyst told CNET that there's room for competitors to take on Apple, if they were to offer better sound quality. But, added that there might be struggles to move beyond the niche digital market.
"There is always an opening," Richard Shim told the site. "The question is how do you take a doggy door and turn it into a garage door? How do you take something that has a small audience (the market for high quality sound) and push it out to the mainstream."
Iovine explained that he and Dre just want better sound, and aren't hell-bent on saving music from their sagging sales.
Iovine explained that he and Dre just want better sound, and aren't hell-bent on saving music from their sagging sales.
At press time, it's unclear when these improvements would begin to surface in the marketplace.
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