Comparing the two most-anticipated and hyped events of the summer. Yes, this is only tangentially related to mobile computing, but one too many news stories just put me over the edge.
| Harry Potter Book 7 | Apple iPhone | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | July 21 | June 29 | iPhone |
| Price | List: $34.99; street: $17.99 – $20.99 | $499 – $599 | HP |
| Availability after release | Everywhere. I expect to see it in grocery stores, gas stations, and probably on street corners. | Best guesses are that it will be hard to get, or even to find. | HP |
| Appeal / Cool factor | Mass / Probably not | Cult / Very high | iPhone |
| Secrecy surrounding release | Info, or at least rumors, are starting, but clearly unauthorized. (I’m trying hard not to read them, so please don’t post any here.) | Lots of official info leaks. This article says “Issuing nuggets of news may be a marketing tactic.” We say: may be?? | HP |
| Biggest decision | Where to buy it? Amazon, get the best price (and a $5 coupon) but wait for delivery, or a local bookstore, and pay more and fight the crowds. | How early to show up at the AT+T store to wait in line. | iPhone |
| Biggest open question: | Is Snape the ultimate good guy or the ultimate bad guy? | Will it ever run third-party apps? | tie |
| Buzz v. hype | Buzz | Hype | HP |
| Google matches | Loosely 30 million | About 55 million | iPhone |
| Total | 4 | 4 | tie! |
Both are overhyped.
Would make a great title: “Harry Potter and the Killer iPhone”
I think you forgot “Biggest Negative Drawback”:
For Harry Potter: “People think that it turns kids into witches/demon spawn/readers instead of TV watchers”
For the iPhone: “o noes teh kybd is hrd 2 use, !like my rglr fon!”
A few related articles and columns I found interesting:
Apple iPhone hype machine in overdrive
Secret iPhone Details Lost in a Sea of Hype and Hate
And Savage Chickens’ view