With Creative having said in the past that it would significantly take marketshare away from Apple Computer in the digital audio player (DAP) market, what have the results shown? Nothing, yet, not a thing. I always giggle when I see the CEO of a major electronics company start verbally slaying the iPod camp. Here's why: although Apple was not first to the digital audio player market, and products like the iPod shuffle were years behind competitive products (based on your perspective), Creative's CEO, Sim Wong Hoo, appears to totally "not get it" in regards to Apple's iPod marketshare. Nothing new here, as companies have said this before, although none as brash as Creative's CEO.

Apple has created an entire universe for the customer, not simply a cold, unemotional device like most electronics companies make these days. Although the competition is finally wising up. Creative's bet on a Microsoft-dominated digital music universe over a year ago took a step backwards when Microsoft announced the Zune product to take on the iPod, in addition to making the "PlaysForSure" platform still available to the multitude of disconnected and frenzied companies that have tried, and failed, to take marketshare from Apple's iPod.

The entire customer experience is what customers respond to -- not devices that have more and possibly unused feature sets that many companies have tried to use as a competitive advantage against the iPod. Although many argue about Apple's tight control over the iPod ecosystem, the business model works incredibly well for consumers, and the sales results show this. With one company controlling the interface, the hardware, the software, the distribution and the marketing -- all well, I might add -- customers have responded and will continue to respond. The dizzying and confusing arena of hardware, content services, formats, marketing messages and other things from all other companies in this space is a nightmare for the average consumer. Yes -- it's getting better, and the Microsoft Zune product and experience may be the best attempt yet. For Creative, its recent results speak for themselves, or maybe these results should not speak at all.

Brian White has worked in various executive positions in technology and telecommunications and now focuses on editing and writing.