Why was the iPod successful?

There are many potential answers to this question, but one of the more interesting ones is 'White Headphones' ...

Humans are social animals and social rejection has a similar effect in our brain as physical pain; this is why people cringe (and exibit similar simptoms of fear) when they are anticipating social rejection in a television program/movie and when they anticipate someone in physical pan in a television program/movie. This is why a large portion of marketing talks about sales; if a car is the best selling vehicle in its class it implies that it is the most popular car in its class and there is no social rejection for owning that car.

I know many people who would argue that the iPod having white headphones enabled everyone 'in the know' to see how popular the iPod was becomming because it was the only product with white headphones (when it was released); the competition moving towards using white headphones, and people buying white headphones for their CD players and walkmans, probably lead to the iPod having greater success because it made it seem like the iPod was the only product to own.

The human mind is able to justify practically anything, which means that after you have bought a product simply because it is popular to own your mind will come up with an unlimited number of justifications for it.

Popularity leads to greater sales => Popluarity matters

i feels as though i should buy a console base on console sales but then..im like i want to buy what i like but...i cant because the market is driven by popularity for example...i might like console A but the market might find Console B popular and the sales go crazy...but i like Console A and because no one likes console A...it fails or it does not meet expectations...thats my point

any solutions anyone??

No no!  It's about buying the games that your neighbor wants so you can show off.  Everyone knows that!

Seriously though, I buy games that I like.  If I bought games because they sold alot, my last Nintendo game wouldn't have been Mega Man X and I'd have a 360.

so u dont by a system base on popualrity and sales??

What does it mean when in terms of failing??

when the console isnt near its competetion in terms of sells or not having games?? what??

Well sales don't matter at all to me, I would always buy a Nintendo console no matter what, and i'd only buy another console if there are games that really interest me that won't come on the Wii (for me that's Xbox 360 with its Fable 2 and Assassin's Creed).

I buy the consoles that have enough of the games that I want for it to justify the price of the console. Whether the console fails or succeeds I'll be happy with my purchase since I got it to play those games. The only way sales of the console will affect my purchase is if the console fails to sell enough hardware for developers to make games for said console, thus there won't be enough games I want to justify purchasing it.

For games I usually stick to what I like or games that are getting good previews/reviews, though I may be inclined to check out a game that is selling massive amounts.

i like what you said...but for example u bought console A and you like what the games have and as years go on and you find out that the games you like dont appear on the Console...how would you feel??