I’m in Hollywood Chapter 1122: Guess what
Remember [lnmao.org] in one second, fast update, no pop-up window, free to read!
San Francisco, Marriott Hotel.
Today is the day when the third-generation Firefly player is released. The hotel ’s largest ballroom is full of guests and journalists from all over the world, as it was last year.
It's just that after listening to the new product introduction of Firefly CEO Victor McNally, Larry · Ellison sitting next to Eric applauded rather perfunctoryly, so he came together and said: " So, is that all? Eric? Larger capacity, longer battery life, and sound quality improvements that consumers can hardly feel intuitively? Seriously, if I were you, I would be responsible for the development of new products after the press conference. The whole team was fired. "
Eric looked at the Christina · Aguilera that took to the stage to start the midfield performance, and said without turning his head: "If I do this, companies like Sony, Philips and even Microsoft who want to enter the field of digital music players are not You ca n’t be crazy. Larry, would n’t you also have this idea? ”
Larry · Ellison was dissatisfied and said: "You guys, I am worried about you. So many manufacturers are going to launch digital music players this year, but your team just came up with a new generation of mediocre products. You Do you think Firefly Electronics can still maintain its own advantages? "
"Then give it a try," said Eric with a smile on his lips, "Speaking of which, we have prepared the 100 million USD litigation fund, and we are waiting for the lawsuit to fight with everyone."
"I think you will make a lot of anger," Larry · Ellison grinned, suddenly realized something, looked at the watch, and found that if it ended like this, the time of the conference was too short. So he came together again and whispered: "Eric, is there a surprise, right?"
Eric shrugged: "Guess what?"
Speaking of it, the third-generation Firefly player just released is really just another software and hardware upgrade based on the previous two generations. There is nothing that can make people shine, and it is no wonder that Larry · Ellison I am disappointed. The other reporters and guests on the scene generally feel this way.
However, this is definitely not because Firefly Electronics' R & D team lacks innovation.
In fact, because Eric is a strong Boss staring at any time, even if the Firefly electronic research and development team wants to slack off, there are many new product ideas that come out every year.
If necessary, Firefly Electronics can launch a refreshing full-touch Firefly player or a button-type Firefly player with a miniaturized flash storage medium at any time.
It's just that Eric doesn't want to expand Firefly's product line too eagerly, and has produced a large number of digital music players with different styles and different prices but the basic functions are not very different. Because this will only cause consumers to have difficulty in choosing, and then Basic Instinct will tend to lower-priced styles, lowering the average selling price and overall profit of Firefly electronic products.
Moreover, the management of Eric and Firefly Electronics agreed that the company ’s most important task at the moment is to further improve the surrounding ecological services such as digital music stores and user payment systems related to Firefly players. This is to maintain Firefly players. The most powerful 'moat' in the market.
As long as users can have access to music content that is far more convenient than the same type of products, even if Firefly Electronics is forced to further authorize the relevant patented technology of MP3 players under anti-monopoly pressure in the future, competitors will be difficult to threaten To the market position of Firefly electronics.
After the performance of Christina, Tina · Brown stepped onto the stage. In the eyes of the guests who were puzzled and looking forward, they officially started to introduce the plan of the mini music store to be jointly promoted by Firefly Electronics and Yahoo.
When the prototype picture of the mini music store appeared on the big screen at the scene, Tina · Brown had not even officially started the function introduction, and there was already obvious disturbance in the scene.
After all, just based on the appearance, most people can easily guess the purpose of this machine.
Subsequently, when Tina · Brown started a full-touch screen operation demonstration, many sharp-eyed media reporters have begun to secretly deliver messages to the outside world.
Larry · Ellison simply listened to the introduction of Tina · Brown, and once again put together a rough face, with a tentative tone: "Eric, is this machine's operating system customized by Microsoft?"
Eric was a little surprised. I did n’t expect Larry · Ellison to grasp the most crucial point in such a short time, and said again: "Guess what?"
Larry · Ellison confirmed his judgment from the expression of Eric. He grinned and took a picture on his shoulder, then raised a thumbs up: "Good job."
Eric smiled and did not deliberately say a few obscure words.
It is well known that Larry · Ellison and Microsoft do not deal with it. After seeing a brand new operating system appear in the Firefly electronic mini music store, it is natural to think that Eric is intended to challenge the market position of the MicrosoftWindows operating system. Excited.
If the time is pushed forward for another five years, Eric may have this idea, but now, with the release of Windows98, Microsoft ’s dominant position in the PC operating system field has been unshakable, and Eric naturally has no intention to do this This kind of attempt is destined to fail, and his eyes have always been closely focused on the future mobile operating system.
The Firefly electronic mini music store brought more surprises to this conference than the third-generation Firefly player that should have received the most attention and the new-generation M-200 music phone released by Nokia at the same time.
At the end of the press conference, news about the Firefly electronic mini music store began to appear overwhelmingly in the Internet media and the evening newspaper of the day. Some media also made the same guess as Larry · Ellison, and many people then called Firefly The electronics and Yahoo senior executives tried, and even Microsoft couldn't stand it. The door classmates had been patient until the next day, and they still dialed the phone and tried a lot.
However, the heated discussion about the mini music store has not made Firefly Electronics and Yahoo executives too excited.
Eric arrived at San Francisco from Los Angeles at noon. The press conference started at two o'clock in the afternoon and ended at four o'clock. Most of the reporters and guests who will remain are looking forward to the reception tonight, Eric and Firefly Electronics, Yahoo and Nokia and other company executives had to rush to Firefly Electronics Headquarters to hold a meeting.
“A large number of shareholders and senior executives within the Seagram Group were full of doubts about the cooperation between Universal Records and Firefly Electronics. The total debt of this company ’s 12billion USD also forced them to treat the claims of creditors with caution. Our negotiations are also reasonable. Now, Universal records, Warner records and Sony records have been excluded, we only have two choices of the last EMI records and BMG records. "
In the meeting room, Eric listened to Bill Olson's introduction to the current situation, and at the same time looked at the information in front of him.
A few days ago, I heard that Universal Records refused to continue the licensing negotiations, and Eric was also surprised. To this end, he hurriedly returned to Los Angeles from the east coast, met with Edgar · Bronfman again, and increased the amount of loans promised to the Seagram group to 1.5 billion USD. This is the highest plus that Eric is willing to give, and the expected value of Edgar · Bronfman is probably the same. However, Edgar · Bronfman still did not relax.
As you can imagine, behind the scenes, the capital forces that obstructed the cooperation between Firefly Electronics and Universal Records have made sufficient preparations.
Warner records and Sony records were excluded from the beginning. Now, Universal records have lost the highest quality potential partner. Firefly Electronics has only Europe ’s EMI and BMG Record Company.
Bill · Olson finished, Tina · Brown said: "The decline of the record industry continues, I think, whether it is Universal records, or Warner records or Sony records, sooner or later must consider digital music players The problem of transformation. "
"The key is that we do n’t have time to wait for their active transformation now, and the company needs to complete the content layout as soon as possible."
"Perhaps, we can focus on a larger number of small and medium-sized Record Company. Although the strength of the five major records is very strong, the content of these small and medium-sized Record Company is also very rich."
"The best singers and records are in the hands of the top five records. We collected 100 records from small companies, and they are not necessarily worth the influence of one of the top five popular singers."
“Firefly Records ’s backstreet boy and hot girl combination has been able to bring enough influence to the digital music store. What we have to do now is to give users more choices in content.”
"..."
Eric listened for a while, raised their heads, and asked Bill Olsen, who was sitting diagonally opposite meeting table, said: "Bill, how did the two companies on the side of Europe react, or, do you think these two, which Is it easier for a family to fight for it? "
Bill Olson smiled bitterly: "Baidai and BMG have a colder attitude towards digital music sales authorization than the previous Universal, and they should have had contact in private. Obviously, an offensive and defensive alliance has been formed, we can only Fight for both of them at the same time, or give up at the same time. "
There was a sudden silence in the meeting room.
After a while, Victor McNeilly said: "Eric, in fact, the solution to this matter has always been simple. The major Record Company basically just want to take a slice of the digital music player. Therefore, you only need to agree to transfer part of the shares of Firefly Electronics, and the situation we are facing now will be solved. "
The pencil in Eric ’s hand turned around between fingers and shook his head slightly, saying, “Victor, this is not easy at all.”
"Eric, I understand that you have great expectations for Firefly electronics. We are not short of funds. The performance growth is also very strong. These are our advantages. But we also have to face our disadvantages. We need partners. And, even if you think this company will be worth 100billion USD or even 200billion USD in the future, we must now act according to the valuation and influence of Firefly Electronics 30billion USD, which is the reality. "
"However, everyone should be aware that the products of Firefly Electronics are definitely more than Firefly players."
The company Vice Chairman Jeff Kleber, who was transferred from Nokia to the Firefly electronic supply chain, raised his hand and attracted everyone's attention. Then he looked at Eric and said, "Eric, do you mean to say, Firefly player is actually not the most important for Firefly Electronics, I remember you have expressed similar views before. "
Eric nodded and said: "Although Firefly player is currently almost all the profit source of Firefly electronics, it is like the cassette recorder and the MD player that will face the elimination before it is fully promoted. In the next five to ten years, the product is likely to be replaced by a new portable music playback carrier, such as a mobile phone. "
"So, Eric, I have a solution," Jeff Kleber said: "We can spin off the Firefly player business, set up a separate subsidiary, and then in the name of this subsidiary Seeking the partners we need from outside. In this way, other potential business units of Firefly Electronics will not be interfered. Even, if you really say that the Firefly player is destined to be eliminated, we can even take this at the highest point The business is taking off, of course, if you are willing to sell. "
In the conference room, hearing Jeff Kleber ’s words, everyone ’s eyes were bright, and the finger of Eric ’s turning pencil stopped.
In fact, as long as the Firefly player can be quickly promoted, Eric does not mind sharing some of the profits to several Record Company. However, for Record Company's intention to directly invest in Firefly electronics, Eric is very resistant.
For him who can clearly see the future, the ARM company owned by Firefly Electronics and multiple technical teams related to tablets and smartphones are the company ’s most valuable assets. For Firefly Electronics, it is more like a transitional product.
Jeff Kleber ’s suggestion also made Eric feel a sudden and cheerful feeling.
The separation of the Firefly player business and the establishment of a subsidiary will not only solve the current dilemma faced by Firefly Electronics, but also allow the Firefly player to be listed separately.
After all, although Henry Paulson ’s words on Hearst ’s party do n’t make any sense, one thing is true. Executives and employees holding electronic shares in Firefly hope that the company will be able to go public. To get a more generous return, this kind of appeal is understandable to anyone.
Slowly draw a circle on the material in front with a pencil. Eric weighed for a moment, then clicked on the center of the circle with a pen, without any muddy water, looked up at everyone, and decisively said: "So, we are like this Now, let ’s discuss how to do it. ”
In the ballroom of the Marriott Hotel.
It is already nine o'clock in the evening. Although the silhouette of the banquet hall is very lively, there is still an inexplicable atmosphere in the crowd.
Because, until now, as host Firefly Electronics, several core senior executives have not appeared, only one Firefly Electronics public relations department Manager came to preside over the opening of the reception.
In order to entertain guests from all sides, the banquet hosted by Firefly Electronics was very attentive, and all details were impeccable. The guests did not have much dissatisfaction, but they grew more and more curious in their hearts. Many people looked at the entrance of the banquet hall more than once, looking forward to the appearance of Firefly electronic executives.
Some media reporters attending party even hid in the corner and began to contact the outside world to try to find out what happened.
More than half an hour later, at the door of the banquet hall, a crowd of people eagerly awaiting their appearance finally appeared, and the irresistible guests gathered around.
Eric lags behind for a long time before entering the banquet hall. At this time, Victor McNeilly and others have attracted the attention of most people. However, Eric entered the banquet hall and was immediately Larry · Ellison Catch: "Eric, tell me what happened in the end, you will almost call the police if you don't appear again?"