A couple weeks ago, we talked about the rise of "iPod Nation," and how smart marketing could enhance its status as an "ideavirus" product. All true. However... along comes DrunkenBlog with a super-bright piece called Convergence Kills:

"That's why Apple is freaked about what Real is doing; it knows the iPod is going to be a surprisingly short-term success story, and that its era of growth is going to die out much faster than expected. This might sound stupid at first, due to how little Apple actually makes from the store, and how well the iPod is doing now..."

...but there's a definite method to its madness, and Apple may no longer be a hardware company at heart. Rick Seidner has called Drunkenbatman's post "one of the smartest pieces I've ever read about the digital media player market" - and when you read it, you'll see why.