Dell’s “Iron Man” Promotion: Blurring the Lines Posted on October 06, 2008 Post a comment

Is Dell’s announcement that it will sell and preload the hit movie Iron Man on new computers simply a marketing tactic, or could this, perhaps, become the start of something big? This appears to be the continuation of a trend that further blurs the line between the computer as an entertainment device and a piece of functional hardware.

On the music front, Apple has boldly paved the way with its iTunes and iPhone pairing. Why shouldn’t a computer company begin to look beyond selling hardware by adding value to its product with preloaded and easy-to-download video entertainment? What if that company offered exclusive content that could only be found on its computer/video players?

Of course, at $20 a pop and with only one movie selection, Dell’s current promotion is such a timid foray into this area that it won’t have much impact by itself. But can it be long before computers are sold as video players, much the same way iPhones are now being sold as music players?