Introducing the iPod index

January 24, 2007 8:44 AM

iPod index. Not to be outdone by the Big Mac index, Australian investment bank Commonwealth Securities Ltd. has come up with a new benchmark for assessing the value of global currencies.
posted by Blue Buddha (20 comments total)

iPods seem to have few of the properties that make Big Macs good(-ish) for PPP comparisons like this. Given that the Big Mac index is light-hearted rather than authoritative (the Economist describes it as arguably the world's most accurate financial indicator to be based on a fast-food item), I'm not sure I can see much point in this, other than as a publicity stunt by someone.
posted by matthewr at 8:55 AM on January 24, 2007

I read "big Mac index" as "large Apple-manufactured computer index". I guess Steve Jobs's reality distortion field finally got me.
posted by tehloki at 9:01 AM on January 24, 2007

I'm also holding out for a "Wii index".
posted by tehloki at 9:03 AM on January 24, 2007

I'm waiting for the Windex Index.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 9:05 AM on January 24, 2007

I'm waiting for the Windex Index.

And why not? We've already had the Spandex Index.
posted by three blind mice at 9:09 AM on January 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

Almost every page in the "Big Mac index" link seems to be a economist subscriber/ pay link.
posted by boo_radley at 9:36 AM on January 24, 2007

I'm quite enamoured by the shamelessness of this publicity stunt. As econmoists they must know that the price of an iPod = US price + 5-25% profit for local Apple affiliate + sales tax, which is indicative of nothing, so they might as well have put out a press release reading "mumble mumble mumble iPod mumble mumble DIGG THIS."
posted by cillit bang at 9:37 AM on January 24, 2007

How about an Izod Index? The more self-important people wearing overpriced, conspicuously logoed casualwear, the closer the economy is to a "market correction." A sufficient volume of "popped" collars would indicate the urgent need for a currency devaluation. More than one gaudy designer watch being worn on any given wrist? IMF bailout or total economic ruin - your pick.
posted by gompa at 9:41 AM on January 24, 2007

As econmoists they must know...

They're just trying to dampen expectations
posted by Abiezer at 9:54 AM on January 24, 2007

How about an Andechs Index? We'll tie the market to fantastic monk-brewed dopplebock.
posted by cortex at 10:12 AM on January 24, 2007

mumble mumble mumble iPod mumble mumble

Wow, you're good. I bet you get a writing offer from Time within the hour!
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:16 AM on January 24, 2007

Was that an actual, genuine attempt at a sarcasting zing? Because it doesn't really scan as an ironic run-with-the-joke non-zing, but it'd be a very weird, petty, out-of-the-blue response if its credulous.
posted by cortex at 10:26 AM on January 24, 2007

Sarcasting! Brilliant!
posted by cortex at 10:26 AM on January 24, 2007

I look forward to the day of online sarcasts with sar-s-s feeds.
posted by tehloki at 10:57 AM on January 24, 2007

And union regs will require network TV shows to employ sarcasting directors.
posted by cortex at 11:00 AM on January 24, 2007

I have my own index. It's calculated based on the amount of money that people pay me to come and visit their country. So far it's holding steady at 0. Long-term predictions are looking good!
posted by blue_beetle at 11:14 AM on January 24, 2007

Nyet nyet! Fast food is prepared using some degree of local ingredients and is a daily [ralph] consumption item, whereas an iPod is manufactured in one region, shipped all over, and has a potent used resale market. Poor index.
posted by CynicalKnight at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2007

CynicalKnight, actually, the Big Mac index measures cost of living. This iPod index measures currency convertibility, and is probably a good (if too-knowingly hip) way to measure it.

At least, it's hipper than measuring everything against a dollar.
posted by dhartung at 12:17 PM on January 24, 2007

I would do something like this this when I was in my 20s, when in an effort to give money a value I could understand, I measured everything by how it compared to the price of a new CD. It's weird but it worked.
posted by Skygazer at 12:35 PM on January 24, 2007

dhartung: The Big Mac index light-heartedly attempts to measure PPP, not cost of living. The iPod is a really really bad way to measure PPP for various reasons (though it does have the advantage over the Big Mac of being, to an extent, tradeable).
posted by matthewr at 1:42 PM on January 24, 2007