Brand extentions

technology is changing the way marketing fraternity looks at brand extensions. conventional logic will tell you that you can extend a brand across a range of connected benefits. so Dove can become a range of skin care products that enhance beauty, and Clinique can become scientific skin care brabd that keeps skin youth ful and blah blah.
but technology is doing funny things and marketers are doing funnier things in this field. Apple has been doing some truely path breaking extensions. if itunes an online music store owned by apple what is it doing in a tie up with HP? and more interestingly with motorola on motorazr? and if ipod is mobile music nd video device why is it inside BMW and many more automobiles? these extentions are beyond conventional logic or thinking. It doesnt stop here. What is Walkman? a music player or Phone? What is Cybershot? a Camera albiet digital or a mobile phone? Is Nokia a mobile phone maker or an entertainment device maker? Brands are getting into teritories that they would have otherwise stayed far away from. But today technology and the chage it is bringing in forcing those dynamics to change. to survive the brands have to think about engaging their customes and not look at narrow categories. so cosmetics are becoming beauty salons, will toothpastes become dating services??