Gadgets and Celebs: Two (Black Eyed) Peas in a Pod

Just a short time ago, a new music video for the song ‘The Time (Dirty Bit)’ by the Black Eyed Peas was posted on Will.I.Am’s website, Dipdive. Within that video, if you can look past all the dancing, crazy effects and Fergie, is a device called the BlackBerry PlayBook.

You know, RIM’s upcoming tablet device.

While Will.I.Am might actually be an avid BlackBerry user, this still is another example of tech companies working closely with celebrities in mediums other than television ads and magazine spreads to get their new gadgets in the minds of the consumers before they launch.

Another example?

Microsoft just launched their latest and greatest in the world of mobile software, Windows Phone 7. To celebrate and market the launch, Redmond hired Maroon 5  and Katy Perry to play free shows at two famous venues in two world class cities, San Francisco and New York. Oh, and Minka Kelly and Rob Drydek were also in attendance. (They’ve also recently hired Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus and Sylvie Van Der Vaart to promote the Kinect.)

That’s a pretty star studded affair for new mobile software and you know what the funny thing was? It wasn’t labeled outrageous or outlandish. It was, well, normal. Normal for consumers and normal for a company competing in today’s mobile software market, one that has iOS, Android, webOS,  Symbian (not for long), BlackBerry and others fighting for the attention of not only teenagers, not only folks in the United States, but millions of people around the world.

And what better way to bring attention to your product then having it be the centerpiece of a free concert featuring some of the world’s biggest acts?

Or getting it placed inside a music video and in the hands of one of the most popular people on Earth.