iPod on Windows

niola writes "A story on Yahoo mentions the XPlay -- a cool software package that allows a Windows box with a FireWire port to mount the iPod as if it were a drive (gives it a letter too) so that you can upload songs to it. Looks really cool and has the ability to integrate with Windows Media Player." Will Apple sue over this? I guess it'll depend on whether or not they stand to lose money in lost Mac sales or gain money in extra iPod sales.

Comments

Sounds like a win for Apple to me

[jandrese]

I can't imagine too many people were buying Macs because the iPod software was only written for the Mac; however I can see the huge numbers of Windows users who would love to get the iPod. With this software Apple wins two ways:
1. Windows people start buying the iPod, which increases the sales.
2. Apple doesn't have to support the moving target that is Windows, instead this other company can deal with all of the support headaches while Apple makes money hand over fist.

I'm having trouble seeing why Apple just didn't outsource this eariler, unless Jobs is trying to make the Windows users feel like the Mac users have for so many years with the "That looks really cool, too bad it's for the platform I don't run." envy.

Re:Analogy?

[ColdForged]

Apple certainly might *try* to sue, and they might be successful in a legal sense, but the geek backlash would not be conducive to their bottom line.

Fudgepucky. Apple's bottom line would be unaffected by any imagined geek backlash.

This is Yet Another Post that overestimates /.'s and geekdom-in-general's effect on anything to do with Apple. Sure /. might have the power to bring Joe Dialup's web site down simply by linking to it, but affecting Apple's bottom line actually requires people to speak with their wallet. In case you haven't noticed, Apple ain't too popular with And33 5kr1pt K1dd13 (or even Dr. Linux, or Mr. Open Source, or just about every other denomination, save the Apple faithful). So, Apple isn't losing sale one to these people... they were never customers. Sure, they might love to nip away at the fringes... people leaning a bit toward the edge. But the diehard's that might raise a flap if Apple were to sue based on this? Not even remotely.

Re:Uh...what?

[binaryfeed]

I did just that THIS PAST WEEKEND. Since there doesn't seem to be any STABLE iPod support for Linux yet, and since I hate Windows and since I REALLY wanted an iPod, I bought a Mac. Granted, I was _considering_ buying one anyway, but the iPod (firewire) was the final selling factor.

You know, I *HATE* Windows. It sucks in all aspects. It's a lousy development system and a lousy consumer system. The only "advantage" is that it is fully "interoperable".

I use Debian for all of my real "work".

The new iLamp^H^H^H^HMac with OSX is GREAT for my girlfriend who wants ease of use. And I can burn my own DVDs, I can install most of my favorite software and, if I absolutely HAVE TO, I can read the Micros~1 Office Documents that people send me. All this, for just over $2k. You CANNOT do that in the Wintel world for that price. And even if you could, the sofware would suck. Apple has GOOD designers for ease of use. Admit it.

Flamebait

[maggard]

Will Apple sue over this?

Let me guess, page views down for the quarter so /. needs to bump 'em?

Apple sues over violations of their copyright, trademark, and trade dress. As everyone here should be well aware by now if you don't actively defend them you lose them.

The ability to talk to a device of theirs isn't an issue. As to more iPods/fewer Macs who knows, I doubt Apple has a strong concern as they've supported the product and stand to make money whichever way. However it is sad when that kind of flamebait is gratuitously tacked onto a story.

Quality Control

[Curt]

This product caught my eye at Macworld Expo SF in January (are you guys a little far behind at Slashdot submitting land?) Mostly it just scared me that they let an XP machine in Macworld Expo (the natives hate it) - but I thought it was good that if Apple wasn't gonna do it, someone would. That's what third party stuff is for, right?

Pudge. Get real. They aint gonna sue.

Re:Leads to decrease in iMac sales

[SquadBoy]

No no no. Many perhaps most people who buy Macs do not think that way. These are the same people who buy new bugs and put a flower in the vase. Style over substance people. Also many of them are rabid about the software and while Virtual PC does not come with the OS it is so widely used it might as well. So many of them feel no pain and think of themselves as being superior. Jobs knows this and feeds it. Your logic is that of a geek. The people who buy Macs are, for the most part, not geeks.

Re:Reformat...now what?

[Chrimble]

XPlay has shipped with the "iPod Restore Wizard" since about preview release 2, which means you can restore your iPod to full working order (probably) under Windows if anything goes horribly wrong.

But yes, you may need a Mac owning friend to bail you out if things go *really* pear-shaped... not ideal, but better than ending up with a $400 paperweight.