Slashdot Mirror


Google to Include iTunes?

Baher Al Hakim writes "The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google to offer Apple's iTunes Music service through Google's site. The rumored deal would pair the nation's leading online music store with its leading search engine." Update: 08/13 22:00 GMT by T : Truncation untruncated.

232 comments

  1. What the hell? by maotx · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    Baher Al Hakim writes "The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a

    To a what? To award? To a degree? I don't know which is worse: duped stories or incomplete stories with no links. I know, the rest of the story is to be supplied in the dupe!

    What has the editors of /. come to when they can't even post a complete story?
    Hey OSTG! I'll be a Slashdot editor! I wouldn't mind posting news worthy stories in my spare time. Certainly better than what we have now. Instead of Google's latest update, I'll post real stories. Stories such as: If not me, than at least someone who can do a real editors job. I do believe I'm not going to renew my subscription if this kind of crap keeps on. With all do respect Taco, Slashdot use to be a great site, but now all it is good for is the latest $MARKETER plug with an occasional news story to keep us coming back.

    Oh, and EMAILING THE EDITOR SEEMS TO HAVE NO FUCKING AFFECT

    </rant>
    --
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    1. Re:What the hell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You confused effect with affect

    2. Re:What the hell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Given the piss poor nature of this article, I'd say the parent post is perfectly on-topic.

    3. Re:What the hell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You confused effect with affect

      And I'll admit it and make sure that it won't happen again.

    4. Re:What the hell? by danbeck · · Score: 1

      This may be worth of offtopic mod, but surely the insightful and interesting mods will outweight the offtopic?

  2. Editors? by CyborgWarrior · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Uhhhhhhhhh. Where's the rest of the story? lol

    --
    If you can't say something nice, make sure you have something heavy to throw.
    1. Re:Editors? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Uhhhhhhhhh. Where's the rest of the story? lol
      Paul Harvey has it. ;>)

    2. Re:Editors? by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      I think this is the story. If you "View Source" the Slashdot article, you see this link at the end (one of these <a href="blah"></a> things that doesn't result in a usable, or visible, link.)

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    3. Re:Editors? by briancurtin · · Score: 1

      94 comments and 90 of them are stupid ass "durr ill be funny and make a half post too" or "argh fuck the editors!" comments. another waste of time

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    4. Re:Editors? by ModernGeek · · Score: 1

      I would try and get same karma from making a joke about this, but the +5 Funny modifier doesn't even give you any points. I really think this is

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      Sig: I stole this sig.
  3. Submit button on the loose. by espenfjo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Reports from all over the street says that the well known submitt button is on the loose.

    1. Re:Submit button on the loose. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I see the submit button got you as w....doh

  4. first by way2trivial · · Score: 5, Funny

    po

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
    1. Re:first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, I never believed that a first post thing could really be funny.

  5. Um no article? by Sweetdelight · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Wheres the article.. links..

  6. LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by Space+cowboy · · Score: 4, Informative
    I noticed this on Friday, when the stock jumped by 5% :-) A couple of links that *don't* go to the submitters blog...



    For some reason, it *really* annoys me when people link to their own blog instead of the link to the story. At the very least it ought to be obvious that it's a personal link rather than doing it on the sly.

    Simon
    --
    Physicists get Hadrons!
    1. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      For some reason, it *really* annoys me when people link to their own blog instead of the link to the story.

      If they're adding information or analysis to the linked article, that's of value and OK in my book.

      At the very least it ought to be obvious that it's a personal link rather than doing it on the sly.

      Quite so.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    2. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by igbrown · · Score: 1

      Sorry, don't understand your outrage. Why shouldn't your username link back to your blog or homepage?

      I assume that more links are forthcoming in the full post (you did notice it was truncated, right?).

      Now if the links in the yet unseen story are all back to his personal or commersial site, then, well, you might have a reason to be upset.

    3. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by bahamat · · Score: 1

      The outrage is because the submitter is including a link to a "story" wich is merely his own blog page commenting on someone else's story, assumedly to generate traffic to their own site. While sometimes useful (e.g., when ESR offers a bounty on Linux code in UNIX) it's usually just some fool trying to up his readership. Slashdotters hate self-linkers for the same reason they hate karma whores.

    4. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by zippthorne · · Score: 1

      I would care more about that if the summaries had better links in general. Half the time I don't know which inline-highlighted-word is the story and which is the background.

      Hint to future article submitters: use at least one, and preferably more, of the words in the title as links in the summary to the article. If you don't have any that conveniently do that, consider changing the submission title to something more appropriate. If your summary skills are good, chances are there is at least one sentence fragment that describes the main article.

      Hint 2 to future submitters: do not link the article more than once, and do not link the background information in such a way as to give equal weight to more than one link as to the possibility of each actually being the article rather than extra info.

      Oh and after that, what Space Cowboy said.

      --
      Can you be Even More Awesome?!
    5. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by Sean+Clifford · · Score: 1

      Uh, no he's not. The link to the story takes you to The Street, not to this guys blog. His username links to his blog, as it should. I don't see the problem. He's not self-linking here.

    6. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by igbrown · · Score: 5, Informative

      Sorry. I think you are not paying attention to what's going on here.

      1) The submitter of the story included a link to an article on TheStreet.com.

      2) The story was truncated by a malformed HTML.

      3) The only link visible on the truncated story was the attribution link for the submitter.

      4) The submitter's link on his ID, like many of us, points to a homepage or blog.

      5) The grandparent of this post chastised the submitter (mistakenly, IMO) for astroturfing or whatever, based on the attribution link, without seeing the submitted story, which contained a link to thestreet.com.

      6) The submitters blog, displays the most recent post to the blog, which happened to be the same post he was trying to make to Slashdot.

      7) Please pay attention next time.

    7. Re:LINK TO SUBMITTER's BLOG alert by Snuggly_Soft · · Score: 2, Insightful

      8) Profit!!!

  7. Apparently... by c0l0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    NO CARRIER

    --
    :%s/Open Source/Free Software/g

    YTARY!
  8. Making up for Dupes. by reality-bytes · · Score: 5, Funny
    In an attempt to make up for the dupes, Slashdot are now providing half and article at a time.

    Baher Al Hakim writes "The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a ,


    No doubt it will be edited but it was amusing while it lasted. ;)
    --
    Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.
    1. Re:Making up for Dupes. by dyefade · · Score: 1

      I wonder sometimes, is slashdot/the editors thereof, having something of a joke about it's users? The dupes, the blatent adverts, the lack of editting control, and now this!? WTF is going on? It's not like this site is even that current, unless it's some MS-bashing story, or a Google/Apple-loving one.
      Sheesh!

    2. Re:Making up for Dupes. by MustardMan · · Score: 4, Funny

      In recent tiimes, the quality of articles here has gone down. You could even say slashdot has jumped the

    3. Re:Making up for Dupes. by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      " wonder sometimes, is slashdot/the editors thereof, having something of a joke about it's users?"

      Given that most of the comments for this story would have orbitted just around that part of the summary, I'd say your suspicion is true. "Apple? Google?! Deal?!? Well, my mind's made up!"

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    4. Re:Making up for Dupes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Screenshot of Taco's fuckup

      Yet another example of editor incompetance...

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      Join Antislash

    5. Re:Making up for Dupes. by PhoenxHwk · · Score: 2, Funny

      At least when we get the dupe, then we'll have one complete article!

    6. Re:Making up for Dupes. by eno2001 · · Score: 1

      Dude... thanks for the screenshot, but jeezus that serif font has GOT to go! It's soooo 1890. There's a few fonts that you might have heard of:

      1. Helvetica
      2. Arial (if you're trapped on Windows)
      3. Verdana (if you've snagged the MS free fonts and loaded them up in X Window System)

      Try them. They'll make your reading experience much more pleasant instead of making your eyes bleed. That is all.

      --
      -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
    7. Re: Making up for Dupes. by gidds · · Score: 1
      With frickin' l

      --

      Ceterum censeo subscriptionem esse delendam.

    8. Re:Making up for Dupes. by silic0n · · Score: 3, Funny

      Heh heh. Font fascists.

    9. Re:Making up for Dupes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      At least when we get the dupe, then we'll have one complete article!

      Yeah. Thanks Eintstein. That was his point. That's why it was amusing. And I notice your cousin/brother has mod points.

    10. Re:Making up for Dupes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks for the suggestions mate. I've downloaded the new Longhorn fonts as well which are quite nice - I guess Times New Roman doesn't do it for ya huh?

      And I wouldn't say trapped on windows. I dual boot into Mandrake 10.2 but so far I just...havn't...quite...been able to make the switch :P

      I'm looking forward to trying OSX86 on here soon though!

    11. Re:Making up for Dupes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Helvetica reeks of the '70s, Arial is a poor facsimile, and Verdana is clumsily huge. Give me a Minion or a fine Hermann Zapf any day of the week and a Benguiat on Sundays.

      Tiger's tweaked ATSUI makes serifs look good. Trust me, they're coming back into style.

    12. Re:Making up for Dupes. by eno2001 · · Score: 1

      I've never seen a good looking serif for body text in my life. As an accent font in a logo, it's fine. But for the body of a large text, san serif fonts are easier to read. All those goofy assed serifs hanging off of letters like 'T' and 'G' are unsightly. A nice serif font with thin ligatures is about the only thing I can stomach for logos is I absolutely MUST use a serif font. But more often than not, I tend to use more stylish fonts for logos anyway. So again, do away with serif fonts forever. And remember... no more than two font styles per page or else your page will look like shite.

      --
      -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
    13. Re:Making up for Dupes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll buy that for low-resolution output like computer displays, but haven't there been studies showing serif fonts are easier to read on the printed page?

      Serif fonts are like New York: elegant, ornate, dynamic, rich in history. Sans serifs are like Los Angeles, facelessly postmodern. I suppose they both have their uses.

    14. Re:Making up for Dupes. by eno2001 · · Score: 1

      New York Rules. Loss Angeles Drools. >:)

      Yeah... I'm a punkass.

      --
      -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
  9. Behold the power of news.google: by ikewillis · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.thestreet.com/_googlen/tech/hardware/10 237939.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

    Shares of Apple Computer (AAPL:Nasdaq - commentary - research) set an all-time high on Friday following a disappointing report from Dell (DELL:Nasdaq - commentary - research) and amid rumors about a major new partnership.

    According to market chatter, Apple is set to announce a deal with Google (GOOG:Nasdaq - commentary - research) calling for Google to offer Apple's iTunes music store through its own site. The rumored deal would pair the nation's leading online music store with its leading search engine.

    There's "speculation of an iTunes launch," says Paul Foster, an options strategist at Theflyonthewall.com. "Google is going to offer iTunes somehow on their platform," according to the rumor, he says.

    Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said the company doesn't comment on "rumors and speculation." A Google representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Meanwhile, Apple's shares might well have benefited from Dell's pain. The computer giant missed Wall Street's revenue targets for its just-completed quarter by $300 million and cautioned analysts that they needed to bring down their revenue targets for its current quarter.

    Dell's stumble is in contrast to Apple, which has seen its computer sales and share in the PC market surge in recent quarters.

    "Some investors seem be rotating out of Dell into Apple," says Foster. "Investors kind of have the attitude that Dell's weakness is Apple's strength."

    Shares of Apple closed regular trading up $2.10, or 4.8%, on Friday to $46.10. The company's shares traded up as much as $2.22, or 5%, intraday. Volume totaled nearly 33 million shares, well above its three-month norm of 18.6 million shares.

    1. Re:Behold the power of news.google: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Behold the power of View Source.

      <a href="http://www.technoogle.com/">Baher Al Hakim</a> writes <i>"The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a <a href="http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/tech/hardwar e/10237939.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&amp;cm_cat=FREE&amp;c m_ite=NA"></a></i>

  10. asdf by stevejsmith · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even Madlibs gives you the part of speech.

  11. Huh... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it me? Or are the aricle summaries is getting

    1. Re:Huh... by cnettel · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, I, for one, welcom

    2. Re:Huh... by Atticu5 · · Score: 1

      1. Become editor of /.
      2. Post unedited, half-written article.
      3. ???

    3. Re:Huh... by Silicon+Jedi · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia, article truncates YOU!

    4. Re:Huh... by slavemowgli · · Score: 5, Funny

      In Soviet Russia, Sla

      --
      quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
    5. Re:Huh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      , stories truncate you!!!

    6. Re:Huh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you insensi

    7. Re:Huh... by bennomatic · · Score: 1

      Imagine a beow

      --
      The CB App. What's your 20?
    8. Re:Huh... by Blue+Lozenge · · Score: 1

      That reminds me of som

  12. Damn lawyers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Whoo, those lawyers are fast. Part of the article was removed moments after it was posted.

  13. Apple! by Luigi30 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Did Apple file a lawsuit mid-submission or something?

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    1. Re:Apple! by MasamuneXGP · · Score: 4, Funny

      Mod parent up for being currently the funniest joke about the half-post and not just coping everyone else by

    2. Re:Apple! by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Did Apple file a lawsuit mid-submission or something?"

      Oh right, like Slashdot is known for breaking news.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    3. Re:Apple! by larry+bagina · · Score: 3, Funny

      no, but they are known for breaking slashdot.

      --
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      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    4. Re:Apple! by WilliamSChips · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes but he has the right to say "Mod parent up" for a post he thinks is

      --
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    5. Re:Apple! by fiji · · Score: 2, Funny

      Clearly they just did (break it).

      -ben

  14. The Street Article by PoitNarf · · Score: 1
    --

    "0101100101? It's just jibberish. *looks in mirror, gasps* 1010011010@!? AHHHHHH!!"
    1. Re:The Street Article by 1010011010 · · Score: 1


      *BOO!*

      --
      Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
  15. CmdrTaco by michelcultivo · · Score: 5, Funny

    "What the hell I'm doing here."

  16. Complete blurb by JemVai777 · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.technoogle.com/?p=114

    Wall Street suggests in a recent Article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to offer Apple's iTunes Music service through its site.

    That's MAJOR news indeed.

    If it turns out to be right, it would be a great deal for both sides, as Apple will gain a wider audience for its music service iTunes through the enormous base of Google visitors, and Google too will at last have a music service to offer, like Yahoo did a while ago.
    No need for Google to start its own Music Service, they'll have the best Music Service by their side, what could be better than that.

    This is very exciting cooperation between two of the biggest and most influential companies in the Tech World, and it has never crossed my mind, until now.

    Let's wait and see.

    --
    "The problem with our economy is that our budget is balanced by people who aren't" - A.E.N.
    1. Re:Complete blurb by superpulpsicle · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually this is greatly exaggerated. The MOST google will show is a link straight to iTunes at the google frontpage. That's it. Just a link!

      Web Images Groups News Froogle Local

      Ready?.... It'll have probably a Music link. If it has anymore than that, people wouldn't make it a frontpage.

    2. Re:Complete blurb by quanticle · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The nice thing will be that you'll be able to search iTunes directly from Google. For example, if I'm looking for Bob Dylan stuff, and I do a Google search, I could get links to Bob Dylan songs on iTunes. Its reasonable for Google search to diversify into multimedia.

      --
      We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it
    3. Re:Complete blurb by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Like hell it is. That's crossing over into DRM-infested crap-ads and I'm not gonna take that.

    4. Re:Complete blurb by KanSer · · Score: 1

      Oh I get it. They're tying the iTunes database into AdSense.

      Who's paying whom?

      --
      • MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward Wednesday April 20, @4:20
    5. Re:Complete blurb by quanticle · · Score: 1

      Its like some kind of circle of references. iTunes dropping adSense links, which lead to iTunes songs...

      --
      We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it
  17. I think by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 3, Funny

    Google including iTunes would be a great move, especially considering what they've done with Google Video. They could m

    1. Re:I think by inkswamp · · Score: 3, Funny
      Damn, dude, you beat me to it. I was going to do a joke just like that except I

      --
      --Rick "If it isn't broken, take it apart and find out why."
    2. Re:I think by Toba82 · · Score: 1

      You know, I think the first guy peaked it. No need to beat a dead

      --
      I pretend to know more than I really do by mooching off google and wikipedia.
    3. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      None of you get it. This is all part of an elaborate plan!

      1. Post half a story
      2. ???

    4. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      People, what the hell is wrong with all the truncated

    5. Re:I think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LO

    6. Re:I think by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 1

      I think you underestimate the humor of

      --
      Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
  18. Well here is the link from the story by wo1verin3 · · Score: 1
  19. +++ATH NO CARRIER by hosecoat · · Score: 1

    the article was slashdotted?

  20. Hmmmm by hendridm · · Score: 1, Redundant

    I don't get it. Do the eds not use the preview feature, and if not, do they not at least check the home page once in awhile? I've given them the benefit of doubt for quite some time, but come on... This one seems a little obvious.

    Doesn't it seem like the quality of posts have gotten worse since they added the plum where you can see articles in the Mysterious Future and report bad ones??

    1. Re:Hmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      They just don't care. That's the truth of it. They don't care if they get it right, because it doesn't matter -- they still get paid, and even with the trolls visiting and posting crap, they still get their ad revenue and free content.

      If you really want things to improve here, stop posting, block all of the ads, and e-mail the sponsors of the site. Tell them that you're boycotting any products advertised on the site unless he shapes up. That'll be sure to get someone's attention, though probably not Malda's; as I said, he doesn't care.

    2. Re:Hmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And no big surprise, looks like anyone who complains about him being incompetent gets meta-modded down. Unmentionable post all over again.

      Fuck you, Malda. Fuck you.

    3. Re:Hmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seriously Taco. You have this ultra-popular high-traffic, money-making website that fell into your goddamned lap by random fucking luck. What do you do? You shit on the people who really want to like your site.

      Do you ever wonder why these people bitch and moan and still come back? We want to like it you lazy asshole. Seriously. What the fuck, dude?

      Have some pride, man! The humble reader has the option to anonymize. Your name is all over this sloppy shit!

      And fire Zonk.

  21. No Spelling Mistakes! by Winckle · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's good, right?

    1. Re:No Spelling Mistakes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      stinky

  22. Damn freeloaders by ErikRed1488 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I blame this article on the freeloaders. If you subscribed to /., you could have seen this "article" earlier and submitted the error to the mods. I'm sure they would have corrected it. Just like they catch the dupes. Or something.

    --
    I was not touched there by an angel.
    1. Re:Damn freeloaders by Effugas · · Score: 1

      I personally submitted the error report.

      I've personally mailed Hemos about things like this.

      Hate to say it, but nobody's wearing the Daddypants around here...

      --Dan

    2. Re:Damn freeloaders by mindwar · · Score: 1

      mod parrent funny!

  23. Heh by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Baher Al Hakim writes "The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a"

    Wow! The submitter of the story stopped at the same place all the commentors would have stopped at.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:Heh by vingt · · Score: 1
      Taking the Slashdot convention of not reading the whole article to its next level, submitters are no longer even finishing the post.


      Next up, tech writers will begin to present half-baked, incomplete work. Oh, wait...

    2. Re:Heh by sentanta · · Score: 1

      And Microsoft will release software before it's ready.

      --
      The Big Yuan - tracking mainland China
    3. Re:Heh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      say whaa ?

  24. Slashdot Editors are Awesome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you view the source, this link exists, with no anchor text....

    Nice one, eds.

    1. Re:Slashdot Editors are Awesome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you view the source...

      Thanks a lot, now I'm blind.

  25. To a plot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To a plot for economic world domination.

    Damn better post alert before I wrote it. This news is too hot to type.

  26. My God, the suspense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't just leave us hanging!!!!

  27. Hmm... by JamesTRexx · · Score: 1

    The bottom quote kinda fits; "If at first you don't succeed, redefine success." Or in this case, redefine editor.

    --
    home
  28. Re:to a...? by pooly7 · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...to a broken/blocked keyboard maybe ?

  29. iTunes needed to listen to the rest of the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At first I thought that it is a mistake, but it seems that the rest of the article is "audio only".

  30. Wall Street? by brokencomputer · · Score: 1

    Wall Street != TheStreet.com AFAICT.

  31. To a what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A GRRRAIL?!

  32. MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yes, once again its another editor fuckup - why is everyone still so surprised that this happens? The 'editors' barely pay lip service to their title and I doubt very much that they read the comments either. At face value there is no real passion from the creators of the site - its just the same old shit day after day.

    To explain further, Slashdot exists for one purpose: to make money for parent company OSDN. There is nothing wrong with that in itself but don't expect a high quality site the way its currently run. The Slashdot business model (if you can call it that) seems to be to provoke reaction from the loyal crowd of slashbots that frequent the site. Inflammatory / trollish stories (e.g here) and dupes cause the page hits (and therefore ad revenue) to go through the roof.

    As a result, most of the comments I see on the stories are neither insightful, interesting or informative. There seems to be no real balanced discussion - something I feel is a product of the moderation system which rewards those who conform to the slashbot mindset and censors everything else. This democratic method of editing the comments is terrible - especially where technical issues are concerned, as a lot of nonsense is modded up by people who don't know otherwise.

    You are probably wondering why I read Slashdot. Partly morbid curiosity and partly to laugh at both the flame wars which invevitably break out and the well crafted trolls.

    To conclude, Slashdot is neither really "News for Nerds" nor is it "Stuff that matters". If you want the former, go to somewhere like arstechnica or kuroshin and if you want actual stuff that matters, the BBC are hard to beat.

  33. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those Apple lawyers move fast!

  34. META-MODS, DO YOU WORK by WindBourne · · Score: 1

    This is ridiculus. Half the story is missing and what I see does not make sense. Yet, the parent gets modded down for a story that makes no sense.

    --
    I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    1. Re:META-MODS, DO YOU WORK by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 0

      He was probably modded down for being an idiot. "OMGZLOL STORY? ROFLLOL"

      It deserves about 15 redundant moderations. (Hint: Read at -1 and you'll see that 95% of the comments are of the "Well, I'd just like to say th" type.

      --
      Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  35. w00t! by mindwar · · Score: 1

    finaly we dont have to rtfa and have someone yell at us!

    1. Re:w00t! by periol · · Score: 1

      What do you mean, you >already

  36. Re:to a...? by the_mighty_$ · · Score: 2, Informative

    From the page's source:

    to a
    a href="http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/tech/hardwar e/10237939.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA ">/a>
    --
    VI VI VI - the editor of the beast!
  37. This is... by ed.2112 · · Score: 0

    This news is interesting to a

  38. The suspense is killing me! by AngryWookiee · · Score: 0, Redundant

    "The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a"

    A what? The suspense is killing me! I've been sitting here refreshing my screen for 5 minutes! Post the rest of the artical god damn it! I can't take the suspense, for the love of god somebody finish the

  39. It's like "The Westing Game", I guess? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    To form the rest of the sentence look at the HTML and keep reading?
    The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a

              Advertisement
  40. Sorry... by Create+an+Account · · Score: 0, Redundant

    In South Korea, only old people

  41. iTunes + Google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe slightly off-topic, but bearing in mind Google is all about indexing information, maybe it will actually enable Apple to finally get their album publishing dates corrected across the entireity of the iTunes sites... irks me no end that one, as well as the genres being wrong in many places.

    1. Re:iTunes + Google? by joel8x · · Score: 1

      I am no expert, but I think the problem lies with the record labels who submit the songs to the ITMS and don't check the information, not Apple.

      --
      Sound waves should be free!
  42. Re:to a...? by The+Bubble · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, no! I get it! THEY GOT HIM! Somebody stuck him with a stake through the heart! Oh, this is so sad! CmdrTaco... I pine for you.


    Hi, everybody. In memoriam of poor 'Taco, let's go back and revisit a few of my favorite 'Taco memories.


    Baher Al Hakim writes...

    Oh, that was great. And who could forget this one?


    The Street suggests in a recent article that Apple is about to announce a deal with Google, to a...

    Ah, we sure had some great times 'Taco. I'm gonna miss you bro.

  43. Re:to a...? by YowzaTheYuzzum · · Score: 1

    Oh no, I get it. THEY GOT HIM!!! Somebody stuck him with a stake through the heart! Oh, this is so sad! Oh Trevor, I pine for you.

  44. What's the point? by bogie · · Score: 1

    99% of the desktop users have access to Itunes already. And even desktop linux users can run it via crossover. There has to be more to this story then just an online version of itunes.

    --
    If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
    1. Re:What's the point? by madscientist003 · · Score: 1

      I can understand your sentiment, but I think it might be a little more significant than you first realize. You bring up a good point that Linux users would not have access to iTunes, and being one such user who has problems with the Crossover product, I am anxiously awaiting native availability of iTunes on Linux.

      Also, I would imagine if the iTunes Music Store was available online, some user-specific information would be stored that would allow more convenient accessing of such information from more than your "home" computer.

      Plus, the news is big for Google, who is trying to compete with Yahoo!, who just recently announced it's own music store. Google would be introducing iTunes to some who have not yet experienced it (and yes, there are such people in existence), which could be continuing big news for online music downloads.

    2. Re:What's the point? by DrJonesAC2 · · Score: 1

      I am in the same boat. I love the guys over at Code Weavers for what they have done but it just doesn't groove with my iPod Shuffle. Speaking of which, is there ANY commercial music service that works with Linux? I know I will get the comments "RIAA is bad! Don't buy their swill!" but damn! I can only go so long without my Brittney Spears fix.

    3. Re:What's the point? by demmer · · Score: 0

      the point is: the average desktop linux or not user who is not using itunes gets itunes songs presented as google searchresult... this will probably lead to non itunes desktop users to buy music from apple... on the desktop... with linux.. or something. think out of the linux box plzkthx.

    4. Re:What's the point? by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      I am one such user who has never tried iTunes. I've never had a need to do so, and I don't like the idea of my music being locked via DRM to a single computer (trust me, I move my MP3s around my network a lot). Music I want to buy legally (and there are bands I want to support), I'll get their CD and work around the copy protection to rip it.

      [And before you say "but you can move them through (X limited / complicated process)!", I don't care, I should just be able to move the files without the hassle.]

      Anyway, to get back to the article's topic, I think Google will start including iTunes files in search results. You know how if you type in an equation, you get the result at the top of the page, or if you type in a phone number you get a reverse directory lookup? I think the same thing will happen if you search for something that Google recognizes as a song title, and you'll get a link to the online iTunes store to buy it, as well as your normal search results.

      Which, if you think as I do, makes this absolutely massive. There are a lot of people like me who don't use iTunes, but nearly all of us use Google on a daily basis. I think having those links at the top might just be the inspiration (and convenience) necessary to convince some to click them, if just to find out what the experience is like. I probably won't be one of them unless the DRM is removed, but I think this is definitely going to be a good thing for Apple if this is, indeed, how the agreement will work out.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    5. Re:What's the point? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Duh!
      iTunes by default will do all those things for you that you're so eager to do. Most of all, it rips songs without DRM.

      No "working around the copy protection to rip it" either as iTunes nicely rips cd's that are copyright protected again, without putting some sort of DRM in the mp3.

      No locking to single computer, no hassle.

    6. Re:What's the point? by Angostura · · Score: 1

      I think the main thrust of your posting (re: Google's possible strategy) is very insightful, however it is important that you don't confuse iTunes the application with iTunes the music store; the former does not require use of the latter.

      I have never used the music store, but I do use the application - it imposes no DRM requirements on me; I simply use it as an elegant way to manage my music and burn CDs.

    7. Re:What's the point? by revscat · · Score: 2, Informative

      I am one such user who has never tried iTunes. I've never had a need to do so, and I don't like the idea of my music being locked via DRM to a single computer (trust me, I move my MP3s around my network a lot).

      And obviously you suffer from some misconceptions. You are not "locked in" to any DRM with iTunes. If you want to rip CDs as MP3s, you can. Even the music you buy off of ITMS is easy to convert to MP3: burn it, then rip it as MP3. And I move files between my home and work computer all the time, no special software required, and I use iTunes on both.

      Anyway, unless you're one of those people who pride themselves in being ignorant of things that are popular, you may consider giving it a shot. At the very least be careful when offering an opinion about things you don't have any experience with.

    8. Re:What's the point? by TheSpoom · · Score: 2

      Hmm, clearly I was confused, and I apologize for that. I may try iTunes some time; for now, I'm happy with Winamp (and CDex).

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
  45. Truncation untruncated by AngryWookiee · · Score: 1

    "Truncation untruncated."

    Finally I can sleep at night knowing what the whole artical is about.

  46. Google will own the world. by rmccann · · Score: 1

    Google are the first source for most web site (through their search engine)
    They want to be the main source of maps
    They are the amin source of email for lots of people
    They want to be the source of books
    Looks like they want to be the main source of music

    Scary.

    1. Re:Google will own the world. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Google doesn't want to own the world...they want to provide the world. Google doesn't own all the websites you find through their search engine...they don't own the maps they present...and they won't own iTunes.

      Google wants to be everyone's first stop on the Internet. The first place anyone goes to when looking for information. Google wants to be everyone's homepage, everyone's search engine of choice, everyone's first click. The better they can make their search service, the more things they can index, the more people will use Google.

      And, of course, more people using google means more opportunities to make money through advertising.

    2. Re:Google will own the world. by rmccann · · Score: 1

      True, but if someone is the first port of call for such huge swaths of knowledge and culture, they have massive power.

    3. Re:Google will own the world. by El+Gordo+GJM · · Score: 0

      They don't want to own the world, just own access to it :-) They will provide an access to large amounts of data and digital assets and information. Don't think music is the end. They already demistyfied GIS with google maps. Now anyone can do GIS! They will also distribute access tools to enable consumers to access this info. Either by creating the original access point as they do with search, or just by providing APIs for others to implement the access point, and then they will make money with network effects. Watch them deliver service based APIs for every n-tier layer across their products, presentation/ui logic (maps), application logic (froogle), business logic (search) and data access (blogger). G

    4. Re:Google will own the world. by generic-man · · Score: 1

      Looks to me like Google wants to be Yahoo!, considering that Yahoo! has four out of those five capabilities already. (They don't have books, though they do index some premium content and make it available in search results.)

      Take Yahoo!, strip all the home page crap out (http://search.yahoo.com/ and toss in some interesting hidden features for blogs to wank about for months. Then profit!

      --
      For more information, click here.
    5. Re:Google will own the world. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, it's in their mission statement:

      To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible.

  47. It's pretty fucking bad... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...that the story was so fucked up that goddamn TIMOTHY even noticed it was borked and fixed it.

  48. IN SOVIET RUSSIA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The government did the censoring

    1. Re:IN SOVIET RUSSIA by bwintx · · Score: 1
      The government did the censoring

      Or, "The government censors you."
      Whichever...

      --
      Discussion System prefs link: http://slashdot.org/users.pl?op=editcomm
    2. Re:IN SOVIET RUSSIA by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

      No, it's more like this: "In Soviet Russia, the governm

  49. You obviously would not be much better. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hello, where is your open-the-fuck-ing tag? That's right you fucked up too.

  50. Are itunes songs acoustically altered? by rufusdufus · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    A friend has a huge database of songs he bought from iTunes and they all sound a little off to me. I thought it was the speakers, or the equalizer at first.
    But then I did a comparison of songs I had aquired by other means, and there is a definite difference in the sound quality; the itunes songs sound annoying (its hard to pin down exactly why, but its akin to sounding tinny).
    I even converted my songs to the itunes format thinking the format was the issue. But they still sound good, while the downloaded songs he downloaded on itunes still sound bad.
    Am I on crack or has anyone else noticed this?

    1. Re:Are itunes songs acoustically altered? by lungbutter · · Score: 2, Funny

      As a professional in this area I feel comfortable saying that you are indeed on crack (though it could be meth).

    2. Re:Are itunes songs acoustically altered? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Am I on crack or has anyone else noticed this?

      I too think that the quality is poor.
      I'd like to help, but I'm on crack, I dunno if it counts...
    3. Re:Are itunes songs acoustically altered? by joel8x · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You are on crack only to the degree that any compressed music will not sound as good as the source. If your source happens to be torrent or usenet for music, than I have noticed that sometimes songs are encoded with preset eq's and/or normalization where the bass is too high, which might explain your tinny argument.

      --
      Sound waves should be free!
    4. Re:Are itunes songs acoustically altered? by anothy · · Score: 1
      ...any compressed music will not sound as good as the source.
      that is not quite true. i suspect you're talking about mp3 or AAC style compression, in which case, sure, you're right. but lossless compression, such as FLAC or Apple's Lossless Encoder will give compressed audio of identical quality to the source.
      --

      i speak for myself and those who like what i say.
  51. That's odd... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I *already* find my MP3s with Google.

  52. share price.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Hm. I'm just starting to understand stock market (so anyone who knows better: please correct me), but with a stock-price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 38.42, Apple stock seems a little overweight (and you probably should not be thinking about buying). In context, Dell has a P/E ratio of 28.76, HP is 19.94, IBM is 16.06 (and at first glance a better buy).

    Anyway, my point is that their stock only went up because they're fashionable - not because they're actually doing well relative to their stock price. Compared with it's peers, their stock should be around $20 (not $46). If you own Apple stock, start thinking about an exit strategy - at the very least make sure you have a trailing stop at $3 to $5 (7% to 10%) below peak price to protect your gains so you don't forfeit everything if the stock falls back to the $20 to $30 range in a few months.

    1. Re:share price.. by amembleton · · Score: 1, Informative

      The P/E ratio is the ratio between the current share price and the earnings that Apple issued on each share.

      If there is a high P/E ratio, it is AFAIK likely to be down to investors believing that the company will in the future improve on its earnings. The improvement in earning might take some years to foster, but when they do that P/E ratio will come down. I find it hard to believe that Apples' share price is high "because they're fashonable". Most shares are held by pension companies (or at least they are in the UK), and not individual investors. These pension companies employ people to research companies and determine whether to invest their clients money.

      However, this would not explain the dot-com boom. I really don't know much about the stock market and its workings but want to know more. It seems to be a strange closed off world.

    2. Re:share price.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Apple stock seems a little overweight

      Many investors look at the P/E vs. expected growth. If a company is growing 30% a year, then a trailing P/E of 38 isn't so bad. I believe Apple is growing closer to 15% but they still have a lot of potential market share to grab, are run efficiently, have great products, and great management (not just Jobs) so I'm comfortable with a P/E of 38.

      Also you should compare with companies that are similar. HP and IBM are totally different companies so I don't think I'd compare either of those to Apple. Dell doesn't have Apple's style or target market, but it's probably a better comparison. Maybe Sony's electronics devision, if you can split it off from other parts of Sony, is a good comparison as well.

      I personally feel the price is a little high at 46. I might not buy it now unless I'm looking out more than 10 years. However I'm a long-term investor and have been holding Apple since it was less than $10 per share, split-adjusted. (I recently sold a teeny sliver of my holdings and bought a 17-inch PB, heh.)

      Anyway, my point is that their stock only went up because they're fashionable

      No, the price went up because that's the price buyers and sellers agreed on. No other information can be gleaned by day-to-day swings in price. Don't even try.

      I have a personal rule, I don't talk about trends in a company's stock price in any timeframe shorter than 5 years.

      If you own Apple stock, start thinking about an exit strategy - at the very least make sure you have a trailing stop at $3 to $5 (7% to 10%) below peak price to protect your gains so you don't forfeit everything if the stock falls back to the $20 to $30 range in a few months.

      "Exit strategy?" "Trailing stop"?" This is trader bullshit. Sorry you don't understand a thing about the stock market. Buy good companies and hold them as long as you can. Do you trade and set trailing stops with your other assets? Your car? Furniture? Art? Heirlooms? Your house? Don't do it with stock assets.

      Only 25% of active "consumer" traders (the ones who trade frequently but AREN'T working on wall street) beat the market after taxes and commissions (heard it on Motley Fool).

      In other words, you can do better by putting all your money in VTI or a similar instrument, reinvesting dividends via DRIP, and doing nothing after that. Not as exciting and when your friends spew bullshit about "trading strategy" you'll have nothing to say, but you'll have a shitload more in the bank 20 years from now.

    3. Re:share price.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      However I'm a long-term investor and have been holding Apple since it was less than $10 per share, split-adjusted. (I recently sold a teeny sliver of my holdings and bought a 17-inch PB, heh.)

      Good for you - you got in at the right time on Apple. And I (heart) my 12-inch PB.

      "Exit strategy?" "Trailing stop?" This is trader bullshit. Sorry you don't understand a thing about the stock market.

      Perhaps I don't. But you must understand that I'm stock trading with a limited pool of less than 4% of my assets, paying attention to the markets is a hobby I do instead of watching TV or sniffing glue. All my other assets are tied up and earning where I can't destroy them. I readily accept that I'm likely to make mistakes, so my steadfast rules are (1) that I'm not refilling my brokerage account if I let it get away from me, (2) I syphon off and keep 50% of all profits, never to be re-invested in stocks. I treat it as a numbers game with money - and it requires great focus and discipline to avoid failure (and I admit that I have failed as well as gained in my buy/sell decisions).

      Do you trade and set trailing stops with your other assets? Your car?

      Er.. yes I do. Just this month I traded in my old car now that the trade-in value flatlined (ie: the value wasn't going to significantly decline from now on compared to previous years - although maintence and fuel costs were also starting to add up. So it made sense to aquire a different one to minimize costs).

      No, the price went up because that's the price buyers and sellers agreed on. No other information can be gleaned by day-to-day swings in price. Don't even try.

      Point conceeded - however, there is a cause and effect. The day-to-day price swings are generally in reaction to news - hence Dell's 8% dump on Friday, Apple's rise was in response to rumours about working with Google (who is very popular but I'm personally starting to get sick of). However, I try hard to remember that if I've heard the news, everyone else in the world probably heard it before me (hence the legend about oil futures during a press conference on the middle east as a precursor to Desert Storm 1. The first word was "Unfortunately.." - by the time the press agent had finished the sentence, oil futures had gone up 30%).

      Buy good companies and hold them as long as you can.

      I agree with you to a certain extent. But look at this chart. There wasn't really a more sure-fire company for the dot-com boom than MSFT, but even so there was a point at which cutting your losses would have made sense - even if you'd got out at $40 in late 2000 (from the peak of $60), you'd still be in better shape for the recent $25-$27 lows (and at that price it is looking interesting again).

      In other words, you can do better by putting all your money in VTI or a similar instrument, reinvesting dividends via DRIP, and doing nothing after that.

      The VTI index is an interesting idea for the uber long-term, I appreciate your perspective. And some of my other assets already automatically reinvest the dividends - which makes a great deal of sense to me.

  53. Finally! by MykeBNY · · Score: 1

    I've been interested in legal music downloads for a while, and have used iTunes once or twice. But I don't like the UI on iTunes, which seemed like it was just running a web browser in the window anyway.

    If this means I can browse the iTMS and sample audio from within Mozilla, awesome! If it's just integrating Google's search engine into the iTunes software, I couldn't care less.

  54. I for one... by lunar_legacy · · Score: 0

    ...welcome our new iGoog overlords!

  55. At least it isn't GameFAQs. by CyricZ · · Score: 1, Interesting

    You should be thankful that this site isn't like the forums at GameFAQs.com. While the moderation system here isn't perfect, at least it doesn't take censorship to the GameFAQs forums extreme. At least here you can view every post that has been made, unlike at GameFAQs, where any post that the moderators dislike is permanently removed.

    I'd take the semi-democratic method of moderation used here over the dictatorial, elitist system used at a place like GameFAQs any day.

    While your post may be moderated down, at least others will still be able to read it months and years from now. Unlike at GameFAQs, where it would probably be long gone already, inaccessible to all, forever.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
    1. Re:At least it isn't GameFAQs. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nobody on GameFAQs has any right to be 'elitist'.

    2. Re:At least it isn't GameFAQs. by WilliamSChips · · Score: 1

      Those who have the least right to be elitist are often the most...

      --
      Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
    3. Re:At least it isn't GameFAQs. by CyricZ · · Score: 1

      Indeed. That describes the situtation at GameFAQs perfectly.

      --
      Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  56. Imagine something like google print by DaphneDiane · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One of the things I could see google offer is the ability to search for songs by lyrics and additional meta data. I know a lot of times when I purchase music via itunes and I don't know the actual name of the song the first thing I do is search for "lyrics" followed by the phrase from the song.

    1. Re:Imagine something like google print by El+Gordo+GJM · · Score: 0

      They can already do it... just type the following into google search :-) "find these lyrics" site:http://lyrics.astraweb.com/ I do agree with you however, they could start to analyse and index audio and video and make it searchable. I'm sure they have thought about it. Watch this space for more acquisitions in this area.

  57. Would that Deal make sense for Google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Given their hacked open-source video player, and Google's buying of other products and services (keyhole, picasa, blogger) doesn't partnering with iTunes run astray from that precedent?
    Or to google is this a step one to direct to consumer e-commerce by partnering with e-retailers to become a digital wares version of Amazon?

    for apple it makes sense. One of the keys to getting more iTunes users is to help drive two things, at least: iPod sales and Quicktime adoption--particularly related to the latest vid and audio codecs. Apple would be in in for hardware sales and format saturation basically. Since they don't make boocoop profits from iTunes track sales beyond mindshare and marketshare, an alleged partnership with a diverse number of big players in various markets makes sense.

    But, for Google...let's just hope that prior to the deal sales and marketing info garnered from iTunes isn't part of the deal for the all seeing G. You can be sure that the info gathered from post partnership would be of great interst to the all seeing G. For adsense reasons and whatever else it is that company does.

  58. Re:Disappointing by larry+bagina · · Score: 1
    archive.org has some lossless shn files (yeah, not flac, wank wank) from their live music archive.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  59. Re:to a...? by suraklin · · Score: 1

    If thats the case why didnt he type arrgggh?

  60. Attn: Trolls, MS Apologists, & Karmic Tenderfo by mattwarden · · Score: 1, Funny

    From what I've seen in the comments so far, all one has to do for a karma boost is not finish their comm

  61. Download from Google Video to your iPod by MDMurphy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When added to the video iPod rumours, it seems to make more sense for Google to tie in with Google Video.

    As part of the spin that Apple might do when explaining the reversal on Steve Jobs' "no video" decree. Google Video is a distribution mechanism well suited to short video snippets, just the thing if you were watching it on a small screen, or carrying someplace to watch on a connected monitor. The iPod also has a DRM mechanism built in. Since the DRM scheme is one linked to a portable device, it might be less annoying than one linked to your desktop PC.

    I can't picture the benefit for Apple or Google when only audio is involved. But video seems to make more sense.

    1. Re:Download from Google Video to your iPod by Patik · · Score: 1
      it seems to make more sense for Google to tie in with Google Video.
      I don't see how else it could work.
  62. Impressive by EvilMonkeySlayer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If I were Microsoft or one of the companies who use MS in some form (for example audio format like WMA), then i'd probably be shitting (pardon my french) bricks.

    Pairing up the worlds most popular music service with the worlds most popular search engine is definitely a clever move by both parties, it can only serve to improve their customer bases. A symbiotic relationship if you will.

  63. Gapple by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1, Redundant

    And marry the two best-liked/recognized brands in the world. Jobs is THE MAN. And the guys running Google's brand strategy for Page and Brin are pretty sharp, too.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  64. Google will announce by Mr+Bubble · · Score: 1

    a deal with Apple at the castle AAahaahhaaaaaa...

    --
    "The world is a construct of forceful imagination. Those who don't know walk around in the reailties of those who do"
  65. Grrrr by Psychor · · Score: 1

    Why do you morons keep modding up every incomp

    1. Re:Grrrr by dyefade · · Score: 1

      Well that backfired, eh?

  66. Google following Yahoo Audio Search ? by copdk4 · · Score: 1

    The announcement comes just after a week of Yahoo releasing http://news.com.com/Yahoo+hears+call+of+audio+sear ch/2100-1026_3-5818480.html/ their Audio Search, http://audio.search.yahoo.com/
    I guess Yahoo beat Google on this.. but Google will double-cross Yahoo by integrating with worlds best music service, iTunes ! Bravo Google !

    PS: can anybody teach me how the heck url formatting works in /. ? this just doesnt work <URL:http://blahblah>anchor text</URL>

    1. Re:Google following Yahoo Audio Search ? by wackywendell · · Score: 1

      You just use normal HTML formatting, like this:

      <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>

      And then make sure at the bottom you switch the box to 'HTML Formatted' instead of 'Plain Old Text' ... I didn't do that so you could see the formatting.

  67. Offtopic? by wasted+time · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Hmmm, a question about iTunes gets posted in a story about iTunes and that question gets modded offtopic.

    Me thinks the modds are the ones on crack.

    --
    The Stone Age did not end because humans ran out of stones. - William McDonough
    1. Re:Offtopic? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, oddly the '-1 said something bad about Apple' mod doesn't seem to be working today, so the zealots are using offtopic instead.

  68. Modern time nazis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was just waiting for the post to end with a bold Sigh Heil!! Get a life all you fan boys out there... these are corporations, whose main goal is to transfer your money to their share holders pockets.

    Sure, mod me flamebait or whatever, but hopefully one day you might grow up to realize how the world ticks.

  69. gTunes by codesmithsf · · Score: 1

    And I, for one, welcome our new

  70. Re:Attn: Trolls, MS Apologists, & Karmic Tende by mogalpha · · Score: 0

    Swing and a miss!^H^H^H^H

  71. All these truncation jokes are by Bloodlent · · Score: 0

    really starting to get on my n

  72. Modern Times Require Brands by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Look, there's enough corporate/government fascism out there to get fired up about. Any look at my posting history shows there's no shortage of it, or outrage from me. But 1> this move has nothing to do with the government, so it's hardly fascism. And it's a branding play. Which is how any group, whether corporate, government, religion, sports, or anything else that millions/billions of people do together, manage to do it. Branding is the only way that we humans, with our relatively crude communications skills (relative to our needs), have to relate to one another in those numbers. Meanwhile, some individuals, like Steve Jobs, have mastered the game of communicating 1:N, where "1" is Jobs, and "N" is humanity. Come up with something to replace it that doesn't take a corporation, with all its fearsome baggage, and criticise it. Until then, keep a sense of proportion.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:Modern Times Require Brands by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      Moderation 0
          50% Flamebait
          50% Underrated

      Insane TrollMods see me explaining how something is not fascism, just the only way for billions of humans to communicate, and somehow they see "Flamebait". I guess they see the instructions to "keep a sense of proportion", and their inner brownshirt swings into action.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

  73. Yes, very existing cooperation, just like Intel by porky_pig_jr · · Score: 1

    and Microsoft, right?

  74. Great. more spyware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As anyone who has downloaded the free Quicktime
    can attest by looknig at their task manager, Apple has two Itunes progs running in th background.

    Of course, when Apple does it its ok.
    If Real tried to do this, theyd get reamed.

    Great...more fanboys wacking their itsy pods on Slashdot.

    1. Re:Great. more spyware by stoph+ct · · Score: 1

      it's hardly spyware it's just waste my cpu time with unnecessary background processes-ware many stupid programs do this

  75. Google Does it Themselves by BrianKStein · · Score: 1
    This shocked me, Google normally does things by themselves... it is normally other people that steal from Google. Exibit #1: Old "Yahoo" Search was powered by Google.

    I think that google should make their own music service. It would put pressure on iTunes to make their service better. Also it would (probably) lower prices. Don't you just love Capitalism?

    1. Re:Google Does it Themselves by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The record companies are the ones dictating the prices on iTunes. If the record companies want a song sold for five dollars, then it shall be so. In fact some are speculating that in 2006, Apple will be forced to raise their prices because Apple's contracts with the major labels are up in 2006, and the record comapnies are pressuring Apple to raise prices.

  76. Re:Attn: Trolls, MS Apologists, & Karmic Tende by uttaddmb · · Score: 0

    But you don't get a karma bonus fo

  77. You Insensitive Cl by DECS · · Score: 1

    I like happy endings, you Insensitive Cl

  78. In related news by bredk · · Score: 0

    Researchers CmdrTaco and Baher Al Hakim cliams to have proven parallel universes.

    --
    http://slashdot.su/
  79. Re:Let's See... by Hack+Jandy · · Score: 1

    Here's a keeper:

    Slashdot continued to gain users. And with more users came more load. On several occasions we broke 25.00. Who knew that sendmail shuts off once you break 25.00? -Rob Malda

    HJ

  80. Optional search option I hope. by chris_7d0h · · Score: 1

    Not everyone is hyped about the iTunes service. Therefore I hope Google will make it possible for users to include iTunes hits. Otherwise this deal results in instant degraded search results for a lot of users (those not interested in itunes).

    Personally I despise the service for one major reason. The quality of the purchased sound SUCKS! To be fair and giving Apple *some* credit, the packaging (the application with it's simple user interface and it's preview functionality) is nice. However the wares being sold is of lousy quality and the primary point of iTunes was selling sound (at least what I though).

    I also wonder if the EU has a case against Apple for errecting trade barriers. Not all songs are made available to all member countries of the EU which is another thing deeply disturbing to me (some songs for ex. available in the UK store are not available in the German).

    --
    In a society that believes in nothing, fear becomes the only agenda ~ Bill Durodié
    1. Re:Optional search option I hope. by chris_7d0h · · Score: 1

      Typo...

      "Therefore I hope Google will make it possible for users to include iTunes hits".

      Should have read

      "Therefore I hope Google will make it OPTIONAL for users to include iTunes hits"

      --
      In a society that believes in nothing, fear becomes the only agenda ~ Bill Durodié
  81. Re: the mod system by mnemonic_ · · Score: 1

    You might find it interesting that Slashdot, along with an information sciences grad student at the University of Michigan, conducted a poll of UMich slashdot readers. The poll appeared at the top of the slashdot front page to those viewing from a "umich.edu" subnet a few months ago. I forget the specifics, but it asked a bunch of questions like "Do you think the moderation system affects the content of comments?" and implied that the slashdot editors were seriously considering the final data.

    Who knows if it will effect anything new though. If there's one thing I've noticed with the editors after 6 years of reading, it's that they're very conservative with how they manage their site. They don't like change, for better or for worse.

  82. Word from Microsoft by SuperKendall · · Score: 1
    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  83. Screenshot by digitalgimpus · · Score: 1

    Well, I got a screenshot/mockup for anyone curious I think there's a fair chance this is accurate.

  84. Re:Reminds me of a joke... by g-san · · Score: 1

    Two chicks walk into a bar

  85. Bringing Intelligent Search to Music by tyagiUK · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Me: "That tune that goes 'tum te tum badda badda tum tum"
    Google (I'm feeling lucky): "Buy 'Pink Floyd: The Wall' from iTunes Music Store Now!"

    --
    Contribute to the online videogame encyclopedia: GamerWiki
  86. I can't believe nobody has posted this yet... by Quixote · · Score: 4, Funny

    ARTHUR: There! Look!
    LAUNCELOT: What does it say?
    GALAHAD: What language is that?
    ARTHUR: Brother Maynard! You are a scholar.
    MAYNARD: It's Aramaic!
    GALAHAD: Of course! Joseph of Arimathea!
    LAUNCELOT: 'Course!
    ARTHUR: What does it say?
    MAYNARD: It reads, 'Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Arimathea. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the Holy Grail in the Castle of aaarrrrggh'.
    ARTHUR: What?
    MAYNARD: '...The Castle of aaarrrrggh'.
    BEDEVERE: What is that?
    MAYNARD: He must have died while carving it.
    LAUNCELOT: Oh, come on!
    MAYNARD: Well, that's what it says.
    ARTHUR: Look, if he was dying, he wouldn't bother to carve 'aarrggh'. He'd just say it!
    MAYNARD: Well, that's what's carved in the rock!
    GALAHAD: Perhaps he was dictating.

  87. Encoding from master tapes by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 0

    Record labels are the ones who encode the music and send them to Apple, often using an app called iTunes Producer that automates the process. In many cases, the labels use the master tapes as the encoding source, unlike P2P which uses CD.

    I've noticed many albums I own on CD and in MP3 format which sounded "clearer" on iTunes, with the increased high-end you mentioned and a little more oomph in other frequency ranges. Cymbals in a lot of the rock songs are much louder now. You get used to the clearer versions (since that's how it was "supposed" to sound).

    --
    "Sufferin' succotash."
  88. The nation's leading..? by matt+me · · Score: 1

    Uh, the nation's leading search engine and online music store? Both of these are global. This may be Apple - who have email in their en-US dictionary but not their en-GB, but technology's everywhere, man!

  89. In a hopeless effort to stay on topic: by kanweg · · Score: 1

    I have complained with Apple that iTunes searching capacity it not what it should be. Often, I know a fragment of lyrics, and I'd like to be able to search for that. Or I know that the song I like is in Italian and a hit in a particular period in a particular country (a couple of years ago there was a summer hit here in the Netherlands, and I'd love to buy it).

    Plus, it'd be nice if one could have an interface (Garageband), where laymen like me could recreate a musical fragment, and search for that.

    If Apple/record companies want me to buy songs, will they please help me do it?

    Bert
    Oh, and there is one more thing: Research exists that can quite successfully predict what bands/music you like if you like based on input consisting of your preferences. Now, iTunes has all my music, and it even contains ratings. Now why can't I get suggestions (only when *I* ask, please) for other music? Both "times played" and "rating" give even more clues for accurate predictions.

  90. Great by Elranzer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wonderful. Just what Slashdot needs: an article for both the Google and Apple fanboys to rant about...

  91. Doesn't quite make sense by AaronLawrence · · Score: 1

    The iTunes store is not a webapp (even if it uses some web-ish technologies underneath). You have to download a large platform-specific application and install it.

    Admittedly Google is getting into this kind of thing too with Picasa, but they have shown a strong preference for real (AJAX) web applications.

    --
    For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert. - Arthur C. Clarke
  92. Yahoo Audio Search by rakerman · · Score: 1

    Yahoo Audio Search already links to iTunes and various other services (which also gives Yahoo a convenient opportunity to show that Yahoo! Music Unlimited only charges $0.79 per track).

  93. Ways Google and Apple could cooperate: by amichalo · · Score: 1

    The following are my favorite ways a Google/Apple partnership could be implemented:
    - Lyric search with links to iTMS for purchase
    - AdWords like contextual ads so when you are searching for Michael Jackson accquital news, you get links to buy "Thriller".
    - Integrated Gmail recommendation system to suggest music to friends
    - maps.iTunes.Google.com where you could find concerts in your area or by band and buy them only, complete with driving directions
    - satellite version of the above
    - hybrid maps/satellite version of the above
    - 3D satellite model called "iTunes Earth" that would allows mapping of all instances of a particular song being played at that time around the world. Would be tied directly to NORAD to target high concentrations of bad pop like number one iTunes song "Just the Girl"

    --
    I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
  94. You hum it, we'll sell it by tintub · · Score: 1

    I imagine having access to Apple's well catalogued and metatagged library of mp3s could lead to some very cool search technology from google. "Hum a tune, we'll tell you what it is, and then sell it to you", for example. Also, some of those geeks at google must be wanting to put all of that music into a computer, analyse it, and then churn out their own top 40 songs in seconds hehe (they should be easy). Or "how about a bit of jazz/reggae/bluegrass fusion tonight?" - just put in the keywords and out pops a (possibly terrible) tune. :)

    --
    sig under construction...
  95. With apologies to D. Adams... by ben_rh · · Score: 1

    It has been known for some time now that most Slashdotters don't get through the first sentence of a topic's blurb, and as such all subsequent text is being removed to save on printing costs.

  96. Maybe by jfengel · · Score: 1

    Interesting. Without dates on the pages I can't tell how long the iTunes/Google Ad-words deal has been in effect. Could that be the news? Or has it been around for a while?

    This implication of TheStreet.com is that there may be something even tighter, perhaps along the lines of "Look up a song, receive a link to iTunes at the top of the page (rather than in the adwords ads)". Sort of like Google's other special features (offering business info, almanac, calculator, etc. for certain queries.)

    If so that would be hot, but very unusual for Google; they're usually determinedly non-partisan.

  97. I wonder what the true nature of this will be? by ShyGuy91284 · · Score: 1

    I am not sure sure about them offering iTunes through a Google interface with how protective Apple is with their intellectual copyrights and like of control. I'm thinking maybe it would tie into Google's ad system somehow, and point you to iTunes when you search for a song. And perhaps a means to search through the iTunes music store through google. The idea of Apple allowing iTunes music to be sold any way other then though the iTunes software is highly unlikely.

    --
    In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
  98. Apple stock (AAPL) by bigberk · · Score: 1

    Is now at the highest ever, that's right it's higher than 1999 and 2000, it is higher than the peaks of the tech mania. Anyone think it might be overvalued hmmm? Naaah, go buy some. lol

  99. How will Google do it? by SwitchToAMac · · Score: 1

    I wonder how this would work and I speculate how Google would integrate iTunes into their offering. Perhaps Google would offer iTunes through something similar to their Adsense program. That would allow Apple to build a presence on numerous websites. Google would then get a referral from Apple for each song that leads to a sale. That's just me speculating. It will be interesting to see what happens with this potential partnership

  100. What about... by CrashRoX · · Score: 1

    Did everyone forget about google wallet? Mix that with itunes. Now you convert itunes into a web services (I hate the software) and you can use google to make micropayments.

  101. HI BONCH! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!

  102. In other news... by Phronetix · · Score: 1

    Microsoft just filed for the patent claiming rights over the "technique by which a user may access a music downloading store via an internet search client" in one aspect, and in another aspect "the technique by which an internet search client may provide access to a music downloading service".