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Apple Declares DRM War On Sneaker Hackers

theodp writes "Nicholas Carr is not pleased that Apple has applied for a patent to extend DRM to tennis shoes and other articles of clothing. Apple apparently views tennis-shoe DRM as a way to head off a potential plague of sneaker hacking. 'Some people,' the patent application observes, 'have taken it upon themselves to remove the sensor from the special pocket of the [iPod-linked] Nike+ shoe and place it at inappropriate locations (shoelaces, for example) or place it on non-Nike+ model shoes.'"

29 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. Bizarro world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    God damn it, not another bizarro world. Hope I can slide again soon.

    1. Re:Bizarro world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wow, a reference truly worthy of becoming a recurring /. meme

    2. Re:Bizarro world by eeyore · · Score: 2, Funny
      Relax; the next one is quite a bit weirder. It improves quite a bit after about 10 slides; except that nobody there has a sense of humour .

      I'll be along later with a copy of Candide.

      --
      E

    3. Re:Bizarro world by HeronBlademaster · · Score: 2, Funny

      You, sir, just made my day :) I didn't know other people actually remembered Sliders...

      I should mention that I've been watching Sliders again on Netflix. Their online viewer is kinda crappy, and it's IE-only, but it has only bluescreened my machine once ;)

  2. really? by ILuvRamen · · Score: 1, Funny

    I think it's more of a counterfeiting thing. There are tons of fake Nikes coming from Asia that are honestly way worse in quality, durability, and comfort. So that's gotta end. But plugging an ethernet cord into my shoes once a week or they'll stick to the floor and refuse to move, that's a problem. Oh and weigh you too. I don't know that's for sure what they're going to do so I guessed based on their previous products. So their implementation is probably gonna be some ridiculous idea that won't fix anything but it is a bad problem.

    --
    Google's Super Secret Search Algorithm: SELECT @search_results FROM internet WHERE @search_results = 'good'
  3. In other news.. by Peter+Cooper · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Martin Guitar company is considering whether to file a patent on DRM on its guitar strings - the company notes that "some players" are fitting Martin-manufactured strings to "non-Martin labeled guitars." IT'S AN OUTRAGE!

    Disclaimer: The above is not true - except the outrage bit.

  4. Re:Embarassment by PC+and+Sony+Fanboy · · Score: 3, Funny
    Damn youm Nerdfest - You stole my blog post from Sept. 14th, 1:18am ... 1990 - shortly after the release of Windows 3.0!!!

    I'm not an Microsoft fan because of their tendency to use proprietary standards, etc, but I can appreciate that they build a good user experience for people that are perhaps not as technically inclined. But I think it's definitely moving towards the point where you (as TFA says) are embarrassed to be a Microsoft fan. This sort of action is just petty.

  5. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by lysergic.acid · · Score: 4, Funny

    that hack seems harmless enough. however, i'm not so sure that Podophile is the best name for a website.

  6. DRM war on sneaker hackers? by zblack_eagle · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess this spells the demise of sneakernet

  7. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by Kamokazi · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry, I stopped reading when you used the term Web 2.0 like it meant something.

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  8. Re:Soul supplier by PC+and+Sony+Fanboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    True. They're trying to own your sole.

  9. Bye-bye Apple by Libertarian001 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I *had* decided to get a Mac the next time I got a new computer. Not now. Good job.

  10. Apple-- by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple: Still not as bad as Micro$oft. But we're trying. God damn, we are trying.

  11. What about my wide feet? by JakiChan · · Score: 2, Funny

    The sensor is great. The integration with the iPod is cool. The fact that Nike only makes one width of shoe (and that their "medium" is pretty much a narrow) means I can't have this technology? Hmmm...maybe we should get some sort of ADA-for-tech law passed so that you can hack something to make it work for you if it doesn't work as sold...

    --
    "Where quality is like a dead stinking rat - you just can't miss it."
  12. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by commodoresloat · · Score: 5, Funny

    podophile.com?! But this is about sneakers, which go on feet; wouldn't the proper prefix be...
     
    Oh. Never mind.

  13. Did you read the EULA? by wisty · · Score: 4, Funny

    OK, I'd be careful of the whole social networking thing. I'm pretty sure that if you meet a potential spouse through this, the rights on your first born child are forfeit to Apple, Nike, and AT&T.

  14. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by n+dot+l · · Score: 5, Funny

    however, i'm not so sure that Podophile is the best name for a website.

    Best marketing pitch ever: iPod - so awesome, you'll molest it for hours.

  15. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by aussie_a · · Score: 3, Funny

    you have to pay an extra, hidden Apple-tax to do so.

    That sounds about right for Apple. Its similarly impossible to run MacOS on anything except approved Apple hardware thanks to DRM.

  16. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by bigmacd24 · · Score: 4, Funny

    besides, that was a very pedestrian joke anyway.

  17. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by ultranova · · Score: 2, Funny

    that hack seems harmless enough. however, i'm not so sure that Podophile is the best name for a website.

    "iPod - to your child what tail is to a salamander !"

    --

    Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.

  18. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by JustOK · · Score: 2, Funny

    just walk away

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  19. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by kasperd · · Score: 5, Funny

    used the term Web 2.0 like it meant something.

    Are you trying to tell me Web 2.0 does not mean anything? Then how exactly would you explain why so many web pages are served by hosts called www2.somedomain.tld?

    --

    Do you care about the security of your wireless mouse?
  20. Re:no reason this needs a Nike^TM brand shoe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    We're all engineers here buddy, if you want to meet marketing folks; I'm sure you can find some on fark or something...

  21. Re:Not to mention the cost of it all.... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    You people should definitely stay away from jobs in marketing.

    If for no other reason than your eternal soul.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  22. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by dcam · · Score: 2, Funny

    bash, which appears to be down for now, had the best explanation of web 2.0.

    You generate the content, we make the money.

    --
    meh
  23. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Oh wait, so now you need your iPod to tell you what your feet are doing? Interesting!

    iPod: You just have been ran over, please lower your volume, pay more attention, and ask the paramedics to pick up the other shoe about 100ft. north west.

  24. While we're being tasteless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If you think pedophilia is funny, you are going to laugh your ass off when I rape your sister.

    You're going to look pretty fucking stupid when you rape his sister to prove your point, then it turns out that she's 37 years old.

  25. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by Posting=!Working · · Score: 2, Funny

    There are many better solutions than lugging around an iphone while you run.

    If you're using the phrase "lugging around" for, at most, a 5 ounce device, I don't think you're in the target market for a running shoe. But don't worry, I'm sure they're releasing the I-Hoveround soon.

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    This sentence no verb.
  26. Re:The realm of what shouldn't be... by lysergic.acid · · Score: 2, Funny

    'ped' and 'pedo' can also refer to feet:

    • pedestrian
    • pedestal
    • pedometer

    and since he's talking about modifying running shoes with pedometers in them, maybe he could call his site, pedoph... oh, wait....