Getting WMA to play on the iPod would require a very sophisticated firmware change, and only the classic iPods are known to have WMA capable hardware. The Touch/iPhone likely only has hardware support for H.264.
H.264 is a video codec. WMA is an audio codec, which requires much less processor power to decode. I suspect that all iPods have plenty of processor power to do a software decode of WMA files, even with DRM thrown into the mix. Media acceleration is a recent thing for Windows Mobile PDAs (which all support WMA), and mostly is only required for the more heavily compressed video codecs.
So why do people complain (even sue) because the iPod doesn't support WMA even so it is hardware supported?
I'm know the nuclear arms arguement is a clasic strawman but I have been thinking about this.
If the second amendment was meant to be an effective means of allowing the citizens to protect themselves from an oppressive government, the nuclear arms wouldn't be part of the picture. It would take a dumb mother fucker to think they could detonate a nuclear missile on his own people to retain control and power. It just wouldn't happen. So you think a machine gun would be better to protect yourself against a government than a H-bomb?
I was really looking forward to using some of my 4 remaining mod points in this discussion and I truly do despise Sony (and I'm not too big a fan of Apple, either) but I can't resist the urge to straighten out this one misconception...
because they are screwing sony... no.
because they are screwing sony's customers... At least that's what Sony says, so it must be true.
Fuck me, it's like a Student Union bar in here. What next, comrades, do we storm the Winter Palace or just go and sell some copies of Socialist Worker? Don't you mean "... sell some copies of pirated iTunes songs"?
People will, and probably have; but when Apple starts to allow only Apple signed software to run, then that can't do much.
This course will cause Apple to loose what they have gained in the last 5 years. Yeah, because everybody who bought a Mac in the last five years wants to run DTrace to crack the iTunes DRM.
Carpools? I won't join a carpool. If I wanted to be around other people while commuting, I'd take the bus. I don't get nearly enough time alone, and my 20 minute drive to work is one of the times I have alone with my thoughts (such as they are). Why should I give that up? You don't, you'll just have to pay for that privilege - more if you enjoy it when all the other do too.
I thought the primary cause of earth tremors was hoards of stampeding apple fans heading down to the apple shop to see the latest ipod/iphone/macbook. What do you mean, "stampeding", we stand in line.
Dec 2006, 17" macbook pro, starting price $1999
Dec 2007, 17" macbook pro, starting price $2799
Dropping prices my ass. Nice try, selling the 2006 low-end 15" as a 17". In the real world the price stayed the same - which still means Apple drops prices, just not for all products.
Why is it that Apple seems to be the only company affected by this issue? Why is it that the Microsoft Zunes, albeit pieces of trash, were able to get free upgrades to generation 2 software granting them new features like wireless sync? Why is it that every piece of hardware I can think of that comes with firmware updates seems to be able to get new functionality without charging except for Apple.
Maybe I'm being cynical, but it definitely strikes me as odd. Maybe I am cynical, but since when is Microsoft known to give a fuck about breaking laws (them, not others of course)?
I think the problem here is, the typical user would consider the mini a "reasonably specced system". The mini is a "regular computer".
Even typical users like to play games, and I see that the Mac Mini has the rather basic Intel GMA 950 processor. Yeah, but typical users want to play typical games, not ego shooters that make a 8800 sweat.
Those on the macbook air are not... Imagine that, a laptop and you can't change the battery The MacBook Air is thinner than replaceable batteries. If the size of those don't bother you, I'm sure somebody will sell you one that you can plug in instead of the power cord.
Not vista, but it would be helpful to buy a Mac pre-configured with bootcamp + Windows XP. I don't want it at home, but at work it would be quite nice. I could see small business customers loving it.
My boss and I make jokes about Apple, Inc. vs. Apple Computer, Inc. Dropping computer in the name was not just to aid in the sale of phones. I think Apple has lost some focus on their computers. So Apple has lost some focus on their computers because they don't sell Vista with them. WTF indeed.
You might actually have a point there. By charging more and carrying on this whole cult of mac mentality, apple is duping people into thinking that they must be buying a superior product. The more Apple fans pay, the more aroused they get gazing at their sleek designer machines. So why oh why does Apple keep lowering prices? Yeah, thought so,
I do think any nation that lays mines has a responsibility to pick them up after they're no longer used. The solution to that problem is not for landmines not to exist, but for them to be used responsibly--any weapon of war can be used irresponsibly. Another solution would be not to sell them to people who won't use them responsibly. But that would ruin quarterly results.
So, how do you connect your flash drive AND cd-rom at the same time? Or are you in the possession of a wireless cd-rom drive? Actually, the MacBook Air comes with a feature called Remote Disc:
However, for those times when you still need to install software on MacBook Air from a CD or DVD, a new feature called Remote Disc lets you wirelessly use or "borrow" the optical drive of a Mac or PC in the vicinity. So you can have full access to an optical drive without having to haul one around.
That's for those who can't handle a passive USB-hub.
I agree. I think it would be much funnier if it were a collection of stories of people doing stupid stuff, but that didn't result in the harm of them or others. So you think it's funny when people are told that doing something really stupid isn't deadly serious?
There we go. We ridicule people who do dumb things. Most people don't want to be ridiculed, so stories like this make them think twice before doing something stupid. The sad thing is, it is probably more likely to make them think than the fact that they could easily die doing it.
No, he means Jimmy Carter. The one who's policies and ineptness cause the US's economic situation to be much worse than it should have been.
THAT Carter... Ohh, the mythical Carter, that never existed outside the minds of lunatic Republicans who thought Nixon wasn't so bad and Reagan was a great President.
Face it, Carter is the one who caused some of the worst inflation in US history. Face it, it wasn't as bad as under Nixon/Ford. As for Vocker, he wasn't appointed until August '79 - guess who appointed the chairman that ran the Federal Reserve for most of Carter's presidency?
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H.264 is a video codec. WMA is an audio codec, which requires much less processor power to decode. I suspect that all iPods have plenty of processor power to do a software decode of WMA files, even with DRM thrown into the mix. Media acceleration is a recent thing for Windows Mobile PDAs (which all support WMA), and mostly is only required for the more heavily compressed video codecs.
So why do people complain (even sue) because the iPod doesn't support WMA even so it is hardware supported?Ferrari is to Ford as Apple is to $PC_RESELLER?
He said "a key for a Ferrari vs the key for a Ford". What are you, an average PC user?And who protects the world from YOUR government?
If the second amendment was meant to be an effective means of allowing the citizens to protect themselves from an oppressive government, the nuclear arms wouldn't be part of the picture. It would take a dumb mother fucker to think they could detonate a nuclear missile on his own people to retain control and power. It just wouldn't happen. So you think a machine gun would be better to protect yourself against a government than a H-bomb?
because they are screwing sony's customers...
At least that's what Sony says, so it must be true.
Microsoft Fanboy posing as an Anonymous Coward: Gee, lets yell really loud against Apple, so nobody notices you can't DTrace Window Media Player.
This course will cause Apple to loose what they have gained in the last 5 years.
Yeah, because everybody who bought a Mac in the last five years wants to run DTrace to crack the iTunes DRM.
Dec 2006, 17" macbook pro, starting price $1999
Dec 2007, 17" macbook pro, starting price $2799
Dropping prices my ass.
Nice try, selling the 2006 low-end 15" as a 17". In the real world the price stayed the same - which still means Apple drops prices, just not for all products.
Maybe I'm being cynical, but it definitely strikes me as odd. Maybe I am cynical, but since when is Microsoft known to give a fuck about breaking laws (them, not others of course)?
Even typical users like to play games, and I see that the Mac Mini has the rather basic Intel GMA 950 processor. Yeah, but typical users want to play typical games, not ego shooters that make a 8800 sweat.
My boss and I make jokes about Apple, Inc. vs. Apple Computer, Inc. Dropping computer in the name was not just to aid in the sale of phones. I think Apple has lost some focus on their computers. So Apple has lost some focus on their computers because they don't sell Vista with them. WTF indeed.
Unix on Windows? Reading Mac CDs on Windows?
THAT Carter... Ohh, the mythical Carter, that never existed outside the minds of lunatic Republicans who thought Nixon wasn't so bad and Reagan was a great President.