I've seen the HP commercials on TV now and, while discussing it with my wife, she told me that she didn't know that iPods worked with PCs. Probably a lot of people share this belief and, by selling the iPod through a PC company, Apple will sell even more iPods.
This is a nice thought, but, as always, the US will do whatever it wants. Metric system, cell phones, wars, etc.
And that's not because Americans are stupid/lazy/whatever; it is because it is the largest consumer market in the world. Corporations will bend over backwards to cater to the needs (real or perceived) of the American buyer.
Not saying that it is good or right, but that's just how it is.
I'm happy to know that when I'm going through a automated system, and I'm talking to the recording ("My call is very important to you? That's great to hear!"), someone is actually listening.
Why don't they just save the money on developing this application and hire more people to answer the calls?
I was also disappointed that the mini was priced - in my opinion - so high. I love Apple's ease of use, and for 150 or less, I would have bought one.
Sure, I can see why Apple prices their products so high, but it would be nice to see them look at the low-end buyers sometimes.
For example: I've dealt with a lot of companies (newspapers mostly) who would switch to a Mac office if they could only purchase cheap terminals. Since the cheapest option from Apple is the eMac, they decide to go with Win machines instead and save a bunch of money.
If Apple could skip the fancy casing and just crank out some super-cheap beige boxes (maybe sell them only to businesses or in bulk), they could make a killing in the business world and bring their market share up.
Hmmmm. Might mean a cheaper iPod knockoff that I can actually afford ($250? What were they thinking? for $50 more I can get 3x the space.)
I wonder if there is a non-competition clause so HP can't sell iPod knockoffs that will work with Macs...
There are two problems the RIAA face: 1. Every time a problem occurs with file sharing, the community of people who want free music will find a way to keep stealing music. Napster had central servers, so the next generation of file sharing programs decentralized the servers. Companies were sued in the USA, so they moved the file sharing companies outside of the USA. File sharing isn't anonymous? Just wait... 2. There have been and always will be people who are willing to steal - no matter what the gamble is for doing so. Software, entertainment, etc. it doesn't matter. The music industry needs to find better alternatives than sending the RIAA out to scare customers. Find a better way to distribute music. Create new revenue models. Cut production costs to make the entertainment affordable.
Off topic: here's one idea to get people to buy cds again. In the font software industry - one font company, House Industries (I'm not affiliated with co), doesn't just sell fonts (which can and are stolen), but they sell packages: so with a set of fonts you also get a cool product that is related to the fonts (packaging, pillows, chairs, etc. See their website for more www.houseind.com). Why don't they do this for CDs. If you like the band, you get the music, but then you also get something band related (t-shirt, dvd, etc.)? The consumer not only gets the entertainment product, they also get something cool to show off to their friends. Just a thought.
The Taipei Times is under attack from a group of computer experts in the United States. The group, calling themselves Slashdot, have bombarded the Taipei website with so many hits, that it cannot distribute web pages anymore.
The problem is that they didn't make the price cut because of the price-fixing lawsuit, but because of piracy.
This is something that should've happened back when they were passing out twenties because they got caught - not now because people continue to steal from them.
And what happens if their possible-customers continue to steal music? Are they going to lower the price again?
This is actually a pretty good idea which is never going to work.
Gamblers are usually better predictors of future events (remember the last couple US Presidential elections where sites were set up to allow gambling on the outcome?). They have a risk in the outcome and therefore are better educated about the issues and events.
After saying that, this will never work because the idea is so outlandish and the public opinion will cush it. Nice to see some innovative thinking, though.
Not to say that this is a bad thing, but with the continuing lawsuit between MA and MS, it sure sounds like Gates is using a charitable organization to do the dirty work of the business side.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm not vulnerable: I surf the web with my eyes closed. [insert "patch" joke here]
I've seen the HP commercials on TV now and, while discussing it with my wife, she told me that she didn't know that iPods worked with PCs. Probably a lot of people share this belief and, by selling the iPod through a PC company, Apple will sell even more iPods.
This is a nice thought, but, as always, the US will do whatever it wants. Metric system, cell phones, wars, etc.
And that's not because Americans are stupid/lazy/whatever; it is because it is the largest consumer market in the world. Corporations will bend over backwards to cater to the needs (real or perceived) of the American buyer.
Not saying that it is good or right, but that's just how it is.
Great comparison but they don't take into account how long it takes to get to the library...
They also didn't mention if they had to use Google to find out where the library is.
Maybe I need to clarify my post. It was intended as a joke - not flaimbait.
It seems that this number always appears in these Apple Is Dead articles.
Oh well, I thought it was funny; though in retrospect maybe I need to get out more.
By the way, did you know that Apple has less than 5% market share?
I took Humor Writing and got an A.
What, you were expecting a joke?
I'm happy to know that when I'm going through a automated system, and I'm talking to the recording ("My call is very important to you? That's great to hear!"), someone is actually listening.
Why don't they just save the money on developing this application and hire more people to answer the calls?
"The Wikipedia.org project to create a 'complete and accurate free content encyclopedia'...
I don't mean to troll, but am I the only one who had to read this sentence several times before I understood what they meant?
Seriously, people, punctuation really does help.
Or...
1. Patent the process of creating levels of games.
2. Sue Sue Sue!
3. ????
4. Profit!!!
I was also disappointed that the mini was priced - in my opinion - so high. I love Apple's ease of use, and for 150 or less, I would have bought one.
Sure, I can see why Apple prices their products so high, but it would be nice to see them look at the low-end buyers sometimes.
For example: I've dealt with a lot of companies (newspapers mostly) who would switch to a Mac office if they could only purchase cheap terminals. Since the cheapest option from Apple is the eMac, they decide to go with Win machines instead and save a bunch of money.
If Apple could skip the fancy casing and just crank out some super-cheap beige boxes (maybe sell them only to businesses or in bulk), they could make a killing in the business world and bring their market share up.
Hmmmm. Might mean a cheaper iPod knockoff that I can actually afford ($250? What were they thinking? for $50 more I can get 3x the space.) I wonder if there is a non-competition clause so HP can't sell iPod knockoffs that will work with Macs...
But I thought that they didn't need perfect code to prevent security problems
There are two problems the RIAA face:
1. Every time a problem occurs with file sharing, the community of people who want free music will find a way to keep stealing music. Napster had central servers, so the next generation of file sharing programs decentralized the servers. Companies were sued in the USA, so they moved the file sharing companies outside of the USA. File sharing isn't anonymous? Just wait...
2. There have been and always will be people who are willing to steal - no matter what the gamble is for doing so. Software, entertainment, etc. it doesn't matter. The music industry needs to find better alternatives than sending the RIAA out to scare customers. Find a better way to distribute music. Create new revenue models. Cut production costs to make the entertainment affordable.
Off topic: here's one idea to get people to buy cds again. In the font software industry - one font company, House Industries (I'm not affiliated with co), doesn't just sell fonts (which can and are stolen), but they sell packages: so with a set of fonts you also get a cool product that is related to the fonts (packaging, pillows, chairs, etc. See their website for more www.houseind.com).
Why don't they do this for CDs. If you like the band, you get the music, but then you also get something band related (t-shirt, dvd, etc.)? The consumer not only gets the entertainment product, they also get something cool to show off to their friends.
Just a thought.
This just in...
The Taipei Times is under attack from a group of computer experts in the United States. The group, calling themselves Slashdot, have bombarded the Taipei website with so many hits, that it cannot distribute web pages anymore.
More on this story at eleven.
Thank you Microsoft, for keeping all of us Techical Support people employed. Without you, the other half of slashdot would be unemployed.
The problem is that they didn't make the price cut because of the price-fixing lawsuit, but because of piracy.
This is something that should've happened back when they were passing out twenties because they got caught - not now because people continue to steal from them.
And what happens if their possible-customers continue to steal music? Are they going to lower the price again?
Great. So now computers will "learn" to be as stupid as the users.
There is nothing wrong with Linux. This is Slashdot, remember?
This is actually a pretty good idea which is never going to work.
Gamblers are usually better predictors of future events (remember the last couple US Presidential elections where sites were set up to allow gambling on the outcome?). They have a risk in the outcome and therefore are better educated about the issues and events.
After saying that, this will never work because the idea is so outlandish and the public opinion will cush it. Nice to see some innovative thinking, though.
I see you are trying to bomb a country.
Would you like help?
-Get help with bombing the country
-Just bomb the country without help
Sorry for sounding paranoid, but the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation announced yesterday that they are donating "$13.6 million to provide high-quality small high schools for 10,000 more students".
Not to say that this is a bad thing, but with the continuing lawsuit between MA and MS, it sure sounds like Gates is using a charitable organization to do the dirty work of the business side.