1) This is impossible for Apple to block. If according to USB it's an iPod, how can Apple distinguish? They can try to see if any little details are missing, but in the end any probing they do can easily be met by Palm.
Nor is it even unsafe, because the code to support older iPods is pretty stable and will not change over time - the older iPods will always be supported.
It seems to me that this would be pretty easy for Apple to block, once and for all. Before syncing, iTunes could simply check for the presence of a specific text file at the root level of the iPod, and then it could check that the contents of that file matched the contents iTunes expects to be in that file. The contents of this file could be several lines of written text that have been copyrighted by Apple so that it would not be legal for another company to distribute this file on their device. Apple could install this file on all iPods via a firmware update.
The fact is that firmware upgrades for older iPods are unlikely to be installed by users for some time. It could take a year or more for that to propagate.... not to mention that whatever change you make to the older iPods can more easily be mimicked by Palm than it is to put together for Apple at this point! Apple would have to dust off development kits for retired iPods of all stripes, whereas Palm just has to tweak new code with the few things that change...
I disagree. If users of older iPods continue to use their current version of iTunes to sync, then fine, it will continue to work. However, if the user of an older iPod wants to use the latest iTunes version, a firmware upgrade to the legacy iPod can be offered and seamlessly pushed to the iPod by iTunes when the user tries to sync to that version of iTunes.
Maybe in the early days of iPods, when a firmware upgrade required a manual download of an updater app and then also required some effort to use that updater app to update iPod firmware, I might have seen more validity to your concern with step 2.
Those who do understand the odds tend to either play games like blackjack which is the only game in the casino which has positive odds
Actually, to my knowledge, craps has the best player odds in the casino. I believe blackjack is second best in terms of player odds. BUT, even in craps, the odds are still negative against the player. There are, to my knowledge, no positive odds games in the casino. Why would the casino house a game which, by definition, would be a money loser over time?
Looks as if the deed is done.
Any guesses as to what we see from here?
My personal guess is that the repercussions of this ill-advised decision will vary market by market, ILEC by ILEC, but that the fallout in some markets could be swift and painful. Furthermore, I have no numbers or inside knowledge, but would fear that loss of even a few major markets might be sufficient to pull Covad under altogether.
My point is, these companies are largely using land granted through government powers (sometimes emminent domain), with massive government loans and some other federal aid I forget about right now. It is not a free market. The competition that exists mostly does so because the government put regulations to better approximate a free market- but really it isn't one.
I think that this is an important point. To at least a small degree, those copper wires running into our houses and buildings belong to us, the public. They were installed using at least some of our money (subsidies) and at least some of our land (imminent domain).
In this context, we deserve a governmental agency whose charge it is to the see that those copper wires are used in our best interest, which may not necessarily always be the best interest of the company whose good luck it is to have "ownership" of that particular piece of infrastructure.
Tiger's Core Image system is what provides that eye candy. Sadly, Core Image requires a much better GPU than the 9200.
Maybe true, but not necessarily. The specific GPU requirements for CoreImage as posted on Apple's Tiger preview pages were curiously removed at some point before the Keynote took place.
Sorry to follow up my own posted, but there is a picture of the power supply here:
http://www.apple.com/hardware/gallery/mac_mini_jan 2005_480.html
It looks like a little white brick, about the same length as the Mac mini, and about 1/3 of the width.
Has anyone found a picture or mention of the external power supply for this thing? The power supply for the original Power Mac G4 Cube was rather bulky,
I assume in this day and age, the suppy for the Mac mini more closely resembles that of an iBook/PowerBook, but was wondering if anyone knows.
Product pictures on Apple's site don't seem to show.
Apple is in strange territory. Many times the first to market is also to far ahead of the market that they fail.
Apple was not the first to market. Creative was shipping the Nomad, and other companies were shipping players before the iPod was announced.
I think this time around, Apple was not the first to market, but simply the BEST to market.
But also brilliant in terms of the folks he hires and decides to listen to. There is no doubt that there are a LOT of very luminous people at Apple. These "Gates v. Jobs" press articles so often seem to elevate these figures to Greek gods who are 100% responsbile for inventing and strategizing everything to come out of their respective companies.
Re:Its not like the iPod is compatible either...
on
Virgin's New iPod Rival
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· Score: 4, Insightful
Or legally rip your CDs into mp3 or non-drm'd aac (or wav or aiff or Apple Lossless!) and sync your iPod. No hacking and no "fees to Apple" necessary...
Have a look at Speakeasy. Their resedential service is excellent. No blocked ports, a TOS which allows and frankly, even encourages the running of servers, a TOS which definitely encourages sharing of your circuit via WiFi with anyone you please (in fact they will even help you bill your "customers" for this if you want), and friendly, informed, and accesible service reps.
Computer replacement of live theatre musicians became an issue on Broadway last year, as the Broadway musicians' union was preparing to strike over the producers' proposal to reduce minimum orchestra sizes in Broadway theatres. Essentially, the producers said that if the musicians struck, they would keep their Broadway musicals open by substituting a computer simulated orchestra, and some shows even called casts in to rehearse with these systems in preparation for a strike. In the end, the musicians did strike, but since the actors and some technicians honored the picket lines, the musicals were cancelled rather than performed with computer orchestras.
The Internet is an interactive environment in which information is distributed on an on-demand basis; that is, the user chooses what content is delivered to him.
And, more importantly IMO, the user chooses what content to deliver.
Slashdot Mirror
Two points:
1) This is impossible for Apple to block. If according to USB it's an iPod, how can Apple distinguish? They can try to see if any little details are missing, but in the end any probing they do can easily be met by Palm.
Nor is it even unsafe, because the code to support older iPods is pretty stable and will not change over time - the older iPods will always be supported.
It seems to me that this would be pretty easy for Apple to block, once and for all. Before syncing, iTunes could simply check for the presence of a specific text file at the root level of the iPod, and then it could check that the contents of that file matched the contents iTunes expects to be in that file. The contents of this file could be several lines of written text that have been copyrighted by Apple so that it would not be legal for another company to distribute this file on their device. Apple could install this file on all iPods via a firmware update.
You just lost me at step 2.
The fact is that firmware upgrades for older iPods are unlikely to be installed by users for some time. It could take a year or more for that to propagate.... not to mention that whatever change you make to the older iPods can more easily be mimicked by Palm than it is to put together for Apple at this point! Apple would have to dust off development kits for retired iPods of all stripes, whereas Palm just has to tweak new code with the few things that change...
I disagree. If users of older iPods continue to use their current version of iTunes to sync, then fine, it will continue to work. However, if the user of an older iPod wants to use the latest iTunes version, a firmware upgrade to the legacy iPod can be offered and seamlessly pushed to the iPod by iTunes when the user tries to sync to that version of iTunes. Maybe in the early days of iPods, when a firmware upgrade required a manual download of an updater app and then also required some effort to use that updater app to update iPod firmware, I might have seen more validity to your concern with step 2.
Those who do understand the odds tend to either play games like blackjack which is the only game in the casino which has positive odds
Actually, to my knowledge, craps has the best player odds in the casino. I believe blackjack is second best in terms of player odds. BUT, even in craps, the odds are still negative against the player. There are, to my knowledge, no positive odds games in the casino. Why would the casino house a game which, by definition, would be a money loser over time?
Looks as if the deed is done. Any guesses as to what we see from here? My personal guess is that the repercussions of this ill-advised decision will vary market by market, ILEC by ILEC, but that the fallout in some markets could be swift and painful. Furthermore, I have no numbers or inside knowledge, but would fear that loss of even a few major markets might be sufficient to pull Covad under altogether.
My point is, these companies are largely using land granted through government powers (sometimes emminent domain), with massive government loans and some other federal aid I forget about right now. It is not a free market. The competition that exists mostly does so because the government put regulations to better approximate a free market- but really it isn't one.
I think that this is an important point. To at least a small degree, those copper wires running into our houses and buildings belong to us, the public. They were installed using at least some of our money (subsidies) and at least some of our land (imminent domain).
In this context, we deserve a governmental agency whose charge it is to the see that those copper wires are used in our best interest, which may not necessarily always be the best interest of the company whose good luck it is to have "ownership" of that particular piece of infrastructure.
Tiger's Core Image system is what provides that eye candy. Sadly, Core Image requires a much better GPU than the 9200.
Maybe true, but not necessarily. The specific GPU requirements for CoreImage as posted on Apple's Tiger preview pages were curiously removed at some point before the Keynote took place.
Sorry to follow up my own posted, but there is a picture of the power supply here: http://www.apple.com/hardware/gallery/mac_mini_jan 2005_480.html
It looks like a little white brick, about the same length as the Mac mini, and about 1/3 of the width.
Has anyone found a picture or mention of the external power supply for this thing? The power supply for the original Power Mac G4 Cube was rather bulky, I assume in this day and age, the suppy for the Mac mini more closely resembles that of an iBook/PowerBook, but was wondering if anyone knows. Product pictures on Apple's site don't seem to show.
Apple is in strange territory. Many times the first to market is also to far ahead of the market that they fail.
Apple was not the first to market. Creative was shipping the Nomad, and other companies were shipping players before the iPod was announced. I think this time around, Apple was not the first to market, but simply the BEST to market.
You forgot Ireland...
Brilliant he is, just brilliant.
Brilliant in his own right, absolutely.
But also brilliant in terms of the folks he hires and decides to listen to. There is no doubt that there are a LOT of very luminous people at Apple. These "Gates v. Jobs" press articles so often seem to elevate these figures to Greek gods who are 100% responsbile for inventing and strategizing everything to come out of their respective companies.
Or legally rip your CDs into mp3 or non-drm'd aac (or wav or aiff or Apple Lossless!) and sync your iPod. No hacking and no "fees to Apple" necessary...
The site appears to have been removed in the last 5 minutes.
Have a look at Speakeasy. Their resedential service is excellent. No blocked ports, a TOS which allows and frankly, even encourages the running of servers, a TOS which definitely encourages sharing of your circuit via WiFi with anyone you please (in fact they will even help you bill your "customers" for this if you want), and friendly, informed, and accesible service reps.
Computer replacement of live theatre musicians became an issue on Broadway last year, as the Broadway musicians' union was preparing to strike over the producers' proposal to reduce minimum orchestra sizes in Broadway theatres. Essentially, the producers said that if the musicians struck, they would keep their Broadway musicals open by substituting a computer simulated orchestra, and some shows even called casts in to rehearse with these systems in preparation for a strike. In the end, the musicians did strike, but since the actors and some technicians honored the picket lines, the musicals were cancelled rather than performed with computer orchestras.