CDs cost about the same as digital counterparts?
Sorry, but that's not true simply because you need to make your point.
Pull up iTunes, and look at a collection of albums.
Then find the same albums on Amazon. Retail pricing.
The iTunes albums will consistantly be MUCH cheaper.
These same albums will STILL be priced the same on iTunes *without* DRM (as per the deal with EMI).
I ask that you just make honest arguments. That's all.
That's just for starters. Looking at what makes something "Outlook compatible" and then explicitly discounting email seems perverse...
So... someone saying "Outlook compatible" should likely be saying "Exchange compatible". I think that's a fairly HUGE distinction. My Outlook works just fine with my iPod. Will iPhone sync mail? I'd be surprised if it won't, but syncing from Exchange is a good question. Out of your four items, I'm thinking the iPhone will have three covered, the last one is a "maybe". Unless I'm missing something, it's not rocket science to send something through one's Exchange server, if we're talking basic SMTP.
I'm also interested to find out what Yahoo's push e-mail service will give the iPhone in terms of options for some business folks. I don't think of iPhone taking on corporate, I see iPhone as having a consumer bent that bleeds over into small businesses that may choose Blackberry also. I know some small offices that would consider a Yahoo or a Google for business use.
Moreover, I'm also very curious what Apple will be doing with Widgets. Combined with a highly capable browser (I hear Flash is a go), I can't imagine this not making a notable impact in the small business arena.
The downside is that it isn't compatible with Outlook.
Ok... Um, what exactly do YOU think "Outlook compatible" means? My 5G iPod syncs with Outlook just fine. In iTunes you have a tab that contains decreet controls for syncing contacts and calendars with your iPod. All we know right now, is that the iPhone has those controls if not more. Everytime I hear someone say that the iPhone/iPod/iTunes isn't compatible with Outlook, I'm left wondering what they're talking about. Maybe you can clear this up? With the new mail client, I half-expect the iPhone will import messages as well, although I've never personally developed much "need" around mail syncing with my desktop mail client.
"ASTRONOMICAL"? I'm sorry, but you have no idea what you're talking about. A lot of people don't, so you're in good company.
Here's the deal though, plain and simple. You're taking at least two completely separate devices, and mashing them into one. You're getting a 4GB-8GB nano, mashed into a new phone. 4GB/8GB Nano = $199/$249. Plus, add all the features of the normal "iPod", like video support. Slap $299 for a state-of-the-art phone with visual voicemail, Wifi Internet browsing, 480x320 160 ppi touchscreen, 2 mega pixel USB-ready camera, USB flash-drive, and a full-screen video ipod. I mean, just look at that. How many other devices do you NOT need now? Personally, I'd just sell my other devices.
So... Come on. Wake up. People who are whining about the price are stuck staring at the phone, and overlooking the fact that its a whole lot more they're trying to sell you (and Apple thinks you need it). The music browsing is simply gorgeous and organic. Combine that with an awesome PDA, and we're smoking. Still lots of questions, but its clear most people complaining utterly fail to understand the value proposition. That's fine. Most phones aren't trying to give you half as much.
Do yourself a favor, and go searching for the LOWEST PRICED cell phone that simply has 3 features of the iPhone: 1.) Wi-Fi internet browsing (802.11 b/g/ or n), 2.) a widescreen LCD (somewhere near 400x300), 3.) 2 MP camera or higher. Come back and tell us what you find. Just... y'know, show the price and everything.
Everyone saying that Apple is "charging a premium" should really put up or shut-up... If you can actually find the above phone (I haven't)... then, for bonus points, show me a phone with EXACTLY the same features and costs a lot less. Just so we're clear, I'll let you off the hook for everything except the following: 480x320 screen, music player with album art, cell phone, Calender/w Outlook appointment syncing, doubles as a USB drive, calculator, full Internet browser (not simply WAP), HTML e-mail/w attachments, 2 MP camera, Google Maps, World Clock, Weather, optional FM radio, optional dictation/voice recording, optional FM transmitter for music, optional TV connector (for showing videos on television). That's it. We'll ignore all the other iPod accessories.
Assuming other phones will support visual voicemail when Crossbow is released, I'll leave that off (along with running OS X and unannounced items like game support, etc).
The announcement was fine. Given the breath of reports on this phone (competing phones, trademark disputes, other), to NOT make an announcement is to simply NOT CONTROL the perception of the news when it breaks. Seriously. I can respect that the author of this article sees problems with the announcement, but the benefits FAR outweigh the detriment. To miss that is to miss the point.
1. Cingular gets to gauge consumer interest 2. Customers can plan accordingly with respects to their phone agreements (big point) 3. Customers can plan accordingly with respects to their savings (medium point) 4. They answer HIGH expectations around a new iPod release (big criticism) 5. Accessory makers have 6 months to plan (avoiding the criticised "shock" effect) 6. Customers can educate themselves about product expectations
--And the list goes on. Wait until the phone comes out before prenouncing "what went wrong", especially if there's no indication that anything isn't going according to plan. 6 months is a long time. We're still in month 1. There'll be plenty of time to second guess this month 3-4 months from now.
I called it ScriptNexus:
http://www.scriptnexus.com
I wanted it to literally do things in "real-time" too.
My mind wandered though, so I mostly use it to do.htaccess files and write quick proposals from time to time. It's still a feasible idea though. Someday...
HELLO WORLD examples (you can use the drop-down menu to change languages): http://www.scriptnexus.com/code/all/hello/text
Exactly right. All these comments about "must show ads over it" pretty much misses the point. Google's project allows you to SEARCH all the books its scanning, and even so, its drawn the ire of copyright holders. Imagine if they said... "Oh, yes... we're OPEN SOURCING all of our scanning results for unfettered public consumption." No judge in the world... nuff said. Open sourcing the actually methodology would not serve much purpose, although its worthy of note that they have open sources some OCR software earlier. Very well received too. Gift horses and such, blah blah blah.
Far be it for anyone to paint a complete picture. I realize "researchers" need to be able to declare some manner of authority, been not calculating some measure for PayPal and giftcard usage is pretty twisted. This was pushed heavily last year with offers. Even if a sampling of users was extrapolated out and added in or something. Given that iTunes gift cards are now in Walmart and other major outlets for the holidays. Ah, well. If we're to infer that DRM is to blame, I'd certainly be interested in hearing eMusic's trends for another perspective.
Pretty sure everyone knows he's talking about the protected music standard as it involves both purchased tracks and rented tracks, and neither of these cases are supported.
]] "...has none of the features that make the ]] iPod so completely useful..." >> None? It doesn't play music or video?
Not "none", but that's hyperbole for you. Pretty sure everyone knows what those "useful" features are. "Scroll wheel, hard drive, easy-to-use online store/media manager, podcast support". The sentiment is that too many things are getting in the way. That's simply not easy, and apparently not competitive.
>> For those who don't want to purchase DRM'ed music, >> Zune points aren't involved at all.
So, for those who want fewer options, they don't need to be inconvenienced by this travesty Microsoft will encourage you to use? If you think Microsoft won't push Zune users into their marketplace with the hard sell, I think you misjudge why it didn't ship with podcasts. Then again, maybe it was the bug count.
>> Somehow I doubt you're intent on offering Microsoft >> any useful advice.
You'd be right, but everyone would wonder what took you so long to figure it out. My impression is that people are angry about the Zune, less because of any "how dare you" sentiment, but more because they feel Microsoft had a real opportunity and BLEW it. Now, all eyes turn elsewhere for a new iPod alternative.
>> "To me it just seems like the other companies (the
>> ones too lazy to try to create their own fully integrated
>> solution) are just trying to regulate their biggest
>> competitor out of the business."
Seems someone outta pass a Dog-Eat-Dog law for the betterment of all businesses everywhere. Who cares if Atlas shrugs? It probably wasn't *that* heavy in the first place! Oh, and the other companies aren't lazy. They're just a wee bit slow and dim witted. I think its unfair to call them lazy just because they can't cogitate their way out of a wet paper opportunity. I will grant you however that it may well be the excessive Ho Ho's.
Quote: "but I always assume any free service I use on the web (or anywhere else) is a fleeting thing that may vanish without notice. It generally seems fair to me, given that I'm getting something for nothing."
Exactly. There's a very STRANGE reaction I see, where people expect to get something for nothing, and get mad after circumventing the expected exchange, if the other side attempts to exercise options that effect their survival. Whether it comes to ads on a page or DRM, the option is always to stop using the service, and thereby send your final message. "This transaction is no longer worthwhile for me." Some people sound like they are feeding off of something parasitically, and became enraged when the host is dragged away, or becomes unsuitable.
I cannot abide by a world in which we possess so low a concept of our own dignity or so twisted a concept of fair trade. I'd almost rather people who complain would simply lose the ability to use such services immediately, than to see people constantly look for ways to have their cake, eat it too, and complain if this bargain is ever upset.
Yes, quite messy there. It's amazing WSJ would get it wrong, but in all liklihood, the article title was architected to place better in searches, using the more popular keyword "iPod" instead of the more accurate "iTunes". WSJ Editor's Note: "Please use all opportunities to cross-index all titles with highest popularity search terms in Google Zeitgeist". Amazon's designs on supplying a player will likely not be as much of a money-magnet, as being able to download music on-demand.
On a related note, personally, I get miffed when "iPod" is dragged kicking and screaming into almost every article even tangentially related. I suspect there's a reporter somewhere trying furiously to work "Cheney", "Abu Graib" and "Ipod" into their next article title.
Writing down passwords... has War Games and Mathew Broderick taught us nothing? (grin) No matter how clever they think they are... the folks with the important passwords will always hide them in the most obvious places...!
Notice how you are now seeing PICTURES of scanned pages from catalogs, with sections highlighted. Click on the selection, and you can literally flip through the pages of each catalog as needed.
While Google Books may well ONLY display the type of thing Amazon.com does... like, when you type in "atlas shrugged" in amazon's book search... then, roll-over it. They will allow you to search INSIDE the book, and return short excerts from all the matches for the word you're looking for (including the page number, etc. The top of the page then offers more options like: "table of contents", "short excerpt", "copyright" and "front and back cover".
I think Amazon's approach fits nicely in "fair use". If Google's approach to books is anything like its "mail-order catalog" approach... I could see the cause for concern (and conversely why Google might think it "ok"). On the one hand... I'd much rather BUY a book, than attempt to print it from a webpage, clicking, and turning through each page. It'd be pretty useless. --However, for research, it'd be a timesaver, and cut the library OUT of many a need... especially if you just need a diagram or a short bibliographical quote. It would begin rendering many institutions infinitely less needed.
But... the amazing thing would be that such a thing would create an unprecedented opportunity. Imagine not just search on web pages for a specific phrase, but searching every book that's ever seen print. The more you add to that scenario... well, Lexis Nexis, eat your heart out.
Slashdot Mirror
CDs cost about the same as digital counterparts? Sorry, but that's not true simply because you need to make your point. Pull up iTunes, and look at a collection of albums. Then find the same albums on Amazon. Retail pricing. The iTunes albums will consistantly be MUCH cheaper. These same albums will STILL be priced the same on iTunes *without* DRM (as per the deal with EMI). I ask that you just make honest arguments. That's all.
"ASTRONOMICAL"? I'm sorry, but you have no idea what you're talking about. A lot of people don't, so you're in good company.
/w Outlook appointment syncing, doubles as a USB drive, calculator, full Internet browser (not simply WAP), HTML e-mail /w attachments, 2 MP camera, Google Maps, World Clock, Weather, optional FM radio, optional dictation/voice recording, optional FM transmitter for music, optional TV connector (for showing videos on television). That's it. We'll ignore all the other iPod accessories.
Here's the deal though, plain and simple. You're taking at least two completely separate devices, and mashing them into one. You're getting a 4GB-8GB nano, mashed into a new phone. 4GB/8GB Nano = $199/$249. Plus, add all the features of the normal "iPod", like video support. Slap $299 for a state-of-the-art phone with visual voicemail, Wifi Internet browsing, 480x320 160 ppi touchscreen, 2 mega pixel USB-ready camera, USB flash-drive, and a full-screen video ipod. I mean, just look at that. How many other devices do you NOT need now? Personally, I'd just sell my other devices.
So... Come on. Wake up. People who are whining about the price are stuck staring at the phone, and overlooking the fact that its a whole lot more they're trying to sell you (and Apple thinks you need it). The music browsing is simply gorgeous and organic. Combine that with an awesome PDA, and we're smoking. Still lots of questions, but its clear most people complaining utterly fail to understand the value proposition. That's fine. Most phones aren't trying to give you half as much.
Do yourself a favor, and go searching for the LOWEST PRICED cell phone that simply has 3 features of the iPhone: 1.) Wi-Fi internet browsing (802.11 b/g/ or n), 2.) a widescreen LCD (somewhere near 400x300), 3.) 2 MP camera or higher. Come back and tell us what you find. Just... y'know, show the price and everything.
Everyone saying that Apple is "charging a premium" should really put up or shut-up... If you can actually find the above phone (I haven't)... then, for bonus points, show me a phone with EXACTLY the same features and costs a lot less. Just so we're clear, I'll let you off the hook for everything except the following: 480x320 screen, music player with album art, cell phone, Calender
Assuming other phones will support visual voicemail when Crossbow is released, I'll leave that off (along with running OS X and unannounced items like game support, etc).
The announcement was fine. Given the breath of reports on this phone (competing phones, trademark disputes, other), to NOT make an announcement is to simply NOT CONTROL the perception of the news when it breaks. Seriously. I can respect that the author of this article sees problems with the announcement, but the benefits FAR outweigh the detriment. To miss that is to miss the point.
1. Cingular gets to gauge consumer interest
2. Customers can plan accordingly with respects to their phone agreements (big point)
3. Customers can plan accordingly with respects to their savings (medium point)
4. They answer HIGH expectations around a new iPod release (big criticism)
5. Accessory makers have 6 months to plan (avoiding the criticised "shock" effect)
6. Customers can educate themselves about product expectations
--And the list goes on. Wait until the phone comes out before prenouncing "what went wrong", especially if there's no indication that anything isn't going according to plan. 6 months is a long time. We're still in month 1. There'll be plenty of time to second guess this month 3-4 months from now.
I called it ScriptNexus: http://www.scriptnexus.com .htaccess files and write quick proposals from time to time. It's still a feasible idea though. Someday...
I wanted it to literally do things in "real-time" too.
My mind wandered though, so I mostly use it to do
HELLO WORLD examples (you can use the drop-down menu to change languages):
http://www.scriptnexus.com/code/all/hello/text
Exactly right. All these comments about "must show ads over it" pretty much misses the point. Google's project allows you to SEARCH all the books its scanning, and even so, its drawn the ire of copyright holders. Imagine if they said... "Oh, yes... we're OPEN SOURCING all of our scanning results for unfettered public consumption." No judge in the world... nuff said. Open sourcing the actually methodology would not serve much purpose, although its worthy of note that they have open sources some OCR software earlier. Very well received too. Gift horses and such, blah blah blah.
Far be it for anyone to paint a complete picture. I realize "researchers" need to be able to declare some manner of authority, been not calculating some measure for PayPal and giftcard usage is pretty twisted. This was pushed heavily last year with offers. Even if a sampling of users was extrapolated out and added in or something. Given that iTunes gift cards are now in Walmart and other major outlets for the holidays. Ah, well. If we're to infer that DRM is to blame, I'd certainly be interested in hearing eMusic's trends for another perspective.
>> Actually, incompatible with only one.
Pretty sure everyone knows he's talking about the protected music standard as it involves both purchased tracks and rented tracks, and neither of these cases are supported.
]] "...has none of the features that make the
]] iPod so completely useful..."
>> None? It doesn't play music or video?
Not "none", but that's hyperbole for you. Pretty sure everyone knows what those "useful" features are. "Scroll wheel, hard drive, easy-to-use online store/media manager, podcast support". The sentiment is that too many things are getting in the way. That's simply not easy, and apparently not competitive.
>> For those who don't want to purchase DRM'ed music,
>> Zune points aren't involved at all.
So, for those who want fewer options, they don't need to be inconvenienced by this travesty Microsoft will encourage you to use? If you think Microsoft won't push Zune users into their marketplace with the hard sell, I think you misjudge why it didn't ship with podcasts. Then again, maybe it was the bug count.
>> Somehow I doubt you're intent on offering Microsoft
>> any useful advice.
You'd be right, but everyone would wonder what took you so long to figure it out. My impression is that people are angry about the Zune, less because of any "how dare you" sentiment, but more because they feel Microsoft had a real opportunity and BLEW it. Now, all eyes turn elsewhere for a new iPod alternative.
Yep. Every since I read the title of this article, this is image has been wallpapered to the back of my mind. Sigh.
>> "To me it just seems like the other companies (the >> ones too lazy to try to create their own fully integrated >> solution) are just trying to regulate their biggest >> competitor out of the business." Seems someone outta pass a Dog-Eat-Dog law for the betterment of all businesses everywhere. Who cares if Atlas shrugs? It probably wasn't *that* heavy in the first place! Oh, and the other companies aren't lazy. They're just a wee bit slow and dim witted. I think its unfair to call them lazy just because they can't cogitate their way out of a wet paper opportunity. I will grant you however that it may well be the excessive Ho Ho's.
Quote: "but I always assume any free service I use on the web (or anywhere else) is a fleeting thing that may vanish without notice. It generally seems fair to me, given that I'm getting something for nothing."
Exactly. There's a very STRANGE reaction I see, where people expect to get something for nothing, and get mad after circumventing the expected exchange, if the other side attempts to exercise options that effect their survival. Whether it comes to ads on a page or DRM, the option is always to stop using the service, and thereby send your final message. "This transaction is no longer worthwhile for me." Some people sound like they are feeding off of something parasitically, and became enraged when the host is dragged away, or becomes unsuitable.
I cannot abide by a world in which we possess so low a concept of our own dignity or so twisted a concept of fair trade. I'd almost rather people who complain would simply lose the ability to use such services immediately, than to see people constantly look for ways to have their cake, eat it too, and complain if this bargain is ever upset.
Yes, quite messy there. It's amazing WSJ would get it wrong, but in all liklihood, the article title was architected to place better in searches, using the more popular keyword "iPod" instead of the more accurate "iTunes". WSJ Editor's Note: "Please use all opportunities to cross-index all titles with highest popularity search terms in Google Zeitgeist". Amazon's designs on supplying a player will likely not be as much of a money-magnet, as being able to download music on-demand. On a related note, personally, I get miffed when "iPod" is dragged kicking and screaming into almost every article even tangentially related. I suspect there's a reporter somewhere trying furiously to work "Cheney", "Abu Graib" and "Ipod" into their next article title.
Writing down passwords... has War Games and Mathew Broderick taught us nothing? (grin) No matter how clever they think they are... the folks with the important passwords will always hide them in the most obvious places...!
Well... here's a distinct problem. Take a look at this...
Google Catalog (Beta)
http://catalog.google.com/
Now... type in, oh, for instance... "atlas shrugged". You get this: http://catalog.google.com/catalogs?q=atlas+shrugge d&btnG=Search+Catalogs
Notice how you are now seeing PICTURES of scanned pages from catalogs, with sections highlighted. Click on the selection, and you can literally flip through the pages of each catalog as needed.
While Google Books may well ONLY display the type of thing Amazon.com does... like, when you type in "atlas shrugged" in amazon's book search... then, roll-over it. They will allow you to search INSIDE the book, and return short excerts from all the matches for the word you're looking for (including the page number, etc. The top of the page then offers more options like: "table of contents", "short excerpt", "copyright" and "front and back cover".
I think Amazon's approach fits nicely in "fair use". If Google's approach to books is anything like its "mail-order catalog" approach... I could see the cause for concern (and conversely why Google might think it "ok"). On the one hand... I'd much rather BUY a book, than attempt to print it from a webpage, clicking, and turning through each page. It'd be pretty useless. --However, for research, it'd be a timesaver, and cut the library OUT of many a need... especially if you just need a diagram or a short bibliographical quote. It would begin rendering many institutions infinitely less needed.
But... the amazing thing would be that such a thing would create an unprecedented opportunity. Imagine not just search on web pages for a specific phrase, but searching every book that's ever seen print. The more you add to that scenario... well, Lexis Nexis, eat your heart out.