There are a couple local bands that I like and have seen at free outdoor concerts. I've even bought their CDs twice after already buying a copy previously because I don't mind the money going to the artist. Then pass on the CD to someone who might be interested. With those guys, I would be less likely to rip their music to MP3 and give it to someone because it's more personal. I'd be "stealing" from the guys that I talked to.
Hiring someone to study the results independently and hiring someone to refute the results are two *very* different things.
Re:The plan will make or break the iPhone
on
iPhone Roundup
·
· Score: 1
To get what I currently have with my Sprint plan:
From Cingular's website:
2100 minutes: $110 (I currently have 2000) Add 2 lines: $20 Add Text Msg: $20 x 3 ($60) (Verified that I need that for each phone) Add data plan: $44 (for the iPhone) (Data Connect Unlimited) Data plan for the other phones: $???A Phone insurance: $5
That's roughly $240 / month before taxes/fees and other assorted crap they add on.
So, you're right it isn't $100 per month more for me. It's actually a lot more. Granted, I am grandfathered in on a very sweet deal from Sprint back when they were offering $5 unlimited Internet so my price difference for switching is greater than most out there, but I'm sure that many will run into a similar situation where they will have to factor in the price of the plan along with the price of the phone itself. It's not like a new laptop that you can just go out and buy. You have to commit to a 2 year plan and most are already somewhere in the middle of their current plan.
I guess my main point is that after the "wow" factor wears off from Steve Job's presentation, you come back to Earth and realize that there is a lot more to it than just buying the phone. Too bad about the carrier exclusivity. Competition is always a good thing.
Re:The plan will make or break the iPhone
on
iPhone Roundup
·
· Score: 1
I have a sweet plan that I was grandfathered into with Sprint. Family plan with 3 phones, 2000 minutes, unlimited data/sms/email/photo, free roaming, nationwide, free minutes after 7:00 for ~$105-110/month. Unless I read Cingular's website incorrectly, similar would cost well over $200 per month. So it would cost *me* about $100 extra per month over what I have now.
So while I love the phone I have to ask if I love it enough to switch carriers and pay more.
Then there's the side of me that just wants a simple small phone that makes calls and sounds good. I end up flipping between simple phone / smartphone / simple phone / smartphone. The iPhone is still very, very nice. And I want one even more that Balmer hates it.;-)
Re:The plan will make or break the iPhone
on
iPhone Roundup
·
· Score: 1
The current data plan for Cingular is higher and the minutes are considerably higher than what I'm currently paying. My situation is complicated a bit by having a family plan, but at least by pricing on the website it will cost around $100 more per month to switch to Cingular. I really like the iPhone, but I'd rather stick with a basic phone and buy a maxxed out MacBook. But who knows, maybe Cingular will release it with a plan as innovative as the phone itself. T-Mobile's Sidekick can be purchased with a $20 data plan, IIRC.
The plan will make or break the iPhone
on
iPhone Roundup
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
Most anyone that is interested in the iPhone will already have a cellphone and be locked in to a 2 year contract already. Personally, I have a pretty good deal for my Family plan with Sprint. Moving everything over to Cingular will likely end up costing an additional $100 per month on top of the $599 I'll need to pay for the phone. So, over 2 years, the iPhone will cost about $3000. As much as I like the phone, that's a little too expensive for a gadget. Now if Cingular introduces a plan as revolutionary as the iPhone at launch then they will sell these phones as fast as they can make them.
They already do. The radio station pays a royalty for playing the music on the station. Even mom and pop restaurants that play radios are supposed to pay royalties to the RIAA. Sometimes you'll see the sticker in the window showing that they paid the royalties. I guess I'd have much less of a reaction to the royalty machine if the artists were actually making more from it. In my communist way of thinking, the bulk of the money should go to the performers with the companies taking a cut for their services instead of the artists getting a small cut for contributing their art to the machine. Eventually, songs will be free for personal use and artists will make their money from live performances and merchandise with what's left of the record companies making their money from licensing music for commercial use. Music on physical media only has a few heartbeats left.
I really don't pirate music -- honestly. I've downloaded a few mp3s and if I like them, I buy the album. Now if they add a pirate tax to my mp3 player, that's a green light for me to turn pirate. I've paid my tax.
Don't be so sure. If I give someone a copy of an MP3, I'm not making money off that but the artist (and the mega corp record companies) have been cheated of their fair profit. Same thing with Johnny playing "Smoke on the Water". Does he have a license to play that creative work of art or is he stealing from the industry.
Maybe guitars will be sold with ASCAP licenses that are renewable annually.
It doesn't give you any security, but it makes it less obvious to neighbors and less of a target when there are others in the neighborhood that are being broadcast (and open). I consider it the equivalent of closing the front door with locking it. Encryption being the lock. Good encryption, the deadbolt.
Yeah I tried that, but the only way I could get the "save password to keychain" checkbox is if the linksys was broadcasting it's SSID. If the checkbox would show up when the SSID wasn't being broadcast, then OS X would be much better IMHO. I thought I was imaging things, so I did some tests and SSID on == checkbox to save password, SSID off == no checkbox. This was with WEP encryption.
I guess if I have only one gripe with OS X, it's doing pretty well.
The one complaint I have about OS X is the way it handles wireless networks. I can't save the password on the keyring unless the the SSID is being broadcast. What the hell is up with that? With XP, it just works. (Kills me to say that, but it's true.) Hopefully they'll fix it in the next version, but I'm guessing they would rather make it easy for AirPort and a pain for linksys.
I know disabling SSID broadcast doesn't really give you much security, but I live in a townhouse. Why make it easy?
When are they going to release the Lego versions of IV, V and VI? I don't know if a full length film would be tolerable, but the short clips are very funny.
I'd be happy with a simple mini jack standard on car head units. Then we wouldn't have to play around with those terrible FM tuners. My Sirius sounds worse than AM through the FM tuner.
Using your Ford / Nissan analogy, I would argue that that applies more to the computer hardware where you can put a different CPU in the computer or a different manufacturer's hard drive because they have largely standardized on the parts that make up a computer. The OS analogy, IMHO, fits better with gasoline. It would be like BP including an additive so that you can't try Exxon gasoline without ruining your vehicle.
If you break or lose your original headphones, Apple doesn't sell replacements as far as I can tell. Maybe they're afraid people will buy them to look like they're listening to an iPod??
No. In that instance I wouldn't want a refund. It's not the fault of the theater. They didn't actively block the signal. But without a required disclaimer, you would not know if it were the was or a natural depression that was to blame.
I know it sounds like "guns don't kill people, people kill people", but cell phones really aren't the problem. You can set them to vibrate and be discreet. The problem is that most people don't give a crap what anyone else thinks and are concerned about "me, myself and I" exclusively. Maybe we don't a technical solution to this. Perhaps if we collectively embarras the hell out of violators, people will *remember* to turn the phone to vibrate. Also, the manufacturers could make things easier for the technical illiterates out there and give them a "quiet" button on the phone.
On a side note, do you remember the slashdot story from a year or so ago where the MPAA was blaming text messaging on poor box office sales? The claim was that people were telling their friends that the movie sucked before it was even over and that caused a drop in revenue. Hmmmm. Put out a good product and maybe they'll text nice things.
I'll have to disagree I guess. I'd much rather know that I'm going to have my cell phone signal blocked before I buy a ticket rather than afterwards. If I'm on call, I'll know that I need to stay away from that particular theater or resturant. It would be similar to buying a candy bar and not being able to read the ingredients until after you purchase it.
Slashdot Mirror
| On the way to work today, I was hearing another NPR report (yeah I listen to it a lot)
| stating that the apartment market is about to boom....
Which is going to put a big hurt on lower income people.
I'm glad I bought my house 10 years ago. I can't imagine being just out of college and trying to buy your first home today.
There are a couple local bands that I like and have seen at free outdoor concerts. I've even bought their CDs twice after already buying a copy previously because I don't mind the money going to the artist. Then pass on the CD to someone who might be interested. With those guys, I would be less likely to rip their music to MP3 and give it to someone because it's more personal. I'd be "stealing" from the guys that I talked to.
But "... a persistent inability for Nintendo to keep units on the shelves has made it hard for gamers to sustain their enthusiasm for the system."
Sounds like they're buying them as fast as Nintendo makes them. And its lost the thrill?
Hiring someone to study the results independently and hiring someone to refute the results are two *very* different things.
To get what I currently have with my Sprint plan:
From Cingular's website:
2100 minutes: $110 (I currently have 2000)
Add 2 lines: $20
Add Text Msg: $20 x 3 ($60) (Verified that I need that for each phone)
Add data plan: $44 (for the iPhone) (Data Connect Unlimited)
Data plan for the other phones: $???A
Phone insurance: $5
That's roughly $240 / month before taxes/fees and other assorted crap they add on.
So, you're right it isn't $100 per month more for me. It's actually a lot more. Granted, I am grandfathered in on a very sweet deal from Sprint back when they were offering $5 unlimited Internet so my price difference for switching is greater than most out there, but I'm sure that many will run into a similar situation where they will have to factor in the price of the plan along with the price of the phone itself. It's not like a new laptop that you can just go out and buy. You have to commit to a 2 year plan and most are already somewhere in the middle of their current plan.
I guess my main point is that after the "wow" factor wears off from Steve Job's presentation, you come back to Earth and realize that there is a lot more to it than just buying the phone. Too bad about the carrier exclusivity. Competition is always a good thing.
I have a sweet plan that I was grandfathered into with Sprint. Family plan with 3 phones, 2000 minutes, unlimited data/sms/email/photo, free roaming, nationwide, free minutes after 7:00 for ~$105-110/month. Unless I read Cingular's website incorrectly, similar would cost well over $200 per month. So it would cost *me* about $100 extra per month over what I have now.
;-)
So while I love the phone I have to ask if I love it enough to switch carriers and pay more.
Then there's the side of me that just wants a simple small phone that makes calls and sounds good. I end up flipping between simple phone / smartphone / simple phone / smartphone. The iPhone is still very, very nice. And I want one even more that Balmer hates it.
The current data plan for Cingular is higher and the minutes are considerably higher than what I'm currently paying. My situation is complicated a bit by having a family plan, but at least by pricing on the website it will cost around $100 more per month to switch to Cingular. I really like the iPhone, but I'd rather stick with a basic phone and buy a maxxed out MacBook. But who knows, maybe Cingular will release it with a plan as innovative as the phone itself. T-Mobile's Sidekick can be purchased with a $20 data plan, IIRC.
Most anyone that is interested in the iPhone will already have a cellphone and be locked in to a 2 year contract already. Personally, I have a pretty good deal for my Family plan with Sprint. Moving everything over to Cingular will likely end up costing an additional $100 per month on top of the $599 I'll need to pay for the phone. So, over 2 years, the iPhone will cost about $3000. As much as I like the phone, that's a little too expensive for a gadget. Now if Cingular introduces a plan as revolutionary as the iPhone at launch then they will sell these phones as fast as they can make them.
...if I could remember the difference between tall and vente.
They already do. The radio station pays a royalty for playing the music on the station. Even mom and pop restaurants that play radios are supposed to pay royalties to the RIAA. Sometimes you'll see the sticker in the window showing that they paid the royalties. I guess I'd have much less of a reaction to the royalty machine if the artists were actually making more from it. In my communist way of thinking, the bulk of the money should go to the performers with the companies taking a cut for their services instead of the artists getting a small cut for contributing their art to the machine. Eventually, songs will be free for personal use and artists will make their money from live performances and merchandise with what's left of the record companies making their money from licensing music for commercial use. Music on physical media only has a few heartbeats left.
I really don't pirate music -- honestly. I've downloaded a few mp3s and if I like them, I buy the album. Now if they add a pirate tax to my mp3 player, that's a green light for me to turn pirate. I've paid my tax.
Don't be so sure. If I give someone a copy of an MP3, I'm not making money off that but the artist (and the mega corp record companies) have been cheated of their fair profit. Same thing with Johnny playing "Smoke on the Water". Does he have a license to play that creative work of art or is he stealing from the industry.
Maybe guitars will be sold with ASCAP licenses that are renewable annually.
(Please read with appropriate sarcasm.)
It doesn't give you any security, but it makes it less obvious to neighbors and less of a target when there are others in the neighborhood that are being broadcast (and open). I consider it the equivalent of closing the front door with locking it. Encryption being the lock. Good encryption, the deadbolt.
Maybe I should switch to WPA instead of WEP and give that a try. Then again, everything is up and running...
Also the "With XP, it just works" comment is limited only to my personal experience with wireless networks. Nothing fancy. Just WEP encryption.
(I just don't want to see my picture on a billboard with the quote "With XP, if just works.")
Yeah I tried that, but the only way I could get the "save password to keychain" checkbox is if the linksys was broadcasting it's SSID. If the checkbox would show up when the SSID wasn't being broadcast, then OS X would be much better IMHO. I thought I was imaging things, so I did some tests and SSID on == checkbox to save password, SSID off == no checkbox. This was with WEP encryption.
I guess if I have only one gripe with OS X, it's doing pretty well.
The one complaint I have about OS X is the way it handles wireless networks. I can't save the password on the keyring unless the the SSID is being broadcast. What the hell is up with that? With XP, it just works. (Kills me to say that, but it's true.) Hopefully they'll fix it in the next version, but I'm guessing they would rather make it easy for AirPort and a pain for linksys.
I know disabling SSID broadcast doesn't really give you much security, but I live in a townhouse. Why make it easy?
When are they going to release the Lego versions of IV, V and VI? I don't know if a full length film would be tolerable, but the short clips are very funny.
I'd be happy with a simple mini jack standard on car head units. Then we wouldn't have to play around with those terrible FM tuners. My Sirius sounds worse than AM through the FM tuner.
Using your Ford / Nissan analogy, I would argue that that applies more to the computer hardware where you can put a different CPU in the computer or a different manufacturer's hard drive because they have largely standardized on the parts that make up a computer. The OS analogy, IMHO, fits better with gasoline. It would be like BP including an additive so that you can't try Exxon gasoline without ruining your vehicle.
Only the ones sold at the Apple Store and only if you wear jeans and a black turlte neck when making the purchase.
Not for $40, but for $15, sure. I really don't want the remote and in theory at least, they match the EQ curves to the stock earbuds.
Thanks!
If you break or lose your original headphones, Apple doesn't sell replacements as far as I can tell. Maybe they're afraid people will buy them to look like they're listening to an iPod??
No. In that instance I wouldn't want a refund. It's not the fault of the theater. They didn't actively block the signal. But without a required disclaimer, you would not know if it were the was or a natural depression that was to blame.
I know it sounds like "guns don't kill people, people kill people", but cell phones really aren't the problem. You can set them to vibrate and be discreet. The problem is that most people don't give a crap what anyone else thinks and are concerned about "me, myself and I" exclusively. Maybe we don't a technical solution to this. Perhaps if we collectively embarras the hell out of violators, people will *remember* to turn the phone to vibrate. Also, the manufacturers could make things easier for the technical illiterates out there and give them a "quiet" button on the phone.
On a side note, do you remember the slashdot story from a year or so ago where the MPAA was blaming text messaging on poor box office sales? The claim was that people were telling their friends that the movie sucked before it was even over and that caused a drop in revenue. Hmmmm. Put out a good product and maybe they'll text nice things.
I'll have to disagree I guess. I'd much rather know that I'm going to have my cell phone signal blocked before I buy a ticket rather than afterwards. If I'm on call, I'll know that I need to stay away from that particular theater or resturant. It would be similar to buying a candy bar and not being able to read the ingredients until after you purchase it.
Just a fair disclaimer is all I ask.