I bought iTunes music for 2 years on my Visa. Then switched to my AmEx at the beginning of this year. I'm not saying our boy, Josh Bernoff, was looking at my credit card... But what exactly was he looking at and how much room for error is there when using 2000 credit card samples to determine a pattern out of 1.5 billion song purchases?
One of the many ways Microsoft puts themselves so far ahead of their customers, and now music listeners in general. Even when I was a shareholder of MSFT, I could see how their tactics were doing more harm than good.
Also having helped with similar surveys... realize, they're often loaded.
1. How likely are you to prefer a device with wireless capabilities over a device without wireless capabilities.
2. How likely are you to prefer a device that transfers songs to similar devices via wireless connection to a device that has no wireless sharing capabilities.
3. How likely are you to buy a device with a larger screen to a device with a smaller screen.
4. How likely are you to buy a device which allows you unlimited downloads for a low fee compared to a device that charges you per song.
I don't know what questions were asked in this survey... But odds are it's not as cut and dry as they make it out to be. Did they actually ask, "How likely are you to choose a Zune over an iPod?"
Johansen isn't going to end up selling a lot of anything for Apple.
If Apple cannot stop him, they will simply release the technology themselves. Why let Johansen get anything when Apple and their shareholders can see upside from licensing out fairplay.
Why does OS X have to have an increasing marketshare to remain successful?
You're looking at it from the user standpoint. I don't agree with your reasoning either. Between Mac OS X's reported userbase of 19 million (Steve Jobs, WWDC 2006) and the Mac Fanboy's smugness about security, rest assured virus and spyware writers are already hard at work to infect the Mac - there were unsuccessful attempts early this year.
I'm also looking at it from the shareholder standpoint. As both a Mac user and AAPL shareholder, I believe marketshare increase is a must. Apple does not pay dividends like a solid non-growth company does, instead AAPL's value is currently based on growth potential. Also realize that innovation, quality control, beautiful design and outstanding user experience are going to be directly related to marketshare - do you want Apple to drop those qualities in order to keep a small marketshare for your "security" benefit?
I'd be more worried about Apple branching out into too many markets (consumer electronics, music, media, computers) and dropping the Computer from Apple Computer Inc. Personally, I think they can handle this and quite a bit more growth.
I imagine this will cause some difficulties- at the moment, iTunes can simply transfer TV shows on to iPods, but if you downloaded a 480p movie, the iPod wouldn't be able to play it- imagine iTunes having to convert multiple 2-hour video files from 480p to 320x240 every time it syncs with the PC...that could take quite a while, especially on older machines.
There's the beauty. From music to photos to videos and now to movies, as with other iPods, Apple will tell you to buy a new iPod to play the new media.
True, the Mac is now an Intel PC wrapped in a nice design. However, these commercials rarely speak of the hardware. Apple never says our Intel box is better than yours. They say our design, our interface, our security, our innovative ideas - our end product is better than yours.
The Mac is the iPod. The difference is, the iPod was introduced before the personal music player boom and the iPod has yet to isolate itself like the original Apple Computers. Most people will agree that the iPod is popular and superior for a few reasons: 1) The physical design, 2) The almost perfect integration with iTunes and 3) The iTunes Music Store. The Mac is out of favor with the public due to it's roots. However, the same principles still apply to it's superiority: 1) The physical design, 2) The software and hardware are built and tested to near perfection and 3) OS X.
Looking at each in more depth.
1) The physical design is highly praised and often imitated. This is rarely argued.
2) Unlike Microsoft's Windows, the hardware and software can be tailored specifically for each other. At times Apple has released an OS update because a new Mac model needed a small software revision. Microsoft could never make software changes to support all PC hardware configurations. For this reason, you will never see OS X on other Intel hardware.
3) OS X defines the Mac. It is the way that Intel chip interfaces with the user. It is unique to the Mac like iTunes to the iPod. OS X is another highly praised and often imitated aspect of the Mac. This also is rarely argued.
Since the average consumer does not order a PC with *nix, the real question that remains is what makes every non-Apple Intel box different? The price, plain and simple. As many car manufacturers like to say, this leaves the Mac in a class of it's own.
Kreb's writes, "In the video shown at Black Hat, he plugged a third-party USB wireless card into the Macbook -- but in the demo Maynor showed me personally, he exploited the Macbook without any third-party wireless card plugged in."
So according to Brian Kreb's via The Washington Post - He saw a stock MacBook attacked.
There are a few reasons for writing in all caps. There are none for a caps-lock key. A modifier such as Ctrl-B (Bold), Ctrl-U (Underline) should be used instead of a special key.
Software Developers should make the changes necessary to eradicate the caps-lock key. Software should automatically switch all entries to caps if required for example by a database. CS should provide the option to make any key a toggled-key (I don't know if it does as I haven't played in years).
You smokin' big ol fat stogies? My iPod won't fit in an ashtray. A dashboard slot would be clumsy with all the different size (form factor) slot adaptors you'd need. In addition, future iPods would require you to go out and buy a new adaptor. As long as Apple keeps the iPod connector consistent - iPods, iChat Mobiles and any other portable device can be dropped in your glove compartment.
No need to remember your iPod. Just remember to keep your iPod when the battery dies. You can get great deals on iPods that don't hold a charge and it doesn't matter because the adapter will provides the power.
Having started with MSDOS in 1984, running a BBS from 1990-1994 (A No B.S. BBS) and building PCs for a living from 1993-1996 (Royal Computers - Houston, Tx) and now switching to a Mac in 2005 - I can say my time is worth my money. My first few weeks with my Mac were boring and annoying. I was so used to spending time keeping my Dell optimized, updated, adware, malware and virus free that I felt like I had nothing to do on my Mac. I used to approach my Dell with the purpose of maintenance. A computer user should never have to say "I going to go home, reformat and get my PC running smooth again..." In a year, I have done no more than run the software updates for my Mac.
I have to second the upgrading issue. Since about 1997, every time I go to upgrade more than RAM or the hard drive on a PC I have to buy all new components anyway. Upgrading is no longer a benefit of PC.
Without including the money (Norton, Ulead Video, Toast, Firewire card, etc) and time (Maintenance, malware removal, maintenance, etc.) I spent on my Dell - my Mac was still cheaper. I gave the Dell to my girlfriend. After maintaining that PC for a year for her - Well, she now owns a MacBook.
I'm not pompous - but I'll sit you down with my Mac and a brief tour and you'll consider switching.
There's a difference. Major updates are very secretive and therefore get a very small amount of testing. A minor update such as batteries and new processors already include new formfactors and can therefore have extended testing with no concern of secrecy.
If Yahoo gets their DRM free music they recently requested, we'll know one of two things: The music industry either never cared about DRM or they're tired of Apple. I don't think the IF will ever become a WHEN.
Wait, thinking of DRM - Sony clearly wanted it on their CDs. Let's quit blaming Apple (although they are not flawless) and get to the music industry who demands protection of their intellectual properties.
This article is about the iPod killers. While the entire layout and information is excellent, does anyone else see the humor in the fact that none of the photos or links take you to a product or store. That is until you get to the iPod Nano and iPod 5g links at the bottom of each page which link to Amazon.com? It's almost as if they're saying, "here's what else there is - now you can go buy your Nano."
This article isn't about the iPod Killers - it's about how the iPod as a killer and it's prey. Rio is dead, Olympus is dead, Sony is screwed and Creative has changed focus - they all either directly or indirectly pointed back to the iPod as the reason for their demise.
As a note:
For those locked to iTunes... I was once locked to vinyl, 8-tracks, and cassettes. I had to transfer the music I wanted off each format to the next - just as I can still do with iTunes to compact disc. Nobody's locked, you're just lazy.
You may not want to own. However, they've tried this before - it was called DIVX (the DVD format, not the compression format). Even with big support from several major players, it failed - most people want to own it if they buy it. So we're comparing two different things here: Rentals and Purchases. As a Netflix user who could put them out of business with the number of DVD's I cycle through - I still buy what I want to own.
Therefore, I have to say there's a market for both and the model needs to support it.
I use a mac and could care less about the Mighty Mouse. I like the 2D scroll wheel and will try one just to see how it works. Also, I use a multi-button mouse, the Logitech MX1000.
I'll agree with two points in these issues.
1. A multi-button mouse is a must for any knowledgeable computer user regardless of OS; some Grandmas included.
2. The one-button simplicity of OS X makes my multi-button mouse all the more powerful. That is why the Mighty Mouse only needs 4 buttons. Although, I do use 8 buttons regularly on my MX1000.
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I bought iTunes music for 2 years on my Visa. Then switched to my AmEx at the beginning of this year. I'm not saying our boy, Josh Bernoff, was looking at my credit card... But what exactly was he looking at and how much room for error is there when using 2000 credit card samples to determine a pattern out of 1.5 billion song purchases?
What else is wrong with the Zune? http://gotzuned.com/
Funny that Microsoft screwed their customers with DRM first. http://music.msn.com/help/customer.aspx
Also having helped with similar surveys... realize, they're often loaded.
1. How likely are you to prefer a device with wireless capabilities over a device without wireless capabilities.
2. How likely are you to prefer a device that transfers songs to similar devices via wireless connection to a device that has no wireless sharing capabilities.
3. How likely are you to buy a device with a larger screen to a device with a smaller screen.
4. How likely are you to buy a device which allows you unlimited downloads for a low fee compared to a device that charges you per song.
I don't know what questions were asked in this survey... But odds are it's not as cut and dry as they make it out to be. Did they actually ask, "How likely are you to choose a Zune over an iPod?"
Also, have you seen these commercials? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07RUtej79Iw&eurl=
Johansen isn't going to end up selling a lot of anything for Apple.
If Apple cannot stop him, they will simply release the technology themselves. Why let Johansen get anything when Apple and their shareholders can see upside from licensing out fairplay.
You're looking at it from the user standpoint. I don't agree with your reasoning either. Between Mac OS X's reported userbase of 19 million (Steve Jobs, WWDC 2006) and the Mac Fanboy's smugness about security, rest assured virus and spyware writers are already hard at work to infect the Mac - there were unsuccessful attempts early this year.
I'm also looking at it from the shareholder standpoint. As both a Mac user and AAPL shareholder, I believe marketshare increase is a must. Apple does not pay dividends like a solid non-growth company does, instead AAPL's value is currently based on growth potential. Also realize that innovation, quality control, beautiful design and outstanding user experience are going to be directly related to marketshare - do you want Apple to drop those qualities in order to keep a small marketshare for your "security" benefit?
I'd be more worried about Apple branching out into too many markets (consumer electronics, music, media, computers) and dropping the Computer from Apple Computer Inc. Personally, I think they can handle this and quite a bit more growth.
There's the beauty. From music to photos to videos and now to movies, as with other iPods, Apple will tell you to buy a new iPod to play the new media.
True, the Mac is now an Intel PC wrapped in a nice design. However, these commercials rarely speak of the hardware. Apple never says our Intel box is better than yours. They say our design, our interface, our security, our innovative ideas - our end product is better than yours.
The Mac is the iPod. The difference is, the iPod was introduced before the personal music player boom and the iPod has yet to isolate itself like the original Apple Computers. Most people will agree that the iPod is popular and superior for a few reasons: 1) The physical design, 2) The almost perfect integration with iTunes and 3) The iTunes Music Store. The Mac is out of favor with the public due to it's roots. However, the same principles still apply to it's superiority: 1) The physical design, 2) The software and hardware are built and tested to near perfection and 3) OS X.
Looking at each in more depth.
1) The physical design is highly praised and often imitated. This is rarely argued.
2) Unlike Microsoft's Windows, the hardware and software can be tailored specifically for each other. At times Apple has released an OS update because a new Mac model needed a small software revision. Microsoft could never make software changes to support all PC hardware configurations. For this reason, you will never see OS X on other Intel hardware.
3) OS X defines the Mac. It is the way that Intel chip interfaces with the user. It is unique to the Mac like iTunes to the iPod. OS X is another highly praised and often imitated aspect of the Mac. This also is rarely argued.
Since the average consumer does not order a PC with *nix, the real question that remains is what makes every non-Apple Intel box different? The price, plain and simple. As many car manufacturers like to say, this leaves the Mac in a class of it's own.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/08 /the_macbook_wireless_exploit_i.html
Kreb's writes, "In the video shown at Black Hat, he plugged a third-party USB wireless card into the Macbook -- but in the demo Maynor showed me personally, he exploited the Macbook without any third-party wireless card plugged in."
So according to Brian Kreb's via The Washington Post - He saw a stock MacBook attacked.
There are a few reasons for writing in all caps. There are none for a caps-lock key. A modifier such as Ctrl-B (Bold), Ctrl-U (Underline) should be used instead of a special key.
g
Mac OS X provides a method for reassigning the caps-lock key or disabling it via system preferences. Image: http://www.mindsplice.com/Photos/Caps_Lock_Key.pn
Software Developers should make the changes necessary to eradicate the caps-lock key. Software should automatically switch all entries to caps if required for example by a database. CS should provide the option to make any key a toggled-key (I don't know if it does as I haven't played in years).
"Glove" compartment? How many people drive with gloves now days? Tissue Compartment, iPod Compartment or Condom Compartment.
Does anyone do any usability studies anymore?
You smokin' big ol fat stogies? My iPod won't fit in an ashtray. A dashboard slot would be clumsy with all the different size (form factor) slot adaptors you'd need. In addition, future iPods would require you to go out and buy a new adaptor. As long as Apple keeps the iPod connector consistent - iPods, iChat Mobiles and any other portable device can be dropped in your glove compartment.
No need to remember your iPod. Just remember to keep your iPod when the battery dies. You can get great deals on iPods that don't hold a charge and it doesn't matter because the adapter will provides the power.
You've heard the Myspace genereation is tech savvy? Somebody stop the Earth, I'd like to get off too.
I'll join as well.
Having started with MSDOS in 1984, running a BBS from 1990-1994 (A No B.S. BBS) and building PCs for a living from 1993-1996 (Royal Computers - Houston, Tx) and now switching to a Mac in 2005 - I can say my time is worth my money. My first few weeks with my Mac were boring and annoying. I was so used to spending time keeping my Dell optimized, updated, adware, malware and virus free that I felt like I had nothing to do on my Mac. I used to approach my Dell with the purpose of maintenance. A computer user should never have to say "I going to go home, reformat and get my PC running smooth again..." In a year, I have done no more than run the software updates for my Mac.
I have to second the upgrading issue. Since about 1997, every time I go to upgrade more than RAM or the hard drive on a PC I have to buy all new components anyway. Upgrading is no longer a benefit of PC.
Without including the money (Norton, Ulead Video, Toast, Firewire card, etc) and time (Maintenance, malware removal, maintenance, etc.) I spent on my Dell - my Mac was still cheaper. I gave the Dell to my girlfriend. After maintaining that PC for a year for her - Well, she now owns a MacBook.
I'm not pompous - but I'll sit you down with my Mac and a brief tour and you'll consider switching.
There's a difference. Major updates are very secretive and therefore get a very small amount of testing. A minor update such as batteries and new processors already include new formfactors and can therefore have extended testing with no concern of secrecy.
If Yahoo gets their DRM free music they recently requested, we'll know one of two things: The music industry either never cared about DRM or they're tired of Apple. I don't think the IF will ever become a WHEN.
Wait, thinking of DRM - Sony clearly wanted it on their CDs. Let's quit blaming Apple (although they are not flawless) and get to the music industry who demands protection of their intellectual properties.
I love retorts with flawed math and/or logic...
This article is about the iPod killers. While the entire layout and information is excellent, does anyone else see the humor in the fact that none of the photos or links take you to a product or store. That is until you get to the iPod Nano and iPod 5g links at the bottom of each page which link to Amazon.com? It's almost as if they're saying, "here's what else there is - now you can go buy your Nano." This article isn't about the iPod Killers - it's about how the iPod as a killer and it's prey. Rio is dead, Olympus is dead, Sony is screwed and Creative has changed focus - they all either directly or indirectly pointed back to the iPod as the reason for their demise. As a note: For those locked to iTunes... I was once locked to vinyl, 8-tracks, and cassettes. I had to transfer the music I wanted off each format to the next - just as I can still do with iTunes to compact disc. Nobody's locked, you're just lazy.
You may not want to own. However, they've tried this before - it was called DIVX (the DVD format, not the compression format). Even with big support from several major players, it failed - most people want to own it if they buy it. So we're comparing two different things here: Rentals and Purchases. As a Netflix user who could put them out of business with the number of DVD's I cycle through - I still buy what I want to own. Therefore, I have to say there's a market for both and the model needs to support it.
I downloaded lost, which I had never seen. I got caught up. Now, I'm a regular viewer. BTW: No video iPod was needed.
This is in reference to Apple forcing developers regarding mouse interaction.
Do they force them, no. However, they do prefer a one-button interface and will likely keep these guidelines in place.
Read this from the Apple Developer Connection: Apple Human Interface Guidelines.
I use a mac and could care less about the Mighty Mouse. I like the 2D scroll wheel and will try one just to see how it works. Also, I use a multi-button mouse, the Logitech MX1000.
I'll agree with two points in these issues.
1. A multi-button mouse is a must for any knowledgeable computer user regardless of OS; some Grandmas included.
2. The one-button simplicity of OS X makes my multi-button mouse all the more powerful. That is why the Mighty Mouse only needs 4 buttons. Although, I do use 8 buttons regularly on my MX1000.