there isn't an official price floor, it's just that the mark up on iPod's are so small to begin with, that there is little to no room to sell for less than $79 for a shuffle.
This is one advantage that apple has by owning it's own retail and online stores, as well as selling to other merchants...the merchants aren't going to charge more than apple for a product, and if apple charges the retailer $69 for the shuffle, there isn't a lot of room for discounts or promotions.
Also...check out http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/activation .html for a video on how to activate using iTunes...It would seem that this is the same for iPhones bought at AT&T stores and Apple Stores. So...lines should be quick...just go in, pay for the phone, and go home to activate... None of this activating a plan and taking 30 minutes to get going bull that normally comes with buying a cell phone...In, Pay, Out, Activate.
Bigger and widescreen screen with the multitouch interface. If apple made a version of the iPod in the iPhone form factor (basically, an iPhone without the phone) and charged $100 less for it, i'm sure they could make a good bit. Put a hard drive in place of the phone circuitry, and you have a sure fire winner.
Nope...The iPhone is exclusive to AT&Tingular for a "Multi year exclusive" So...unless someone finds a way to unlock it, the iPhone at AT&T are married for a minimum of 2 years in the USA...there has been speculation that it's a 5 year exclusive for the USA, but no one knows for sure yet.
According to the article, you buy the phone from apple or AT&T unactivated...You then use iTunes to activate the phone and your plan. It seems Apple wanted total control over the unboxing and activation experience...they didn't want oily prepubescent AT&T sales reps get their greasy fingerprints all over someone's brand new iPhone:)
ROTT was awesome! Soooo many cheat codes, easter eggs, puzzles, hidden traps, etc. half the fun was just exploring the levels after you beat it for all the secrets. There were also a million and 1/2 cheat codes. And one of the first games to offer a multiplayer mode via network, dialup, etc. It was awesome!
Came with a level designer software, all the broken out files for the sound effects, music, etc. You got a hell of a lot for your $30.
I make $65k+ a year, and I bought my HDTV at walmart. Seemed stupid to me to pay $500 more for an almost identical television at best buy/circuit city.
Also: Don't underestimate the power of stupidity in "Joe Sixpack"...These are the same people who will hook up their analog cable line to their new TV and think they are now watching HDTV...Average Joe Sixpack is going to go "Oh wow! It's better than DVD!" Hook it up to his standard def TV, and will convince himself that the picture is better.
I noticed this trend too...It used to be, I could upgrade my computer (mobo, proc, ram) for about $400 to get a good upgrade.
Now, if I want to upgrade I have to upgrade EVERYTHING in the computer: mobo, proc, ram, vid card, optical drives, hard drives, and PSU. doing all of that to get a decent system will cost me $900 now. I'm used to doing upgrades a part at a time...can't do that, because now all the connectors have changed.:(
I run a web hosting business...small but large enough that this happens on a regular (read: daily) basis for the people I host.
all of the good and 99% of the bad network admins will know better than to trust a "From" header in an email. I can't think of anyone that will block a domain based on the From header. Most network admins who setup blacklists blacklist server IPs that email comes from, and not email headers.
As for your catch-all address, you can use some of the techniques that others have mentioned in previous comments. I usually tell my customers to just wait it out. The spammers will stop using your domain after a day or two. give it another couple of days for the mail queue's to empty out, and you'll stop getting bounces.
You're forgetting that everyone who has any of the intel macs can install and use Windows, or any other x86 based operating system...even without having to have OSX insalled on the drive.
There have been people that were working on a version of Boot Camp before Apple released their own version...and they were successfully running Windows without having to have OSX installed.
***********The workaround for pirates is simple: distribute disc keys, but keep the AACS key secret so that the MPAA does not know which key to revoke. The disc keys can't be revoked.*********
Or the pirates could just copy the entire disks, bit-for-bit, encryption and all. No need to decrypt, no need to remaster, no way that the MPAA can stop it....at least for the bulk pirates that mass produce disks by the truckload.
Artist Title Low Quality Price High Quality Price Justin Timberlake Something $.99(click here) $1.29(click here) Justin Timberlake Some Song $.99(click here) $1.29(click here)
Now...average joe blow will look at that and say "Damnit! I want the one that sounds better!" and fork over the extra $0.30
Most people won't even be aware that one is DRM and the other is not, unless they happen to stumble upon some obscure FAQ somewhere in the ITMS help that explains that...and even then, they aren't likely to understand it.
You might also check out dd-wrt. Offers a lot of the same features. I'm not saying it's better, but it's an alternative...and works with many linksys, buffalo, asus, belkin, etc. And their wiki is a wealth of information on configuration and use of the dd-wrt firmware.
I didn't mean to knock GTA...I never really played it much, except for a little bit at a friends house. I was just using it as an example that most could relate to:)
I do agree that trailers are ads. They just aren't unwanted ads. As a movie lover, I enjoy knowing what's coming out on the horizon:)
What I do have a problem is them showing completely unrelated ads (pepsi, nike, army, cars, etc.) as that is not related to what I am there to do: enjoy movies.
Movie trailers are ads that improve the experience. non-trailers ads detract from the experience.
Same thing goes in video games: Ads that make up the billboards, posters, etc. in a sports venue improve the experience...Actually cutting from the game to watch a commercial would detract from it.
Trailers are ads...Movie makers pay theaters to put their trailers in with specific movies...
I mean, it helps everyone out...the theaters like it, because you'll come to see more movies, and the movie makers like it because it gives them publicity for their movies. It also makes sense: Show movie ads to people who are willing to pay to go see a movie.
However, the non-movie related ads in theaters do tick me off. I once sat through 20 minutes of non-movie related advertisements for everything ranging from soft drinks, to TV shows, to cars, to clothes, to credit cards, to joining the army. Then the previews started...As a movie lover, I do enjoy previews, and got 10 minutes of those...then the movie I paid to see finally started...a full _30 minutes_ after the scheduled start time of the movie.
This is true...there are a lot of games out there that put in many wonderful easter eggs in the form of "advertising" fake products.
Doom 3, Half Life, HL2 all come to mind.
Only problem is, that most companies that are willing to put in-game advertising are also the ones that aren't creative enough, or where the managers aren't willing to take a risk with funny fake ads.
I don't have any problem with in game ads. If it helps them generate revenue for future development, that can only help create incentive for future games.
Plus, with some games, it makes them more realistic...to have an actual Pepsi, Nike, Pizza Hut, etc. ad in the game rather than just "liberty city pizza".
I would only have a problem with it if the ads took over the game, or they were intrusive on the game play.
For example: If it's just a subway sign, or billboard in a FPS, or those signs hung up around the stadiums in sports games...those are fine...
But if the game actually cuts to a commercial between loading screens...then that's not cool at all.
Some people like interactive stories. I for one, am a HUGE fan of the entire Myst series because of that. Myst certainly was not an action game, nor did it necessarily require any reflexes, timing, etc. (okay, there were one or two puzzles in the last few games that required you to finish something before a time expired).
People play games for different reasons. The online multiplayer is nice, because AI just can't measure up to real people...but I buy and play games for their stories.
There are whole forums dedicated to understanding cell phone service plans (http://www.howardforums.com) because of their screwed up pricing structures for equipment, service, rebates, add-ons, etc.
They would need to have cables running throughout the plane anyway to all the wireless antenna. Just put a hub in place of an antenna and run a few more cables to the seats. With all the shielding and such that a plane has, you'd probably need a boatload of antennas...Then you have to worry about extra shielding for all the onboard components, etc.
Besides, all this means is that the business traveler will have to carry around a 2 ft CAT 5 cable...big deal. I bet some creative laptop maker comes up with one of those airline power adapters that also integrates a CAT 5 cable in to it. Just plug the one end in to the back of your laptop, and plug in the power and network cables in to the appropriate ports on the other end.
I believe the biggest issue that people have with it is that the national ID standard requires people to bring in their original birth certificate, and a social security card. Those will get scanned in and uploaded to a federal database.
The article made it sound like that all the legislature cared about was the money it would cost to implement the national ID, and that they didn't care about any of the privacy issues.
I know for a fact that my install is 100% genuine...Although WGA has flagged it as non-genuine.
I obtained my copy of XP from a university site license that was given to all the students at the university of Pittsburgh. They just recently invalidated that site license...so you are looking at tens of thousands (if not a couple hundred thousand) students, faculty and staff that were all using that key that is now non-genuine.
I've done it before...and as long as you rerip at a high enough bitrate...say around 256k, the loss on the way back in isn't even noticeable...unless you are very very picky about audio quality, and have extremely high quality equipment for playback...in which case you probably wouldn't be downloading off the internet anyway and would prefer the uncompressed CD audio.
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there isn't an official price floor, it's just that the mark up on iPod's are so small to begin with, that there is little to no room to sell for less than $79 for a shuffle.
This is one advantage that apple has by owning it's own retail and online stores, as well as selling to other merchants...the merchants aren't going to charge more than apple for a product, and if apple charges the retailer $69 for the shuffle, there isn't a lot of room for discounts or promotions.
Also...check out http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/activation .html for a video on how to activate using iTunes...It would seem that this is the same for iPhones bought at AT&T stores and Apple Stores. So...lines should be quick...just go in, pay for the phone, and go home to activate... None of this activating a plan and taking 30 minutes to get going bull that normally comes with buying a cell phone...In, Pay, Out, Activate.
Lines should move fairly quickly.
Bigger and widescreen screen with the multitouch interface. If apple made a version of the iPod in the iPhone form factor (basically, an iPhone without the phone) and charged $100 less for it, i'm sure they could make a good bit. Put a hard drive in place of the phone circuitry, and you have a sure fire winner.
Nope...The iPhone is exclusive to AT&Tingular for a "Multi year exclusive" So...unless someone finds a way to unlock it, the iPhone at AT&T are married for a minimum of 2 years in the USA...there has been speculation that it's a 5 year exclusive for the USA, but no one knows for sure yet.
:)
According to the article, you buy the phone from apple or AT&T unactivated...You then use iTunes to activate the phone and your plan. It seems Apple wanted total control over the unboxing and activation experience...they didn't want oily prepubescent AT&T sales reps get their greasy fingerprints all over someone's brand new iPhone
ROTT was awesome! Soooo many cheat codes, easter eggs, puzzles, hidden traps, etc. half the fun was just exploring the levels after you beat it for all the secrets. There were also a million and 1/2 cheat codes. And one of the first games to offer a multiplayer mode via network, dialup, etc. It was awesome!
Came with a level designer software, all the broken out files for the sound effects, music, etc. You got a hell of a lot for your $30.
I make $65k+ a year, and I bought my HDTV at walmart. Seemed stupid to me to pay $500 more for an almost identical television at best buy/circuit city.
Also: Don't underestimate the power of stupidity in "Joe Sixpack"...These are the same people who will hook up their analog cable line to their new TV and think they are now watching HDTV...Average Joe Sixpack is going to go "Oh wow! It's better than DVD!" Hook it up to his standard def TV, and will convince himself that the picture is better.
I noticed this trend too...It used to be, I could upgrade my computer (mobo, proc, ram) for about $400 to get a good upgrade.
:(
Now, if I want to upgrade I have to upgrade EVERYTHING in the computer: mobo, proc, ram, vid card, optical drives, hard drives, and PSU. doing all of that to get a decent system will cost me $900 now. I'm used to doing upgrades a part at a time...can't do that, because now all the connectors have changed.
I run a web hosting business...small but large enough that this happens on a regular (read: daily) basis for the people I host.
all of the good and 99% of the bad network admins will know better than to trust a "From" header in an email. I can't think of anyone that will block a domain based on the From header. Most network admins who setup blacklists blacklist server IPs that email comes from, and not email headers.
As for your catch-all address, you can use some of the techniques that others have mentioned in previous comments. I usually tell my customers to just wait it out. The spammers will stop using your domain after a day or two. give it another couple of days for the mail queue's to empty out, and you'll stop getting bounces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvNGnkY_S6I
Enjoy!
You're forgetting that everyone who has any of the intel macs can install and use Windows, or any other x86 based operating system...even without having to have OSX insalled on the drive.
There have been people that were working on a version of Boot Camp before Apple released their own version...and they were successfully running Windows without having to have OSX installed.
***********The workaround for pirates is simple: distribute disc keys, but keep the AACS key secret so that the MPAA does not know which key to revoke. The disc keys can't be revoked.*********
...at least for the bulk pirates that mass produce disks by the truckload.
Or the pirates could just copy the entire disks, bit-for-bit, encryption and all. No need to decrypt, no need to remaster, no way that the MPAA can stop it.
I think they are going to do something like this:
Artist Title Low Quality Price High Quality Price
Justin Timberlake Something $.99(click here) $1.29(click here)
Justin Timberlake Some Song $.99(click here) $1.29(click here)
Now...average joe blow will look at that and say "Damnit! I want the one that sounds better!" and fork over the extra $0.30
Most people won't even be aware that one is DRM and the other is not, unless they happen to stumble upon some obscure FAQ somewhere in the ITMS help that explains that...and even then, they aren't likely to understand it.
You might also check out dd-wrt. Offers a lot of the same features. I'm not saying it's better, but it's an alternative...and works with many linksys, buffalo, asus, belkin, etc. And their wiki is a wealth of information on configuration and use of the dd-wrt firmware.
I didn't mean to knock GTA...I never really played it much, except for a little bit at a friends house. I was just using it as an example that most could relate to :)
I do agree that trailers are ads. They just aren't unwanted ads. As a movie lover, I enjoy knowing what's coming out on the horizon :)
What I do have a problem is them showing completely unrelated ads (pepsi, nike, army, cars, etc.) as that is not related to what I am there to do: enjoy movies.
Movie trailers are ads that improve the experience.
non-trailers ads detract from the experience.
Same thing goes in video games: Ads that make up the billboards, posters, etc. in a sports venue improve the experience...Actually cutting from the game to watch a commercial would detract from it.
Trailers are ads...Movie makers pay theaters to put their trailers in with specific movies...
I mean, it helps everyone out...the theaters like it, because you'll come to see more movies, and the movie makers like it because it gives them publicity for their movies. It also makes sense: Show movie ads to people who are willing to pay to go see a movie.
However, the non-movie related ads in theaters do tick me off. I once sat through 20 minutes of non-movie related advertisements for everything ranging from soft drinks, to TV shows, to cars, to clothes, to credit cards, to joining the army. Then the previews started...As a movie lover, I do enjoy previews, and got 10 minutes of those...then the movie I paid to see finally started...a full _30 minutes_ after the scheduled start time of the movie.
This is true...there are a lot of games out there that put in many wonderful easter eggs in the form of "advertising" fake products.
Doom 3, Half Life, HL2 all come to mind.
Only problem is, that most companies that are willing to put in-game advertising are also the ones that aren't creative enough, or where the managers aren't willing to take a risk with funny fake ads.
I don't have any problem with in game ads. If it helps them generate revenue for future development, that can only help create incentive for future games.
Plus, with some games, it makes them more realistic...to have an actual Pepsi, Nike, Pizza Hut, etc. ad in the game rather than just "liberty city pizza".
I would only have a problem with it if the ads took over the game, or they were intrusive on the game play.
For example: If it's just a subway sign, or billboard in a FPS, or those signs hung up around the stadiums in sports games...those are fine...
But if the game actually cuts to a commercial between loading screens...then that's not cool at all.
Some people like interactive stories. I for one, am a HUGE fan of the entire Myst series because of that. Myst certainly was not an action game, nor did it necessarily require any reflexes, timing, etc. (okay, there were one or two puzzles in the last few games that required you to finish something before a time expired).
People play games for different reasons. The online multiplayer is nice, because AI just can't measure up to real people...but I buy and play games for their stories.
Here here.
There are whole forums dedicated to understanding cell phone service plans (http://www.howardforums.com) because of their screwed up pricing structures for equipment, service, rebates, add-ons, etc.
They would need to have cables running throughout the plane anyway to all the wireless antenna. Just put a hub in place of an antenna and run a few more cables to the seats. With all the shielding and such that a plane has, you'd probably need a boatload of antennas...Then you have to worry about extra shielding for all the onboard components, etc.
Besides, all this means is that the business traveler will have to carry around a 2 ft CAT 5 cable...big deal. I bet some creative laptop maker comes up with one of those airline power adapters that also integrates a CAT 5 cable in to it. Just plug the one end in to the back of your laptop, and plug in the power and network cables in to the appropriate ports on the other end.
I believe the biggest issue that people have with it is that the national ID standard requires people to bring in their original birth certificate, and a social security card. Those will get scanned in and uploaded to a federal database.
The article made it sound like that all the legislature cared about was the money it would cost to implement the national ID, and that they didn't care about any of the privacy issues.
I know for a fact that my install is 100% genuine...Although WGA has flagged it as non-genuine.
I obtained my copy of XP from a university site license that was given to all the students at the university of Pittsburgh. They just recently invalidated that site license...so you are looking at tens of thousands (if not a couple hundred thousand) students, faculty and staff that were all using that key that is now non-genuine.
I've done it before...and as long as you rerip at a high enough bitrate...say around 256k, the loss on the way back in isn't even noticeable...unless you are very very picky about audio quality, and have extremely high quality equipment for playback...in which case you probably wouldn't be downloading off the internet anyway and would prefer the uncompressed CD audio.