From: Sonya Hipper (sonyalynn_at_earthlink.net)
Date: Wed Oct 12 2005 - 15:09:40 PDT
Lessee...
Re: the actual Apple announcements...
Innnteresting. I mean, OK...we prolly saw the video iPod coming and =20
(sorta) adding video for sale to the iTMS. The new iMac looks =20
suspiciously like a "Media Center" to me (only with better software =20
than Windows "Media Center Edition").
What's more interesting to me than what *was* announced is what wasn't.
The Front Row application is just begging for a DVR (purchase of/=20
relationship with TiVo...? ElGato of EyeTV fame...? Screw them both =20
and home-brew it with a pretty, proprietary patina on MythTV or even =20
just something developed in-house?). And also to be made available on =20=
TV screens/Home Theater systems around the house instead of just the =20
admittedly gorgeous screens of the iMac. It's also gonna SOMEhow have =20=
to be "graftable" onto existing Tiger-capable Macs =20
(*coughcough*MINI*cough*). Just toss in a USB IR receiver and that =20
remote, and I can't imagine it wouldn't be (bundle with next rev. of =20
iLife, maybe?). The existing user-base (myself definitely included) =20
is gonna be PISSED if it's gonna REQUIRE a new box.
Also, I found it curious that Apple would roll out the new video-=20
buying features of the iTMS with music videos and only TV shows, AND =20
only TV shows from ABC/Disney at that...curiouser and curiouser. I =20
just *know* there's a story behind this and some method to the =20
seeming madness. Blatant attempt to leverage the other TV giants =20
(Viacom/CBS, NBC, Fox, WB, Universal, and any basic US cable folk not =20=
covered by the aforementioned conglomerates...), maybe?
Also, movie trailers but no movies?
There's another shoe, and it's a-gonna drop. Just a matter of when.
Also, tho, to Ed on a semi-personal (since this is going to the list) =20=
note...
> True, but it would probably cost more than even a modestly wealthy =20
> person could comfortably afford, Only be sold by dealers that $J =20
> has a personal involvement with and can only be filled up at gas =20
> stations that have a special gas nozzle that will fit the =20
> proprietary designed gas opening designed by Apple engineers and =20
> only manufactured by a small group of disgruntled workers in Elbonia!
> (and a similar one could be purchased at half the price of the =20
> Apple one but is just a little larger and not as pretty)
Ed...I like ya. You're a great guy, smart as a whip, and you're a =20
wonderful Newtoneer...and I understand the resentment toward Jobs for =20=
"Steve-ing" the Newton. I *really* do.
But I have to say that it excessively colors your perception of Apple =20=
as a company and their kit. Apple gear these days is simply price-=20
competitive, especially for what you actually get in terms of quality =20=
of components, and very standards-based. Last truly proprietary thing =20=
they did was the ADC, which while it was a good idea (who likes cable =20=
clutter?) didn't take off, and they recognized that since now =20
everything's DVI-ified.
I dunno how you call BSD, Apache (+ MySQL, PHP, WebDAV, etc.), MPEG, =20
PDF, USB, FireWire, 802.11x, Bluetooth, Jabber, DVD=B1R, CDRW, PCI(-=20
X...and other HyperTransport technologies), DDR RAM, (S)ATA, and all =20
the rest of the acronym soup that just isn't popping into my head off =20=
the proverbial cuff is so proprietary.
I mean, OK, the iPod has a proprietary port on its end, but the one =20
on the other end us just good 'ol USB 2 (or FireWire, for the older =20
ones), and AAC is just part of the open MPEG-4 standard (even if the =20
Fairplay DRM isn't). Not to mention that it likes the "regular gas" =20
of MP3s (bought, ripped, or downloaded from anywhere) just fine. If =20
anything, the truly proprietary digital music purchase & download =20
services are the ones using WMA. Even the new videos are MPEG-4.
So I'm not seeing the real "meat" of your satire there...
-Sonya
=3D=3D
"I urge you all today, especially today during these
times of chaos and war, to love yourself without reservations
and to love each other without restraint. Unless you're into
leather. And then, by all means, use restraints."
=97Margaret Cho
Sonya Hipper
sonyalynn_at_earthlink.net
AIM: SonyaLynn
Yahoo: thesonyalynn
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