'Stunned' Apple rails against Real's iPod move

[WorknMan]

Apple Computer on Thursday issued a scathing response to RealNetworks' move to unlock Apple's proprietary technology and make it possible for people to listen to music in RealNetworks' digital file format on iPod devices.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-5288378.html

And who says Apple isn't Microsoft in a different suit?

[Shane R. Monroe]

BAHAHHAHHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAHAHHAA!!!!!

[JamesB]

i would've gotten excited about this story if they somehow got OGGs to play on the ipod. but Realmedia files? that's just WEAK.

[Shane R. Monroe]

iPod has always pissed me off ... locking out a PERSONAL MUSIC PLAYER to some proprietary crap is (IMHO) doing nothing more than screwing the consumer over. I've YET to understand why these over-priced, underpowered, proprietary format CRAPPY interface requiring music players are so damn popular. Its gotta be an SUV, lemming, keep up with the Jones, Atkins Friendly Dumbass, loser thing. Why would ANYONE want LESS features and LESS selection for MORE money? The world may never know ...

What I'm waiting for is a 20GB, "looks like a USB drive when plugged in", no interface requiring, MP3 playing portable with FM tuner that I can just mindlessly dump files to - clocking in under $100. Once that is out there, I'm in. Until then, I got my MP3-CD playing portable that holds its own. 700MB is a lot of space (does eat through batteries like a bitch tho).

[WorknMan]

What I'm waiting for is a 20GB, "looks like a USB drive when plugged in", no interface requiring, MP3 playing portable with FM tuner that I can just mindlessly dump files to - clocking in under $100.

Actually, iRiver has devices like these, but not for $100 :) But even if that were a reality, what good does it do when the music you purchased online can't be used with it, unless you want to go through the hassle of converting it to another lossy format before you can transfer it?

Anyway, a guy at work came in today with one of those band new '4th generation iPods, and I gotta say .. it's an impressive piece of machinery. Just a little bigger than a credit card in size and probably less than half the thickness of a pack of cigarettes. And the dial thing is a touchpad-like device. Still though, I wouldn't be caught dead with one until/unless they get this DRM insanity straightened out.

[Shane R. Monroe]

I don't care if it works with ANY online service, honestly ... I have every MP3 I could ever want ...

Its fine if it works WITH some service ALSO - but I need to be able to be able to plug it in, have it come up as a drive, and copy MP3s directly to it using whatever the hell tool I want.

They'll hit $99 eventually ... that new Toshiba 20GB "quarter" drive might be the answer. Until then, I'm not in any hurry.

I said it before - I'll say it again .. DRM is am evilzor.

[JamesB]

this sounds like a cool player:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/457/457818p1.html

this has everything i want in a player and i like the design. it also plugs into XP as a generic drive. but most importantly it plays OGGs. but i don't have $400 on me. :(


I said it before - I'll say it again .. DRM is am evilzor.
you're preaching the choir over here, Shane. :)

[Demolition Man]

Until then, I got my MP3-CD playing portable that holds its own. 700MB is a lot of space (does eat through batteries like a bitch tho).

What player do you got Shane? I got a MP3-CD player and my average battery time is at least a good 20-24 hours. Sony D-NE509 btw. Very nice cleaning sound on CDs, and MP3s sound good as well unless they are badly encoded. I've run various tests on it with varying bitrate encoded material of songs of varying tempos and styles and for the most part it passes every test.

The only problem the player has - and most mp3 players have this - is I've yet to see a player that can has a gapless feature on it. You'll really understand what I mean when you try playing "The Dark Side Of The Moon" on a MP3-CD player and suddenly hearing a pause come up at very odd moments as the player loads the next track (as you might rememebr the album is really one long running track).

[WorknMan]

The only problem the player has - and most mp3 players have this - is I've yet to see a player that can has a gapless feature on it. You'll really understand what I mean when you try playing "The Dark Side Of The Moon" on a MP3-CD player and suddenly hearing a pause come up at very odd moments as the player loads the next track (as you might rememebr the album is really one long running track).

You could possibly try using a program like mp3merge to put all the individual songs together to make one big mp3 file. Works great with audiobooks - haven't tried that with music though :)

[WorknMan]

Looks like Apple has updated the iPod's firmware to disallow Real's files from being played on the device:

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588-5490604.html

For people who praise the iPod, I wonder how they would feel if their car dealership purposely rigged their car so that the only place they could get oil changed was at that particular dealer?

BTW: I know I sound like a hypocrite because I actually praised the iPod in another thread, but I forgot about this little stunt by Apple.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Typical anti-consumer moves by a-hole companies like Apple and MS.

Speaking of A**HOLE moves, here is a great goodie Bryan just sent me.

The title should be "How to capitalize on your own Laziness By Microsoft"

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20041217/D8713GMO0.html

So ... everyone that claimed I'm out of line smacking around big companies still think I've lost my mind? I've said it before - I'll say it again; no one GIVES A RAT'S ASS UNTIL SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO THEM. "Hey, its okay ... MS doesn't bother me ... what's THE BEEF SIR?" then in the next breath go "WHAT???? EA OWNS THE NFL???? THAT'S WRONG".

Just like Bush picking and choosing crap out of the Bible to crusade with - you can't pick and choose what evil business practices to flat out ignore for simple fact it doesn't affect you. EVERYTHING comes around - and by the time it hits something you DO care about - it might be too late.

[WorknMan]

Microsoft's tool, expected to be available within 30 days, initially will be free but the company isn't ruling out charging for future versions. "We're going to be working through the issue of pricing and licensing," Nash said. "We'll come up with a plan and roll that out."

In other words, "We'll see if we can charge money for it without people going nuts. If we can't, we'll release it for free." IMHO, they should definitely offer it for free if for no other reason than they released a horribly insecure operating system to the masses.

ADDED: Something I just thought of - since MS actually makes the OS, if they were to flag a 'legitimate' program such as Gator as spyware, do you think they could get sued for doing that?

[Shane R. Monroe]

If not, they SHOULD ... I could SO see it happening tho.

[DaMenace]

And people would still get it despite there having been a few great FREE alternatives already for the last 2+ years...