Tuesday, November 22, 2005
News
iPod DRM Faces Another Reverse-Engineering Challenge
A company that specializes in rights-management technology for online stores has declared its plans to reverse-engineer the FairPlay encoding system Apple uses on iTunes Music Store purchases.
Intel Starts An 'Apple Group'
Industry analysts and others have confirmed that Intel has formed an internal "Apple group," comprising of engineers and sales staff.
Online Music's Elusive Bottom Line
As competition grows and costs rise, the key question is this: Is this a black-ink business or just a loss leader to promote a broader brand?
His Goal Was To Make It Simple To Use And A Joy To Look At. He Succeeded. The Result Was The iPod
There are two things you need to know about Jonathan Ive. First, he is the most important British industrial designer of our time. He changed the way millions listen to music and helped liberate computers from dull beige boxes. Second, he is rather shy.
iTunes Outsells Traditional Music Stores
Apple's ITunes music store now sells more music than Tower Records or Borders, according to analyst firm the NPD Group.
Apple Sews Up long-Term Flash Memory Deals
Apple on Monday announced that it has reached long-term supply agreements with five major manufacturers of NAND flash memory.
Opinion
Group Therapy For iPod Users
Hi, my name is Steve S. and I have an iPod problem.
Not So Fast With The Apple Praise
Te charge means that adding an extended warranty to your iPod isn't $59, it's actually a minimum of $89 — you have to pay the $59, and then each time you need to send your iPod in for service, you'll have to pay another $30. Bleah.
Let's Get Small
Now that I've been living with the nano, I find I like it because it forces me to be more selective about the music I put on it.
Review
Fairies 1.0a
Fairies is a beautiful puzzle game with enough variation that you can lose yourself for hours.
Getting The Video Out Of Your New iPod — For Cheap!
You don't have to fork out for an outrageously priced "proprietary" Apple video cable. You don't even have to buy an expensive dock.
Sidetrack
If You Really Really Must Have DRM, Why Not Knock On Audible's Door?
First, it was Real. Now, Navio Systems is trying to reverse-engineer FairPlay so that others can sell DRM-ed music that can be played on iPods.
Why do such "illegal" (your mileage of the legality might differ from RIAA lawyers....) and prone-to-failure manuveur?
If you really must sell DRM stuff, why not go through Audible, whose DRM system is also available on the iPod? (Or is there a secret contract between Apple and Audible that forbids Audible from selling music, something like that little contract between Apple and Apple?)
But really, why use DRM in the first place? That says a lot about the attitute towards honest customers. If you're really scared, try watermarking instead, which allows you to trace who're the "criminals" while not punishing the honest customers.
Long period between announcement and delivery; Service patches almost immediately after release; Marketing hype. All these are already perfected even during the days of Windows 1.0 days. :-)
The First Step Is The Most Frightening
I've been to Saigon, and I totally agree with what Kottke says: "American pedestrians are taught to fear cars[...] and trusting them to avoid you while you're basically the frog in Frogger... well, it takes a little getting used to."
To cross a street, as Kottke reminds me, is simply to more or less ignore the cars. Just wait till there's a smaller opening, step onto the road, and walk across slowly. And watch, in amazement, as the cars filter around you.
Taking that first step is the most frightening part. After I get used to that, cross roads was so much easier.
Wintel
Microsoft To Give Office Access To Rivals
Microsoft will on Tuesday announce it is opening up access to its Office file formats to competitors, as part of a move to ensure the software giant does not lose lucrative government markets for its Office software.
