Palm Pre To Sync Seamlessly With iTunes 178
Wired is reporting that Palm's new handheld device, the Pre, will be able to sync automagically with Apple's iTunes. Thanks to a team of ex-Apple engineers the Pre will sync everything but iPhone applications and some of the older Fairplay DRM music. "It does it by faking out iTunes, making the jukebox software think that it is connected to a real iPod. Hook it up and you'll be given three options: USB mass storage device, charging only or iTunes sync. This is a ballsy move from Palm, and we totally love it: a big fat middle finger at Apple. Apple will, we are sure, be readying its legal attack dogs as I write, and don't be at all surprised if an iTunes update pops up around June 6th. This fight just got a lot more interesting."
This should be interesting (Score:5, Funny)
While I enjoy the big fat middle finger to Apple as much as the next guy, I firmly expect Apple to give the big fat legal cock in the ass back to Palm.
And when it comes to a winner, the middle finger loses to the fat cock every time.
throw me in the briar patch (Score:5, Informative)
Some people never use iTunes to buy anything, but once you have iTunes it is hard to resist visiting the iTunes Music Store. Remember, Apple is getting rid of DRM in the ITMS, and music purchased there now "plays for sure" on any device. This is much more of a middle finger to the RIAA. Keep in mind that the recording industry is looking to reduce Apple's control and influence, not increase it.
If Apple allows Palm, iRiver and other device manufacturers to use iTunes, it gains access to potential music sales that previously would not have been Apple's. When it comes to personal listening devices, either you iPod or you don't. But - if you own an MP3 player and you buy music instead of downloading it on P2P networks, I am sure Apple would love to have your business.
Next, consider the potential market for sales to owners of smartphones, and Apple can broaden their potential market tenfold without lifting a finger. If Palm allows the Pre to utilize iTunes without prompting or overt permission from Apple, the FTC cannot really take action against Apple for restraint of trade, monopoly practices, etc etc etc.
Finally, iTunes exposes the user to the Mac user interface, even when running on Windows. Users may also see Apple product features "dimmed" in buttons and menus when their non-Apple product is connected. Apple could even detect that a non-Apple product is connected to their iTunes software and display marketing that targets sales to users of their competitors' products. Can you say "halo effect"?
"I've got you this time, Brer Rabbit," said Brer Fox, jumping up and shaking off the dust. "You've sassed me for the very last time. Now I wonder what I should do with you?"
Brer Rabbit's eyes got very large. "Oh please Brer Fox, whatever you do, please don't throw me into the briar patch."
Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:2, Interesting)
Plug the Pre into a PC and you're offered the option of using the device as a USB drive, charging it or beginning a "media sync." Interesting, using media sync the Pre does indeed sync with iTunes, though it's hamstrung by Apple's DRM protected songs. Can't imagine Apple's too happy about that. Presumably, Apple legal is already drafting a letter. Pre appears to make iTunes think it's an iPod.
How is Apple going to feel about that, asks Walt. Rubinstein dodges a bit noting that there are a variety of ways of getting music out of iTunes. Walt pushes back pointing out that this is the first non-Apple device that is recognized as an Apple device by a Mac. Rubinstein dodges again. Seems he's pretty obviously using his Apple knowledge here. McNamee jumps in. Apple is "practically a monopolist," he says, adding that people should be able to use music that they purchase in what ever way they see fit.
Such a letter would be the stupidest move Apple has made in a long time. I already view them as monopolistic bastards with their iTunes website & iTunes application & iTunes DRM & iPod/iPhone lock-in scheme. I am sick and tired of explaining to my friends and family how to burn a DRM'd song from their computer to a CD and then rip that CD to an MP3 and then put that MP3 on their player of choice.
I am begging Palm to sue the hell out of Apple if Apple comes after them. Palm should sue App
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
Am I the only person on earth that sees this as a direct affront to a free market system?!
I do not think that term means what you think it means: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_market [wikipedia.org]
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
The DMCA is the regulation that makes breaking DRM-based vendor lock-in illegal, regardless of other legal issues. Perhaps you don't understand what you linked to.
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Insightful)
Perhaps you don't understand what he linked to. Let me reproduce the very first sentence again.
"A free market is a theoretical term that economists use to describe a market which is free from government intervention (i.e. no regulation, no subsidization, no single monetary system and no governmental monopolies)."
Re: (Score:2)
Ignoring the stupidity of ideologues confusing the philosophical ideal of "laissez-faire" with the much more generic term "free market", all I have to say to you is WHOOSH!
Re: (Score:2)
And really, free market systems break down because there is no such thing as an ideal free market.
I think waht he really meant, when you break it down, is a freely competitive system, which usually requires government intervention to make it so -- which is what he is calling for.
Copyright is a government-granted monopoly (Score:3, Insightful)
So a market is "free" so long as the monopolies aren't "governmental".
A monopoly is "governmental" if the monopolist uses the power of the state to maintain it, even if the monopolist is a business in the private sector. The DMCA anti-circumvention powers, like the other powers granted to copyright owners, are a government-granted monopoly. What monopolistic business methods were you thinking of that don't involve the power of the state?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Inconceivable!
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
I was with you up until the DRM part. The iTunes store is almost entirely DRM-free by now.
If you don't like AAC either, Amazon.com sells MP3 downloads that are cheaper than iTunes downloads, and has about the same selection. iTunes was once a monopoly, although Apple's DRM practices ironically ended that rather quickly.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think Apple is selling any music with DRM anymore. They issued an announcement a few weeks ago that their transition was done. Videos and Audible books still have DRM AFAIK.
Right, but the original quote specifically referred to "older" Fairplay-encumbered music. Not everyone made the choice to pay 30 cents a song to upgrade their already-purchased songs (although I did, FWIW).
I'll be curious to see what Apple does here. I'd think in the long run it'd work better for them, and their customers, if they'd help Palm accomplish this rather than to fight them - but we'll see what happens.
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Funny)
I've put off upgrading because I don't want to spend 0.30 on the free tracks I got from the Pepsi promotion. I didn't spend all that time looking through the bottoms of Sierra Mist bottles just so I could turn around and buy all those songs.
Except for... (Score:5, Informative)
Except for movies. And TV shows. And audiobooks. Oh, and applications.
But yeah, besides those things, *totally* DRM free.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
I guess you're entitled to view them as monopolists, but that doesn't mean that view accords with real world legal definitions. There are other sources for digital content online, and there are other players - Apple has a big chunk of the market, but by no means do they have total control - facts you note at the end of your post. Also, let's not forget that a big chunk of the pricing of content is driven by the deals the content providers are willing to cut with Apple - remember the recent change to a tiered pricing scheme from the $.99 for all music.
How is Apple a monopoly, if we understand the term monopoly to mean something other than "a company you don't like/does things that displease you?"
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Let's see...
They have the lion's share of the player market.
They have the lion's share of the online media market.
They place artificial compatability barriers excluding others from their media market and players.
The whole reason that music went DRM free is because the
actual producers/distributors of the music realized just
how much power they had handed Apple.
The DMCA gives Apple a nice club that they can beat anyone
over the head with should they dare to reverse engineer
enough information to get an iTunes mo
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course it does. Having a monopoly is legal. Abusing a monopoly to create lock-in is the illegal part.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The whole reason that music went DRM free is because the
actual producers/distributors of the music realized just
how much power they had handed Apple.
. . .when they required Apple to apply DRM in the first place (which was the only reason it had ever had it).
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Insightful)
You mean the same negotiating power that introduced "variable pricing", which meant that "pretty much any vaguely popular or contemporary song" immediately jumped 30% in price, from 99c to $1.29, whilst Apple fanboys tried to spin it as "well, most tracks are going to go DOWN to 69c!", where "most tracks" was a synonym for "obscure low selling acts that you're lucky to have heard of, let alone desire to purchase" (seriously, did anyone but the most deranged Apple fan honestly believe that Apple and the record labels were going to voluntarily offer up a 30% reduction in revenue?)?
Who won out of that? Apple got a nice kick, and so did the labels. You and I didn't.
I'm not exactly sure why you're trumpeting that as a testament to "Apple's negotiating power", but okay...
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:5, Insightful)
Meh. Lock-in across product lines is older than dirt. Its practice doesn't make a company "monopolistic" (though its practice by a monopoly can sometimes be illegal, which may be why you associate the two things).
Anyway, you appear to be wishing for legal action based on how much you like each company's actions rather than on any legal facts; which means you're also not looking at an accurate picture of the costs and outcomes if legal action does occur.
I won't speculate on the issues that would matter in a court case (such as whether any trade secrets were utilized by the ex-Apple engineers that allegedly made this work), but I will say that without knowing the details of those issues, I wouldn't be begging anyone to start casting legal stones.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
No, it makes them unpalatable to customers who like to have a lot of choices for how to use the products they buy.
The original reason I didn't buy an iPod was because I didn't want to have to use iTunes. When other options became available, I had already become a customer of other manufacturers of mp3 players.
The original reason I didn't buy an iPhone was because I didn't like the idea of having to use AT
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
The Pre is pretending to be an iPod in order to sync. Whilst killing monopolies is great, I'm fairly sure that imitating the iPod crosses a legal line somewhere (presumably reverse engineering employed in order to respond to iTunes' requests etc.) and that Apple have every right to sue.
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Sue Those Monopolistic Apple Bastards! (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes, but RTA - the guys working on the project are ex-Apple employees. Dodgy much?
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Hardware manufacturers can write a driver so their junk interface with iTunes. Nomads and RIOs work with iTunes.
Palm Pre syncs with iTunes? Big deal. The real story (or "fuck you") is that they're using webkit.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
I am aware only of the iTunes COM/AppleScript APIs that allow third-party applications to access the iTunes library; then, these applications can perform whatever kind of operations they like.
These APIs do not provide a mechanism for third-party devices to show up in iTunes. Instead, they allow other processes to get information to implement their own synchronization.
The Palm Pre's iTunes support apparently works by presenting it
Re: (Score:2)
I bet if we asked Slashdot readers, they could come up with a few other ones.
Right. (Score:2, Troll)
I'm sure that Apple won't find a way to break this in an iTunes update down the road. They certainly have no history of breaking unlicensed addons... Nope...
Why is this a big deal? (Score:5, Informative)
Nomad II Creative Labs USB
Nomad II MG Creative Labs USB
Nomad II c Creative Labs USB
Nomad Jukebox Creative Labs USB
Nomad Jukebox 20GB Creative Labs USB
Nomad Jukebox C Creative Labs USB
Novad MuVo Creative Labs USB
Rio One SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio 500 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio 600 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio 800 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio 900 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio S10 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio S11 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio S30S SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio S35S SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio S50 SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio Chiba SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio Fuse SONICBlue/S3 USB
Rio Cali SONICBlue/S3 USB
psa]play 60 Nike USB
psa]play 120 Nike USB
SoundSpace 2 Nakamichi USB
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2172 [apple.com]
Re:Why is this a big deal? (Score:5, Insightful)
iTunes currently supports about 20 non-iPod devices
The big deal is that it seems as if Apple decides what gets supported and what doesn't. It should be built so that any device maker can choose whether or not to build an adapter so that their hardware can interface with iTunes? Where does this leave iRiver, Archos, Sandisk, Microsoft, Centon, Nextar, etc?
Apple decides who lives and who dies. That's the big deal.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Nokia has been syncing with iTunes as log as I can remember. They have their own software and is very simple to do. it's not supported by Apple and in hasn't stopped working in the last 3 or so years.
Re: (Score:2)
I am not aware of any SDK that allows prorgrammers to develop an actual sync plugin for iTunes. Many applications use the iTunes COM/AppleScript interfaces to access iTunes library information and provide their own sync implementation. A real iTunes plugin would mean that third-party devices would appear in iTunes when plugged in and users would have the sam
Re: (Score:2)
Anyone can do this and many have (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
The big deal is that Apple's not supporting iTunes interfacing with the Pre. The support is coming from Pre's side.
If that's true, then the Pre could emulate one of the non-ipod devices and sync to iTunes. Can Apple sue Palm for emulating a Rio? Possibly, I guess, if Rio's paying royalties for the privilege of syncing to iTunes...
Re: (Score:2)
Apple decides who lives and who dies. That's the big deal.
Just like with their OS. Except for me and my hackintosh ;-)
Re: (Score:2)
How old is that list? Those products are ancient. SONICBlue went bankrupt in 2003!
Also, IIRC, the 3rd-party players could only sync with the Mac version of iTunes. I wouldn't be surprised if the support has been removed entirely, given that I sincerely doubt people are still using those players (some of which hold as little as 32MB!)
Re:Why is this a big deal? (Score:5, Informative)
Those are legacy devices, pre-dating the iPod, from the time when iTunes was just a music management application (originally called SoundJam MP) and not the lynchpin of Apple's vertical monopoly entertainment strategy.
None of those devices are supported on iTunes for Windows.
Re: (Score:2)
I was surprised to find that my Blackberry 8820 also syncs with iTunes. In fact, if you want to sync music on your Blackberry it requires iTunes, via the Blackberry Desktop software. I was also surprised to find that the Blackberry is a reasonably good media player.
I don't see why Apple would care too much if Palm did the same thing. More users of iTunes means more potential music buyers.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't see why Apple would care too much if Palm did the same thing. More users of iTunes means more potential music buyers.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Apple makes more money off of iPhone/iPod sales than it makes from selling music (for the average customer). Not to mention the Pre has hooks into the Amazon music store, whereas the iPhone connects directly to the iTunes store, which means that even though the Pre will sync with iTunes, Pre owners still have a convenient option to buy elsewhere, so the Pre not only means zero revenue from the purchase of the phone, but most likely fewer iTunes tracks sold as we
Re:Why is this a big deal? (Score:4, Funny)
These players are current,... (Score:3, Insightful)
... aren't they? Not really.
In fact, these - non-iPod - devices seem to have been out of production for nearly a decade now.
I seem to recall that some of the mentioned players were current (and indeed, supported by iTunes 1.2 or so) in the days of Mac OS 9, circa 1999 or 2000, like the Nomad series by Creative and the Rio series by sonicBlue.
Re: (Score:2)
That's the big deal.
That was not Apple's fault. Without protected AAC's, Apple would not have had a lot of that music to sell in the first place. If you want to blame somebody for DRM, blame the music business. Now that iTunes is almost 100% iTunes Plus non-DRM'd files, even that's not a "big deal".
Re:Why is this a big deal? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Why is this a big deal? (Score:4, Interesting)
It's not so simple as that. What you call an "unlock" gets you double the bit rate too. A workaround that Apple execs have talked about publicly is that you burn it to CD and rip it back. If you're not at all interested in doubling the bit rate, the small amount of loss in re-encoding probably isn't going to be a big deal.
We can talk about coulda woulda shoulda, but I doubt Apple is the main problem here. If the RIAA is involved in the mix, I think the RIAA should get the lion's share of the blame if it doesn't go the way you think it should.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
well it is a big deal for folks like a friend of mine who have already bought quite a lot of the protected AACs, and now being told they have to pay more money to "unlock" them.
I can't understand how that's possibly true.
Everybody--presumably including your "friend"--who bought from the iTunes store over the past 6-7 years knew exactly what they were getting. Copy protected songs that they could play on their itunes and on their ipod. They have not LOST any freedom from this arrangement--indeed, Apple has increased the number of usages per file over the year.
Apple just now offers higher quality songs without the DRM. It's a new product if you will. Yeah, it kinda sucks that I chos
iTunes Has Always Supported Other Players (Score:5, Informative)
They are even documented [apple.com] on Apple's website. I'm not sure why it's a surprise that the Pre is also going to be able to sync with iTunes.
Re: (Score:2)
Because the Pre is a phone, I guess. But I agree -- it doesn't seem that big a deal to me.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Because it has additional functionality not even available to Apple products.
Wireless syncing with iTunes puts the Palm Pre ahead of the mighty iPhone in terms of functionality. While this alone isn't a huge deal.
The big deal will be how Apple reacts. Specifically, if Apple intentionally cripples the Palm's unique functionality to create an artificial advantage for the iPhone.
Re:iTunes Has Always Supported Other Players (Score:4, Insightful)
Why is this fraud? It should be fraudulent to block other players from accessing my software.
Its really incredible how people instinctively side with bad corporate policies. How about my rights as a consumer? How about the right to tinker? How about educating people about Apple's horrible policies?
I see nothing wrong with this. I hope its a wake up call to the industry and I hope it shows all the apple fanboys whats wrong with their favorite company.
I can see an iTunes update in your future. (Score:5, Insightful)
Honestly, who bases a whole product line on a "faking out" feature.
I'm no fan of DRM, and wish iTunes was more open to other devices, but to publish a whole iPhone "killer" on a kludge is just asking for trouble.
WTF are consumers going to do when Apple pushes an update that breaks this (intentionally, or not) and all of a sudden this marvelous sync stops working?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Your question seems to be missing its mark, both literally and figuratively. No one, except some knockoffs possibly, bases a product line on "fake out". It's not like Palm is billing the Pre as The Palm iPod, what they're doing is selling a phone with an incredibly interesting looking new OS that features some of the most open software development seen to date on a smartphone. Oh, and by the way, you can get your music on there if you've got
Re: (Score:2)
If the fake is good enough, it will break real iPods too. Then Apple would have to release an update for the iPod and iTunes, and probably delay in between, at which time Palm updates the Pre. Essentially an arms race. Palm would probably be locked out at times, but if Palm is diligent it should work pretty well. They'd have an advantage in that a smartphone can be updated at anytime, vs an regular iPod which must be connected to a PC.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm sure that will go over well, since that's equivalent to also killing legacy iPod support along with it. If Palm did their job right then the thing will not be distinguishable from a real iPod. If their implementation is good enough Apple's only recourse is going to be legal, not technical.
Re: (Score:2)
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6538 [linuxjournal.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Honestly, who bases a whole product line on a "faking out" feature.
Tengen, Camerica, and Color Dreams did so at some point in the Nintendo Entertainment System's life cycle. The NES had a CIC (security chip) such that only Game Paks manufactured by Nintendo with a matching CIC could run. Unlicensed games would emulate (Tengen) or freeze (Camerica/Color Dreams) the CIC to get the game started. Their unlicensed status was due to cost concerns (Nintendo charged roughly 20 percent of MSRP for each CIC) or censorship concerns (Color Dreams's Wisdom Tree label wanted to sell ga
Re: (Score:2)
Open source products hack together support for file formats all the time.
Microsoft didn't just willingly hand over the file format specs for Office documents to the OpenOffice.org team. Rather, they reverse-engineered support. Microsoft could have released updates to Office to change the file format, but that would have probably resulted in media backlash when files from one version of Office 2003 couldn't be read by another.
At least, I think this is similar. Perhaps I'm wrong.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
the community refers to more that the self-aggrandizing idiots that made that blog post that was turned into a
Locked down by the carrier (Score:2)
the community is all of the people who will develop for the new palm OS. which, since the Pre doesn't have to be hacked to run unsigned code, will probably be quite a lot.
How long until the mobile phone network operators in the United States lock down execution of homemade apps as a condition of carrying the phone?
Option 2 (Score:2, Interesting)
Or Apple could realize that the iTunes store is BIG money and AT&T does not cover the whole US with their network and let Palm sync music. Music people paid Apple to download. Apple has other issues to tackle rather than worrying about a marginalized company like Palm giving it free advertising while encouraging people to buy even more music from Apple. Heck, Apple might even lend an engineer to Palm so that there is less faking and more playing on Apple's terms. It has happened before. Probably be some
Re: (Score:2)
err....yeah...ok anony-boy. Sorry. Your comments more or less echo some ones I made below, which I posed before I read your post.
My apologies.
So...? (Score:4, Interesting)
Is this really such a "big fat middle finger"? It's cementing iTunes as the default player and iTMS as the default music store, and putting Palm in the position of trying to pick up some of Apple's leftovers. Plus, if Apple doesn't like it, they can issue firmware updates and update iTunes, making everything connect some slightly different way, and suddenly Palm's stuff stops working.
If Palm really wanted to make trouble for Apple, they'd make their own alternative to iTunes, which wouldn't take much work. If they really didn't want to do it from scratch, I'm sure there are even some open source projects [getsongbird.com] that could be used as a jumping-off point. And if they didn't want to make their own music store, they could probably strike a deal with Amazon. Now that would be a problem for Apple.
Re: (Score:2)
Apple can't just publish an update that makes Pre stop working. If Pre is pretending to be an iPod, then all iPods would also stop working.
Unless, of course, Apple also pushes iPod firmware updates for every iPod model ever made through iTunes as well, such that synchronization requires some cryptographic authentication to proceed. Even the first generation iPods should be able to handle this.
I doubt that technical feasibility is any significant barrier for Apple to do this; what I really don't see is why they'd want to. It wouldn't be the first time iTunes has synchronized with non-Apple hardware, and it would only increase the market for
Re: (Score:2)
Is there really no non-itunes way of managing music on an ipod? no wifi? less space than a nomad? lame.
But... (Score:4, Interesting)
Will Amarok 1.4 work with the Pre?
I would love to have a Smart Phone that works well with Linux.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Will Amarok 1.4 work with the Pre? I would love to have a Smart Phone that works well with Linux.
I would imagine it would. It simply shows up as a mass media device, where you can just copy MP3s over to it and they show up in the media library. This is the same way a lot of other MP3 players work, so it should be trivial to get Amarok support
Re:But... (Score:4, Insightful)
Amarok 1.4 works with every other MP3 player I've tried it with ... so I don't see why not.
I'd much rather use Amarok than iTunes.
Re: (Score:2)
Well it would be cool of it detected when I connected to the USB and would sync automaticly. I really don't hate iTunes but I hate rebooting into windows to sync my ipod touch.
Of course the other thing I really want is for it sync my calendar and contacts.
Speculation (Score:5, Interesting)
I mean I'm sure Apple told Palm, "Hey, you can't use multi-touch or anything like it."
So Palm said, "Oh yeah? Browse our portfolio. We've highlighted a number of patents the iPod, Touch, and iPhone clearly violate."
Apple: "Cross License?"
Palm: "Sure! Oh, and we want to sync to iTunes."
Re:Speculation (Score:4, Insightful)
Is anyone really surprised that Apple's gone evil? Listen to the rhetoric. Apple, with every passing day, has been acting more and more hardline and closed to competition than even Microsoft. Apple fanboys are sounding off the same soundbites that the Microsoft guys did years ago about Linux.
The truth is that Apple doesn't want just anyone buying music from their near monopoly on pay music downloads(which, coincedentally, was helped to become a monopoly by Bono of U2, who also just so happens to be a member of Elevation Partners, one of the major shareholders in Palm). They only want the "approved" companies that swear not to actually compete with them to work with their stuff. This is the type of thinking that sent Apple down the tubes back in the late 80's/early 90's.
Coming soon.... (Score:5, Funny)
iTunes 8.1.2, "fixes syncing issues"
Blackberries already can sync from iTunes (Score:2)
...apparently (http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/media/mediasync.jsp).
Granted, they use a separate app, but if I could control my music and media with iTunes and listen to it on my BB, that'd be good enough for me.
Why go the legal route? (Score:2)
Why would Apple go the legal route?
Just block the damn device. When iSync my Gen 4 iPod iTunes knows it's a Gen 4 iPod. When I sync my shuffle, it knows it's a shuffle.
When I sync my Pre, it will know it's a Pre.
So just rev itunes to block it.
Or not, and just walk around acting like you're not scared. Frankly, I think the Pre is roughly the equivalent of pulling your goalie in the final minutes of your final playoff game when you're behind: a last ditch effort. Palm may well just die as a result, and maybe
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
DVD Jon agrees with your appraisal of the situation. [nanocr.eu]
Re:Why go the legal route? (Score:4, Informative)
No, it won't. Think about it for a moment and you'll realize why.
iTunes knows which version or revision of iPod is connected because Apple has prepared iTunes to recognize each one -- first-party software recognizes first-party hardware. The icons are all stored inside the iTunes binary, and it's only relying on an identifier from a list of possible iPods it knows of (thus the software update after each iPod release).
Most likely, the Pre is presenting itself to iTunes as a 4th gen iPod, something that iTunes has to support and for which there is a lot of reverse-engineering work already out in in the hackersphere.
Re: (Score:2)
> Most likely, the Pre is presenting itself to iTunes as a 4th gen iPod
Agreed, though I'm quite sure that they can overcome that /should they choose too./
I'm not going to speculate on the specifics since I don't have in depth hardware knowledge.
Anyway, if I were Steve Jobs I'd take the "walk around with a swagger in your step" approach personally. At least for a while. Apple is the undisputed king digital music right now. My approach would be to act as such: keep a close eye on all potential threats, but
Thanks to a team of ex-Apple engineers (Score:4, Funny)
and soon to be ex-Palm engineers.
Palm exec: I thank you for all your effort in giving us the inside scoop on how Apple work. No I will have to fire you because you have shown yourself to not be a trust full person and we have no confidence that you will honor our NDA, as you have shown not to honor your previous employer.
Amusing... (Score:3, Interesting)
I find it more than a little ironic that before this item became news all the Pre supporters were saying iTunes was craptastic and claiming the lack of syncing on the Pre as a feature. Everything's in "the cloud", so who needs desktop tethering?
Ahhh, but now that it syncs with iTunes, suddenly Palm is super-genius for supporting and iTunes support is [i]obviously[/i] a major selling point.
Whatever. When Apple blocks it and it doesn't sync, I'm sure syncing will suddenly not be important again.
How about... let's sync with Palm Desktop (Score:4, Informative)
To hell with iTunes, I just want to sync my Palm (my existing Palm) with Palm Desktop on my Macbook, without going through a third party product that wants to OWN my PDA.
Back when I had Palm Desktop and Hotsync, I could sync my PDA with my office desktop and my home desktop and my laptop and everything Just Worked. Then I had to start syncing with Lorus Notes at the office, and tried two third paty syncing products, and the best I could manage was syncing with TWO computers. Then Palm gave up on Hotsync, and now I'm using Missing Sync and my PDA is tethered to my Macbook. Not only that, but I can't get it to sync notes at all.
I don't know what I'll do when my current PDA finally dies. I never liked PDAs at all until I got a Palm, I tried a Pocket PC for a while and it screwed up my data... but even Palm doesn't support Palms any more.
"AUTOMAGICALLY" (Score:2)
IS NOT A FUCKING WORD.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
They were on the verge because PalmOS is crap and Palm Desktop is steaming crap, and they both look rosey compared to palm's technical support.
I just threw away my T2 and got a touch, and love it. From repeated bad experiences of my own and almost everyone I know with palm, I hope apple reams them good, give them a twist for me while you're at it.
Too little, too late, palm.
Re:PALM PRE OMG (Score:5, Funny)
Unlike the iPhone, which is hardly ever mentioned in the media...
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Is this a problem with the driver, sync app, or OS? Honestly, I would wonder why my OS couldn't protect itself from something going on with USB.
Seth
Re: (Score:2)
That, though, is a design flaw common to everything that doesn't use a microkernel. Even linux suffers from this problem, despite the continuing efforts of microkernel enthusiasts. Some day I'd like to see a mainstream OS with a kernel that can't be crashed by a driver, because I want to look back on this as the "bad old days".
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not sure what Apple could actually sue for. AFAIK reverse engineering for the purpose of producing a compatible product is actually one of the get-out clauses for cracking DRM under the DMCA. Another is educational research I believe.
I'm not sure they're actually doing anything illegal - look at the Psystar case, the best Apple could come up with was breaking the EULA.
Re: (Score:2)
The difference is Palm is a billion dollar company whilst Psystar was a startup.
Palm has enough to see lawsuits through.
Re: (Score:2)
> The money isn't in the iPhone or iPod, but it's in iTune.
The Steve claimed otherwise, though I can't find the reference which effectively makes this comment completely useless. He basically said the store covers its own costs, but fundamentally it's a way to sell iPods.
I'm not saying I believe him. I'm just saying he said it...at some point...somewhere....that I can't find in google....blurg.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Does a red story mean that there are no comments?
Not sure, but a read story means it's winter in hell.