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1. Dude on Conan the Contrarian
Apparently you have this wrong. The $15.99 Battlestar Galactica album is the 2003 miniseries, not the current season. The current season is still $1.99 per episode. ›››
December 7, 2005 10:20 PM

2. Robert Pritchett on Sony DRM has built-in Apple DRM?
We take the Letter from the CEO and dedicated it to this Faux Paux by SONY in the December 2005 issue of macCompanion with lots of links and the MediaMax revelation and what to do about it if the Mac has been compromised. It isn't so much the XCP, but the MediaMax thing that bugs me - and many others. And what else hans't been revealed yet? ›››
December 6, 2005 08:56 AM

3. Jim on iPod sales up 400%
Only 400%! Apple is doomed :) Try comparing the stock price of Apple and Dell over the past 6 months..... Hopefully, the Intel transition will sustain growth as iPod sales begin to saturate. ›››
December 3, 2005 11:21 AM

4. Chris on TV Extras and The Long Tail
I'd love to see a day when ALL potential TV pilots are posted for free download on iTunes and then voted on by viewers. The networks won't decide what shows we watch anymore, we will. And I especially like Marc's idea of viewers producing thier own PayTV channels. ›››
December 2, 2005 06:31 PM

5. BW on The best games for Mac
Sadly, if nothing blows up I don't play it, so can't be of much help here :P ›››
November 30, 2005 02:47 PM

6. jordan on iPod nano - first impressions
i got an ipod nano but it stratches really easily so i would recommend buying a case with it :) But apart from that they are really good. ›››
November 29, 2005 02:46 AM

7. mcloki on iPod competitors need "universal dock"
Or Apple will just license out their dock connector to other mp3 players. It doesn't really harm them. Opens up the peripheral market to other players. And everyone is making iPod compatible attachments. And Microsofts "Standard" goes away or What I'd like to see is they always say Apple has sold 30 million ipods. How many total other mp3 players have been sold? How many are used? I'm sure there's a ton of old 128 and 512 k mp3 players that have gone by the wayside. ›››
November 24, 2005 09:49 AM

8. Jim on iPod competitors need "universal dock"
All well and good, but we're talking about Microsoft here and their intent is surely to wrest away control of the mp3 player market from Apple. Right now, its as if Apple was to introduce the ADB interface as a competitor to USB.... Apple does not need to oppose this. They will simply ignore it. ›››
November 23, 2005 11:30 PM

9. on Stockpiling flash memory
Who says that they're only going to put it in iPods? A nice big FlashRam disk inside an iMac (for remembering pre-translated Rosetta binaries) may well push performance through the roof... ›››
November 21, 2005 05:04 PM

10. Eric on Price sends a signal
"What they really want is a system they can manipulate to send signals about what songs are worth, and thus what songs you should buy." Well, that may be the signal the studios want to send, but it's not one that I, as a consumer, will acknowledge. The only signal the mixed pricing sends me is that the higher priced songs are either newer or more popular, and lower priced ones are older or less popular. In either case, I'll make up my own mind whether the price is justified, based on ›››
November 19, 2005 04:11 PM

11. George Lien on Inside the iBook
They are still nothing when compared to taking apart of a PowerBook 2400c. ›››
November 16, 2005 09:54 PM

12. michael McKee on Inside the iBook
Just today sat with a friend, a former Apple reseller and tech as he replaced my iBook hard drive. Scary how many screws the thing has, and how tightly packed. Even with the best of manuals I don't think I'm going to attempt iBook surgery. ›››
November 16, 2005 06:58 PM

13. Valdis on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Virtual PC work fine on the PowerPC, it will work great on the Intel Macs and since MSFT now makes VPC you will see a simple integration/interface [remember Mac Switcher?]-- win/win for MSFT/Apple -- lose/lose/lose/etc. for the clones. BTW, VPC w/OS retails for much more than the similar OS for clones... MSFT will make >> profit with every MacIntel sold! ›››
November 15, 2005 09:25 PM

14. BW on TV Extras and The Long Tail
I agree with Peter. Selling pilots would be a great marketing strategy for the studios, and a MUCH better gauge for the networks of potential popularity than focus groups. Too many shows have got a huge following shortly before they were cancelled. This sort of thing would give a much better gauge than most of the ratings and assessments used to date. BW ›››
November 15, 2005 10:07 AM

15. Jamal Abdou Karim Bengeloun on Pandora subscription
I always thought Pandora was a part of Apple... Because of that iTunes link. It was part of an explanation on their music licensing scheme. Do you have any idea on how they license their music? Because if the link sometimes miss... That would mean that they basically have a bigger catalog than Apple (wich is basically everything minus Sony I think...) - Do you have any info on the company per se? ›››
November 13, 2005 10:23 AM

16. Jon H on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Marcel writes: "Did you forget that Apple publishes an application for Windows and for Macs?" Ah, but the patent mentions Linux as well. While it's possible they would want to cover all their potential bases in the patent, I highly doubt Apple has any intention or desire to produce a Linux port of iTunes, and I'm not sure why it would be necessary to mention Windows and Linux if the patent is about iTunes. On the other hand, it's entirely likely that people will be installing ›››
November 9, 2005 08:28 PM

17. McGregor on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Regardless of what Apple does w/ it's new hardware and tamper-resistant-code, if given the chance to run Windows on my Mac I would have to ask WHY? The only reason I even have a copy of Windows on my desktop is because it is still slow to run Flash in Wine. Other than that you will never see me running Windows. As for my Mac Laptop, I wouldn't mine putting Linux on it but why when its a BSD core and I can just use X11 and fink to get most any Linux program I would need. If anything should ›››
November 9, 2005 11:08 AM

18. marc nothrop on TV Extras and The Long Tail
The rapid uptake of DVDs, consumer enthusiasm for owning programmes on DVD -- particularly TV series -- the growth in PayTV, digital recording, PVRs, and podcasting and the Internet in general, have all been pointing in the same directing for some time now; users are exerting more control over the entertainment media they consume, and shifting to more direct relationships with content and service producers. All of these changes chip away at the traditionally imposed schedules; major f ›››
November 9, 2005 01:33 AM

19. Peter on TV Extras and The Long Tail
Consider that studios submit pilot episodes to networks. Network execs go through these to try to decide what would be a good show. For the ones they like, they'll make an offer to the studio which produces it. I think the format is a little bit different, now that studios own networks or vice-versa (ABC/Disney, NBC/Universal, CBS/Paramount) but the concept is the same. Since the studio, not the network, owns the show, build buzz for the show before the decision is made by offering ›››
November 8, 2005 06:47 PM

20. Marcel Bresink on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
I don't agree that this is a smart analysis of the patent. If you really read the patent, you'll notice that it doesn't speak about a "user selecting an operating system". This is Sandy's pure fiction. The patent only says that the *user of the patented method* (which means a developer or an application) could select between different operating systems. This means the described strategy to protect program code can be used in a platform-independent manner. Yes, this could be a method t ›››
November 7, 2005 05:57 AM

21. Atari on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Bandmassa: The answer is *games*. That's the only reason why I would want to run Windows apps on my Mac. Wine doesn't have full blown Direct X support out of the box. We need a Transgaming/Cedega solution, or a virtual machine running XP/Vista. ›››
November 7, 2005 03:17 AM

22. Christian on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
If Apple and Microsoft are smart, which I guess they are, they would strenghten the relationship they already have. Microsoft would let Apple sell computers with Windows preinstalled and Apple would let Microsoft tune Windows for the Mac hardware so that it would run without flaws. A customer would then choose if OS when it buys the computer. With help of Intels new virtualiztion processors you could then run both OS's at the same time. ›››
November 6, 2005 07:31 PM

23. bandmassa on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Then again, who needs Windows on a Mactel? An Apple version of Wine (www.winehq.com www.darwine.com) integrated into the Finder offers a much more elegant solution. ›››
November 6, 2005 02:56 PM

24. Christos on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
These are interesting perspectives on this Apple patent. I've posted more thoughts about this here: http://namedb.net/2005/11/06/mactel-strategy-includes-windows-and-linux/ Essentially, I still think this is just simply a way for Apple to cover their butt's, and not the underlying strategy (in the direct sense noted in this blog posting as well as in some of the comments) to overthrow Microsofts slow and heavy handed approach to their new OS. I could see a broader strategy on ›››
November 6, 2005 01:08 PM

25. revisionA on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
This is about money, my friends. If the only thing stopping you from switching, is using Windows only programs, not the price... then being able to run windows programs within the osx os, at a good speed even... then the adoption rate of OSX increases, riding the iPod wave... pushing marketshare further. Add to this, very few PC manuf. can touch Apple's style and ergonomics. Dell's XPS line looks like shite compared to g5's, iAnythings and Powerbooks. OEM manufacturers should be loo ›››
November 6, 2005 11:25 AM

26. schmooschmacker on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
why would apple have to liscense or ship Windblows, when any joblow can just buy a copy at Bustybuy or OMax, install it on their mactel and be happy :) Apple already said they would NOT prevent it from running on mactel hdwr anyways..... and who the hell wants virtualization anyways, just run the shit natively and be done with it ›››
November 6, 2005 10:16 AM

27. SpaceMagic on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
I reckon if Apple shipped Windows with every mac too, more PC people would buy them. Then it's like a trojan horse, because one day a PCer may think, oooh lets try OS X... and of course they'll end up liking it. A pretty good switching method I think. ›››
November 6, 2005 06:12 AM

28. zpok on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Apple won't sell Vista. Won't support Vista. But who's to say they won't add Virtual PC as an installed option? And the MS Mac unit could make that a very good installed option indeed, if VPC is upgraded to Apple's intel specs. ›››
November 6, 2005 02:57 AM

29. Tanner on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Windoze sucks. End of story.. ›››
November 6, 2005 02:03 AM

30. Jon H on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
"Microsoft's OEM partners could ask Microsoft not to license Windows to Apple, or to offer them better license terms, but would Microsoft go for it? I suspect the company's consent agreement with the DoJ would make this difficult if not impossible to do." Apple wouldn't be so foolish as to get entangled with Microsoft by licensing Windows. Further, bundling OS X and Windows would just cut into Apple's revenues by a couple hundred dollars per machine or so. They aren't going to ›››
November 5, 2005 11:21 PM

31. Jon H on What Microsoft Has Always Wanted
"While everyone was watching Windows and Office, Microsoft attracted two million subscribers to Xbox Live. That's not just two million gamers. It's two million user IDs, two million credit card numbers, and two million instant messenger users with buddy lists. It's two million consumers for product demos, promotions, and advertising." Two million? Paltry, compared to the millions of people registered into the iTunes store. ›››
November 5, 2005 11:10 PM

32. Jon H on The Browser Problem
"The problem for Apple will be the compatibility (or lack thereof) between Safari and these new Microsoft services." This assumes anyone will want to use these new Microsoft services. Let's not count Microsoft's chickens before they're even laid. ›››
November 5, 2005 11:07 PM

33. Jon H on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Christos writes: "With that said, how is Apple doing anything special? " If you check out the patent, it's all about tamper-resistant code. While it mentions multiple operating systems, the patent is about protecting OS X in a multi-OS environment, so that it can't be cracked and made to run on non-Apple hardware. Running Windows, Linux and other Intel operating systems on Apple hardware is pretty much going to be unavoidable. Apple has said they won't block you from doing so. ›››
November 5, 2005 10:58 PM

34. Jon H on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
From a very quick look, it just sounds to me like it's a special bootloader which prevents users from installing a different OS and using that OS to reverse-engineer the methods Apple uses to lock OS X to their own hardware. For example, consider this: Someone gets Linux running on x86 Mac hardware; They then create a thin virtual machine layer which passes everything on to the hardware and appears to be an x86 Mac, using the actual hardware for 100% compatibility. They instal ›››
November 5, 2005 10:33 PM

35. Ralph on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Why would anyone support Apple getting a patent on technology that already exists? ›››
November 5, 2005 09:08 PM

36. Vickie on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
I wondered from the beginning, why would they setup the new Intel hardware so it could run Widows. Why not start fresh and make it even better. Win/Tel hardware has to have compromises for backwards compatibility, and Apple would not need that, unless they want to sell their OS separately to Microsoft's customers. But then they could not sell as much of their high dollar hardware. This will be fun to watch! ›››
November 5, 2005 06:10 PM

37. Raphael Carrier on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
you guys all have a part of the good answer but you're missing an important part of the formula wich is the arrival of new virtualization technologies yes you will be able to run windows applications via the new virtual pc wich will NOT be dual boot (see: vanderpool) the new yonah cpu are able to run windows and osx concurently with the new generation virtualization cpus i can just see /Applications (Windows)/ or /Windows directory on our hard drives and the small status icon in the top right ›››
November 5, 2005 01:37 PM

38. Johnny Utah on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
I have this process done on my laptop. It is very simple, its the same as having 2(two) windows load on your boot.ini, but instead you have a MAC / WINDOWS partition.... /kisses&huggs johnny ›››
November 5, 2005 01:28 PM

39. Christos on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
If Apple's operating system can run on Intel hardware, the ability to pick which OS to boot into is nothing more than a boot loader program, this has existed for some time. At time of computer booting, you select with OS (out of all the OS's you have installed on your system) to boot into. Further, there is new development in having multiple OS's running at the same time (this is a hardware issue, not an Apple software issue) without having to reboot, and without running any OS's through a "v ›››
November 5, 2005 01:00 PM

40. jonto on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
I generally agree with Brian, however I disagree with the timeline. Long term? No way...Dell has already begun missing estimates, and the new Lenovo Thinkpads hit US retail shelves via Office Depot tomorrow! (November 5th). Get this...they'll be sold for half of what IBM use to charge for them. Get ready for share to start going east... ›››
November 5, 2005 11:25 AM

41. Brian McTavish on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Apple won't bundle Windows. It *will* incorporate WINE-style ability to run Win apps on Mactels into Leopard, eliminating another switcher objection - application lock-in. One by one, Cupertino's brains are addressing the list of factors preventing switching with pain-free solutions. A longer shot: six months before announcing the tablet Mac and camphone iPod (built-in camera and WiFi/3G, stealing the camcorder market too) they'll release iChat for Windows, another Trojan ho ›››
November 5, 2005 05:34 AM

42. Rod on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Very smart analysis. Makes a lot of sense and a terrific strategy too. Now, this doesn't seem to fit whith traditional Apple policy, but this is market war, and Mr. Jobs is a remarkable strategist. MS has not been able to atract a significant part of Win98 and even Win95 installed base to XP and would be happy to sell them Vista, whether loaded on a PC or on a Mac it won't care. In this scenario current strong momentum in Mac sales could grow to a small fire if the upcoming Ma ›››
November 4, 2005 09:14 PM

43. grumpysecretary on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
My view is that this senario also applies to the server space. While Apple seems committed to PPC for XServe, that does not preclude a new Intel based Apple server line running Apple OSX Server & Novell Linux & or Novell Netware. A partnership with Novell would be a serious threat to Microsoft, and give Apple an even stronger footing in the server market. That kind of flexibility would allow IT managers to repurpose a server from general tasks, to say streaming media tasks in ›››
November 4, 2005 06:41 PM

44. Randy Barber on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Of course Apple will not sell Windows--but if they will not prevent Windows from running on the new Macs--they have then opened up their hardware to the world. Brilliant! ›››
November 4, 2005 06:14 PM

45. Peter on MacTel strategy includes Windows and Linux
Personally, I don't see Apple selling Windows. Period. Sure, you'll be able to buy a Mac that will boot Windows. But you won't be able to buy a Mac with Mac OS X and Windows installed--at least not from Apple. This is probably what those at Apple would call "an excellent third-party opportunity." I wouldn't be surprised if you could order such a thing from CDW, Small Dog, etc. for an extra fee. ›››
November 4, 2005 06:00 PM

46. mb on The Browser Problem
Of course this begs the question of why Safari users (Limited to Macs and some Nokia phones) would need to access beta versions of very .Mac like services. I mean online favorites? Come on! This does however make me want to port dashboard items to my Palm Treo 650....hmmmmm In any case if these are services they intend to sell instead of give away they are taking money out of their own pockets in not offering it to Mac folks. Perhaps this will give all those folks ›››
November 3, 2005 07:46 AM

47. NordicMan on The Browser Problem
Yes, Mac users use other browsers. I use Camino mostly, as I prefer its interface. FireFox has more plug ins, but is less appealing. I also use OmniWeb, and occasionally Safari. But to access the most from sites, one can turn to FireFox. The antitrust suit may be of a little help, it should have gone further. ›››
November 3, 2005 06:40 AM

48. Sixer on The Browser Problem
It works in Firefox 1.5 RC, but Safari 2.0.1 automatically gets moved to ideas.live.com/whatis.aspx rather than ideas.live.com ›››
November 2, 2005 10:20 PM

49. Scott on The Browser Problem
Only get the first page in Safari 2.0.2. Seems to "work" with Firefox v1.0.7 (why would you want it to?). Though what them seem to be offering is nothing you can't already get from Google, Yahoo!, or .Mac. And, oh yah, those versions actually work now. ›››
November 2, 2005 08:36 PM

50. Peter on The Browser Problem
"Site renders ok for me using Safari 1.3.1 and Mac OS 10.3.9" Define "OK". What I get is the Windows Live logo and a search field. I assume there's supposed to me more to it than that. I'm also using Safary 1.3.1 and Mac OS X 10.3.9. ›››
November 2, 2005 08:11 PM