Sony May Pull Content From iTunes: Example Of What Is Wrong With Content Providers

Sony said that content providers were being held ransom by Apple and its iTunes. Sorry, I disagree. I think it’s the ineptitude of content providers due to their archaic thinking that makes them feel this way.

Here’s why. First, iTunes is very closed. Nothing on earth comes even close. Having said that, it should be easy for anyone offer a service to compete with iTunes. And we definitely have seen how easy that is can be done with all the plethora of services, brands, and devices over the year. And yet, they’ve all failed in their own unique way.

What isn’t not unique is that how they’ve failed. I think it’s because of DRM and music studios trying to bleed their users and restrictions they put in deals. Even as the content battle is currently unfolding and iTunes success in the future is hardly guaranteed, the future tech and media historians will see if any failure to stem piracy and promote competition will rest in the hands of the providers who hold the media rights.

And at times, instead of working together, you have studios working against one another or have varying motives. Take Sony for example. Music is a failing part of the empire but it continues to hold onto the rights because they hope it will help it sell its other products and services. As far as BMG, Universal, and others, they don’t care. They want to sell music. Not help Sony sell its phones or TV.

So when I read that Sony was contemplating pulling its content from iTunes, I say let them. That means more music for the other studios to sell on the largest music store in the world.

What content providers need is an open exchange where they make everything available to all the outlets and customers. Think of this as a stock market where the worth of contents is decided by a free market.

Providers can set the price and availability and the market will decide if they’re willing to pay for it.

But first, to do that, they need to get away from these stupid deals they make with different companies in an attempt to dethrone iTunes or try to get everyone to go with the subscription models.

Maybe Google should set up such an exchange, not only for Android but for iOS, Web OS, and Windows 7 devices as well. Not just for mobile or Google TV but for Windows, OS X, and the living room. If this is about being free of iTunes, Sony should join in such an effort instead of crying to the media about having its feelings hurt by Apple.

Let’s be honest, Sony. You tried for decades to create your own iTunes and failed miserably each and every single time. And now someone beat you to it and we will not be the shoulders for you to cry on.


More at The Age.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Before Apple’s Ping Failure, There Was the iBookstore

I read books through iBooks app and buy through the iBooks Store. I’ve bought four books so far for myself. And just today, I was going to gift a book to a friend, I find out that I cannot do that.

Why, Apple? We can easily do that with apps in the app store so I don’t understand why this isn’t possible yet for ebooks.

That then led me to the larger issue about the success of iBooks. Rather, the lack of success that I am sensing from Apple.

I don’t hear analysts talking about Apple’s share in the ebook market anymore. Okay, I also don’t hear about Kindle’s share either. I think it’s probably because the Kindle is totally dominating iBook in terms of number of readers and books sold. And I reckon things probably go uglier after the Holidays despite Apple’s iPad outselling Kindles because readers can simply download the Kindle app and turn their iPad into a Kindle.

Being partial to Apple and its mobile vision, I hope that we will see some changes and improvements come to iBooks in 2011. For instance, let’s start with being able to gift books to another iPad or iOS device user.

I’ll come back to this subject once I’ve got more time to think about other things that Apple can do to improve sales and the reading experience.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Quick Thoughts on HP's Web OS Unveiling Today

Quick thoughts on today's HP Web OS announcments:

• Palm injected much needed DNA into the boring old HP culture.
• Web OS integration very much like Apple's iTunes-App Store-iOS than Google's loosy-goosy implementation.  You get a sense of what they hope to accomplish.
• Synergy - get to know this technology.  It's important to HP's Web OS ecosystem.
• Willing to working with 3rd parties and give them what they want than Apple is.  
• Web OS is coming to PC - Desktops and laptops  Probably netbooks as well.
• I don't get this summer announcement.  I fear it'll be too late with iOS 5 and Android 3 coming in weeks.  iPhone 5 is scheduled to be released in the "summer" too.  Remember how the original Pre go clobbered by the 3GS?
• Web OS integration is what Google is unwilling to take Android 3, Honeycomb.  
• Web OS likes somewhere between iOS and Android in implementation.
• Palm with HP's deep pocket is now able to do what it could not with the original Web OS.  
• Microsoft stands to lose a lot of HP starts selling Web OS PC/laptops than Windows.
• With HP's product reschedule and Microsoft's Windows 8 on ARM chips, look for Web OS and Windows to go head-to-head.  iOS and Android will still be in the top two positions in terms of units sold.
• RIM is fraked big time.  HP has deep enterprise ties.  Playbook dead.  Sorry, Blackberry fans.
• iPad 2 will be king again in 2011.  Playbook dead.  Oh, I said that already.
• Again, what's with the summer release?!  Xoom to be out in weeks.  iPad 2 soon after that, maybe April
• Playbook dead.
• No pricing on HP's mobile products.  No specs on battery life.  Lame on both accounts.
• Hoping to see Pre on T-Mobile since it supports HSPA+.  HP can make it happen.

Interesting Things I Read Today: SciFi, Android,

(Economy) Just in.  Refinery explosion in Texas.  Gas up before prices go up this weekend (ABC)

(SciFi, Stargate) I like the idea of a small team.  Of comradery, honor, and sarcrifice.  Wrap all that into a science fiction series, you've got a great TV show.  That's what I think Stargate Atlantis is.   Rewatching it last night, I wondered how folks were on the expedition.  Apparently, there were 50 to 60 on the original trip and may have expanded to as many as 800 by the end of the series.  Good to know our guys in the Pegasus Galaxy were not without company.  (Stargate Handbook)

(iPhone, Verizon) For those of you lucky enough to get your CDMA iPhone already, here's a video on how to enable the personal hotpsot.  Personally, I wouldn't pay any of the carrier a dollar more than I have to, which is why if you're not totally digging for an iPhone or top of the line Android, Virgin Mobile has a great deal on some low-end Android devices.  For $25 a month, you get the unlimited data, text and 300 minutes of talk time. Dave the Mobile Sage already picked up two of them.

(Economy, Politics) The lovefest between the President and powerful Chamber of Commerce didn't last long.  While the President got a warm reception for his speech, the members want to see action.  Specifically, they want to do away with what they perceive as overreaching government regulations and less burden on small biz.  

(Politics, 2012) GOP polled showed that they are willing to back someone, anyone, who can beat President Obama.  Unfortunately, it's the Tea Party that ultimately will have the last say in all this (CNN).  I think we are getting close to GOP announcements challenging Obama for 2012.  But take a look at this post on the list of potential VP candidates that can make or break (like Palin) the ticket (Yahoo).

(Politics, White House) President Obama and GOP Congressional leaders will be getting together for lunch with the topic like about the economy and GOP agendas.  Maybe President Obama can tell them to stop it with the nonsense of healthcare repeal which will not happen so long as he's in office and the Dems control the Senate. Still, a good sign. (MSNBC)

(Science) Days of human dominance on Earth are numbered and not necessarily by our own doing.  Monkey shows more complicated behavior, like covering their eyes to show that they don't want to be bothered.  This is the second story I've come across that demonstrated very complex primate behaviors.  Learned social behaviors was once thought possible only in humans. (Live Science)

(Green) GOP lawmakers sided with the Obama administration just this once in saying that the Court wouldn't know what to do about gas emissions in EPA's attempt to regulate greenhouse gases. Brief filed by GOP said that they are actively working on it with the White House, in ways that I'm not sure is good for the environment I'm sure. Oh, yeah, they also took a shot at Obama too. (NYT)

(Green, Leaf, EV) Nissan dropped the ball with supplying enough Leafs.  Only 20 units were delivered in December 2010 and 89 in January 2011.  It has a backlog of 20K.  And they think they can get it all done by end of summer.  Whatev...Volt vastly outselling the 100 miles per change Leaf so far (CNET)

(Green, Economy) High speed train plan will cost $53 billion on paper, meaning we'll go over budget. Oh, and before we get there, we still have no way of paying for it. China plans to spend about half a trillion.  (MSNBC)

(Google, Android, iPhone)  Android and iPhone makes up 50% of all smartphones sold.  While Apple has more than 50% of mobile profit, one would think that Google stands to make in a large sum through search and ads. However, many of the Android activated were done without Google as the default search engine. (Cult of Mac)

(Apple, Macbook) Looks like Intel has resumed shipping the next generation CPU to manufacturers.  There are words on Blog Street that Macbook Pro supplies are running low.  I reckon Intel's chipset defect has put on hold product launches (there were already recalls). It's not known if Apple will be the beneficiary of these shipments though my Sandy Bridge Macbook Air isn't likely to be refreshed for a while anyway.  (Appleinsider)

(iPhone, Facetime) Dave the Mobile Warrior asked me if I think Facetime is a flop.  Yes, so far, big time. (On Apple)

(Apple, iPad)  EU newspapers are postering over Apple's decision to allow in-app subscriptions, something publishers have been asking for all along.  I, and probably Apple, am confused over the uproar.  Again, it's what they wanted since day one.  Personally, I think they should wait to hear from Apple when they unveiling the subscription feature in the next iOS update. (BBC)

(Android, G-Slate) When it comes to tablets, it's all about Motorola's Xoom and nothing else (hmmm...).  Well, check out LG's G-Slate for T-Mobile with 3D, Tegra 2, 9" screen, and support for T-Mobile's fast HSPA+ network.  Check out the video demoing what it can do.  Still, I recommend going into the store to play with it before order.  (TmoNews)

(HP, Palm, Web OS) Remember tomorrow.  HP's Palm event will either make or break Web OS.  I'm expecting HP to revolutionize mobile devices and tablets.  Anything short of that will be a bust.  

(Android) The whole Android ad market will be worth more than $1 billion by 2012.  A long way to go before reaching $10 billion that former Google CEO predicted.  At $10 a user, that's one billion Android devices.  Yeah, I think it's do able.  (Phandroid)

(Dell, Microsoft, Windows)  Dell has an Android tablet or two but it's also looking to bring some out with Windows.  The Windows version will target the enterprise market.  Not a bad idea.  Maybe with a docking station, it'll be a viable replacement to laptops and challenge Apple and Google. (Liliputing)

(Facebook, ID Theft, Privacy)  Facebook and Twitter users are twice as likely to have their ID stolen. All thanks to Zuckerberg... (MSNBC)

Facetime - Verdict: It's A Flop

Dave the Mobile Warrior posed this question to me regarding FaceTime:  Do you think it's a flop?

My response:

It's a good blog topic :)  

Right now, I think so...it's supposed to be open-sourced too right?  No one has seen it so far outside of Apple.  Like you said, few folks from Apple even talked about it anymore.  Apple is known for taking the long view on stuff like this.  Look at how long it has taken Quicktime to get to where it is today.

But Facetime just has too many missing pieces.  It cannot do anything else other than video chat with other iOS devices unless it has a camera and with Macs installed with the beta Facetime app.

I think it put the fear of God into a lot of folks when Steve Jobs demoed it but since then, life has moved on for Skype, Fring, and everyone else.  Even Google has their own video chat coming for Honeycomb (Android 3.0).

Also, keep in mind that there is still no Facetime chat via 3G yet.  And yes, you can conduct video calls over 3G with Skype.

So yeah, it's a big flop so far.

Two Product Updates For Mobile I’m Anxiously Waiting For From Apple

Steve Jobs promised good things coming for MobleMe, competition to Google's suite of webapps and cloud services in an e-mail to a customer.

That is one thing that I am waiting for anxiously from Apple.  Currently, subscribers pay $99 a year to get services that we can already get for free from Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

What makes MobileMe special is that it is highly integrated into the Mac and iOS devices.  Still, is that worth paying $99 more?  

More and more, I'm doubting it.  I'm running my own personal website and Greenjava using the MobileMe hosting but Apple has not upgraded the iWeb app in the last iLife update so I'm finding what is there a bit long in the tooth.  

Still, I want to wait and see if there is anything to MobileMe that Apple can bring to the service that is worth paying for.  

There is worth that many components like mail will be free.  And I think that is something that even non-Apple product users might be interested in even if you're running Android or WP7 devices (I don't know why but you can).

And besides, should Apple make a more compelling MobileMe or opening up some of the current services for free, it's a good thing as it'll increase competition with Google and Microsoft.

The second product I'm waiting to hear from Apple about is iWork.  This is Apple suite of productivity apps – Pages (work processor, page layout), Numbers (spreadsheet), Keynote (presentation).  The last update from Apple was more than a year ago, and while it was pretty sweet but it's time to do another one.

I'm hoping Apple will add features in Pages regarding ebooks and publishing to the iBooksstore.  Maybe even allow Website creation as well. And obviously, the iwork.com needs to be updated as well.

Right now, it's already February and we have not see anything yet.  Come on, Apple.  What's the holdup?

Apple’s in-app purchase policy – Some Clarity, Please

I don't mind Apple jerking publishers around because that's what Apple does, for better or worse.  But in light of the recent follow-through on enforcing guidelines in the app store policy, there is still a lot of uncertainty.

I understand why Apple needs to do that.  One, they aren't ready to talk about it yet.  In fact, at the unveiling of "The Daily", Apple has said we'll hear from them rather quickly.  

Second, tipping its hands prematurely isn't good for business and it's never been Apple's policy to do that.  The few times I remember when Apple spoke before it was ready were disastrous.  

Having said that, I hope Apple will clear things up for publishers sooner rather than later.  As customers, it helps to know what we are buying into or know what to avoid.