iGadget Blog

Someone Please Save Universal Music From Itself!

Seth Mnookin (who also wrote an excellent book on the Red Sox) has an interview in Wired with Doug Morris, CEO of Universal Music.  The interview is a must read.  Its clear that Morris absolutely hates his customers:

Black Friday Deals

Tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I probably won't be posting until Friday.  But, I'm keeping track of the Black Friday Deals.  I'll update this entry as new deals become available. 

Eisner says Blame Apple. He's Wrong.

Leave it to Michael Eisner to prove exactly what's wrong with the studio mindset regarding video digital distribution:

The studios "make deals with Steve Jobs, who takes them to the cleaners. They make all these kinds of things, and who's making money? Apple! They should get a piece of Apple. If I was a union, I'd be striking up wherever he is."

Ugh.  As I have noted before the mindset that Apple is to blame for the supposed lack of profits on video digital distribution is simply hog wash. 

First of all, the studios haven't seriously taken a shot yet at digital distribution.  Apple's only got around 1000 videos for sale on the iTunes store.  Moreover, I am convinced that video sales of films are just not what people want - rentals are where the volume (and money) is (and I am not the only one who thinks this).

More importantly, the movie and TV studios are just irrationally wedded to an advertising model.  They think that ads will make them money, the same way it makes them money on TV.  But it will not work in the digital world.  They have to offer their products digitally in a manner that is convenient, simple to use and, can be accessed anywhere.  For many reasons, an ad based model doesn't fit that bill (not to mention the fact that it is very easy to eliminate ads in digital distribution - and that absolutely drives the studios nuts).  And they have to offer the content at a price that is reasonable ($9.99 for a movie download - without the DVD extras - and $1.99 a TV episode is pushing the upper limits here.  And yet, they want higher prices!).  And of course, they continue to insist on restrictive DRM. 

Not only is Eisner an idiot for his Apple comment, he's just plain wrong on the writer's strike:

For a writer to give up today's money for a nonexistent piece of the future -- they should do it in three years, shouldn't be doing it now -- they are misguided they should not have gone on the strike. I've seen stupid strikes, I've seen less stupid strikes, and this strike is just a stupid strike.

Now, I admit I don't know all the details about the writer's strike, but I do know that the whole reason there is a strike is because the writer's forgot to deal for DVD's the last time.  Seems reasonable to me that the writers don't want to let several years of digital revenue pass without them having a deal to getting a share of it.

So, after all this BS, where does Eisner think the of video distribution future is?   Yup, you got it - the internet.  Thats where is putting his own money.  What a clown. 

Odds & Ends: Today's Interesting Reads

Around the Mac Web for November 7, 2007, superior technology edition:

Computer World: Leopard Beats Vista

Macs Cheaper than PC's

OS X 10.5.1 Nearing Release

Apple Better than Microsoft to Make Tablet

Google Phone no iPhone Killer (yet)

Google announced the Open Handset Alliance today:

"Building a better mobile phone would enrich the lives of countless people across the globe. The Open Handset Alliance™ is a group of mobile and technology leaders who share this vision for changing the mobile experience for consumers."

The Alliance is a collection of Mobile Operators, Handset makers, Semiconductor Companies  and Software Companies.  Obviously Google is part of the Alliance.  The other big names include Sprint, T-Mobile, NTT DoCoMo, Telefónica, HTC, Motorola, LG, Samsung,  Intel, Qualcomm.  There are several others. Here's the list.

The alliance has developed Android:

"the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. We are committed to commercially deploy handsets and services using the Android Platform in the second half of 2008."

Google will provide the first look at Android on November 12 when the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) will be released.

Some details about Android:

• Android is built on the open Linux Kernel.
  
• Uses a custom virtual machine in order to optimize memory and hardware resources.
  
• Open source.

My Quick Take: 

Well, clearly not the iPhone killer.  At least not yet anyway. 

There are very few actual details at the Android web site (although there is a video of the Android engineers.  how sweet).  Until we actually see something this is nothing more than some high minded statement of what the perfect open source phone OS is.

Additionally,  many of these industry alliances have a difficult time producing a usable product.  Assuming this is really Google's baby and they are driving it, the likelihood of actually producing something increases.

So until November 12 when we'll get a look at the SDK, there's not much here.  After that, there has to be an actual phone developed with this platform. 

Odds & Ends: Today's Interesting Reads

Around the Mac Web for November 5, 2007:

Mac Sales becoming big for Apple

Apple Cracking Down on iPhone Hacks

Google Phone Platform: Announcement 11 am Today

[Update...]

Google has an Andriod (After all the hype Google announces the Open Handset Alliance)

iPhone Software Update Imminent (and Beyond...)

T3 magazine has gotten a look at the uk edition of the iPhone and there are a couple of interesting items as a result. 

The big news out of the UK preview is that we can expect an iPhone firmware update on November 9 to support the launch. U.S. iPhone users will probably not see anything more than some security and minor bug fixes. One thing not yet known is whether Apple will brick iPhones that have been hacked. My money is on yes (and that's a completely different post).

Another interesting tidbit can be found in Apples responses to T3's questions. With regard to MMS messages Apple had an interesting response - essentially said they are not going to support anything but high definition picture sharing. Sounds like a new iPhone feature coming soon.

Apple also addressed the fact that you can not SMS with multiple people. Apple's response was that they don't comment on future enhancements. This is, of course, Apple's position on just about everything speculative. However, recently, I've noticed that Apple only drags out this old chestnut only when there is something coming down the pike that will address the issue. What this means is probably the rumored version of iChat for the iphone will be released soon.

As I see it, it looks like there's going to be at least one software update for the iPhone before the holidays. That would make sense. I suspect the priority at Apple for the remained of 2007 is to (1) Roll out Mac OS X Leopard (check); (2) Get the worldwide iPhone rollout done (in progress) with as little hassle as possible (i.e. one maybe 2 minor iPhone software updates; (3) Focus on a bang-up holiday season with Leopard, iPhone and the revamped iPod line (don't forget the Mac!) and finally, (4) Prepare for Macworld in January.

Obviously its Apple's annual Christmas in January is coming soon. So what can we expect come MWSF. I am sure that this will become THE hot topic on the Mac web in a few weeks so let me just kick off some speculation, directed at iPhone.

I think we will see three types of iPhone updates at MWSF. The first will be those that folks have been clamoring for and I classify as items that are needed to flush out the iPhone as a platform. These include things like the landscape keypad available in all applications, copy and past or some facsimile therof and other such UI niceties.

The next group of features are those I classify as new applications. In this category I put the much rumored iChat mobile and perhaps some other small widget like applications. I am sure we will see one or two of these at MWSF (an easy call given my last item below...).

Finally I think Apple will introduce something completely unexpected for the iPhone and tied into a larger Apple effort - video. I suspect that Apple is going to make a push in video next year (I would not be surprised if Steve works the phrase "year of Video into the Macworld Keynote). Its probably no big surprise that I, like many others, suspect that push is going to come in the form of movie rentals for iTunes and Apple TV (and an enhanced Apple TV at that). The iPhone will be a part of those plans. At a minimum you'll be able to watch your rentals on the iPhone after you download them in iTunes (duh. no brainer there). But even more exciting would be the ability to stream the rentals on the iPhone. If Apple goes in this direction it would be an iTunes WiFi-type enhancement (i.e. you can only stream with a WiFi connection).

Finally, I expect Apple will release the iPhone SDK, is some form, to developers at MWSF. Although it has not been promised until February, MWSF would be the logical time to get a preview the SDK release and get something into developers hands. That's why I think Apple will give out a couple of new apps to the iPhone at MWSF - to show the developers what can be done with the SDK. I expect Apple will follow up training days for developers in select cities like they did with the webkit iPhone development "kit".

Odds & Ends: Weekend Wrap Up

If you have not noticed, I am making the migration on this site from Wordpress to Movable Type.  I spent nearly the entire weekend making the move (and I am still not convinced its the right thing to do).  

As I result, I present a Weekend Wrap of Odds & Ends, around the Mac web for November 3 & 4, 2007:

Another SNL iPhone Spoof

Behind the 02 iPhone Deal

Google vs. iPhone?

O2 Expects 200,000 iPhone Holiday Sales

AT&T iPhone International Plan

iPhone Firmware Set to Make iBricks

Apple Backlash?

iPhone Rumors

Music Subscriptions...DOA (Again)

Well, Well, Well. Seems that Napster has figured out that there is no business in music subscriptions. 

Might want to let Rick Rubin know about that:

"You would subscribe to music," Rubin explained, as he settled on the velvet couch in his library. "You'd pay, say, $19.95 a month, and the music will come anywhere you'd like. In this new world, there will be a virtual library that will be accessible from your car, from your cellphone, from your computer, from your television. Anywhere. The iPod will be obsolete, but there would be a Walkman-like device you could plug into speakers at home. You'll say, 'Today I want to listen to ... Simon and Garfunkel,' and there they are. The service can have demos, bootlegs, concerts, whatever context the artist wants to put out. And once that model is put into place, the industry will grow 10 times the size it is now."

I'm not sure if Rubin is deluding himself or if he's just spouting off the Columbia Records corporate fantasy. Either way, like it or not, people want to own their music. Gee wonder where I heard that before....

Odds & Ends: Today's Interesting Reads

Around the Mac Web, Greatest Invention of the Year (TM) Edition:

Time: Invention of the Year

Invention of Year Embarrassment

Big UK iPhone Sales Expected

Apple's Having Problems with Dot Mac 

EEK! A Virus!

Mossberg Hates Gateway (Surprise! Not!) 

Must Read: Apple Needs a Nikon