Apple's on top, time to worry
Unlike that meandering, Sunday-driving couple described by Paul McCartney in "Two of Us," Jobs has single-mindedly defined the modern era of mobile computing and digital entertainment, from the original iPod and iTunes to the iPhone to Apple's latest hit, the iPad (2 million units sold in two months, and growing). Apple is now the world's most valuable technology company, recently passing Microsoft with a $233 billion market capitalization. Apple's influence and the near-fetishistic attention paid to its products will be on display Monday at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Jobs, as anyone who's surfed the Web or picked up a newspaper in the last few months knows, is expected to announce the fourth version of the iPhone: Apple fans will go wild, the tech and business press will cover it with the kind of attention the mass media normally pays to presidential elections and celebrity breakups, and Jobs and his employees will yet again be at the center of the tech universe. But how far can this joyride go? The seeds of sometimes-fatal mistakes are sown when a company is at its peak: Expectations become unrealistic. Management loses focus. A new competitor finds a cheaper way to do what you're doing. Regulators start asking if you've grown too powerful. And all the while, you're too busy enjoying your success to recognize the dangers.Jobs, who in 1996 returned to an Apple that had nearly gone out of business because it was outmaneuvered, out-partnered, and out-marketed by Microsoft, clearly knows this. Last week at the annual D conference, he described Apple as the world's largest start-up.Translation: We're not some slow-footed, bureaucratic beast that's going to get pushed aside by new competitors you've not yet heard of. Jobs, after all, isn't just a student of business history; he's part of it, and he likely knows what happens when you take success for granted.The tech industry, of course, is famous for humbling its titans. Digital Equipment and Wang didn't pay attention when Sun Microsystems started selling cheaper workstations and servers. Later, Sun (now part of Oracle) ignored the rise of cheap servers based on Windows and Linux and Intel's x86 architecture because it was too busy selling pricey servers to dot-com and telecommunications customers. Microsoft doubled down on its Windows development and aggressively (too aggressively, according to the U.S. Department of Justice) went after upstart Netscape, just as the rest of the tech industry was trying to figure out how to do computing over the Web. Even more relevant: Microsoft was an early challenger in the smartphone market but failed to keep pace. Now it ranks somewhere around fifth, depending on how you count. So when Jobs takes the stage at the Moscone Center, a few Cassandras will surely be worried about whether Apple can yet again meet, and even exceed, the hype. History, even more than inflated expectations and longtime competitors, can be mighty hard to beat."Business success contains the seeds of its own destruction. The more successful you are, the more people want a chunk of your business and then another chunk and then another, until there is nothing left," Intel's legendary CEO, Andy Grove, once wrote.The seedsNo doubt, the ability to wow customers with new products gets harder every time Jobs takes the stage. Apple depends on the ability to surprise and capture consumers' imaginations.AppleDid Jobs lose that ability with the recent missing-iPhone soap opera? Sure, we know there's going to be a new iPhone, because that's what Apple has done every June since 2007. But thanks to gadget blog Gizmodo, now we seem to already know what design changes are in store, including one of the major new features: a front-facing camera. That's likely one reason that Jobs, who has never been shy about brutally quashing leaks, is angry. He considers secrecy one of Apple's most valuable assets--part of the mystique. Gizmodo, which paid $5,000 for an allegedly lost iPhone prototype, gave the world a peek behind the curtain.As any magician would tell you, you just can't let that happen."When this whole thing with Gizmodo happened, I got a lot of advice from people that said you've got to just let it slide; you shouldn't go after a journalist because they bought stolen property and they tried to extort you," Jobs said onstage at the D8 conference last week. "I thought deeply about this, and I ended up concluding that the worst thing that could possibly happen, as we get big, and as we get a little more influence in the world, is if we change our core values and start letting it slide. I can't do that. I'd rather quit." Playing nice with othersIf there has been one consistent knock on Jobs since his days as Silicon Valley's wunderkind, it's been that he can be arrogant, too convinced of his own vision.The App Store, while being a monumental success and a model for the industry, is also creating enemies. Apple's insistence on having employees personally review every application submitted--in line with Apple's deep desire to control perfection--is drawing frustration among developers, accusations of bias, and worse: the attention of antitrust authorities. The Justice Department has been asking about Apple's grip on digital music, and the company's influence on e-book pricing may have attracted the attention of the Texas Attorney General's Office. The Federal Trade Commission is also interested in why Apple is banning certain developer tools from its popular App Store platform. The latter issue stems from Apple's very public dismissal of longtime partner Adobe Systems. Jobs insists that Adobe's Flash, widely used on Web sites, is too unstable on mobile devices and can't be allowed to run on the iPhone and iPad. Instead, Jobs has pushed HTML 5, an open Web standard that's relatively new but under development by browser makers such as Google,Mozilla, Opera Software, and Apple. Jobs may be betting that the average consumer doesn't know or care about Flash vs. HTML 5, but software developers care a great deal. And while third-party apps have been a key to the iPhone's success, developers do have options now, thanks to Google's competing Android mobile operating system.Does that mean developers are fleeing the iPhone? No way. But Google, just a tiny bit, has managed to weaken Apple's position. It's a seed of doubt--something Jobs is clearly trying to address."We know from painful experience that letting a third-party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in substandard apps, and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform," Jobs said in his open letter on Flash in April. "We cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers." Playing hardball with third parties isn't new to Apple, of course. When NBC wanted to raise the price of its shows sold through iTunes from $1.99 each to $4.99 each in 2007, Apple refused and stopped distributing NBC shows for close to a year. The two eventually made up, with both sides claiming victory, once Apple started selling TV episodes in high definition for $2.99. In the end, NBC was cowed by Apple's market heft.Google's Android platform and phones like the Nexus One are proving to be a legitimate competitor to the iPhone and iPhone OS.Josh Lowensohn/CNETGoogle has started wooing developers by pointing out Apple's reputation along these lines. During Google I/O last month, Google's Vic Gundotra, vice president of engineering, paraphrased something Android leader Andy Rubin once said to him in explaining the motivation behind Android: a hedge on Apple's ambitions."If Google did not act, we faced a draconian future, a future where one man, one company, one device, one carrier would be our only choice. That's a future we don't want," Gundotra said.The Web loomsApple's "own and control" philosophy espoused by COO Tim Cook on a conference call years ago reveals why Apple's biggest weakness is a technology that no one owns and few control: the Web.The criticism is a little unfair: Apple developed the open-source WebKit Web-browsing technology that's emerging as an industry standard for mobile browsers, and desktop Safari usage exceeds that of Google's Chrome in North America, although Chrome is gaining in North America and has passed Safari worldwide. And Apple.com itself regularly cracks the top 10 most visited sites on the Web.But in terms of extending its technology advantage to the Web, Apple has a long way to go. MobileMe, Apple's mid-2008 revision to the aging Mac.com technology, was supposed to fix the perception of Apple as an Internet laggard. MobileMe allows users to synchronize bookmarks, contacts, and calendar appointments between their Mac or PC desktop and their iPhone. But MobileMe is pricey, at $99 for an annual subscription, and many consumers wonder why they should spend that when so many resources on the Web are free. Making MobileMe free would be a start toward getting the general public to accept the idea of Apple as a Web company.What else could Apple do? Apple has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on data centers to power the Internet-connected, software-based iTunes Store and what many suspect are future Web ambitions. Its acquisition of Lala points strongly toward a future Web-based version of iTunes--kind of like what Google is trying to do. Google is the obvious foil to a future Apple, and many would argue that it's the biggest competitor to the current Apple. Some believe Apple will entertain the idea of getting into search: not necessarily Internet search, but rather its own take on application discovery. But Facebook is also showing the world that mildly compelling applications can run atop very little infrastructure at all--and that no matter who's driving the train, software development will move more and more onto the Web every year.The man behind the curtainJobs is worshipped by employees, fellow executives, customers, and media types. He's also battled life-threatening illness. He's beaten pancreatic cancer and survived a liver transplant over the last decade, and while he has appeared on the mend in recent public appearances, his health is in the back of everyone's mind. Jobs may well be his company's most important asset. Apple has refused to discuss succession plans for the day he leaves Apple.James Martin/CNETJobs' influence at Apple is both overstated and understated, if that can be believed. More than 34,000 people work for Apple, and it's not like Jobs is down in the trenches, writing code or designing hardware. At the same time, however, he's the ultimate arbitrator at Apple, enforcing a demanding set of standards for quality, usability, and profitability with his willingness to put everything aside for the sake of the product. The day Jobs leaves Apple, the company will likely lose its spot atop the technology world--at least as measured by market capitalization criteria subject to the whims of hedge funds and day traders. Apple has refused to discuss succession plans for Jobs, but it's impossible to believe that such a carefully managed company has not planned for that inevitability. Executing that plan and convincing the world that Apple is more than Steve Jobs might do more to dictate its long-term health than any single factor. Creating the future Tech industry veterans who remember the first era of Steve Jobs have recently started to wonder if he himself remembers it, as they see Apple seemingly following the sort of go-it-alone strategy that cost it the "PC era." Yet Apple in 2010 is a very different company from Apple in 1984. It has multiple lines of profitable businesses, and its most promising business line is one that will evolve differently from the PC: mobile computers are going to reach more people around the world than PCs ever could. Sustaining an innovative business across multiple generations of technology--perhaps the fastest-moving industry yet created--has only really been done by a few companies: for every IBM and Intel, there's a Digital Equipment and Palm. It's hard to convince yourself that you need to change when most things you touch seemingly turn into gold. People wondered if Apple had peaked with the iPod. Then the company introduced the iPhone. People wondered if Apple had peaked with the iPhone. Then it introduced the iPad. When the "Stevenote" is finished on Monday, people will wonder again. Apple has drawn a road map to the next era of computing, but that doesn't guarantee it safe passage.Clarification, 12:13 p.m. PDT: This story was updated to specify that Safari exceeds Chrome in North America only.
New sports channels signal shift in Apple TV
New sports channels signal shift in Apple TV
It's becoming obvious that Apple TV is not a hobby anymore.The company had famously referred to its set-top device that way when it premiered four years ago as a way of keeping expectations low. But with today's software update, Apple is being more aggressive about making Apple TV competitive with its set-top rivals. As part of the iOS 4.3 update released today, Apple TV owners will now have access to MLB.TV and NBA League Pass. Both are subscription services for streaming live games over the Web, and like Netflix, which is already on Apple TV, customers have to enter their existing account to gain access via Apple TV. It's the first time Apple has featured live sports on Apple TV, and with the addition of these channels, Apple is also signaling that something else may be in the works: a more app-like approach to the device.Until now, Apple's set-top basically did three things: allow you to rent or buy iTunes content (that stayed on Apple TV only), stream Netflix (if you're a subscriber), and stream iTunes content from other devices. Those are great, but it still placed Apple TV behind the offerings of set-top devices like Roku, Xbox, and PlayStation 3. Besides Netflix, Roku, PS3, and Xbox have integrated Amazon Video on Demand, Hulu Plus, and scores of other sources of Hollywood content. Apple wants customers to buy iTunes content, so it's not likely we'll see it add many more ways to watch non-iTunes content beyond big name players like Netflix. But the sports angle is a big deal for cord-cutters--those of us who are trying to consume all of our entertainment content on TV without a cable TV subscription. Up until today Apple TV had no sports offering. In terms of major sports, Roku has long had MLB.TV and NHL GameCenter Live, Xbox 360 has ESPN live streaming and MLB, and the PlayStation 3 has MLB.TV and NHL.Today's update makes Apple TV a lot more competitive in comparison to what those other set-top devices offer. So while Apple TV might be late getting into the sports streaming game, this is a solid start, and probably (hopefully?) means we'll see more.App-le TV?It's something we've wondered about since the new-and-improved $99 device arrived last fall: would Apple TV eventually be able to run iOS apps, thus expanding the platform's reach and giving new opportunities to game developers and app makers? Games on Apple TV would make a lot of sense, as would many other apps.But when Steve Jobs introduced the reimagined Apple TV last fall--a smaller, sleeker device with a lower price tag and Netflix access--he specifically noted that it was running a version of iOS, but not the full-fledged system that appears on iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch. While Netflix, MLB.TV, and NBA League Pass are being positioned as channels on Apple TV--you can't download them from any sort of app store, they're only available via this software update--they're really not any different in how they work than the Netflix app on the iPhone or iPad, or the MLB Game Day app on the same devices. MLB's Game Day app has always been very popular in the App Store, so if these sports channels do well on Apple TV, it's hard to see why Apple wouldn't someday want to give customers more variety of channels or apps to choose to add to their Apple TV.
It's becoming obvious that Apple TV is not a hobby anymore.The company had famously referred to its set-top device that way when it premiered four years ago as a way of keeping expectations low. But with today's software update, Apple is being more aggressive about making Apple TV competitive with its set-top rivals. As part of the iOS 4.3 update released today, Apple TV owners will now have access to MLB.TV and NBA League Pass. Both are subscription services for streaming live games over the Web, and like Netflix, which is already on Apple TV, customers have to enter their existing account to gain access via Apple TV. It's the first time Apple has featured live sports on Apple TV, and with the addition of these channels, Apple is also signaling that something else may be in the works: a more app-like approach to the device.Until now, Apple's set-top basically did three things: allow you to rent or buy iTunes content (that stayed on Apple TV only), stream Netflix (if you're a subscriber), and stream iTunes content from other devices. Those are great, but it still placed Apple TV behind the offerings of set-top devices like Roku, Xbox, and PlayStation 3. Besides Netflix, Roku, PS3, and Xbox have integrated Amazon Video on Demand, Hulu Plus, and scores of other sources of Hollywood content. Apple wants customers to buy iTunes content, so it's not likely we'll see it add many more ways to watch non-iTunes content beyond big name players like Netflix. But the sports angle is a big deal for cord-cutters--those of us who are trying to consume all of our entertainment content on TV without a cable TV subscription. Up until today Apple TV had no sports offering. In terms of major sports, Roku has long had MLB.TV and NHL GameCenter Live, Xbox 360 has ESPN live streaming and MLB, and the PlayStation 3 has MLB.TV and NHL.Today's update makes Apple TV a lot more competitive in comparison to what those other set-top devices offer. So while Apple TV might be late getting into the sports streaming game, this is a solid start, and probably (hopefully?) means we'll see more.App-le TV?It's something we've wondered about since the new-and-improved $99 device arrived last fall: would Apple TV eventually be able to run iOS apps, thus expanding the platform's reach and giving new opportunities to game developers and app makers? Games on Apple TV would make a lot of sense, as would many other apps.But when Steve Jobs introduced the reimagined Apple TV last fall--a smaller, sleeker device with a lower price tag and Netflix access--he specifically noted that it was running a version of iOS, but not the full-fledged system that appears on iPhones, iPads, and the iPod Touch. While Netflix, MLB.TV, and NBA League Pass are being positioned as channels on Apple TV--you can't download them from any sort of app store, they're only available via this software update--they're really not any different in how they work than the Netflix app on the iPhone or iPad, or the MLB Game Day app on the same devices. MLB's Game Day app has always been very popular in the App Store, so if these sports channels do well on Apple TV, it's hard to see why Apple wouldn't someday want to give customers more variety of channels or apps to choose to add to their Apple TV.
Boundless textbooks get paid study guides, iOS apps
Boundless textbooks get paid study guides, iOS apps
Free-textbook service Boundless is delving into paid services this week, all designed to more fiercely compete with textbooks from major publishers.On Tuesday the Boston-based company rolled out what it considers the second phase of its service: textbooks that can very nearly mirror the titles you'd get from major publishers, but at $20 a piece.These titles are effectively the same thing the company's offered since last year, but they're specifically reordered to match up with mainstream textbooks. Users can search for the title of the major publisher's book they've been assigned to buy, and get a version from Boundless instead. Boundless is coupling this with new study tools like built-in quizzes and flashcards, that CEO and co-founder Ariel Diaz says can lock in information, and change dynamically based on how students are doing. That means if you're totally bombing a series of flashcards, you can go back and reread -- or if you're breezing through, it will shorten the quiz altogether. An example of what a shopper who's looking for a textbook alternative would find on Boundless' site.CNETAlongside the launch, the company has also rolled out native applications for iOS (iTunes) for people who want to access books outside of the browser. These apps aren't able to store a title offline, a feature that Diaz told CNET could be added down the line. On the flip side, he said, the company is getting lots of helpful data about sections students are highlighting, and what they're reading at any given time, information Boundless can use to rework its titles. The backdrop to all this is a lawsuit between Boundless and three major academic book publishers, who sued last March. Those companies, which include Pearson, Cengage, and MacMillan, claim that Boundless is violating copyright law by offering works that are "overwhelmingly similar" to their own textbooks. Boundless, on the other hand, has argued it's created the content. Diaz said the lawsuit did not deter the company from venturing out into a paid service, adding that study tools seemed like the next logical step to make Boundless' products more useful and competitive.This brings up the question of whether Boundless will go beyond these entry-level textbooks and into the types of titles students might buy at higher course levels. Diaz maintains that the entry level is the company's sweet spot, and that courses at higher levels tend to be far more diverse in the reading materials they rely on, making it harder to offer something that fits the greatest amount of users. The new tools came out Tuesday, and the company is still offering its library of 21 "open textbooks" for free -- just without the study guide features.Here's the company's new pitch:
Free-textbook service Boundless is delving into paid services this week, all designed to more fiercely compete with textbooks from major publishers.On Tuesday the Boston-based company rolled out what it considers the second phase of its service: textbooks that can very nearly mirror the titles you'd get from major publishers, but at $20 a piece.These titles are effectively the same thing the company's offered since last year, but they're specifically reordered to match up with mainstream textbooks. Users can search for the title of the major publisher's book they've been assigned to buy, and get a version from Boundless instead. Boundless is coupling this with new study tools like built-in quizzes and flashcards, that CEO and co-founder Ariel Diaz says can lock in information, and change dynamically based on how students are doing. That means if you're totally bombing a series of flashcards, you can go back and reread -- or if you're breezing through, it will shorten the quiz altogether. An example of what a shopper who's looking for a textbook alternative would find on Boundless' site.CNETAlongside the launch, the company has also rolled out native applications for iOS (iTunes) for people who want to access books outside of the browser. These apps aren't able to store a title offline, a feature that Diaz told CNET could be added down the line. On the flip side, he said, the company is getting lots of helpful data about sections students are highlighting, and what they're reading at any given time, information Boundless can use to rework its titles. The backdrop to all this is a lawsuit between Boundless and three major academic book publishers, who sued last March. Those companies, which include Pearson, Cengage, and MacMillan, claim that Boundless is violating copyright law by offering works that are "overwhelmingly similar" to their own textbooks. Boundless, on the other hand, has argued it's created the content. Diaz said the lawsuit did not deter the company from venturing out into a paid service, adding that study tools seemed like the next logical step to make Boundless' products more useful and competitive.This brings up the question of whether Boundless will go beyond these entry-level textbooks and into the types of titles students might buy at higher course levels. Diaz maintains that the entry level is the company's sweet spot, and that courses at higher levels tend to be far more diverse in the reading materials they rely on, making it harder to offer something that fits the greatest amount of users. The new tools came out Tuesday, and the company is still offering its library of 21 "open textbooks" for free -- just without the study guide features.Here's the company's new pitch:
The 404 405- Where really-! No more Saturday mail!-
The 404 405: Where really?! No more Saturday mail!?
The CNET offices in New York just got a little more exciting, because Bonnie Cha is in The 404 studio to brighten up an otherwise sobering Monday morning! She's only here for one more day, but make sure you listen to the end of the show, because she has a very important announcement!Our rundowneth overfloweth today with quick little news bytes. The first one is about the U.S. Post Office no longer delivering mail on Saturdays! Calm down, the proposition is still in the infancy stage, but we're wondering if this is a real concern for anyone, or if this could just be another point on the board for THE INTERNET. Nevertheless, we're still going to miss our friendly neighborhood mailpeople who face dogs, weather, fatigue, and a million other things to bring us our daily book of ValuePak coupons.Next up is a little rumor we've heard from TechRadar about Sony releasing an emotion sensor at tomorrow's GamesCon media conference. We're not sure if this technology will ever actually materialize, but we do know Sony has already patented plans for a gaming console that can be controlled by touch, movement, and even emotions including laughter, boredom, sadness, excitement, and anger. Personally, I can do without a box reading my emotions and affecting my gameplay, but what do you think? Could you get into something like that?We also talk about "District 9" cleaning up the weekend box office, cocaine content of U.S. currency, and watch as Amy Winehouse has a complete mental breakdown, all on today's snapshot episode!EPISODE 405PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
The CNET offices in New York just got a little more exciting, because Bonnie Cha is in The 404 studio to brighten up an otherwise sobering Monday morning! She's only here for one more day, but make sure you listen to the end of the show, because she has a very important announcement!Our rundowneth overfloweth today with quick little news bytes. The first one is about the U.S. Post Office no longer delivering mail on Saturdays! Calm down, the proposition is still in the infancy stage, but we're wondering if this is a real concern for anyone, or if this could just be another point on the board for THE INTERNET. Nevertheless, we're still going to miss our friendly neighborhood mailpeople who face dogs, weather, fatigue, and a million other things to bring us our daily book of ValuePak coupons.Next up is a little rumor we've heard from TechRadar about Sony releasing an emotion sensor at tomorrow's GamesCon media conference. We're not sure if this technology will ever actually materialize, but we do know Sony has already patented plans for a gaming console that can be controlled by touch, movement, and even emotions including laughter, boredom, sadness, excitement, and anger. Personally, I can do without a box reading my emotions and affecting my gameplay, but what do you think? Could you get into something like that?We also talk about "District 9" cleaning up the weekend box office, cocaine content of U.S. currency, and watch as Amy Winehouse has a complete mental breakdown, all on today's snapshot episode!EPISODE 405PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Mercury Rises as Bruce Willis takes on Unbreakable iTunes terms
Mercury Rises as Bruce Willis takes on Unbreakable iTunes terms
Bruce Willis is reportedly preparing to battle Apple over the rights to his iTunes music collection after he dies. As it stands, Apple's terms and conditions for its iTunes store means that people are not actually purchasing music from the store, they're merely purchasing the rights to listen to the song in question. These rights are non-transferable, and "does not allow you to use the Licensed Application on any Apple Device that you do not own or control".Willis, who apparently has a particularly large iTunes collection, wants to pass on his music to his four children and has instructed his legal advisers to set up family trusts specifically for his music downloads. According to The Sun Willis is actively preparing to take Apple to court over this. He is also reportedly supporting legal initiatives in five US states that are aimed at providing greater rights for music downloaders. Given that, by the act of purchasing from the iTunes store, Willis has agreed to these terms and conditions, it's unclear how much of a legal leg he has to stand on. However, anything that raises awareness of the issues around ownership of digital editions of music, movies and more is always of benefit to consumers. Update Bruce Willis' wife, the model-actress Emma Heming-Willis, has taken to Twitter to refute the idea of her husband taking on the might of Apple, stating quite simply that "it's not a true story". Looks like our Sixth Sense for these things was wrong, and Apple remains The Last Man Standing after Willis turned out to be The Wrong Man to see Red over the iTunes T&Cs. People worried about digital ownership rights will need to wait for another Alpha Dog who would be willing to walk the metaphorical 16 Blocks to fight the good fight. Unless Willis is up for some Moonlighting?Updated at 9.16am AEST: added additional about the claim being refuted by Willis' wife.
Bruce Willis is reportedly preparing to battle Apple over the rights to his iTunes music collection after he dies. As it stands, Apple's terms and conditions for its iTunes store means that people are not actually purchasing music from the store, they're merely purchasing the rights to listen to the song in question. These rights are non-transferable, and "does not allow you to use the Licensed Application on any Apple Device that you do not own or control".Willis, who apparently has a particularly large iTunes collection, wants to pass on his music to his four children and has instructed his legal advisers to set up family trusts specifically for his music downloads. According to The Sun Willis is actively preparing to take Apple to court over this. He is also reportedly supporting legal initiatives in five US states that are aimed at providing greater rights for music downloaders. Given that, by the act of purchasing from the iTunes store, Willis has agreed to these terms and conditions, it's unclear how much of a legal leg he has to stand on. However, anything that raises awareness of the issues around ownership of digital editions of music, movies and more is always of benefit to consumers. Update Bruce Willis' wife, the model-actress Emma Heming-Willis, has taken to Twitter to refute the idea of her husband taking on the might of Apple, stating quite simply that "it's not a true story". Looks like our Sixth Sense for these things was wrong, and Apple remains The Last Man Standing after Willis turned out to be The Wrong Man to see Red over the iTunes T&Cs. People worried about digital ownership rights will need to wait for another Alpha Dog who would be willing to walk the metaphorical 16 Blocks to fight the good fight. Unless Willis is up for some Moonlighting?Updated at 9.16am AEST: added additional about the claim being refuted by Willis' wife.
Flurry uncovers Xiaomi's core customer
Flurry uncovers Xiaomi's core customer
Xiaomi's customers in China appear to be young, professional, and addicted to media and entertainment apps.Mobile researcher Flurry said in a new study that it analyzed a random sample of 23,000 devices in China throughout January to uncover Xiaomi's core user. It found that the China-based electronics company's customer base skews toward 18- to 34-year-old business professionals that tend to heavily use their devices for media and entertainment, as well as productivity. They are less focused on gaming, and social and messaging than the average Chinese smartphone user, Flurry said.That young, professional group is a coveted user base, Flurry noted, as the fast-growing segment has become a leading driver of China's new consumer-based economy, and could help Xiaomi keep up its rapid growth.The Beijing-based smartphone maker has quickly gained market share in China by offering high-end but lower-priced Android-powered smartphones, and has been moving into new regions in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Earlier this month, Xiaomi said it sold 26.1 million smartphones in the first half of the year, up substantially from the 18.7 million it sold for all of 2013.Flurry also found that Xiaomi now leads in the Chinese market for time users spend in apps. That would signify a shift from Apple's iPhone leading in this metric by a wide margin for the past six years against every device powered by Google's Android operating system. The researcher attributed the lead in part to the Xiaomi core customer's big use of media and entertainment."This is the first time we've seen an Android smartphone catch up to the iPhone's most important engagement metric -- and exceed it," Flurry said.
Xiaomi's customers in China appear to be young, professional, and addicted to media and entertainment apps.Mobile researcher Flurry said in a new study that it analyzed a random sample of 23,000 devices in China throughout January to uncover Xiaomi's core user. It found that the China-based electronics company's customer base skews toward 18- to 34-year-old business professionals that tend to heavily use their devices for media and entertainment, as well as productivity. They are less focused on gaming, and social and messaging than the average Chinese smartphone user, Flurry said.That young, professional group is a coveted user base, Flurry noted, as the fast-growing segment has become a leading driver of China's new consumer-based economy, and could help Xiaomi keep up its rapid growth.The Beijing-based smartphone maker has quickly gained market share in China by offering high-end but lower-priced Android-powered smartphones, and has been moving into new regions in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Earlier this month, Xiaomi said it sold 26.1 million smartphones in the first half of the year, up substantially from the 18.7 million it sold for all of 2013.Flurry also found that Xiaomi now leads in the Chinese market for time users spend in apps. That would signify a shift from Apple's iPhone leading in this metric by a wide margin for the past six years against every device powered by Google's Android operating system. The researcher attributed the lead in part to the Xiaomi core customer's big use of media and entertainment."This is the first time we've seen an Android smartphone catch up to the iPhone's most important engagement metric -- and exceed it," Flurry said.
First iPhone 4 buyers already camping out in SF
First iPhone 4 buyers already camping out in SF
SAN FRANCISCO--The iPhone 4 won't officially show up in stores until Thursday, but as has become a tradition, some of the more eager have gotten in line days ahead of time.Chris Bank, 24, camped out in a tent with a friend on Stockton Street Monday night in order to secure the first two spaces in line. He says he's never waited in linebefore for any gadget, but that this iPhone release is special. "I'm finally switching!" he said Tuesday, holding up his BlackBerry.Bank is renting the first space in line, along with use of his tent, for $200. (Click to enlarge.)James Martin/CNETBank is trying to gather as much attention as he can by Twittering about his exploits live, but that's also because he has something to sell. Bank has two spots and is trying to rent out the first spot in line along with his tent on Airbnb.com for $200. The highest bidder has the chance to be one of the first to get the iPhone at the Stockton Street store on Thursday morning--and the chance to get photographed by the media, which will swarm him. Apple has made him feel welcome. When he was almost issued a ticket by the San Francisco police for camping on the sidewalk Tuesday morning, Bank says "an Apple rep offered to pay" for it.Apple has in the past few years been happy to accommodate iPhone line waiters, bringing refreshments to them and allowing some who've camped overnight to recharge their laptops in the store.Joe Lobato is also taking an entrepreneurial tack. He's third in line at the San Francisco store, but is willing to sell his spot--just a lawn chair, no tent--for $200 cash because he says he wants a new iPhone, but can't afford the cost himself. Lobato is also Twittering about his experiences and streaming on Ustream.TV via the Webcam on his white MacBook.
SAN FRANCISCO--The iPhone 4 won't officially show up in stores until Thursday, but as has become a tradition, some of the more eager have gotten in line days ahead of time.Chris Bank, 24, camped out in a tent with a friend on Stockton Street Monday night in order to secure the first two spaces in line. He says he's never waited in linebefore for any gadget, but that this iPhone release is special. "I'm finally switching!" he said Tuesday, holding up his BlackBerry.Bank is renting the first space in line, along with use of his tent, for $200. (Click to enlarge.)James Martin/CNETBank is trying to gather as much attention as he can by Twittering about his exploits live, but that's also because he has something to sell. Bank has two spots and is trying to rent out the first spot in line along with his tent on Airbnb.com for $200. The highest bidder has the chance to be one of the first to get the iPhone at the Stockton Street store on Thursday morning--and the chance to get photographed by the media, which will swarm him. Apple has made him feel welcome. When he was almost issued a ticket by the San Francisco police for camping on the sidewalk Tuesday morning, Bank says "an Apple rep offered to pay" for it.Apple has in the past few years been happy to accommodate iPhone line waiters, bringing refreshments to them and allowing some who've camped overnight to recharge their laptops in the store.Joe Lobato is also taking an entrepreneurial tack. He's third in line at the San Francisco store, but is willing to sell his spot--just a lawn chair, no tent--for $200 cash because he says he wants a new iPhone, but can't afford the cost himself. Lobato is also Twittering about his experiences and streaming on Ustream.TV via the Webcam on his white MacBook.
First Intel Ivy Bridge launch expected on April 23
First Intel Ivy Bridge launch expected on April 23
The first of a series of Ivy Bridge chip announcements is expected on April 23, CNET has learned. Previously, CNET had been told the launch would happen between April 23 and April 29.Buy today an industry source familiar with Intel's plans said the initial rollout will happen on April 23. Ivy Bridge is the first in a series of upcoming Intel mainstream chips that emphasize graphics and multimedia processing.Preliminary benchmarks demonstrate the chip's graphics prowess compared to earlier Intel designs. Ivy Bridge is also the first Intel chip to employ new 3D transistors and the first to support USB 3.0 (in the companion chipset).Related storiesMore reasons to wait for 'Ivy Bridge' MacBook, Windows laptopsIntel offers clarification on 'Ivy Bridge' chip delayNvidia's Haas on being two places at once: Intel and ARMRumors have Apple bringing out a thinner 15-inch MacBook model in the coming months as well as 13-inch MacBooks.Those systems will likely tap Intel's more power-efficient Ivy Bridge chips. And Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, and Asus will update and/or bring out new systems.These will run the gamut of laptop designs, but more systems are expected to be thin.Even many higher performance systems are expected to have a slimmer chassis. Those laptops typically use a separate graphics chip from suppliers such as Nvidia. Though the first Ivy Bridge announcement will come this month, rollouts are expected to be staggered. As Intel has done in the past, quad-core chips appear first followed by the most power-efficient processors that go into ultrabooks and the MacBook Air. Responding to reports about delays earlier in the year, Intel said some power-efficient mobile products may launch a few weeks later than originally planned.
The first of a series of Ivy Bridge chip announcements is expected on April 23, CNET has learned. Previously, CNET had been told the launch would happen between April 23 and April 29.Buy today an industry source familiar with Intel's plans said the initial rollout will happen on April 23. Ivy Bridge is the first in a series of upcoming Intel mainstream chips that emphasize graphics and multimedia processing.Preliminary benchmarks demonstrate the chip's graphics prowess compared to earlier Intel designs. Ivy Bridge is also the first Intel chip to employ new 3D transistors and the first to support USB 3.0 (in the companion chipset).Related storiesMore reasons to wait for 'Ivy Bridge' MacBook, Windows laptopsIntel offers clarification on 'Ivy Bridge' chip delayNvidia's Haas on being two places at once: Intel and ARMRumors have Apple bringing out a thinner 15-inch MacBook model in the coming months as well as 13-inch MacBooks.Those systems will likely tap Intel's more power-efficient Ivy Bridge chips. And Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, and Asus will update and/or bring out new systems.These will run the gamut of laptop designs, but more systems are expected to be thin.Even many higher performance systems are expected to have a slimmer chassis. Those laptops typically use a separate graphics chip from suppliers such as Nvidia. Though the first Ivy Bridge announcement will come this month, rollouts are expected to be staggered. As Intel has done in the past, quad-core chips appear first followed by the most power-efficient processors that go into ultrabooks and the MacBook Air. Responding to reports about delays earlier in the year, Intel said some power-efficient mobile products may launch a few weeks later than originally planned.
Federal judge tosses Apple patent lawsuit against Motorola
Federal judge tosses Apple patent lawsuit against Motorola
According to the blog Foss Patents, which was first to report today's decision, Judge Barbara Crabb, of the Western District of Wisconsin, dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that Apple will have to successfully appeal her decision to revive the case. Apple can't simply refile in another district court. Apple filed suit against Motorola Mobility in March 2011 after Motorola sought 2.25 percent of all net sales on iOS products that use essential industry standard patents. Companies that own industry-essential patents are expected to offer them under licensing terms that are "fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory " or FRAND for short. Related storiesAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?Dialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Making MotoBlur manageableWSJ: Motorola rethinking spin-offGoogle's spy case: Not the first, nor the lastApple accused Motorola of gouging and seeking excessive royalty payments for its patents, which cover video streaming and Wi-Fi technology. Apple is engaged in a patent war with Google on numerous fronts and in multiple high-profile legal cases, including Apple v. Samsung. Things had gone mostly Apple's way up until last week, Foss Patents blogger Florian Mueller wrote, when the Google-owned Motorola filed a motion that would have required Apple to adhere to whatever the court decided was a fair royalty rate. But Apple played hardball, saying it would only agree to a court-determined rate if the rate didn't exceed $1 per iPhone.Mueller has consulted for Microsoft, which is pursuing a similar legal case against Motorola.
According to the blog Foss Patents, which was first to report today's decision, Judge Barbara Crabb, of the Western District of Wisconsin, dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that Apple will have to successfully appeal her decision to revive the case. Apple can't simply refile in another district court. Apple filed suit against Motorola Mobility in March 2011 after Motorola sought 2.25 percent of all net sales on iOS products that use essential industry standard patents. Companies that own industry-essential patents are expected to offer them under licensing terms that are "fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory " or FRAND for short. Related storiesAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?Dialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Making MotoBlur manageableWSJ: Motorola rethinking spin-offGoogle's spy case: Not the first, nor the lastApple accused Motorola of gouging and seeking excessive royalty payments for its patents, which cover video streaming and Wi-Fi technology. Apple is engaged in a patent war with Google on numerous fronts and in multiple high-profile legal cases, including Apple v. Samsung. Things had gone mostly Apple's way up until last week, Foss Patents blogger Florian Mueller wrote, when the Google-owned Motorola filed a motion that would have required Apple to adhere to whatever the court decided was a fair royalty rate. But Apple played hardball, saying it would only agree to a court-determined rate if the rate didn't exceed $1 per iPhone.Mueller has consulted for Microsoft, which is pursuing a similar legal case against Motorola.
First glimpse at the inside of Apple's new iMac line
First glimpse at the inside of Apple's new iMac line
Apple's new iMac has been taken apart and gutted for the world to see.Japanese Apple blog Kodawarisan today unboxed the iMac and then decided to take it one step further by fully disassembling the new computer. You can see the full set of teardown pictures here.The blog didn't spend too much time discussing the internal components, but did find that it took a "vacuum lifter" to peel the screen away from the back of the computer and see inside. Behind the display, the blog found a surprisingly tidy collection of components packed into an extremely cramped space.Many of the components appear to be kept away from the display by being covered under plastic compartments. A single band extends from the middle of the iMac to the top to connect the device's FaceTime camera.Perhaps the most interesting addition to the iMac is its oddly shaped logic board. Rather than the standard rectangular board, the iMac's board has a cut-out at the bottom to accommodate its design. The board, however, is awfully neat, making for a surprisingly simple internal design.Apple announced the new iMac line last month, and released the 21.5-inch model -- which Kodawarisan took apart -- today. The 27-inch version will be shipping in two to three weeks. As with other iMacs, it appears this model is extremely difficult to take apart -- a common attribute of Apple's products.(Via AppleInsider)This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's new iMac has been taken apart and gutted for the world to see.Japanese Apple blog Kodawarisan today unboxed the iMac and then decided to take it one step further by fully disassembling the new computer. You can see the full set of teardown pictures here.The blog didn't spend too much time discussing the internal components, but did find that it took a "vacuum lifter" to peel the screen away from the back of the computer and see inside. Behind the display, the blog found a surprisingly tidy collection of components packed into an extremely cramped space.Many of the components appear to be kept away from the display by being covered under plastic compartments. A single band extends from the middle of the iMac to the top to connect the device's FaceTime camera.Perhaps the most interesting addition to the iMac is its oddly shaped logic board. Rather than the standard rectangular board, the iMac's board has a cut-out at the bottom to accommodate its design. The board, however, is awfully neat, making for a surprisingly simple internal design.Apple announced the new iMac line last month, and released the 21.5-inch model -- which Kodawarisan took apart -- today. The 27-inch version will be shipping in two to three weeks. As with other iMacs, it appears this model is extremely difficult to take apart -- a common attribute of Apple's products.(Via AppleInsider)This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple quietly shelves Chomp app search tool
Any traces of Chomp, the app search and discovery companyApple acquired earlier this year, have been scrubbed from the world.AllThingsD notes that Chomp's app for iOS no longer works, and kicks users to the App Store instead of serving up results. Going to Chomp.com, the former Web based version of the search, also now redirects to Apple's site.Apple did the same thing with Siri, the company it acquiredand turned into the voice assistant feature in iOS devices, however that was after the feature went live inside the iPhone 4S. Related storiesApple picks up Chomp to bolster App StoreAndroid results now gone from Apple-owned ChompVerizon improves search in its app storeChomp launched in early 2010 as an alternate search tool for sifting through Apple's App Store, branching out to Google's Android platform the following year. Its technology provides results based on an app's function, instead of its name. Apple stopped serving results for Google's Android platform near the end of April, but the site and iOS app lived on.Apple confirmed its acquisition of the company shortly after its purchase, but hasn't stated what it intends to do with the technology. The search tools are expected to be built into Apple's App Store, which recently got revamped as part of iOS 6. The closure joins Ping, Apple's ill-fated social networking tool for music. Appletook the feature offline today, a scheduled move.
Apple quietly discontinues white MacBook
Along with releasing a flurry of new products this morning, Apple has also apparently discontinued its white MacBook.Following today's announcements of a new MacBook Air and Mac Mini, the white MacBook was no longer available on Apple's online store. That notebook, which boasted a 13-inch screen and came in at $999, is, however, selling in Apple's online refurbished marketplace for $849.So far, Apple hasn't commented on what happened to the white MacBook, and the company did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment. However, it might have simply been a case of no longer needing it.Earlier today, Apple released updated MacBook Air models equipped with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors, as well as Thunderbolt support. The 11-inch MacBook Air starts at $999, putting it at the same price as Apple's white MacBook.Apple's apparent decision to discontinue the white MacBook is still a bit of surprise, though. Just last week, rumors cropped up claiming Apple would be updating the white MacBook.
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