The Wide, Wide World of Apple

Started by Barrister, August 24, 2009, 01:50:38 PM

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derspiess

#90
August 26, 2009, 05:12:31 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 04:51:18 PM
I do wonder about your claim that Apple treats video and music as secondary on the Touch, since they sell millions of dollars of both to people to watch on their iPods (including the touch).

I'm not saying the Touch is a bad media player, or that iTunes doesn't sell any music or video. 

But I am saying that Apple shifted focus for both the iPhone and iPod Touch to the apps & web browser (both of which are generally superb).  I'm not seeing any innovation from Apple on either the music or video functions, both of which should be the bread & butter of a portable media device.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Barrister

#91
August 26, 2009, 05:23:24 PM
Quote from: derspiess on August 26, 2009, 05:12:31 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 04:51:18 PM
I do wonder about your claim that Apple treats video and music as secondary on the Touch, since they sell millions of dollars of both to people to watch on their iPods (including the touch).

I'm not saying the Touch is a bad media player, or that iTunes doesn't sell any music or video. 

But I am saying that Apple shifted focus for both the iPhone and iPod Touch to the apps & web browser (both of which are generally superb).  I'm not seeing any innovation from Apple on either the music or video functions, both of which should be the bread & butter of a portable media device.

Okay.  I guess I just don't quite follow how much innovation there is left to be had in terms of media playback.  I think the reason they're focusing in on applications and games is because there's not much else to do to improve or differentiate.

The last few iPod iterations have had (frankly) some rather minimal changes at best, and the iPod Classic hasn't changed at all for a couple of years.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

derspiess

#92
August 26, 2009, 05:26:52 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 05:23:24 PM
Okay.  I guess I just don't quite follow how much innovation there is left to be had in terms of media playback. 

Of course you don't.  If Apple isn't doing it, it doesn't need to be done, right?  :P
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Barrister

#93
August 26, 2009, 05:28:05 PM
Quote from: derspiess on August 26, 2009, 05:26:52 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 05:23:24 PM
Okay.  I guess I just don't quite follow how much innovation there is left to be had in terms of media playback. 

Of course you don't.  If Apple isn't doing it, it doesn't need to be done, right?  :P

:rolleyes: :P

Be sure to give us a review of your Zune HD if you really do get one.

But keep it out of my Wide Wide World of Apple thread. :contract:
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

derspiess

#94
August 26, 2009, 09:49:14 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 05:28:05 PM
Be sure to give us a review of your Zune HD if you really do get one.

But keep it out of my Wide Wide World of Apple thread. :contract:

Pre-ordered a 32gb one today at Best Buy :yeah:

And I will keep it out of this thread... unless I decide to do a side by side comparison to the Touch.  I'll be objective  :goodboy:


Really though-- if I were a big consumer of Apple products, I'd be rooting for the Zune platform to become successful.  Unless of course you think somehow a lack of competition would result in better products from Apple.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Syt

#95
August 27, 2009, 12:02:39 AM
Meanwhile, I ordered the other Evil Empire cell phone - the G2 google one.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Threviel

#96
August 27, 2009, 01:12:14 AM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 01:04:45 PM
Quote from: Threviel on August 25, 2009, 11:15:55 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 25, 2009, 04:19:09 PM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on August 25, 2009, 03:52:44 PM
EDIT: BTW, before you start spouting off how "fair" it is, here's another thing to consider- a system that's entirely composed of bleeding-edge-in-its-category manufacture won't necessarily play well together. It's already caused problems with chipsets in both iMacs and MBPs.

Feel free to check older news on that sote and you will find. There have been driver and hardware issues, but they have also mostly been fixed.
Prove it.

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/19/apple-releases-fix-for-macbook-pro-hard-drive-issues/

There have been issues...

That has nothing to do with chipset problems, nor anything to do with "bleeding edge components not playing well with each other".

But I am not trying to say that Mac hardware is flawless.

Threviel

#97
August 27, 2009, 01:22:33 AM
Oh, let's not forget the single most important feature of My iMac. It is dead quiet, i have barely heard a fan since I got it. That's worth a lot to me, and should be factored in when making comparisons.

The Minsky Moment

#98
August 27, 2009, 09:31:27 AM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 05:23:24 PM
the iPod Classic hasn't changed at all for a couple of years.

Exactly.  On release the Classic was at least as good if not slighlty better than the Zune.  Now it is plainly inferior.  Apple has taken its eyes off the core DAP functionality and put all its eggs into the iphone/itouch basket.
The purpose of studying economics is not to acquire a set of ready-made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists.
--Joan Robinson

Barrister

#99
August 27, 2009, 11:03:09 AM
Quote from: The Minsky Moment on August 27, 2009, 09:31:27 AM
Quote from: Barrister on August 26, 2009, 05:23:24 PM
the iPod Classic hasn't changed at all for a couple of years.

Exactly.  On release the Classic was at least as good if not slighlty better than the Zune.  Now it is plainly inferior.  Apple has taken its eyes off the core DAP functionality and put all its eggs into the iphone/itouch basket.

:huh:

I'm struggling with the "plainly inferior" part.  In what way - because it has an FM tuner?
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

BuddhaRhubarb

#100
August 27, 2009, 11:57:41 AM
Quote from: Threviel on August 27, 2009, 01:22:33 AM
Oh, let's not forget the single most important feature of My iMac. It is dead quiet, i have barely heard a fan since I got it. That's worth a lot to me, and should be factored in when making comparisons.

I wish mine were. I wish I could afford a newer one. but really this 5 year old system does almost everything I need, and then some $300 for a fast kick ass system.
:p

derspiess

#101
August 27, 2009, 12:11:29 PM
Quote from: Syt on August 27, 2009, 12:02:39 AM
Meanwhile, I ordered the other Evil Empire cell phone - the G2 google one.

Looks like a sweet phone.  If it had a physical keyboard like the G1, I'd be all over it.  The trend away from physical keyboards is bugging me. 

Looks like Sprint over here in the US may come out with an Android phone w/ physical keyboard-- if it does that will probably be my next phone.  I nearly bit on a Palm Pre but the mini-chiclet keyboard buttons were a deal killer.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

derspiess

#102
August 27, 2009, 12:44:53 PM
Quote from: Barrister on August 27, 2009, 11:03:09 AM
I'm struggling with the "plainly inferior" part.  In what way - because it has an FM tuner?

Here are a few things the Zune 120 has over the iPod Classic:
-Screen size
-Ability to output 480p
-Wifi synching
-Ability to access Marketplace directly from device via Wifi
-Available subscription service
-Interface (though I'll admit this is subjective)
-Software (also subjective)
-Social networking integration (allows you to download playlists/music based on friends' recent plays)
-Native .wmv support
-Yes, FM Radio w/ ability to tag songs for purchase
-MS's policy of continuous free firmware updates for legacy devices that add new functionality

In fairness, here are some things the Classic has over the Zune:
-EQ
-Battery life
-Mac compatibility (though really, how many Mac users are going to buy Zunes anyway)
-More accessories (though many old accessories are not compatible, thanks to arbitrary hardware changes)

While I am a bit biased, it seems pretty obvious to me that the Zune platform has seen a lot more innovation for core media playing functionality than the iPod has of late.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

BuddhaRhubarb

#103
August 27, 2009, 09:03:06 PM
but the classic is just one kind of ipod. you can get those other things from other pods. but really, if a zune suits someone better, they should use that. I use a PC with XP on it at work (mostly in an app running in DOSbox, yet!) at home I use a mac, out and about I have my Linux (Ubuntu) Netbook. All three are easy to use and do what I need.

branding is for the unevolved. If I get an Intel Mac I will definitely have a Widows Boot on it. Why the hell wouldn't you. If you can.
:p

Barrister

#104
August 27, 2009, 09:05:45 PM
Quote from: BuddhaRhubarb on August 27, 2009, 09:03:06 PM
branding is for the unevolved. If I get an Intel Mac I will definitely have a Widows Boot on it. Why the hell wouldn't you. If you can.

Beats the hell out of me - I have an XP partition on my Mac.   :cool:

The question will be whether I upgrade it to 7 or not in the next few months...
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.
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