Microsoft finally advertises its biggest advantage over the iPod, cost
Greetings Readers!
Microsoft has unveiled their latest attack on Apple, but this time it doesn't involve anybody going to a retail store and purchasing a laptop. This time Microsoft is setting its sights on the iPod. The latest commercial attacks Apple for not having a subscription service on iTunes for music downloads. Without a subscription service, they claim it will cost $30,000 to fill a 120GB iPod with mp3s. Microsoft's Zune on the other hand, has an unlimited music service that is $15/mo for unlimited music downloads. It would take over 166 years of a Zune Pass subscription to equal what it would cost if you were to fill a 120GB iPod from iTunes. I believe that this is a great move from Microsoft. When you talk saving money during hard economic times, people are going to listen. Much like the Windows ads, I think that they can do the most damage to Apple if they push the issue of cost.
Of course the commercial doesn't give you the whole story, otherwise you might not be compelled to switch. All music downloaded with a Zune Pass comes with that dreaded DRM garbage that the rest of the world is moving away from. Without the pass, you can get DRM free music but not with it. The subscription has DRM so that you continue to subscribe to the Zune Pass. If you don't keep your subscription renewed, you will end up with a bunch of music that won't play. That is the downside of the Zune Pass. You get to keep 10 songs a month I believe for free but everything else will die if you don't renew. Microsoft paints a pretty picture with the commercial, but everything has a downside and this is one they hope you won't notice. Of course you could crack the DRM and eliminate that downside, but that is not legal. As much as my pirate nature would like to share information with you on how to do that, I am not looking to piss off Microsoft, especially when I have the desire to work for them at some point. Anyway, below is the new Zune ad that attacks the idea that it would cost $30,000 to fill an iPod.
Apple Announces it is Leaving MacWorld, Shoots Itself in the Foot
Greetings Readers!
After feeding the animals at work I came back to my computer moments ago to discover, thanks to Twitter, that Apple is no longer going to be at MacWorld after this year. Not only that, but Steve Jobs isn't even going to give the keynote for this years MacWord.
To say that this movement is shocking is an understatement. I never thought I would see an announcement like this. It has been clear for a while now that Jobs seems to be trying to get out of the spotlight, but to have Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, give the speech is rather surprising. Having somebody other than Steve Jobs give the keynote is a huge hit to Apple fanboys everywhere (or at least the ones on Twitter who are crying about it). A move like this really makes you wonder why Apple is doing this. Is a product launching that Jobs doesn't like? Are there no major products to be announced? Is Steve sick? Is he quitting the company? I expect this speculation and many other rumors to run wild over the next month after this announcement.
Apple has been scaling back on trade shows for quite a while, but to leave their last major trade show has me asking myself one simple question, why? If the press release is any indication, Apple seems to think that it is too big to be at trade shows. With Apple successfully launching products at its own events, I don't think that it believes it needs to be at trade shows anymore. Whether they believe they have become too big for trade shows (keep in mind that even Microsoft does trade shows) or they just don't want to share the attention with other vendors when they make announcements, such an elitist attitude can easily lead to their downfall.
Before this announcement, I thought Apple's future was rather bright. Now, I am wondering if this is the beginning of the end. One thing is for sure, with an announcement like this, the stock is certain to plunge tomorrow. I also hate to see what this does for the other companies that are at MacWorld now that the spotlight won't be on the event like it has in the past. This is only the beginning of this story and I believe it will get uglier before it gets better. I will post again as this situation develops and my opinions change.
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-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Would you want to be buried with your gadgets?
Greetings Readers!
Earlier today, a story was brought to my attention that according to funeral directors, it is becoming common for people to be burried with their favorite gadgets. From iPods to bluetooth headsets to Blackberry phones, it seems people, especially tech-savvy ones are being buried with their gadgets.
Why would people want to be buried with their gadgets? According to some, it is because they loved the device when they were alive and spent much of their time with them. Families are even burying their loved ones with phones so that they can call them as a way to try to connect to them, even if they do only get voicemail. One obviously lonely woman continues to pay the phone bill for her late husband who has his phone buried with him so that she can call it to leave voicemails. Although the phone battery has been dead for sometime, at least she can call the voicemail and feel like she is still connected with him.
I see this new trend as rather silly. I can't use my gadgets when I am dead, so I don't think I should be burried with them. I think it would be better to give them to somebody who doesn't have the gadgets and would like them. A gadget being used is better than a gadget sitting six feet below ground doing nothing. Most people think the ancient Egyptians were odd for being buried with all of their wealth, yet this is really no different. If I could take my gadgets into the next life and still be able to use them, that might be a different story, but since I can't, somebody else should get to use them since I am not around to do so anymore.
While I can identify with the feeling of loss associated with a death, I can't see how people get the feeling of a connection with a deceased person just by being able to call their also dead phone. If you want to hear their voice again, there are better ways to accomplish this than continuing to pay a cell phone bill years after a person has died. If you are still longing for a person, you can't move on. Not moving on has and will continue to destroy many lives merely because people don't want to face reality and would rather live in the past.
What do you think of this growing trend? Would you want to be buried with your favorite gadget? Would you want your family member to be buried with their gadgets? I want to hear your opinion, so share it in the comments!
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Top 10 Geek Gifts for the 2008 Holiday Season
Greetings Readers!
Its almost that time of year again, when geeks either get the cool gadgets that they have been wanting thanks to holiday sales or are given the gifts they have been wanting by people that love them. Whether you are looking for some great gadgets to get for yourself or that lovable geek in your life, I have compiled a list of some of the top geek gifts for the 2008 holiday season.
#10. 26-piece PC Repair Tool Kit
What true Geek doesn't need a good repair tool kit? Whether they are making some amazing case mods or just replacing a dead hard drive, a Geek needs his tools! ThinkGeek has a great 26-piece PC repair tool kit for just $21.99!
26-Piece PC Repair Tool Kit from ThinkGeek
#9: Circuit Board Necklace
Geeks often like to show off just how geeky they really are, and what better way to do that than with a circuit board necklace? You may not want to spend the money on a fancy necklace made of all kinds of precious metals and stones, but you can still look good and show everybody just how geeky you are at the same time with a circuit board necklace from ThinkGeek. For only $19.99, you can make a fashion statement and have a great conversation piece!
Circuit Board Necklace from ThinkGeek
#8. Shut up and Reboot T-Shirt
Every geek that has ever played the roll of tech support to anybody before is guaranteed to have said "Just shut up and reboot" at least a million times. Now you can just tell people to read your t-shirt! This shirt, also from ThinkGeek, will allow you or the geek in your life to wear some of the best tech support advice ever, all for between $14.99-16.99 (depending on the size of shirt).
Just Shut Up and Reboot T-Shirt from ThinkGeek
#7. 2GB Secret Pen-Shaped Pocket Spy Camera Digital Video Recorder
Geeks are often looking for new ways to capture information and store it without bringing attention to themselves (except when they like to boast about how many Terabytes their computers and servers store). This pen is great for doing just that. This 2GB pen-shaped digital video recorder can hold up to 5 hours of video and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts close to 100 min. Whether you are looking for a way to capture embarrassing moments for the company Christmas party or capture some blackmail material against that boss that refuses to give you a raise, for $67.66, you can own this 2GB spy camera pen that wields great power to those who know about its capabilities.
2GB Secret Pen-Shaped Pocket Spy Camera Digital Video Recorder from Blueplugged.com
#6. NeatDesk
While not all Geeks are messy (I will admit that I am very messy), it is always a good idea to keep all of your contacts and financial information organized. NeatDesk helps you accomplish this task. NeatDest can scan business cards, receipts and documents all in one batch. With NeatDesk, you no longer have to scan in all your items separately on a flatbed scanner. NeatDesk also comes with software that helps you identify, extract and organize scanned information. You can purchase this organizational wonder from Neat, makers of NeatDesk for $499.95.
NeatDesk
#5. T-Mobile G1 Android Phone
The iPhone might be the sexiest phone of all time, but it can't compare in openness to the new Android based G1 phone ("The Google Phone"). Any geek that appreciates an open platform will love the new G1. Open systems such as Android are a geeks dream. Not only can you make your own applications for the G1, but you can hack the operating system till your heat's content. It is also a cheap alternative to Apple's iPhone. You can purchase the phone from T-Mobile, but rumor has it that Walmart has the phone considerably cheaper although the price isn't listed on their website.
T-Mobile G1 Android Phone
#4. Acer Aspire One Netbook
Netbooks have become wildly popular this year and few match Acer's Aspire One in price or performance. Although there are several models of the Aspire One which have different hard drives, batteries, operating systems and various other differences, the best deal is the Aspire One with XP, 160GB hard drive, 1GB RAM and a six-cell battery. The screen comes in at a compact but nice 8.9" and it has a larger, more comfortable keyboard than some of the competing netbooks. Whether you or your beloved geek is looking to browse the Internet or do some coding on the go, the Aspire One is a great alternative to getting a full sized laptop, especially for road warriors. You can pick up this wonderful device for $399.00 plus free shipping from Amazon. It also comes in several colors!
Acer Aspire One at Amazon.com
#3. iRex iLiad
If you or the geek in your life has been looking into moving from traditional books to an e-reader, the iRex iLiad is a great alternative to Amazon's Kindle. Although it is a considerably more expensive alternative ($699), it has the added features to make up for it. One of the biggest features that this new e-reader boasts is the ability to write on it like you would normal paper. This feature allows you to make notes, annotate documents which you can transfer to other iLiad devices or a PC and even play games like crossword puzzles and Sudoku! The iLiad can hold dozens of books, documents and even digital subscriptions to international newspapers! If that isn't enough, you can quickly increase the storage with a Compact Flash card or even a USB stick. The one drawback that it has compared to the Kindle is that instead of having a cell connection that you can download new content anywhere, you are restricted to Wi-Fi or USB to transfer content. I don't see this as a big deal since most people will load up on books before they leave the house anyway.
The iRex iLiad e-book reader
#2: Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote
Are you tired of trying to track down the remote for each device in your house. If you are like me, you likely have a remote for each TV in your house, DVD player, Blu-ray player, HD-DVD player, gaming console, stereo and other devices, plus a few remotes that you don't remember what they are for. The Logitech Harmony One helps you cut down on all of the remote clutter by allowing you to have a single remove for everything. The Harmony One is able to replace the remotes of over 225,000 devices while still maintaining all the functionality of the original remote. The Harmony One even has a color touch screen! The Logitech Harmony runs $249.99. If you think that is too much to replace just a couple of remotes, you can get the lower-end Harmony 510 universal remote for $99.99.
Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote
#1. Vuzix iWear AV310 Widescreen
Having a screen that you could attach to your face so you can watch videos easily at any time has long been a dream of most geeks (although some just dream of looking like LaForge from Star Trek: The Next Generation). The Vuzix iWear AV310 widescreen wearable display will help you do just that! This unit's display appears like a 52" widescreen display viewed from 9 feet. The unit is compatible with any device with a composite out connection as well as most iPods, portable DVD players, game consoles, and much more! With independent focus adjustments and high quality stereo earphones, the iWear AV310 gives the user an engrossing entertainment experience. The unit runs off of a single AA battery which can last for up to 11 hours. Personally I find this as a drawback as I long ago gave up disposable batteries, but you can probably use the rechargeable AA batteries just fine. You can pick up this visual wonder from Vuzix for $249.95.
Vuzix iWear AV310 Widescreen
These gifts are sure to light up any geek's face this holiday season. If you have any suggestions for other items that geeks might like this holiday season, tell us about them in the comments!
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Walmart Signals the Death of CDs/DVDs, Looks to the Present and Future
Greetings Readers!
For the past month, maybe more, the local Wal-Marts have been undergoing a major shift. Nearly everything but groceries have changed their location. There are now more groceries, less pet supplies, and the electronics department has roughly doubled in size. Apparently this shift is taking place across the country. A post on Gizmodo today revealed a change in business at Wal-Mart when it comes to consumer electronics. It seems they are cutting back on CDs and DVDs to focus on other products such as Blu-ray.
With CD sales down, digital downloads through the roof, and Blu-ray hoping to replace DVD, such a move was destined to happen at some point, I was just starting to wonder when. With digital downloads exceeding many peoples expectations, it is a matter of time before the CD becomes just another dead physical format. With stores such as Walmart, Circuit City, Best Buy and others still promoting the latest music in CD format, I had honestly started to wonder just when digital downloads would kill the CD. I have known for some time that it was coming but haven't seen any sites of a death anytime soon, until today.
With CD sales down 23% just this quarter for Walmart, it is no surprise that they have now started to take away floor space from the CD and even the DVD to give more room for video games, various consumer electronics such as the iPod and Zune as well as Blu-ray. Such a move is a sign of the times and that death for the CD and DVD formats is nearing. I expect to see other major retailers follow suit in the near future. I will admit that with DVD sales still much higher than Blu-ray sales, I was kind of surprised to see this move at this time. I have long believed that this is necessary for the mass adoption of Blu-ray. When stores stop selling DVDs, people will start moving over to Blu-ray, just like they did for the transition from VHS to DVD. Blu-ray certainly has other issues that it needs to conquer before it can truly take the place of DVD, but this is the first step in the right direction.
While I agree with Walmart in their move to replace CD floor space with portable media players, that isn't really going to help them gain market share in the digital download space such much as it does iTunes and the Zune Marketplace. If they expect to see real success from this, they need to bundle a deal from their new digital download store with the devices. Walmart must give people an incentive to buy music from them before the customer becomes addicted to iTunes or other download service. If they did this, they would see huge growth in their new MP3 store while slowing the growth of their competition.
This is a clear sign that these formats are soon going to go the way of the formats that came before them. While the CD and DVD still have some life in them, if other stores follow suit and this falling sales trend continues, I can easily see the death of the CD within the next 2 years, and the death of the DVD within the next 5 (likely less).
Long live the extremely expensive Blu-ray!
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Microsoft Looking for Exclusive Content for Zune, Spins Wheels
Greetings Readers!
As most all of you are aware, the Zune has never lived up to anybody's expectations in terms of sales. In a far distant second place, Microsoft sells as many Zune players in a year as Apple sells iPods in a month. While it is a competent media device, there is nothing that really makes to Zune stand out as a must have device over the iPod with the exception of getting more GB for the price. Before I go any further, I should say that I am a Zune owner and will gladly point out its good points and bad when asked as I have no loyalty to a device or its manufacture. I merely purchased it because I got the 30GB version for $100 last Black Friday. Anyway, with a third version Zune still a ways away, Microsoft is trying to find any possible way it can to gain ground in the portable media marketplace.
Microsoft's latest move to try to gain market share is around exclusive content. They are trying to take the idea behind the game console market and apply it to the portable media market. While the model of having exclusive content to sell the platform would likely work if it had a larger presence in the portable media player market, I don't think it has much of a chance of working right now. Since Microsoft waited so long to get into the portable media player market, it is in a position where it has almost no chance of unseating Apple as the king of the portable media market. When you are in that kind of position, if you have any hope of gaining a reasonable amount of market share, you must have a product that is 50% or 100% better than your competitor. Microsoft didn't do this and it has hurt them. There is nothing that separates the Zune from the iPod in terms of functionality. Without some kind of big distinction, they will have a hard time promoting themselves as something other than a cheaper alternative that doesn't have the special things like the App Store. Microsoft must improve the base functionality that ships with the unit before exclusive content can make a real difference.
When you look at the gaming console market, the exclusive content model works great and always has, as demonstrated when consoles come bundled with games whether its the PS3 coming with Metal Gear Solid 4 or the NES coming with Mario Brothers. The reason that this model works here is because no console ever got to the truely dominant position or where one system tried to come out after another one already had 90% of the market. When a new generation of consoles is released, its around the same time, with similar technical specs (the Wii is a special case here as Nintendo went in another direction) so the software, the exclusive content is what really drives the sales of the consoles. Even though the Xbox 360 has similar performance to the PS3, if it wasn't for exclusives like Halo, it would not be where it is today.
Microsoft is trying to do the same thing with the Zune, get outside media companies to make shows or other kinds of content exclusive for the Zune. While this is a perk for existing Zune users, its going to have little affect on the adoption rate of the Zune or its position in the portable media player marketplace because its not on an even playing field where it is just looking for something to set itself apart.
At this point, Microsoft almost has to wait for the next release of the Zune to have any hopes of competing with the iPod. Sure, firmware updates will get you a long way, but the hardware must be more capapble before it can be a real threat to the iPod. At this point, Microsoft is just spinning their wheels with this unless they are using it as a launching platform for the third version of the Zune. If they can create a base of existing exclusive content to complement a vastly improved third version of the Zune, they might have a chance, but exclusive content on its own in this market situation is just a case of throwing money at a situation that isnt improving.
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Apple Can Remotely Disable iPhone and iPod Touch Apps
Greetings Readers!
Engadget is reporting that iPhone hacker, Jonathan Zdziarski, has discovered an app blacklisting capability in the iPhone and iPod Touch that allows Apple to remotely disable apps on your device. The device phones home on occasion to check if any apps that have been blacklisted are on the device. If so, Apple can remotely disable the apps on your device, even after you have paid for it and downloaded it.
There are a couple of reasons to be angered here. While a case could certainly be made that it is for the security of the device when trying to stop programs that have Trojans or something built in, I don't think that is the real issue here. First, this is happening without your knowledge!
Apple should have been upfront about this kind of "feature" rather than burying it deep in a configuration file so that a hacker had to find it. Apple should not be secretly altering things in a users device, especially for apps that they have purchased. This is an extreme violation of privacy and it makes little sense. If you have to approve apps before they go on the apps store, why would you later blacklist such an app? If you had done your job in the first place, a problem app would never hit the app store!
With no acknowledgment about this from Apple, there is no stated policy of what happens with the money that was spent on the app. Do you get a refund if an app that you have is blacklisted? Does the creator of the blacklisted app still get his 70% of every purchase? Does Apple keep their 30% for having distributed the app in the first place? There are far more questions than answers here and until Apple opens up and clarifies this issue. Where does the money go?!
Apple must face the music and give details about what is going on here. Considering the fact that the 3G iPhone is still selling like crazy, it cant afford a black eye like this that could put a dent in the rate of adoption. I am now rethinking my idea of purchasing a 32GB iPod Touch for this reason (the outrageous price doesn't help either).
Post your thoughts on this issue in the comments as this is something that deserves a real discussion.
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
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