Apple going aggro in another biz domain. Does one spot a pattern?
Apple stepping up pressure on music labels to snub Amazon →
Apple has allegedly been pressuring music labels to ditch Amazon MP3’s “Daily Deal” promotions, lest they be excluded from being promoted through the iTunes machine. According to anonymous executives speaking to Billboard, Apple has always been uncomfortable with the labels double dipping with both iTunes and Amazon, but the company has ramped up its complaints lately in an attempt to retain its lead in the online music market. Though Apple still remains in the number one spot among all music retailers, the move is indicative that Apple takes competition from Amazon very seriously.
Emphasis mine.
Not to turn into the anti-Gruber, but this is starting to get out of hand. First Apple goes patent troll on HTC for things that are either (1) obvious or (2) not even original to Apple, and now they’re using their monopoly position in the online music space (because that’s basically what it is) in an anti-competitive way.
Here’s an idea, Apple: work on making your products better and more reliable. Remember what happened the last time you quit worrying about your products? Because I have a Performa 578 that does.
It’s official, now. As an independent musician, someone who has no real access to the iTunes Store simply because of my lack of a record label, this is the last straw. My next computer will not be an Apple, and the only reason I will ever use an Apple product after that point is so I can record my music with the program I know how to use, and once I find a Linux-based alternative to that that produces quality product, I’ll be done with that, too.
I’m not going to support a company that relies on pressure tactics to advance its corporate position, a company that treats its retail employees rather poorly (speaking from experience), a company that is seemingly going out of its way to drive third-party service providers out of business, a company that, no matter what fantastic advances in computing they’ve brought about or will continue to bring out, obviously doesn’t give a damn about Doing The Right Thing.
Steve Jobs sure loves being a bully. Takes a lot of nerve to stand up and bad-mouth Adobe and Google for their strong arm tactics while giving record labels and competing phone manufacturers the Heisman Pose.
Apple sues HTC for infringing 20 iPhone patents →
This is yet another reason I’m probably not going to be buying a Mac the next time I need a laptop. It’ll be Linux on a Thinkpad for me. This sort of bullying behavior is something I’m not willing to have my money support, especially when user interface patents (mostly for stuff that’s obvious) are involved. Way to go, Apple. Your never-ending quest to control everything continues.
Chile Earthquake May Have Shortened Days on Earth →
The massive 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile may have changed the entire Earth’s rotation and shortened the length of days on our planet, a NASA scientist said Monday.
The computer model used by Gross and his colleagues to determine the effects of the Chile earthquake effect also found that it should have moved Earth’s figure axis by about 3 inches (8 cm or 27 milliarcseconds).
We’re all doomed.
I changed the font in the Dead Llama logo earlier tonight. I like it better now.
I swear someday I’m going to make money off of making boutique effects pedals. Until then, I’ll just squat on the domain name. It’s a great one.
This is now my main guitar: a 1987 American Standard Stratocaster, in Pewter, with a 1984 serial number due to Fender buying itself back from CBS and not making guitars for a year or so.
Has the David Gilmour EMG pickups in it.
I see myself playing this guitar for as long as my fingers still work.
I think the problem with our economy is that most products are complete and utter crap.
