Apple Refusing Any BitTorrent Related Apps? 296
jamie pointed out what appears to be an unfortunate policy for Apple's app store that is refusing anything to do with BitTorrent. The example is a remote control app that allows a user to interface with their Transmission BitTorrent client. This certainly isn't the first complaint over app store policy. Issues from the return policy to the "objectionable content" of Nine Inch Nails have some developers concerned over what Apple is doing to the market. Of course, many are quick to remind that it is Apple's store and they are free to do whatever they want with it.
Jailbreak (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
That's the way I do it. Jailbreaking is awesome, you can install python, vlc, gcc, irc, if the package doesn't you can just create it from source, assuming that the libraries behind it work well with the iphone/touch. Honostly, the itouch has replaced my netbook needs for over 6 months now. The only thing I hate about it is how proprietary it is.
Re: (Score:2)
Same here. As for proprietary, the easy ability to jailbreak was the tipping point for me to purchase it, otherwise, I'd probably have an eee right now.
Speaking of which, I'm done with "netbooks". Somebody sell me a lightweight touchscreen tablet with enough juice to run Photoshop so that if I decide to pull a late night working on a project, I can do it from the comfort of my own bed.
Re:Jailbreak (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Jailbreak (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Somebody sell me a lightweight touchscreen tablet with enough juice to run Photoshop so that if I decide to pull a late night working on a project, I can do it from the comfort of my own bed.
Why can't you just use a thin client like everyone else? In 1996 or so I had a SLC by my bed booting Xkernel from a linux box so that I could have a fanless system by my bed and still use Netscape. What year is it, anyway?
Or, put less arrogantly: lightweight laptop, wireless-N, vmware. Finding a decent tablet is the hard part. I got a DT366 but they are normally heinously expensive and I still haven't got anything decent to run on it. I'm working on building Angstrom Linux for it but OpenEmbedded is current
Re: (Score:2)
I don't know if it'll have enough juice to run photoshop, but Asus is releasing an EEE tablet [slashgear.com].
Re:Jailbreak (Score:5, Insightful)
Jailbreaking: "It may be your store, but it's my goddamn phone".
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Jailbreaking: "It may be your store, but it's my goddamn phone".
Re: (Score:2)
At some point they will lease you the phone and no company will sell the hardware.
Re:Jailbreak (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah the phone isn't yours until it breaks outside of warranty, or you drop the damn thing. Than it quickly becomes yours while you pay a monthy.
It's a win-win really ... as long as you are ATT.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Although it is popular to believe that something is not "yours" until you have discharged all of the liabilities you accepted when you bought it, that is simply not the case.
The terms of the contract include: We'll sell you a phone for $X. You'll pay us $Y if you leave before Z months is up.
Note that the company is not obligated to accept return of the phone in lieu of an early termination penalty. (I've only had one company - DirectTV - state that they would accept their equipment back and let you off the
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Forget jailbreaking the iShit.... just don't buy one, problem solved. Ohhhh, you want to use the iWhateverStuff? Live with the DRM then, sucker!
I'm not sure I agree. Sure, I've had to jump through hoops to get it to do what I want but once I do configure it, it's one of the coolest/funest things I have. I could say almost exactly the same about my linux install too.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
If you're drinking the iCoolaid you need to not complain about the iDRM.
Actually, I doubt that many of us "koolaid drinkers" are the ones complaining. In my experience, the ones who complain the most/loudest about the app store are the ones who don't even have an iPhone/iPod touch. The rest of us are quite content with the wide assortment of apps that are already available, and most of us probably don't have the need to run BitTorrent apps on our cell phones.
Just a thought.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
This message brought to you SteveJobsBot, astroturfing Slashdot since 2005!
Web UI (Score:5, Informative)
I think ittl be a few years before people realize that bittorrent is perfectly legal, and a great distribution method.
Re:Web UI (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Is BitTorrent in and of itself perfectly legal?
Sure.
But what percentage of BitTorrent traffic do you think is non-infringing?
And what percentage of BitTorrent users have never used it for any infringing purpose?
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Is driving in and of itself perfectly legal?
Sure.
But what percentage of commutes do you think are non-infringing?
And what percentage of drivers have never broken any traffic law?
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Apple will need to ban http to pull this off.
Re: (Score:2)
True. At least three of the most widely used (Deluge, KTorrent and Transmission) already have web UIs. No links, this can be easily checked on their official websites. rTorrent doesn't have web interface, AFAIK. Apple will need to ban http to pull this off.
They have no interest in banning it via http. They don't want bittorrent clients [non-WebUI] on their systems, via direct client software people install for the specific purpose of torrent transmissions. I commented earlier on it being up to the dev to use a WebUI to end-around if they feel their life will not be complete without bittorrent on their phone of all f'n tools.
Just can't get enough traffic about your latest candid shots that you need a torrent client to upload all those "VIP club scenes", eh?
Re: (Score:2)
Apple is free to do whatever it wants... (Score:5, Insightful)
The purpose of these stories, involving Apple refusing to sell apps, is not to debate the rights of Apple to do so. Everyone recognizes that Apple has a right to sell or not sell anything it so desires.
The purpose of these stories is to warn people to stay away from Apple, because Apple does not have your best interests in mind, only its bottom line.
Re:Apple is free to do whatever it wants... (Score:5, Insightful)
The purpose of these stories is to warn people to stay away from Apple, because Apple does not have your best interests in mind, only its bottom line.
Or another way to put it might be that they are not trying to be everything to everyone, and while we do not necessarily know all the reasons for all of their decisions, anyone who is going to make a significant purchase ($200+ dollars plus ongoing fees) should have this information in order to make an informed decision.
If you're going to "warn people" to stay away from Apple because they're interested in their bottom line, you're going to have to warn people to stay away from pretty much all corporations. Of course, that means not having any sort of computing device...
Re:Apple is free to do whatever it wants... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Fine, then Apple is not controlling you (Score:4, Insightful)
obviously not about control because you can get apps by other means
Are you referring to the DMCA violation known as "jailbreaking"? How deliciously absurd.
Re: (Score:2)
The DMCA does not cover jailbreaking.
Apple begs to differ. [cnet.com]
Re:Apple is free to do whatever it wants... (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're going to "warn people" to stay away from Apple because they're interested in their bottom line, you're going to have to warn people to stay away from pretty much all corporations. Of course, that means not having any sort of computing device...
Or to put it another way, if Apple are going to continnue to present themselves as the fun, shiny, easy, nice answer to everything, and both explicitly and implicitly suggest that everyone else is a bunch of crusty old business-oriented, consumer-hating corporations, then it will be totally legitimate and arguably even necessary for there to be a continued awareness campaign about the fact that they are behaving in this way.
Maybe we need a revised iphone advertisement:
Re: (Score:2)
Apple does not have your best interests in mind, only its bottom line.
Wait, you mean corporations aren't looking out for me? Who *are* they looking out for then? Themselves? Psh!
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
The purpose of these stories, involving Apple refusing to sell apps, is not to debate the rights of Apple to do so. Everyone recognizes that Apple has a right to sell or not sell anything it so desires.
Since Apple has gone to some trouble to prevent you from installing apps other than through the app store, there is very much room to debate whether they have the right to refuse to sell apps. They have given themselves a monopoly on non-developer iPhone application distribution and it could be considered anticompetitive. It is for a court to decide, but there is plenty of room for discussion.
Re: (Score:2)
I do wish you people would grow up and stop harping on this monopoly shit. A monopoly is the perfect place for a business to be in and is not illegal.
"You people"? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
A monopoly is not illegal. Utilizing a monopoly in an anticompetitive way is.
Re: (Score:2)
The purpose of these stories, involving Apple refusing to sell apps, is not to debate the rights of Apple to do so. Everyone recognizes that Apple has a right to sell or not sell anything it so desires.
The purpose of these stories is to warn people to stay away from Apple, because Apple does not have your best interests in mind, only its bottom line.
Please define how valuable you are to me. I'd truly love to see what you consider so valuable that I need you to be free to have a torrent client on your phone so I won't be deprived of all that value I'd be otherwise missing.
Please, show me the way! Show me the righteousness of your worth and the unworthy nature of my own for being so non-dogmatic to think that Apple is reasonable to determine their own self interests.
They'd better stop approving Safari then (Score:5, Insightful)
Looking at the Transmission control interface through Safari on my iPhone right now. I guess now that Safari might be used to facilitate "this category of application" Apple will be pulling it from the OS?
I'm as much of a fanboy as the next guy, but Apple really need to get the house in order over the app store.
Re: (Score:2)
Looking at the Transmission control interface through Safari on my iPhone right now. I guess now that Safari might be used to facilitate "this category of application" Apple will be pulling it from the OS?
I'm as much of a fanboy as the next guy, but Apple really need to get the house in order over the app store.
Truly think for a second. By forcing WebUI only interfaces Apple absolves itself from any future lawsuits. Do you get it, yet?
Re: (Score:2)
The Supreme Court of the US already ruled on this in MGM vs. Grokster and Sony vs. Universal. Approving the app wouldn't expose Apple to secondary liability for infringement even if the app actually was a BT client (and not just a remote control.) Unless you have some theory of Apple inducing people to infringe that you're not telling us about.
Use wTorrent (Score:3, Interesting)
I've been meaning, but have yet to try out wTorrent which is a web interface to the same libtorrent that rTorrent uses.
This way you could just use safari to control your torrent downloads.
Apple's Store, my iPhone (Score:2, Insightful)
"Of course, many are quick to remind that it is Apple's store and they are free to do whatever they want with it."
By the same token isn't it my iPhone that I am free to do what I want with it? Sure that means I can jailbreak it, but why should I be forced to just to use an app that Apple doesn't want to sell on their store?
Re:Apple's Store, my iPhone (Score:5, Insightful)
I fail to see your point.
If you want to buy an iPhone and jailbreak it, feel free. It's your iPhone, after all. If you want to buy an iPhone and get your apps from the App Store, cool. It's pretty useful that way, also. If you don't want to buy a iPhone, for whatever reason, that's fine too. That's how a healthy market economy works, and the iPhone isn't the only smart phone out there.
What I don't understand is why you think Apple should sell you precisely what you want in the way you want it. Apple is willing to sell you a product with certain capabilities and limitations. They aren't required to sell something similar but different, although they do have to live with any negative effects on their market share because of that.
So, buy or don't buy, jailbreak or don't jailbreak, but don't claim Apple is being unfair just because you find them inconvenient.
Stop gobbling Apple's knob? (Score:5, Insightful)
Seriously. If Apple wants to engage in practices that result in a chilling effect on your target market why the fuck are you going to support them?
Because it's [LOVE]Apple{/LOVE]? Puh-leeze!
Because it enables you to reach a large market of consumers? Oh wait, they're denying those customers access to your products!
I'm sure Apple is great and wonderful and really really nice. I'm sure their app platform is the greatest thing since sliced stupid-people. But if they're going to actively interfere with your ability to reach customers FUCK THEM!
And yes, it's Apple's store. They can sell or not sell whatever they feel like.
However, it's not JUST Apple's store. It's the sole "legitimate" gateway into the devices you're writing apps for. That's part of the problem.
To use a baseball-related metaphor. You're a beer-hawker at a ballgame. Heaven help you if you try to sell booze in OTHER than the approved manner or brand.
Re: (Score:2)
Mmmm... Apple-smoked people bacon.
So? You're getting paid to sell their beer at their stadium. For the app store... well, you've got the roles twisted. Apple is the beerslinger. You're the beer producer, and I'm t
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Seriously. If Apple wants to engage in practices that result in a chilling effect on your target market why the fuck are you going to support them?
Because it's [LOVE]Apple{/LOVE]? Puh-leeze!
Because it enables you to reach a large market of consumers? Oh wait, they're denying those customers access to your products!
I'm sure Apple is great and wonderful and really really nice. I'm sure their app platform is the greatest thing since sliced stupid-people. But if they're going to actively interfere with your ability to reach customers FUCK THEM!
And yes, it's Apple's store. They can sell or not sell whatever they feel like.
However, it's not JUST Apple's store. It's the sole "legitimate" gateway into the devices you're writing apps for. That's part of the problem.
To use a baseball-related metaphor. You're a beer-hawker at a ballgame. Heaven help you if you try to sell booze in OTHER than the approved manner or brand.
Exactly.
Example 2, you're Microsoft. No doubt the same people bleating about how Apple has the "right" to control what is available through the app store would also die in a ditch to defend Microsoft's "right" to tie whatever web browser it chooses to its own operating system, right? Right?
*sound of wind blowing... crickets chirp*
If you don't like it.... (Score:2, Insightful)
If you don't like the way Apple runs its store, don't buy from it.
If you don't like gay marriage, don't do it.
If you don't like murder, don't commit it.
If you don't like France, don't go there.
If you don't like math, don't learn it.
If you don't care for Enron, don't buy the stock.
If you don't like subprime, don't take one out.
Re:If you don't like it.... (Score:5, Funny)
Why am I starting to wonder if there might not be something a little bit wrong with this form of argument?
If you don't like that form of argument, don't use it.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:If you don't like it.... (Score:5, Interesting)
If you don't know how to make logical analogies, don't do it.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Apart from not talking about it, I don't see anything wrong with most items on the list. The problem comes with the use of force against the unwilling. Murder and subprime fall into this category. You don't like murder, be prepared to defend yourself and your loved ones. The subprime issue was caused by fed manipulation of interest rates. i.e. price controls on credit. Central economic planning doesn't work. If you were to open a bank that wasn't part of the federal reserve system, men with guns would show
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
Just a side note (I totally agree with you in concept) is that most of the things that you've listed have an impact on you in one way or another regardless of your preference. Your active choice of not doing something won't mitigate the effects of it upon your life:
Gay Marriage: Most likely won't directly affect you (unless you're gay of course).
Murder: Will affect you (or friends/family) if you do it or not.
Apple Store: The majority position of a system incompatible with one you choose to use means there a
Re:If you don't like it.... (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm stunned at the logical gymnastics required to create equivalency between the legality of gay marriage, murder, and buying an app for your cell phone. Breathtaking.
Same old song and dance (Score:3, Interesting)
I'd like to say that when a truly open competitor comes along and offers competition, people will flock to it. But they won't because that's not how it works. Normal people buy the stuff that "just works" and apple's stuff is pretty good at that. The only way around it is for hackers to do what they do so well.
Hats off to you, hackers of the world.
Uh oh, better watch out. (Score:4, Insightful)
You can use logmein or other vnc apps to control torrent programs on your computer. Better ban that. You could control it through a webui using safari. Better ban that too. Wait, you could set up a script to control it with a phone call or email! Better ban the phone and mail apps, just to be sure.
Rediculous.
Enough Already! (Score:3)
I think we (Slashdot readers) get it by now what Apple's application development policies are. We don't need a weekly refresher of why Apple's policies suck. Please don't feed the trolls because this article much like the few before it contains contains nothing new that we shouldn't have known already. Someone makes a yes/no decision and you have to live with it.
Either two things will happen: Apple doesn't change their policies and we can assume as always that most applications that are perfectly legitimate but against Apple's corporate objectives will be canned, or that Apple decided that their policies are causing more harm than good and decide to change them. If the second case happens then please be my guess and post it.
This constant rhetoric over what should and what shouldn't be allowed is just fuelling a fire of debate that is ultimately as subjective as Apple's corporate policies.
Apple (Score:2, Insightful)
Yes, Apple is free to do what they wish with their store, and we are free not to pay for their overpriced and overhyped products when saddled in this manner.
Don't bother replying Apple fanbois, I'm not interested. It's just another corporation acting in its own best interest.
From an engineers perspective: (Score:5, Insightful)
Option A) Apple products.
Option B) The freedom to do what you want with the stuff you buy.
Pick one and stop complaining.
Android FTW. (Score:5, Interesting)
Seeing this story elsewhere today prompted me to check the Android Market for a similar app.
Yup, found one and downloaded it immediately.
Works with Transmission (like the rejected app in the story) and uTorrent, making it great for users of any platform (i think mac users have one or the other, and Transmission is great on linux, uTorrent rocks on windows).
Gotta setup my new computer with DYNDNS again, but It looks like a nice app just from the setup options.
I have started developing a bit (a tiny bit) for Android, and I am really starting to appreciate the platform a lot.
I switched from windows mobile to the iphone a year ago, and then from the iphone to a G1 a few months ago, and I love my G1, it's the best phone I've ever had, and knowing now that I can develop apps for it easily (and on any platform, no less) for free (if I don't want to distribute them, or for just $25 one time developer's fee if I do) makes me REALLY like the platform.
Android rocks.
-Taylor
Re: (Score:2)
for free (if I don't want to distribute them, or for just $25 one time developer's fee if I do)
You mean "distribute them through the Android Market". On Android, there's nothing stopping you from distributing it through the web (apart from a user-configurable option flag in a somewhat obvious place). Just point your phone to an .apk and let it do the rest.
But I payed the $25 anyway. One-time and cheap to use their distribution system and have an easy way for people to use my app? I'll go with that.
Yeah, I thought you could compile .apk's without paying the fee, but I don't see any instructions on how to do that! Even on the developer docs it just says "after compiling...." and it doesn't explain how. Am I missing something?
-Taylor
Well... (Score:2, Interesting)
Well now, you can just use torrentflux, supporting an open source project, and still use your iphone. :P
http://www.torrentflux.com/
Apple == Evil (Score:2)
Re:Apple's store (Score:5, Insightful)
From what I heard, corporations are able to be criticized for their actions.
Re: (Score:2, Offtopic)
And if they have a de-facto monopoly situation, other rules come into play.
Point me to a competing service that delivers software for the iPhone, and i'll grant that it's not a monopoly.
Re: (Score:2)
And if they have a de-facto monopoly situation, other rules come into play.
Point me to a competing service that delivers software for the iPhone, and i'll grant that it's not a monopoly.
Go live with Android. Or pine over the Pre. How about BlackBerry? They'll all have their own sandboxes for you to complain in.
Re: (Score:2)
Living with android is pretty cool. I can scan a barcode, pick a torrent, and it's pushed to my home box. You know, for fair use when I purchase something at Best Buy.
Re: (Score:2)
And if they have a de-facto monopoly situation, other rules come into play.
Point me to a competing service that delivers software for the iPhone, and i'll grant that it's not a monopoly.
From a regulatory standpoint, monopolies don't apply to markets consisting of individual products from individual companies, only an individual company dominating an entire market segment.
The are many smart phones out there, and the iPhone doesn't even have the largest fraction of that market -according to NPD, RIM is by far the dominant player in the US, with three of the top five best-selling smart phone devices.
Re: (Score:2)
The are many smart phones out there, and the iPhone doesn't even have the largest fraction of that market -according to NPD, RIM is by far the dominant player in the US, with three of the top five best-selling smart phone devices.
Sure, but RIM has a lot of phones, on almost every network in the country. On the other hand Apple has one (two if you count the iPhone and iPhone 3G as different phones) phone that works officially on one network, who ties it in with an expensive plan. I would say thats pretty impressive.
Re: (Score:2)
Do they mention when you buy the gizmo that content in Their Store is filtered according to Their needs and never your own? Is there an option to barter for saner terms to the contract?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yup, it is Apple's store, and they are free to run it as they like. Of course, they also want to encourage people like me to buy Apple products (oooh, so shiny!) Apple does just enough of this stuff to remind me that I'd rather not do business with them.
Perspective needed (Score:2)
Yup, it is Apple's store, and they are free to run it as they like. Of course, they also want to encourage people like me to buy Apple products (oooh, so shiny!) Apple does just enough of this stuff to remind me that I'd rather not do business with them.
Oh get off your high horse. Apple sells music. they need a cooperative music industry. Why would the want to jeapordize that? Your crazy and petty to penalize them for acting rationally. Arguably they have done more to reduce DRM than all the negligible force of the whiners combined. Fairplay has always been speedbump not uncrackable DRM and now they sell DRM free tunes.
If you were honest in your claim of taking your custom to stores that support your preference you would be rewarding apple not avoidin
Re: (Score:2)
Ad hominem much?
I don't care about penalizing or rewarding Apple. I'm acting in my self interest by using products that meet my needs, which includes using torrents in a legal and ethical manner.
Re: (Score:2)
Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's reasonable, or a good idea.
It's legal for me to take a sledgehammer to my PC. Doesn't mean it's a good idea if I want to keep using it.
It's legal (AFAIK) for a bookstore to sell only one author's books. That doesn't mean it's a good idea if they want to make money outside a niche market. It's also legal (again, AFAIK) for them to enforce a dress code. If that dress code requires top hats, though, it's not terribly reasonable.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Apple's store (Score:5, Funny)
If that dress code requires top hats, though, it's not terribly reasonable.
Wow. I'd shop at that store every day of the week!
Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Wrong Comment? (Score:2, Funny)
It's also legal for a main stream book store to openly sell hardcore pornography and sex toys.
Wow. I'd shop at that store every day of the week!
Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
There, fixed that for you.
Re: (Score:2)
They can shove it wherever they want too.
Re: (Score:2)
And they do, why do you think the iphone has round corners! (-:
BS detector overloaded and burned out (Score:2)
> From what I hear, it's Apple's store and they are free to do whatever they want with it.
You know, it IS Apple's store. But why is it I only hear this when novel approach to property rights when it is Apple that must be defended from the latest otherwise indefensible idiocy they have gotten up to. Why not "It's Comcast's wires, they can do whatever they want with them." Or AIG signed contracts, Congress even put in a rider to allow it so why doesn't everyone shut the hell up about those bonuses.
No, e
Re:Apple's store (Score:5, Funny)
Indeed, I've also heard that it is Apple's store and they are free to do whatever they want with it.
I've heard this from two different sources now, so I think it's fair to say it's probably true. Off to update Wikipedia!
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
No, actually, you're the one being stupid.
This is about controlling the bittorrent client on your home machine, not using bittorrent locally on the phone. RTFS.
Re: (Score:2)
No, actually, you're the one being stupid.
This is about controlling the bittorrent client on your home machine, not using bittorrent locally on the phone. RTFS.
Yup, and there is good chance the reviewer didn't pick up on the difference (I cynically put them in the same category as phone agents). Also, you need to remember that Apple also has a policy of preventing any application that does not make the difference between cellular data and wi-fi data transfers.
At the same time when you consider Transmission
Re:What the heck do they expect? (Score:5, Informative)
It was an app to remotely control your desktop client. In other words the main utility was in starting your download again once you're on the bus and realise you forgot to unpause it.
Re: (Score:2)
What do you mean no files? (Score:2)
Given the fact that a non jail broken iPhone/touch has no file handling abilities.
In what way? A developer can write whatever files they like to the device. There are more limits around reading other system or app files, but you can read and write files all day long.
If the iPhone had a mass storage drive that was readily accessble from the interface with a file manger
There are a number of WebDAV client apps already on the store.
Re: (Score:2)
"Given the fact that a non jail broken iPhone/touch has no file handling abilities."
I think he is refering to the lack of cut and paste,
you know-basic file handling.
Re: (Score:2)
There are actually a fair number of iPhone apps on the store that provide DAV or HTTP servers for downloading files from the phone, so a BitTorrent client isn't exactly infeasible. It wouldn't be particularly useful given the limited amount of storage on the device, of course.... And as others have noted, this is basically just a native UI skin for a web interface to a BitTorrent client on another machine, not an actual client. Still, I'd probably be worried about contributory infringement claims if some
Re: (Score:2)
Need I actually point out there's legitimate uses of bittorrent? The first of which most people would cite is the distribution of *nix versions, so as to prevent bandwidth hammering on release days.
Re:First Post (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:First Post (Score:5, Funny)
People who don't play WoW?
Re: (Score:2)
And, to continue the same argument, there's plenty of movies you can download legally via torrents. For example, my own [legaltorrents.com]. So to say that this ipso facto abetting piracy is a mistake. My prediction: this decision gets quietly reversed. Now, if only we could get an Azureus version of this app...
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
If you haven't seen the great Sita Sings the Blues be sure to download it and watch it today. Yes it's legal to do so.
And Apple, and all of you superfans who have gladly bent over for every offering of Apple's no matter how shitty and overpriced (Apple Mini?) convincing Apple that they can do whatever they want and fuck over their customers because they're too drunk on their own visions of how cool they look sitting in an overpriced coffee fran
Re: (Score:2)
I just like watching the progress bars. I don't have time for movies either.
Re: (Score:2)
Citation needed
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MM0VO3slK8 [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
The RIAA won't stop working with Apple if they allow BitTorrent apps on the iPhone, but you can bet that they will give Apple a much harder time of it, costing Apple lots of money just to deal with it.
The MAFIAA are known for being ruthless. I doubt that what Apple does here is going to make any substantial difference in their negotiations with the MAFIAA. Sure, the MAFIAA might use something like this as a bargaining stick, but if not this, its going to be something else anyway. The MAFIAA ain't going to leave any money -- or control -- on the table that they don't absolutely have to.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, except that the reason Microsoft got in trouble was that it illegally leveraged a monopoly in desktop operating systems to limit competition in the browser space, as well as engaging in other anticompetitive behaviours.
You're spot-on with your analysis that it's just like the Microsoft situation. Well, except that it's not just like that situation at all.
Re: (Score:2)
You're right. It's a lot closer to the fact that no one can sell a replacement to the default music player, despite the fact that the Apple player sucks, and Apple nearly has a monopoly on portable mp3 players, and doesn't allow interoperability with any competing device in iTunes, nor any competing DRM scheme from other music stores. Apple is "dumping" a music player just like Microsoft is "dumping" a web browser.
Re:So, back to Windows? MS PROHIBITED LIST (Score:3, Informative)
Actually they do. They just came out with their own 12 Prohibited Application Types [itworld.com] for Microsoft's Windows MarketPlace for Mobile store. You just haven't been paying attention.