Palm pushes iPod impersonation plan
Palm yesterday responded to Apple’s announcement that it may shut off access to iTunes syncing from the Pre smartphone, simultaneously taking a stand on the matter and showing the Palm corporate ethic.
Apple announced the day before yesterday that they may change their popular iTunes media player in such a way that non-apple devices will no longer be able to synch music directly with the program. Here is what Apple said:
Apple designs the hardware and software to provide seamless integration of the iPhone and iPod with iTunes, the iTunes Store, and tens of thousands of apps on the App Store. Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software. However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.
Yesterday Palm, maker of the Palm Pre and likely major target of the Apple announcement, responded to Apple’s announcement, according to a CNET story, by saying they would continue to impersonate an Apple iPod to make it possible to synch music with iTunes. Here is what Palm said:
Palm’s media sync works with the current version of iTunes. If Apple chooses to disable media sync in a future version of iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience. However, people will have options. They can stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre, they can transfer the music via USB, and there are other third-party applications we could consider.
Let us consider this from another point of view, via a short parable. Let’s say Paul kept sending his kids over to Andy’s house night and day, all of them impersonating Andy’s kids. For a long time, Andy just shook his head and smiled a wry smile and let them in, at which point Paul’s kids ransacked the silverware and messed up the kitchen, displaying their poor ethics and incredibly bad manners.
One day, Andy finally became weary of Paul’s tricks. He told Paul, and his kids, that they could not come in any more. Paul had built his house, board by board. He gladly gave access to all of his own kids, and anyone who showed that they were friendly. But Andy was a little tired of losing his silverware every day, and having his kitchen messed up, by people who lied about who they were.
You don’t have to be a logic major, or a friend of Andy’s, to see who is right and who is wrong in this situation. It is pretty clear that Paul is lying to gain entry to Andy’s house, and employing very questionable ethics after he gains entry. Worse, he publicly brags about his illicit techniques, and complains about how unfair it is that Andy won’t let him into his house any more.
Let’s say that Andy and Paul both manufacture widgets. Looking at the comportment of the two men, and the tactics they employ, as well as the ethics they manifest, who would you buy your widget from?
Just sayin’…
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June 18th, 2009
If Microsoft does this, keening wails of abusive antitrust come in waves.
Firefox might just mess up Windows.
Just sayin’
June 19th, 2009
I think logic lessons are in order. If the two situations were to be equal, people would need to be breaking into windows to take advantage of some good feature in IE. Wait, are there in good features in IE?
Cool screen name, I guess, but you need to brush up on your critical thinking abilities. Or at least re-take analogies 101.
June 19th, 2009
Wrong. Microsoft gets nailed because the OS only comes with a single piece of software to access the web. It’s called for antitrust because it’s using it’s overwhelming marketshare to take an unfair advantage and freeze competitors out of the market.
What Apple is doing is even worst, they have the same marketshare advantage in MP3 players and iTunes is by far is the most widely used software package to synch between the computer and MP3 player.
Locking out other manufacturers so your own device is the only one that works is much more damaging than not shipping a couple of browsers.
Think this feature of not being able to sync with is iTunes is having an effect on other companies sales of MP3 players?
It has nothing to do with breaking in or demand. I’m pretty sure the EU isn’t ass deep in complaints about Firefox not shipping with Windows.
Microsoft isn’t stopping other browsers from using Windows.
http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/antitrust.html
“relating to legislative initiatives aimed at protecting trade and commerce from monopolistic business practices that restrict or eliminate competition. Antitrust laws also attempt to curb trusts and cartels and to keep them from employing monopolistic practices to make unfair profits.”
I think you need to step away from the reality distortion field and cutback to a single smug pill with only half a cup of condescending in the morning.