Gawker
-
timeline
Steve Jobs and the Power of Refusing Reality
While Steve Jobs' famed "reality distortion field" transformed, despite all odds, computers, music, movies and cell phones, it is his own body which has proven resistant to his formidable power to reshape the world. More »
0
33
By Owen ThomasComment by Mark 2000: What's disturbing is that Jobso, the hippy idiot boy, spent a YEAR not getting treatment for the original cancer and... 3 Responses | Other threads
-
online music
Apple and other online music retailers get their way
The Copyright Royalty Board, an obscure agency which has been thrust into the spotlight thanks to its role in arbitrating rates for digital music distribution, has frozen the price online music stores have to pay to artists and labels at a little over nine cents. The music industry had been lobbying for an increase to around fifteen cents, would likely have erased the notoriously slim margins Apple enjoys at the iTunes Music Store. Not that Apple would have cared, since it's all about the iPod business anyway and the company was ostensibly willing to shut down digital download sales if it didn't get its way.
0
By Jackson WestComment by WagCurious: Apple was as likely to shut down the iTunes store as you are likely to post the article on the... more » | Other threads
-
iphone
Apple drops hated iPhone app NDA, obliquely blames Microsoft
Apple made developers who wanted to write applications for the iPhone sign a non-disclosure agreement that was rigorous it even forbade them from publishing Apple's letters rejecting their app from its iTunes store. More seriously, the NDA also prevented developers from learning from each others mistakes and publishers from writing how-to manuals for would-be application developers. So after loud complaints, Apple today announced it would drop the non-disclosure agreement for released iPhone software. Developers rejoiced. Explaining the need for the NDA in the first place, Apple also landed a few only slightly veiled jabs at an old rival, Microsoft. I couldn't help but be reminded of a scene from Pirates of Silicon Valley, which I've embedded below. More »
0
Comment by fullman: Too bad the iPhone SDK doesn't actually have much in terms of original, unique features, otherwise that quoted paragraph would... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
royalties
Apple's latest iTunes temper tantrum
The National Music Publishers Association wants to raise the rate it charges Apple for each song shoppers purchase via iTunes from 9 cents to 15 cents. Apple wants to lower the rate to 4.6 cents and says that if it doesn't get its way, it might just shutter iTunes altogether. In a letter to the Copyright Royalty Board, the deciding body on the issue, iTunes VP Eddy Cue wrote: "Apple has made it clear that it is in this business to make money, and most likely would not continue to operate [the iTunes music store] if it were no longer possible to do so profitably." If the NMPA wins, it'll cost Apple an extra $144 million, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs has always said the whole point of iTunes is to drive hardware sales. Maybe Cue should try holding his breath. (Photo by majorvols)
0
Comment by Norcross: It isn't going to "cost" Apple $144 million. It'll reduce the revenue, but I think Apple can just add a... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
online video
Michael Moore's "Slacker Uprising" kind of available free online
The latest shockumentary from portly auteur Michael Moore, Slacker Uprising, has launched today. To watch the film, you have to sign up with an email address. While Moore says his fans should go ahead and download it, there's no actual link to do that. And you can't embed the whole film on third-party sites without pulling some code from the bowels of the HTML source — which I've done here, while also restoring the "share" button so you can easily post it yourself wherever you like. Heck, if Moore just wants the film out there, why not distribute it on BitTorrent and save on bandwidth costs? More »
0
By Jackson WestComment by colonelpanic: But go ahead, Jackson, and continue your Valley-esque wank/rant about how techies are superior and old media tycoons like Weinstein... 3 Responses | Other threads
-
apple
How not to get rejected for the iTunes App Store
After Apple banned iPhone app Podcaster from its iTunes App Store, CNET called Podcaster the iPhone app that's "so good, Apple won't let you have it." Apple hasn't said why, but it's widely believed that the app was banned for competing with the iPhone's built-in podcast-downloading software. But blogger Niall Kennedy writes that he tested the Podcaster app according to Apple's stated rules, and discovered three reasons Apple might have legitimately rejected Alex Sokirynsky's app. More » -
itunes 8
Latest Windows malware comes from Apple
Running on Windows Vista, Apple's iTunes 8 isn't actually a computer virus, according to WordNet's strict definition of term as "a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer." But that's only because iTunes 8 doesn't replicate itself and spread other computers. It is causing plenty of harm to computers, according to complainers on an Apple Support forum. They say they're seeing Windows's infamous "blue screen of death" reboot screen anytime a user plugs in an iPod or iPhone and launches iTunes 8 at the same time. We can already hear th fanboys telling us how this is all Microsoft's fault. (Photo by tomeppy)
0
Comment by Robert Synnott: Actually, it does sound like Microsoft's fault, unless Apple is actually installing a kernel-space driver. (Are they?) User-mode applications simply... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
great moments in pr
Dan Lyons catches Apple employees pretending to be fanboys
Steve Jobs's latest Applefest was a nonevent, with nothing more to show than updates to the iPod line and iTunes software. But the cheers at the glorified press conference yesterday were as blustery as they ever are at Apple events. Newsweek's Dan Lyons must have been bored by what was being said on stage, because he was paying more attention to the rest of the audience. He reports that much of the crowd was clapping so loud because they were paid to. More »
0
Comment by celery: To be fair, most Apple employees really are starry-eyed Apple fanboys. 1 Responses | Other threads
-
-
online video
"Battlestar Galactica," "Heroes," and NBC shows we don't watch back on iTunes
Chalk up a rare victory for NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker in doing what few can: He stared down Steve Jobs and won. NBC shows like Heroes and Battlestar Galactica are returning to iTunes, but on NBC's terms. Almost exactly a year ago, NBC packed up its toys and left Apple's iTunes store over a pricing dispute. Apple insisted on sticking with one price for TV shows. But with today's announcements of new iPods, Jobs showed off NBC shows available again — at $0.99 for old shows, $1.99 for new shows, and HD for $2.99. NBC shows represented roughly 40 percent of iTunes video sales before they vanished from the store.
0
Comment by WagCurious: It's called the split people. Has no one in the valley worked in TV? $1.99 was not the amount getting passed... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
developers, developers, developers
iPhone-app developers say Apple won't let them fix bugs quickly
Something we bet Steve Jobs won't be discussing on stage at this morning's iPod event: The third-party developers who create apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch say Apple takes a week or more to approve updates — even bug fixes. Apple also doesn't communicate with the developers to tell them why or how long their updates will be delayed. Fraser Speiers, who developed the Exposure Flickr application for the iPhone, told Macworld: More » -
iphone
Pull My Finger app rejected by Apple
Victor Wang — huh-huh — from Apple emailed the author of the Pull My Finger app, shown above, to explain that the interactive fart-noise program was deemed "of limited utility to the broad user community." I wonder what would happen if they applied a "utility" standard to the music videos sold through the same store? Wang's full email: More »
0
By Paul BoutinComment by ianoid: There should be a "Waste of Time" section in the itunes app store. A fart sound generator would fit right... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Metallica's new album leaked, but band's just happy they still have fans
Lars Ulrich, Metallica's Internet-hating drummer, explained to a Bay Area radio station that he's glad the band's new album got leaked all over the world. A copy of the album was bought in a French record store and quickly uploaded to the Internet. The band's new stance is a big jump from 2000, when they sued Napster for distributing their music without permission. Since then Metallica has worked out ways of selling their music online by themselves, finally relenting to iTunes sales in 2006. If you still have a taste for Metallica, head on over to your favorite torrent site. Lars said it's okay.
0
Comment by cschack: How come Metallica still gets shit for suing Napster in order to try and protect their interests, but when other... 1 Responses | Other threads
-
online video
Amazon.com puts Unbox away
We suspect the name "Unbox" only ever made sense to Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos. The online retailer has rebranded its video-download store as "Video on Demand." The only other big change: The videos will now play on Macs. They'll continue to be downloadable to viewers' TiVos, Windows Media Centers, and Xbox consoles. Flicks cost $2.99 to $3.99 to rent and $7.99 to $14.99 to buy. Another draw: Unlike Apple's iTunes store, you can get NBC Universal content from Amazon.com. (NBC vanished from Apple's store after a tiff over pricing last year.)
0
Comment by UilliamLazred: I think the biggest change is that the videos you buy immediately play (streaming vs. Unbox download). more » | Other threads
-
rumormonger
Digg founder Kevin Rose claims this iTunes 8 feature from a reliable source:
-
rumormonger
Newsflash: Apple to unveil new products at new-products event
At a press conference scheduled for September 9, Apple will unveil "unspecified new products," reports Reuters. Thanks, Reuters guys — that really helps! The event's theme is "let's rock." In August, Digg cofounder Kevin Rose predicted Apple would announce a new iPod Nano, minor changes to its iPod Touch, price cuts to older iPod models and version 8.0 of iTunes — in other words, the same kind of update to its iPod product line Apple makes every fall. Our eternal gratitude, Captain Obvious! -
murderdrome
Apple bans comic book from iPhones because it's seriously disgusting
Infurious Comics created an iPhone app called Comic Reader, which does just what it sounds like it does, and featured a book called Murderdrome as the app's first title. Murderdrome is a story about a "game where the only way to score a goal," one character explains as he cuts into another's skull, "is with the severed head of an opposing player." Because Apple prohibits "any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content" in iPhone apps, Apple quickly booted Comic Reader and Murderdrome from its iTunes App Store. More »
0
Comment by Shadowlayer: In wonder how many underaged kids have iphones... Seriously, they can get a PS2 with all three GTA games for less... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Kid Rock has a hit without iTunes
"All Summer Long" is one catchy tune. Built on the groove of the late Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London," spiced up with Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," the song nonetheless soars on Robert James Ritchie's down-homey delivery of one of the best ballads to hit the airwaves in years. I've heard it on Top 40, country and classic rock stations in the past week. Kid Rock's album, Rock 'n Roll Jesus, is now at #2 on Billboard's chart. All this without iTunes. Why on earth would record labels withhold an album from America's largest music retailer? More »
0
By Paul BoutinComment by Tim Faulkner: But "Amen" -- boy, that song blows. The Wal-Mart set'll love it. 1 Responses | Other threads
-
surly adopter
Four reasons Apple's iPhone 3G fails
In agreeing to sell the iPhone, does Best Buy know what its getting itself into? Steve Jobs is issuing mea culpas about MobileMe, Apple's flaky email-and-synching service. But there are no Jobsian apologies over the iPhone 3G. Sure, sales are fine, $30 million changed hands through iTunes App Store in its first month, and Apple's market cap is now larger than Google's. But InternetNews.com's Andy Patrizio says it's obvious there's something wrong with the device itself. More »
0
Comment by nowaysj: Android on T Mobile will fail. I never had to hang up my phone when I was on T Mobile, 90%... more » | Other threads
-
commenter of the day
Shadowlayer
In a post about iPhone apps sales hitting $30 million a month, today's featured commenter Shadowlayer gives a stark prediction: More »
0
Comment by sample032: Poor Shadowlayer. Some fanboy is probably killing him right now, but at least he was honest. 1 Responses | Other threads
-
apple
Apple working with developer to give you the runaround
Nullriver, a software developer, released an iPhone application called NetShare, which enables an iPhone to be used as a portable modem for computers. Despite being a violation of AT&T's terms of service, Nullriver got it onto Apple's iTunes App Store. Over the past week, Apple took it down, reinstated it, and then took it down again. Both companies are now laying the blame at each other's doorsteps, as one blogger realized in his attempt to get a refund for his purchase. Might just want to call your credit card company to get the charge removed. That seems easier.
0
Comment by macbeach: As with ISPs (primarily cable) the phone companies are trying to re-invent the word "unlimited". I'll be a lot... more » | Other threads
-
apple
Jobs: iPhone app sales hit $30 million in a month
Apple CEO Steve Jobs says iPhone and iPod Touch users downloaded more than 60 million apps from the iTunes App Store during its first month of business, spending about $1 million per day for a sales total of $30 million. "At the current pace," report the quantitative analysts at the Wall Street Journal, "Apple stands to reap at least $360 million a year in new revenue from the App Store." Said Jobs: "This thing's going to crest a half a billion, soon. Who knows, maybe it will be a $1 billion marketplace at some point in time. I've never seen anything like this in my career for software." Note Jobs's crafty wording! More »
0
Comment by kimbjo: ^ these are outright purchases, not subscriptions. So this month I buy supermonkeyball, but next month what? I have to buy... more » | Other threads
-
i am rich
Do-nothing "I Am Rich" iPhone app found 8 buyers with enough taste to click "buy"
Before Apple succumbed to jealous cries of the hoi polloi and removed his "I Am Rich" application from its iTunes App Store, developer Armein Heinrich sold eight copies of his $999.99 pristinely useless software — six to refined buyers in the United States, one to a collector in Germany and another to one in France. From a technical perspective, all "I Am Rich" did was glow red. Metaphysically, it was known to provide elation only found in the delicate, snow white comfort of a Himalayan white tiger fur coat. Heinreich told the LA Times: "I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store." SAI performed the gauche math and figures Heinrich profited $6,000 from his work; Apple kept 30 percent of that for "store upkeep."
0
Comment by DanLar75: I don't get it? Whats the big hoopla? $999 for something useless, OH NO no one has ever gotten something... more » | Other threads
-
i am rich
Frightened husband accidentally pays $999.99 for useless iPhone app
After discovering Armin Heinrich's $999.99 do-nothing "I Am Rich" iPhone widget, Apple iTunes App Store reviewer Lee5279xx claims that he "clicked buy, thinking it was a joke, to see what happened. I forgot my wife had 'iclick' activated on my laptop and it really bought this app for $999." Lee5279xx probably meant Apple's 1-Click feature which overrides Apple's standard "Do you really want to buy this?" dialog box. But that was meant for 99-cent songs, not thousand-dollar timewasters.
0
Comment by Uncle-Sam's Littlle Helper: @Silky John-STON!: If stupidity would make us grow, we could lick the ass of the moon :)) more » | Other threads
-
porn
Vudu sexes up its set-top box, but is it too late?
Vudu, a startup which sells a set-top box for downloading HD movies over the Internet, has finally added adult content to the mix through a partnership with AVN. Neither Netflix nor Apple will let you watch folks bump uglies — in stunning 1080p resolution, no less. Vudu rival FyreTV won't let you download anything but porn, so it's certainly a differentiator. But is it enough to save Vudu's business model? Unlikely. At $299 (marked down from $399), the box is pricey, the selection of videos still limited, and the premise that viewers will spend up to $20 to virtually "own" Ashlynn Goes to College 3 questionable. And of course, the real competition isn't other paid services — it's the millions of hours of free porn available on the Internet.
0
By Jackson WestComment by WagCurious: 1998 called and it wants it's technology back more » | Other threads
-
Eddy Cue
Apple's new MobileMe boss punished with a promotion
Eddy Cue, the vice president in charge of Apple's iTunes Store, where outages contributed to the iPhone 3G's messy launch, isn't getting fired. Instead, Apple CEO Steve Jobs is promoting him to head all of Apple's Internet services — iTunes, the App Store, and MobileMe — and will report directly to Steve Jobs. Does this mean that Cue's former boss, Sina Tamaddon, right, is taking the fall for MobileMe's buggy launch? One person definitely getting slapped: Rob Schoeben, the executive responsible for MobileMe during its launch. (Photo of Cue, left, by matteorenzi)
0
By Owen ThomasComment by Owen Thomas: @maybesew: Apologies for any lack of clarity. As we noted, he was in charge of the iTunes Store before. The... more » | Other threads
-
mad men
iTunes Steals Mad Men's Smokes
The image you see on top is a standard ad for Mad Men, AMC's series about hard-paryting admen in the good old days that conveniently advertises itself everywhere. The image on the bottom is what you see when you visit iTunes to purchase the full season of Mad Men. The difference? On iTunes, the man has had his cigarette taken away. Steve Jobs does not understand the point of this show at all. Click to enlarge the Apple-approved scrubbing of our culture.
0
Comment by Meeg: @Helman: "Yes, Timmy, people smoked a lot in 1960, but they also sent troops to Vietnam." Oh wait, that doesn't... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Amazon limps its way to 4 percent of U.S. digital-music market
eMusic CEO David Pakman estimates that Amazon.com's MP3 store may have sold 27 million tracks since opening 6 months ago — which sounds good until you consider that Apple's iTunes moves 2 billion songs a year. Pakman also estimates that Amazon's store is adding $7 million, after the labels' take and expenses. At least people are looking forward to a new Kindle, right? [Silicon Alley Insider] -
overheard
Apple employee: iPhone 3G launch failure is "shitty"
NEW YORK — Apple's iTunes store, required for activating the new iPhone 3G is failing, causing massive chaos from coast to coast. Even Apple employees are — when they don't realize a reporter is in earshot — acknowledging this. "I can't believe there's just so much stuff going wrong," says one employee at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store as he takes his lunch break sitting next to me. "It's not very Apple-like. It's shitty. It just shouldn't happen." His friend agrees: "I called my dad and his phone still doesn't work."
0
Comment by colonelpanic: @CaliforniaCajun: The bigger question is why does Woz even have to go to a store to get an iPhone? .. or... more » | Other threads
-
the olds
Neil Young to fix iTunes' sucky audio quality once and for all
"Putting on a headphone and listening to an MP3 is like hell," 62-year-old rock eccentric Neil Young has said, while praising the sonic qualities of old vinyl records. Now, taking a clue from the fix-it-yourself Web 2.0 kids, Young told the Financial Times that he's working on an alternative digital distribution platform that won't drive his ears nuts: More »
0
By Paul BoutinComment by Paul Boutin: @mach1andy: Awesome, thanks for coming out and representing the blackface-Fender demographic. Try not to laugh at my Hot Rod... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Nine years later, Napster repeats its feat of making MP3s widely available
The celestial jukebox is back, far too late to matter. Napster is now selling a library of 6 million songs, from all four major labels, as MP3 files, a format which lacks copy protection and hence is compatible with any number of devices — most importantly, the iPod. In other words, the state of affairs that existed nine years ago at Napster's original launch, save for the 99-cent fee now charged per download. Egghead Netscape cofounder Marc Andreessen notes the irony without explanation. For the slightly less brilliant among us, here it is: The record labels, having killed Napster once, have now rallied behind it, hoping to weaken Apple, a company whose iTunes store is already the dominant music retailer in the U.S.
0
By Owen ThomasComment by MalcoveMagnesia: Why do record labels despise Apple so much? If they succeed in weakening ITMS or killing it, do the labels... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Following bloggers, musicians are the latest group to whore themselves to Apple
Bloggers know that a good Apple story is a sure-fire way to precious pageviews and ultimately, cash. Music groups are figuring out how to capitalize on the cult of Steve Jobs, too. Silicon Alley Insider reports that since appearing in an Apple ad on April 27, "Shut Up and Let Me Go" by The Ting Tings shot up to No. 11 on the iTunes charts and No. 93 on Billboard's top 100. Additionally, Apple fanboys snatched up copies of "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" after Apple debuted the song in an ad on October 28, and then "New Soul" by Yael Naim took its turn on the charts after Apple featured it in its MacBook Air ad campaign. So the capitalist-friendly among us can't help but cheermusic group The Bird & the Bee for theirvideo director Dennis Liu's cynical attempt at an Apple-whoring music video, embedded below. More »
0
Comment by Torley: Cynical? Nah. Unabashedly catchy, joyous, and playful? Sure. more » | Other threads
-
online video
Apple adds HBO to iTunes, but only by caving on pricing
As a a part of a deal to bring HBO shows to the iTunes store, Apple will allow a content producer to break its $1.99-per-show price structure for the first time, HBO employees involved in the deal told Portfolio. Last summer, Apple CEO Steve Jobs refused to allow NBC to do the same, so NBC boss Jeff Zucker took his shows elsewhere — to Microsoft and the Zune, specifically. Why did HBO get the deal while NBC didn't? More »
0
Comment by jeffabc: @ValleyWorker Considering that HBO's cost per episode is somewhere around $10 per on some box sets, I'm going to guess... more » | Other threads
-
apple
Jeff Zucker's Zune revenge
Having dropped Apple's iTunes store in a dispute over pricing, NBC Universal will soon start selling downloads of TV shows like The Office and 30 Rock for its Zune media player. If NBC chief Jeff Zucker manages to scrape some sales out of Microsoft's handheld also-ran, it will be a miracle — and the surest proof yet that content, not hardware, is king. Don't hold your breath. Microsoft's Zune has always seemed like a parody of Apple's iPod. Want to buy songs? Well, first you buy "points" from Microsoft, which you can then exchange for music at some bizarre exchange rate. Nothing about its user interface seems quite right compared to Apple's polish. The system for TV shows is no better. Though Microsoft also makes the Xbox, shows downloaded to a Zune won't play on the videogame console unless you're adept at fiddling with cables. By going with Microsoft, Zucker is betting that technology doesn't matter, design doesn't matter, and market share doesn't matter. He must really believe in his prime-time lineup. (Photo via Fake Steve Ballmer)
0
By Owen ThomasComment by audiophil: @jbelkin: great idea! I'd call the show 'Welcome to the social' more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Merlin megalabel to represent indies in licensing negotiations
The music snobbery is going to get a whole lot thicker on MySpace now that thousands of independent labels have signed on for "virtual major" Merlin.While most indie albums sell in small numbers, indie labels collectively account for 27.5 percent of total music sales worldwide; when banded together, they represent one of the largest labels on the planet.
The purpose of the organization is to allow online distributors like MySpace and iTunes to have one contact to negotiate deals on behalf of thousands of small companies. All of it means more choice for customers online — those of you who introduced your crush to Os Mutantes can be forgiven if your expression of affected indifference melts into a smile, if only for a moment. Now the glossy, pop crap from the likes of EMI will have to compete on par with the delights of Sympathy for the Record Industry's catalog. -
online video
Obscene iTunes profit margins finally win Hollywood's heart
Steve Jobs has finally wooed all the major studios, including Fox, Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount and Universal, to sell movie downloads on the day DVDs are released. On Friday, you'll be able to wait a while as American Gangster downloads over your crappy American broadband connection for $14.99. And it will be delivered in lower quality than standard DVDs, without any of those annoying extra features. But it will have Apple's DRM installed with every copy! What finally brought Hollywood to the table? More »
0
By Jackson WestComment by BartKela: Hasn't Steve-o admitted that the profits from the iTunes Store are nominal and that its primary function is to drive... more » | Other threads
-
defamer
Why Don't We Feel Better About All These New Movies on ITunes?
The inevitable grouping of the major studios under the iTunes roof finally occurred today, when Apple officially announced it had reached agreements with Universal, Paramount, Fox, Warner Bros., Sony and Lionsgate (along with previous bedfellow Disney) on day-and-date downloads of their new DVD titles. The studios had made most releases available for rental since earlier this year (with catalog titles for sale before that), but this marks the first time users can buy and download new releases on their DVD street dates. More »
0
By STVComment by johnnypotatoes: I don't get it. If they want to charge that much, and people are willing to pay for it, how... more » | Other threads
-
online video
Twee hipsters can now download Juno from iTunes
Everyone's favorite over-allusive Indiewood hit Juno is now available for download at the iTunes Music Store for $14.99. The move marks Fox's first foray into offering new DVD releases as paid downloads through Apple's popular service, with the studio joining Paramount and Disney. Amazon's Unbox already carried the title, where it's also available to rent. Apple TV owners won't be able to rent Juno until May 14.
0
By Jackson WestComment by Widget Economist: Lol, $15.00 Just go to wikipedia and read the spoilers to see what happens. Save the money, time. Just imagine a woman... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
What MySpace Music backers don't get: Recorded music is no longer a product, but advertising
Shawn "Jay Z" Carter signing with LiveNation demonstrates that one of the most entrepreneurial artists of our generation has decided that the business of recording music is advertising. The No. 1 digital music retailer, iTunes, has understood this for some time — Apple sells iPods, and iTunes is a service to make it relatively cheap and easy to fill those iPods. Carter will be happy to make a little chump change from digital sales, but the MC knows the real money is in branded events and merchandise. What the labels call "piracy" is actually free distribution of promotional material, and such a model is not without precedent. More » -
digital music
Apple now top music seller in America, beating Wal-Mart
Apple now holds a 19 percent share of the U.S. music market, beating Wal-Mart's 15 percent and taking the No. 1 spot for the first time. Just last month, Apple moved past Best Buy for the No. 2 spot. The data, from an NPD survey, came from a leaked internal email from Apple. Ars Technica suspects the increase in buying is related to Christmas gifts of iPods and iTunes gift cards. Most surprising to me? People still buy music.
0
Comment by matto: @getonline: Every month when I make my car payment, I wonder why I didn't just carjack a nice Porsche instead.... more » | Other threads
-
digital music
Why Steve Jobs wants to sell you a music subscription
Why is Apple suddenly in talks with record labels about bundling an unlimited music plan with new iPods, after resisting such a move for years? Steve Jobs has scoffed at music subscriptions in the past, saying customers want to "own their music." Never take Steve at his word: For years, he shot down the idea of iPods with video or an Apple-branded cell phone — until he made them happen. The same is about to happen for music subscriptions, I suspect — but not because Jobs has suddenly changed his mind about consumers' tastes. More »
valleywag
San Francisco, 1:36 PM
Mon Jul 6
28 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip Your Editors:
tips@valleywag.com
| AIM
Valleywag:
Ryan Tate | Email
Valleywag elsewhere on the Web:
Twitter | Facebook
Valleywags Emeriti:
Nick Denton
Nick Douglas
Owen Thomas
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
