How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#1

Post by jemmons » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 6:45 PM UTC

How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync
precentral.net

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#2

Post by alaskamiller » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:12 PM UTC

Back in the day, AOL and Microsoft went through a similar war their messaging service. It was great from the consumer's perspective, interesting from the hacker's perspective, and petty from a business perspective--like the insistence on trying to kiss the hot girl in the bar last Saturday, drunk.

Now, here's the other thought: Apple has a lot of reasons to block imitation devices from accessing iTunes, the least of which includes perhaps security issues for its users, but also for the fact that being able to access iTunes, iTunes Store, and iTunes content might have very specific clauses drafted in its agreements with Apple's content partners. By not protecting that, Apple in itself might be in legal trouble.

So, this isn't just pettiness that Apple is taking in full delight of. Just a bit.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#3

Post by sound2man » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:35 PM UTC

alaskamiller wrote: post #2

Back in the day, AOL and Microsoft went through a similar war their messaging service. It was great from the consumer's perspective, interesting from the hacker's perspective, and petty from a business perspective--like the insistence on trying to kiss the hot girl in the bar last Saturday, drunk. Now, here's the other thought: Apple has a lot of reasons to block imitation devices from accessing iTunes, the least of…

I don't think that we can really site security issues on this, as the pre cannot access any DRM data at this point. So there cannot be any aggreements with vendors.

Only if the Pre was accessing DRM protected media would that be a valid point. I think there is more than a dash of pettiness involved here.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#4

Post by blasdel » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:42 PM UTC

Now that the Pre is actually masquerading itself, Apple could go after them for trademark infringement!

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#5

Post by psadauskas » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:42 PM UTC

Instead of this pissing match over the horrible iTunes, Pre, Google, and Amazon need to get together and make better media software.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#6

Post by mrkurt » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:50 PM UTC

blasdel wrote: post #4

Now that the Pre is actually masquerading itself, Apple could go after them for trademark infringement!

The result of Sega vs Accolade suggests that trademark protection wouldn't be extended to identification for interoperability reasons.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#7

Post by gamble » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 8:52 PM UTC

Palm should ask themselves whether flaky on-again/off-again integration with iTunes is really better for their users than writing a standalone sync program like Blackberry.

I don't really get Palm's reluctance to write good sync software. They've been avoiding it since the 90s.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#8

Post by mrkurt » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 9:07 PM UTC

gamble wrote: post #7

Palm should ask themselves whether flaky on-again/off-again integration with iTunes is really better for their users than writing a standalone sync program like Blackberry. I don't really get Palm's reluctance to write good sync software. They've been avoiding it since the 90s.

Well, there's no need. Windows comes with good media sync software. Most Palm data syncs with web services.

What's missing is a quality experience with iTunes, particularly on OSX. Emulating an iPod seems like a quick and easy way to provide an optimal user experience. Plus, they get publicity when Apple pulls the dickhole move that makes them seem like a big, abusive corporation.

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#9

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 9:23 PM UTC

gamble wrote: post #7

Palm should ask themselves whether flaky on-again/off-again integration with iTunes is really better for their users than writing a standalone sync program like Blackberry. I don't really get Palm's reluctance to write good sync software. They've been avoiding it since the 90s.

[deleted]

Re: How Palm Re-Enabled iTunes Sync

#10

Post by gamble » Fri, Jul 24, 2009, 9:29 PM UTC

mrkurt wrote: post #8

gamble wrote: post #7

Palm should ask themselves whether flaky on-again/off-again integration with iTunes is really better for their users than writing a standalone sync program like Blackberry. I don't really get Palm's reluctance to write good sync software. They've been avoiding it since the 90s.

Well, there's no need. Windows comes with good media sync software. Most Palm data syncs with web services. What's missing is a quality experience with iTunes, particularly on OSX. Emulating an iPod seems like a quick and easy way to provide an optimal user experience. Plus, they get publicity when Apple pulls the dickhole move that makes them seem like a big, abusive corporation.

It's quick, but what about the Pre owners who don't follow Gizmodo daily and don't know what's going on when their phone suddenly stops syncing after an iTunes upgrade?

This episode is reminiscent of what I went through working as the 'integration guy' at an educational web startup in the early 2000s. We were in Palm's position, trying to pull data out of systems created by companies that were either indifferent or hostile to our product, so the integration tended to break frequently and without warning. It's not a good way to satisfy your customers. They don't care that you're striking a blow against the establishment - all your customers care about is that your product broke without warning.