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Unable to compete with the Kindle, Apple wants a cut of ebook sales
superboyac:
But Sony never gave in to that.
-superboyac (February 02, 2011, 01:05 PM)
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Largely because the American recording industry threatened to sue and legislate Sony into oblivion if direct digital to digital copying was implemented on the minidisc system.
This was right after the major labels had effectively prevented DAT tape decks from finding an American market via a combination of legal threats and political pressure to get legislation passed restricting its use. So Sony was more than a little nervous. Especially since they also wanted to start selling commercial music recordings on the minidisc format, and therefor couldn't afford to alienate the rest of the recording industry.
Sony may have been shortsighted in caving in. But at the time it was probably the only option they had, even if it did ultimately doom their snazzy little disc.
-40hz (February 02, 2011, 02:53 PM)
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Thanks for that info. Then how did Apple get away with it? or any of those early digital players? What was the difference then and in the early 90's? Was it just a matter of time, and the recording industry had just accepted the fact?
zridling:
Dell should run with this idea, and require 30% of everything purchased on one of their computers.
It's all about the ability to market their products in a way that makes people feel really good about choosing an essentially closed system that doesn't work well with other devices and software. And when people attempt to make the Apple product they own more compatible and useful, i.e., jailbreaking, Apple claims a copyright violation. From now on, I'll copy what was said against being forced to buy Microsoft Windows with a new computer and call it the Apple tax. Apple calls their 30% cut "curating," but what they're actually doing is hiding and controlling web content into monetized apps. No porn for you! Want NYTimes? $20/month on our device that delivers our iAd experience! I do understand the comfort of plug-n-play/idiot-proof computing offered by Apple.
johnk:
They're going to keep saying that the e-ink displays are better on the eyes vs the tablet screens, but that's a bunch of bullshit.-superboyac (February 02, 2011, 11:07 AM)
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Slightly off-topic, I guess, but that's quite something to state as a bald fact. Many would disagree. I can't read anything on an LCD screen for more than two or three pages without my eyes burning (and I've always bought very good screens). I send any long article I want to read to my Kindle, which is one of my best ever purchases.
I hate DRM as much as the next guy, but in the time I've owned a Kindle I've never bought a single ebook. I bought the Kindle just to use as a device to read long articles copied from the web. I use Calibre to send free newspapers/magazines to my Kindle every day, and I use Instapaper to collect everything I want to read on the web (and Instapaper will email that stuff to my Kindle automatically). All for the cost of a Kindle, which is a decent bit of hardware. The built-in browser is surprisingly usable, and with the 3G Kindle version you get free worldwide 3G. Sounds like an ad, I know, but just adding a bit of balance to the ebook debate. Big companies can do good things.
Renegade:
I wish there was a way to like a reply. Renegade's sums up my feelings :)
A huge resounding +1
-Josh (February 02, 2011, 08:30 AM)
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3 drinks in on an empty stomach and I start to express my true inner feelings. All warm and fuzzy and unicorns and rainbows. Apple, Sony and a few others just tend to force my unicorns to start impaling people and turning the rainbows to beautifully gasoline covered ponds. The warm comes from them throwing a lit match on the pond. The fuzzy then comes from what happens to my vision as my eyes begin to melt. :D
wraith808:
They're going to keep saying that the e-ink displays are better on the eyes vs the tablet screens, but that's a bunch of bullshit.-superboyac (February 02, 2011, 11:07 AM)
--- End quote ---
Slightly off-topic, I guess, but that's quite something to state as a bald fact. Many would disagree. I can't read anything on an LCD screen for more than two or three pages without my eyes burning (and I've always bought very good screens). I send any long article I want to read to my Kindle, which is one of my best ever purchases.
-johnk (February 02, 2011, 06:48 PM)
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As much as I like my iPad, and read on it and my iPhone, I'd have to agree with you on this. One of the reasons I that I think I'm going to get my daughter a nook instead of a nook color. She reads *a lot*. And considering that she's 10, I don't want her reading that much on the lcd of the nook color. I've seen them side by side (and compared to an iPad), and the e-Ink does make a huge difference. The iPad screen is a lot more vibrant, and looks a lot better, and updates faster... but the e-Ink is just less stressful on the eyes.
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