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"The point of any company should be to make customers want to give it money, NOT to get money from customers. It’s a subtle distinction that is the difference between good and evil."
Glenn Wolsey notes that he is frustrated over iPod Touch (Non) Shipment:
I believe Apple should have started shipping the iPod touch to those who pre-ordered online either before, or alongside those who can now walk into an Apple store and pick one up on impulse.
Apple’s delays in delivering new-launch product via the online stores is not really something that new. It’s clear Apple, particularly in the US, have moved to a more retail centric model with Apple Stores being a priority for product launches — this results in pre-orders often1 dispatching well after the product has hit the shelves.
That works great in the US where there are often well-stocked Apple stores to waltz into, but not-so-great in other locations2 where resellers are the only option. Yes, Glenn could potentially visit a reseller that happens to have stock, but that’s not the point. If he orders online, it should be released within a short period from when the product hits the store shelves — that’s the right thing to do for those who splash-the-cash to pre-order.
The pre-orders are a sign-of-faith in a particular product where a consumer says “I trust you to do the right thing, here is my early tender for your product.” — the vendor should respond promptly to such good faith.
It hasn’t happened. And it should have.
"The enhanced code locks the iTunes database to one specific iPod and also prevents any modifications to it." — the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away; whilst vendor lock-in is hardly new, it does give Apple’s message on DRM free music a hollow ring.
"Love your shiny new iphone, but sick of tangling up that darn cord on your earbuds? Grab an old credit card and a pair of scissors. Boom! You are about to solve one of life’s least important problems." — via dave slusher, clutter free cord storage.
"Apple is threatening legal action after sex shop Anne Summers launched a device entitled the ‘iGasm’. Sold for $60, the ‘iGasm’ vibrates in time to music played off an ipod or mp3 player." — from the ‘other other use for an ipod’ department..
"My feeling is that typical consumers won’t care that much…lower price will win out over slightly higher quality and some nebulous future flexibility." — kottke misses the point, DRM free audio at a higher bitrate and *no* device lock in. Nebulous?! #
".. what is best to develop this market and to have more consumers enjoying this really very important, very modern way of downloading and enjoying the music?" Kill DRM! It’s the single biggest hurdle to open formats, let alone with the industry itself. #
