Linked List: September 6, 2007

Thursday, 6 September 2007

iToner Disabled With iTunes 7.4 Update ★

Ambrosia’s Andrew Welch:

We’re on it. Here’s what is happening. iTunes 7.4 thinks it is the sole entity that puts custom ringtones on your iPhone. As such whenever you sync (even if you aren’t using any ringtones from iTunes), it just blindly writes over the database of user-installed ringtones.

USAToday Interview With Steve Jobs: ‘That’s What Happens in Technology’ ★

Interesting pre-$100-store-credit interview with Jobs regarding yesterday’s announcements and the status of getting The Beatles catalog into the iTunes Store.

The Need for Web Standards Support in Email Clients ★

Smart argument from David Greiner of Campaign Monitor, particularly his practical take on the plain-text-vs.-HTML argument:

Let me preface this by saying I completely respect everyone’s choice for the email format they prefer to send and receive. I also understand that it probably wasn’t the original purpose of email to go beyond one-to-one plain text messaging. I really do. This is one of the biggest reasons we encourage everyone to include a plain text alternative whenever they send a HTML email.

But we need to be realists. Every popular email client supports HTML email and most use that format out of the box.

(Via Shaun Inman.)

Engadget Interview With Phil Schiller ★

Ryan Block: Speaking of taking these products around the world, especially these touch screen devices, what do you make of the iPhone software unlock, um, “market”?

Phil Schiller: [Laughter] I’m not really sure there is a market there at all or yet. So, I’d really rather not make a comment on it. But I don’t think there is a “there” there.

Maybe Schiller doesn’t read Engadget, because Block reported back on August 24 that AT&T has already lost “iPhone exclusivity” because of iPhoneSIMfree.com’s amazing software technology. Sure, it was promised for release within “24-72 hours” and that didn’t happen, and sure, just three days ago Engadget reported again that bulk orders would begin shipping on September 4, and that hasn’t happened.

But it certainly isn’t a joke that Phil Schiller should be laughing at. It was reported on Engadget.

Corrupt Countries Were More Likely to Support the OOXML Document Format ★

Microsoft is sort of like a comic book villian (e.g. Lex Luthor) — even when they appear to be acting respectably, it ends up they’re up to something dastardly behind the scenes.

About the Security Content of iTunes 7.4 ★

iTunes 7.4 closes a security hole in the way it processes album art data embedded in song files.

Open Letter From Steve Jobs to All iPhone Customers ★

The nut: a $100 Apple store credit for everyone who already bought an iPhone, and a straightforward apology to anyone who was upset by the price cut. It’s also a wonderfully plain-spoken statement regarding “life in the technology lane”:

Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you’ll never buy any technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the horizon.

I think it’s clear that Apple was taken by surprise by the magnitude of the backlash regarding the price cut. They’ve responded quickly, humbly, and well, to avoid letting this issue spoil the good news from their impressive product releases yesterday.

AT&T Calls New iPhone Pricing a ‘Special’ ★

Hmm. AT&T:

iPhone is currently available at AT&T retail stores or at apple.com with special pricing available now through January, 31 2008; $299 (4GB model - while supplies last) and $399 (8GB model).

My reading of this is that for anyone who’s gun-shy about the price dropping again, they’re establishing that the new prices are good for at least the next five months.

Damn Good Question ★

Rob Sama’s question for Steve Jobs:

When you released the iPhone, you declined to open up its API for fear that malevolent (or incompetently authored) programs had the potential to bring down AT&T’s network.

Given that the new iPod Touch is not connected to AT&T’s network, will you at least open up the API for that? Or are you afraid it might bring down Starbucks’ network…

iTunes 7.4 ★

I wonder why they bothered releasing iTunes 7.4 before the ringtones feature was ready at the iTunes Store. It seems to me you’d want this feature available as soon as people upgrade, so it’s there to play with (and pay for ringtones).

Update: Duh, they released it now because the new iPod Nanos and Classics require it, and they’re shipping already. Thanks to everyone who answered.

‘No Longer Joe Cool’ ★

Steven Riggins on the $200 iPhone price cut:

One person on IRC said “I don’t have a ton of cash to burn, I could have used that $200.” Well apparently he did have the cash to burn and burn it he did. He gave it to Apple. Willingly. They didn’t twist his arm. They asked a price, and he paid it.

But now the self esteem kicks in. He’s no longer joe cool on the block. In fact, any schmuck with $200 less can buy one and laugh at him.

That is why people are upset. Being laughed at, poked fun at. It was all good as long as they had the phone that others could not afford. Now more people can and those early adopters are less special.

A Different Kind of Personal Computer ★

Interesting to watch more long-time Windows nerds switch to the Mac. Long-term, I think it’s very dangerous for Microsoft how many power users are abandoning Windows. It’s most palpable at non-Mac-specific nerd conferences — MacBooks abound.

ThisService 2.0 ★

New version of Jesper’s excellent freeware utility for turning AppleScript and Unix scripts into system-wide services in your Services menu. Highly recommended; I can hardly live without my handful of custom services.

There’s an awful lot of polish and refinement in the UI for a freeware app.

New iPods and the iPhone All Run Video Out ★

Mike Schramm:

Apple is selling Component and Composite video cables right now, and listing them as compatible with the new Nanos, iPod Classic, iPod Touch, and even the iPhone.