The Album is Dead, Stop Trying to Revive It

It seems like CD’s just won’t die, and the major labels aren’t going to let them. Universal, Warner, EMI, and Sony have all schemed up a plan called the “CMX Digital Album”, and have been at it for about a year and a half. They actually went to Apple with the idea, but got a big fat NO in their faces. Supposedly, after this idea was brought to Apple, those guys at Cupertino went to work on their own version, code named “Cocktail”. This “Cocktail” is set to launch in September, before the big label’s version in November.

Do you care?

You’re probably going to get the inside booklet that comes with most CD’s now, in a PDF format. Again, do you care? Not to mention that the four big labels are actually challenging Apple and iTunes, which is the world’s largest music seller.

Palm Kicks and Screams, Reports Apple to USB Compliance Organization

Well, it seems like Palm is pouting over the fact that they didn’t invent iTunes, and now can’t use it. Today they released Web OS 1.1, and with it, a new mechanism to sync the Pre with iTunes, which was previously broken by Apple.

“Palm has released webOS 1.1, which, along with offering more robust EAS support for business users, re-enables Palm media sync,” said company spokesperson Lynn Fox. “Palm believes that openness and interoperability offer better experiences for users by allowing them the freedom to use the content they own without interference across devices and services, so on behalf of consumers, we have notified the USB Implementers Forum of what we believe is improper use of the Vendor ID number by another member.”

However, the USB Compliance Organization might be in favor of Apple here:

When you apply for a USB Vendor ID, you sign a form that explicitly states that:

“Unauthorized use of assigned or unassigned USB Vendor ID Numbers and associated Product ID Numbers are strictly prohibited.”

But isn’t it Apple’s right to keep iTunes exclusive? How long have they been developing it, keeping it available, free, and working on iPod/iPhone features? One of the iPhone’s major selling points is that everything syncs with iTunes. Is it really Palm’s right to claim that they are an “iPod” and use iTunes, which they had no part of developing?

If you developed iTunes/iPod/iPhone, would you let Palm use your software FOR FREE? Without your permission?

Why is this even an argument?

Microsoft Launches Missile, Apple Shoots it Down

Rumors have flown today about the next Windows Mobile 7 Zune Phone. Mari Jo Foley at ZDNet has published what she thinks (or might know) it the real Zune Phone’s (codenamed Pink?) tech specs.

The phone would include a ARM v6+ processor, Open GL ES 2.0 graphics chip (possibly the TI3430 or NVIDIA Tegra), 3.5″ 800 x 480 or 854 x 480 pixel touch screen, 3MP camera, GPS, light sensor, 3-axis compass, accelerometer, USB, bluetooth, and WiFi support.

It seems that along with this news, a Chinese Forum Poster has described the next iPhone’s “minor” hardware update including a 600MHz CPU speed (up from 400MHz), 256MB of RAM (up from 128MB), a digital compass and FM tuner, 3.2MP camera with auto focus, and a shiny new 32GB version.

Even though these rumors ARE merely rumors, each company did play an important business role today.

While Microsoft took a shot at the cost of iTunes VS. a subscription based plan (in which the song actually isn’t yours) in the video below, Apple released a update to Leopard (10.5.7), all Leopard Servers, Tiger users, security patches, and Safari patches to Leopard, Tiger, and Windows users. The 10.5.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.

Just What is Going on at Apple? Blu-ray? More Seniors?

The fourth beta of iPhone 3.0 was set free today, no shocker there. HOWEVER, iTunes 8.2 pre-release was also set free, and it seems like the new iTunes is hinting at Blu-Ray recognition. Take a look:

Now this is very odd indeed. Current Macs don’t support Blu-Ray, possibly with the exception of Blu-Ray drives set forth by other companies, most likely for the Mac Pros. Even worse is that Steve Jobs himself has said “Blu-Ray licensing is a mess, and it’s too much paperwork..”. So what exactly is going on? Many sources hint that iTunes will simply recognize the Blu-Ray discs, and nothing more. With WWDC around the corner, who knows what will happen.

Even more suspicious today is the fact that another chief technology officer from AMD has joined Apple, and that would be Raja Koduri. Apple is no doubt building up some serious hardware talent. All of this combined with the purchase of P.A. Semi in April 08′ could mean that the company may be developing it’s own chip for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but would this suffer just like the PowerPC did?

The Inquirer reports that Raja Koduri, currently Chief Technology Officer of the Graphics Product Group at AMD, will be joining Apple. The rumor comes on the heels of the discoveryjust two days ago that Bob Drebin, Koduri’s predecessor in the position at AMD, has already joined Apple.

Between PASemi, Bob Drebin and other things we can’t talk about yet, Apple is building up some serious hardware talent. All they need now is a good reliability person and a fire chief, and things will get really interesting on the hardware front in Cupertino.