USB Forum Rules Against Palm in Apple Dispute

[exfileme]

Palm got spanked by the USB-IF after whining about Apple locking the Pre out of iTunes.

USB Forum Rules Against Palm in Apple Dispute : Read more

 

[jhansonxi]

Unfortunately I have to agree with the USB-IF and the implementation of the standard. Ethernet MAC addresses are vendor specific for the same reason - to prevent device ID collisions and consumer confusion. The correct solution is for Palm to team up with other content providers and compete against Apple.

 

[dingumf]

Itunes is part of Apple

/end of story

 

[LePhuronn]

OK Palm, just do your own sync utility and be done with it - read the iTunes library file so users don't have to manage two libraries and make sure you flag up any files that are protected when you do the sync.

I may not agree with a lot of Apple's practices, but they are entirely within their rights to restrict iTunes to Apple-only devices - controlling their platform is how they maintain their image and "stability" and that is perfectly acceptable for their brand.

 

[sucre]

iTunes has proven time and again to be crapware, full of bugs that makes Windows stop working, and full of bloat that amounts to a 90 meg download. Seems to me that Palm could just as easily sync with other software. Songbird is a 13 meg download. Or, better yet, why not write their own? preTunes sounds good to me.

On the other hand, a shame that Apple is shutting out a fair-sized potential for business. How many Pre owners out there might purchase songs from the iTunes store were they able to sync them. Apple is refusing to play nicely with others in the same way they did in the 80s by refusing to license their technology like IBM. To that I say, look at how many PCs there are in the world compared with the number of Macs.

 

[geoffs]

Duh. Everyone (with the possible exception of Palm) saw that answer coming. If Palm didn't expect that answer from the USB-IF, then they aren't in touch with reality (in which case their shareholders should immediately demand that their Board of Directors take action).

"We engaged with the USB-IF because we believe consumers should have freedom and choice in how and where they use the non-rights managed media they already own," the company told Digital Daily.

I agree with you, and so does Apple. Write your own sync software and make it happen. You can probably even find a way to connect it to iTunes to make the process seamless for your users, but first you have to actually write some software and stop trying to impersonate an iPod.

 

[geoffs]

BTW, am I the only one who is tired of hearing Palm whine about this? Quit trying to run your company by relying on software from your competitors, that's just plain foolish.

 

[matt87_50]

[citation][nom]geoffs[/nom]BTW, am I the only one who is tired of hearing Palm whine about this? Quit trying to run your company by relying on software from your competitors, that's just plain foolish.[/citation]

yes... no one would be stupid enough to do that... *cough* firefox *cough* make EU rape MS *cough*

 

[Guest]

i say screw apple they deserve what ever they get coming to them. if that means palm using itunes then so be it im all for it.

 

[belawrence]

It's like spoofing the first three octets in an ethernet MAC - the one that identifies the manufacturer, so Apple is in the right on this one. No effect in my household, where all Apple products are banned anyway.

 

[frozenlead]

Doesn't really matter. Now that the workaround exists, 3rd party people and hackers will get it to work under their own steam.

 

[maigo]

Apple does something bad, Palm implements a quick fix and gets scolded for standing up against a monopoly. Our work here is done

 

[Ramar]

So this USB-IF is run by...ah, here we go, board of directors.

Oh my. This list is...Oh god...Mussolini? Mao? Stalin? H...Hitler?

Apple's taken over the USB-IF! =O

 

[JohnnyLucky]

Another governing body? Just how many are there?

 

[AndrewMD]

Palm really needs to incorporate iTunes syncing within their OWN software. Consumers can do their purchases in iTunes and then Palm's software could pull the files and copy to their device. Apple cannot banned them from doing that since you can already do this with their music in the form of USB drives and non-iPod devices. As long as the music is DRM free.

 

[zelog]

So create a special in-between dongle that does the vendor ID faking, sell it for $5 and everyone's fine.

 

[gaevs]

If Microsoft would do that, then everybody would be bitching about it... but as is Apple, the "views" get skewed a little...

 

[bydesign]

Why would anyone use this, just stick with DRM free Mp3's. iTunes is for dummies.

 

[Major7up]

Man I have an extreme dislike of iTunes...but as some of the previous posters mentioned, there are other solutions. I use Winamp still and manage my libraries with it, including iTunes music that I purchased years ago. Palm could offer a similar solution but I also think that people who prefer iTunes should be able to have a bit more choice.

 

[HolyCrusader]

Both sides have valid arguements. iTunes can be considered a monopoly, especially since there's a number of songs/artists/albums that are 'exclusive' to iTunes, and thus mandate an Apple product (if you go by the Apple handbook).

Palm on the other hand is not going by this approach the right way. Instead of making their own software, they try to use somebody else's software (iTunes). As other posters have said, there are other avenues that Palm could have taken. Their current route is not atypical of Palm either - their own software offerings have generally been mediocre and they've relied heavily on 3rd parties for software support in the past.