vitaboy
Aug 24, 05:43 PM
This is really little more than a bookkeeping trick. The books will now report that Apple bought something for $100 million, something they thought they already owned. It's still the same dollar figure, no matter where the accountants put it in the books. The way I understand it, in theory at least, Apple could generate some revenue from this "asset" if Creative obtains more licenses. I'll believe it when I see it. I'm betting we never do see it.
It may be a bookkeeping trick, but it's considered part of Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP). The IRS and the SEC certainly doesn't have problem with it and ammorization is actually encouraged. Apple used the same method to record the $250 million cash investment in flash memory plants last year, as well as the $400 million it is setting aside for the new Cupertino campus. Neither of those big cash outlays really affected their profit recording.
The Microsoft Zune possibilities are interesting. We haven't seen the Zune interface yet, but you can be sure Creative is going to be taking a good, hard look at the device when it finally surfaces (sometime during this decade, almost without a doubt). We'll just have to wait and see. We'll also have to wait and see if Creative dumps their DMP business. If any of these events occur, I'm prepared to change my opinion about this settlement.
Well, despite my strong opinions, I have to again agree with you that only time will tell who was the real winner here.
My predictions are
1) Microsoft gets hit with a patent infringement lawsuit and settles rather quickly and
2) Creative exits the player business because it will be squeezed by the iPod and Zune from above, and Sandisk and iRiver from below. The field will just be too crowded with Zune. Because no matter how much money Zune will lose in the first few years, Microsoft will no doubt keep it afloat rather than cede defeat in this space. That might help Zune to take away some share away from the iPod eventually, but not before Zune eats the bulk of Creative's and Sandisk's share first. Creative has to be thinking about whether continuing to pour R&D and marketing into players is worth it with Microsoft competing directly against them. My guess it they'll bail as soon as they are able.
But again, only time will tell. :)
It may be a bookkeeping trick, but it's considered part of Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP). The IRS and the SEC certainly doesn't have problem with it and ammorization is actually encouraged. Apple used the same method to record the $250 million cash investment in flash memory plants last year, as well as the $400 million it is setting aside for the new Cupertino campus. Neither of those big cash outlays really affected their profit recording.
The Microsoft Zune possibilities are interesting. We haven't seen the Zune interface yet, but you can be sure Creative is going to be taking a good, hard look at the device when it finally surfaces (sometime during this decade, almost without a doubt). We'll just have to wait and see. We'll also have to wait and see if Creative dumps their DMP business. If any of these events occur, I'm prepared to change my opinion about this settlement.
Well, despite my strong opinions, I have to again agree with you that only time will tell who was the real winner here.
My predictions are
1) Microsoft gets hit with a patent infringement lawsuit and settles rather quickly and
2) Creative exits the player business because it will be squeezed by the iPod and Zune from above, and Sandisk and iRiver from below. The field will just be too crowded with Zune. Because no matter how much money Zune will lose in the first few years, Microsoft will no doubt keep it afloat rather than cede defeat in this space. That might help Zune to take away some share away from the iPod eventually, but not before Zune eats the bulk of Creative's and Sandisk's share first. Creative has to be thinking about whether continuing to pour R&D and marketing into players is worth it with Microsoft competing directly against them. My guess it they'll bail as soon as they are able.
But again, only time will tell. :)
swarmster
Mar 30, 11:48 AM
http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/30/microsoft-hires-linguist-to-oppose-apples-app-store-trademark/)
Apple noted (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/01/apple-defends-against-microsoft-in-app-store-trademark-dispute/) in a prior filing that it had moved to protect its trademark by reaching out to companies it believed was using the "App Store" name improperly, but Microsoft argues that the simple fact that those companies were using the term in the first place indicates that the term is generic.
WOW! That's quite the argument Microsoft's putting forward. If that's true, they're arguing against the entire trademark system! Using someone else's trademark causes it to be generic and no longer a trademark?
Good luck with that one.
Apple noted (http://www.macrumors.com/2011/03/01/apple-defends-against-microsoft-in-app-store-trademark-dispute/) in a prior filing that it had moved to protect its trademark by reaching out to companies it believed was using the "App Store" name improperly, but Microsoft argues that the simple fact that those companies were using the term in the first place indicates that the term is generic.
WOW! That's quite the argument Microsoft's putting forward. If that's true, they're arguing against the entire trademark system! Using someone else's trademark causes it to be generic and no longer a trademark?
Good luck with that one.
whooleytoo
Oct 12, 03:58 PM
Maybe because all across the globe, women and children are hugely disadvantaged economically and socially in comparison to men? People who need more help should get more help.
Generally, that's a good point. But in this case I don't think it's significant: your average adult male in Africa is likely to be more affluent than the average adult female (or child), sure - but it's not as if he can afford quality healthcare either!
It's just people at two different levels of poverty, neither of whom can afford the healthcare they need.
Generally, that's a good point. But in this case I don't think it's significant: your average adult male in Africa is likely to be more affluent than the average adult female (or child), sure - but it's not as if he can afford quality healthcare either!
It's just people at two different levels of poverty, neither of whom can afford the healthcare they need.
ChickenSwartz
Sep 2, 04:55 PM
Multimedia:
You seem to know your facts. I'd like to get your opinion:
When do you think C2D will be in MBPs? On the 5th? 12th?
I too hope there is an user removable HD.
What are the odds that they will give us a 12'' option?
I am asking all this becasue I would like a 12'', removable HD, C2D MBP before the free iPod offer expires. A 15'' would be fine too.
You seem to know your facts. I'd like to get your opinion:
When do you think C2D will be in MBPs? On the 5th? 12th?
I too hope there is an user removable HD.
What are the odds that they will give us a 12'' option?
I am asking all this becasue I would like a 12'', removable HD, C2D MBP before the free iPod offer expires. A 15'' would be fine too.
syklee26
Sep 12, 06:50 PM
can someone tell me how to do that quick scroll thingee? i get it sorta randomly.
vand0576
Sep 5, 01:17 PM
Because Apple has to redesign the Airport Extreme.
They cant make one for the U.S. and another for Europe.;)
It's the same for the firewire iSight.
I would figure in the meantime they would continue to sell products in areas that they are not restricted. Oh well.
They cant make one for the U.S. and another for Europe.;)
It's the same for the firewire iSight.
I would figure in the meantime they would continue to sell products in areas that they are not restricted. Oh well.
jacollins
Apr 20, 12:59 PM
There is no proof that it is sending that information to anyone.
[conspiracy hat]
Ah, so the REAL reason for the humongous Apple data center with petabytes of storage? dun dun duuuun...
[/conspiracy hat]
:)
[conspiracy hat]
Ah, so the REAL reason for the humongous Apple data center with petabytes of storage? dun dun duuuun...
[/conspiracy hat]
:)
Fredo Viola
Sep 12, 02:10 PM
I'm very happy about the gapless playback, and battery life, but generally all these updates are pretty disappointing.
andiwm2003
Aug 28, 12:08 PM
not that it really matters. but they stole apples thunder.
and since steve compared osx to windows and the mac pro to dell and made lot's of fun about both they'd better stay on top of the game.
and since steve compared osx to windows and the mac pro to dell and made lot's of fun about both they'd better stay on top of the game.
steve_hill4
Oct 27, 01:06 PM
In response to the previous post above, perhaps Greenpeace should think about limiting its volunteers at public events to "really hot" girls dressed "appropriately", I am sure its message would be better received.
Yeah, but make sure they're environmentally friendly, so get them to wear fig leaves. :)
Yeah, but make sure they're environmentally friendly, so get them to wear fig leaves. :)
Anonymous Freak
May 3, 04:07 PM
Because the iMac Display mode apparently is Thunderbolt-dependent, not backward compatible with DisplayPort-only systems, I wonder if this means you will be able to daisy-chain iMacs? For example, have one iMac in the center as the master; two iMacs (one on either side) each connected via Thunderbolt to the center, acting as two displays. Then, could you slave two more Cinema Displays (or any DisplayPort monitor, even more iMacs!) from those two 'outer' iMacs for a total of five displays? Apple said in the first generation of ThunderBolt systems that they could support two displays per Thunderbolt port with daisy-chaining, and AMD's chips can support up to 6 displays.
zwida
Sep 10, 09:51 AM
Erhm..so the new realeased merom iMac will last for how long:confused: :confused:
worth it to buy now???
thinkiNG of getting one...cant bear with my 3 yrs old of centrinO noteBook...:mad:
I think it's worth buying now. There will always be something better out there. If you're suffering with a 3-year-old Centrino, make your computing life better now with a new iMac.
worth it to buy now???
thinkiNG of getting one...cant bear with my 3 yrs old of centrinO noteBook...:mad:
I think it's worth buying now. There will always be something better out there. If you're suffering with a 3-year-old Centrino, make your computing life better now with a new iMac.
EagerDragon
Sep 4, 06:59 PM
I think it is the highly anticipated iToilet with universal iPod dock and count 'em four AppleTalk ports.
Sorry the iToiletPaperDispenser is already out.
Sorry the iToiletPaperDispenser is already out.
tyzilla
Sep 14, 10:38 PM
Not sure why people would get excited about an iCamera. There are many excellent DSLRs out now from companies that have a lot more expertise in building cameras than Apple. I'd rather have a Canon Rebel XT or maybe that new Pentax.
by the looks of the description he/she gave of the "iCamera" or "iDSLR," it was a joke. that's just my take though.
by the looks of the description he/she gave of the "iCamera" or "iDSLR," it was a joke. that's just my take though.
mox358
Sep 13, 09:47 PM
I am with you on this. I don't see the real compelling reason to have a plain old iPod that makes phone calls and sucks all my battery so I can't play music, or vice versa. It needs to be a compelling smart phone, that will be the inovative part, not the hardware design. We all know it will look like a nano.
But why should it? This isn't Motorola... this is Apple. They are supposed to be the masters of industrial design and software integration. No doubt the phone will have an awesome user interface, but I expect more from Apple than sticking an antenna and GSM chip inside a nano, putting a keypad underneath it, and calling it a day. This couldn't have taken very long to dream up... it seems like the most obvious and un-Apple idea of them all.
If this is the fabled iPhone then Apple is losing its touch... the design was already done when they introduced the nano.
I hope Apple wants this to be a phone with iPod functionality opposed to a nano with phone functionallity. The difference is huge. What is the primary function of this device? To play music or use as a phone? Thus far it looks like a nano with a software update and a GSM chip sadly.
But why should it? This isn't Motorola... this is Apple. They are supposed to be the masters of industrial design and software integration. No doubt the phone will have an awesome user interface, but I expect more from Apple than sticking an antenna and GSM chip inside a nano, putting a keypad underneath it, and calling it a day. This couldn't have taken very long to dream up... it seems like the most obvious and un-Apple idea of them all.
If this is the fabled iPhone then Apple is losing its touch... the design was already done when they introduced the nano.
I hope Apple wants this to be a phone with iPod functionality opposed to a nano with phone functionallity. The difference is huge. What is the primary function of this device? To play music or use as a phone? Thus far it looks like a nano with a software update and a GSM chip sadly.
iMacZealot
Sep 17, 11:10 PM
Agreed. The U.S. is pretty much behind everyone else as far as cell phone technology goes. Do I care? No. My cell phone takes and gives calls. Who cares if it can take 30MP photos and watch steaming TV and movies and play Crysis at 120fps and pay my bills and rob convenient stores and solve world hunger? When I get a new cell phone and the salesman starts running off at the mouth at how cool it is and all the groovy things it does, I stop him and ask, "can I call people on it?" If the answer is yes, then I'm happy. :D
LOL I just need a phone that has decent service in my area, a decent camera phone, text messaging, and I'm set. It doesn't hurt if it looks cool, either. But I don't really care about 3G right now. Hardly anyone has a 3G network here in Denver.
LOL I just need a phone that has decent service in my area, a decent camera phone, text messaging, and I'm set. It doesn't hurt if it looks cool, either. But I don't really care about 3G right now. Hardly anyone has a 3G network here in Denver.
DJMastaWes
Sep 9, 10:34 PM
Two Questions...
1) If Merom MacBook Pros ship on the 12th, and I order mine that day, around how long would it take for me to get?
2) I hear there is going to be TONS of problems seeing as how it's going to be the first of Rev B. Models. Any truth to that?
1) If Merom MacBook Pros ship on the 12th, and I order mine that day, around how long would it take for me to get?
2) I hear there is going to be TONS of problems seeing as how it's going to be the first of Rev B. Models. Any truth to that?
Psychmike
Apr 30, 05:10 PM
Ill be in Panama city Florida a couple days after the release, may pick one up on the way home if we go by a store. Have to find a list of stores.
Fascinating.
Fascinating.
cwt1nospam
Mar 10, 07:52 PM
you don't remember www.jailbreakme.com last year? you swipe and it installs all kinds of code on your iphone
Wrong. It takes more than a swipe. It requires user interaction.
Is there nothing AV trolls won't stoop to in their vain efforts to sell their useless software?
Wrong. It takes more than a swipe. It requires user interaction.
Is there nothing AV trolls won't stoop to in their vain efforts to sell their useless software?
jwdsail
Oct 12, 04:00 PM
No, this is the Target special edition nano that comes with a Target gift card.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that though along that line, lol.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that though along that line, lol.
VanNess
Sep 1, 04:02 AM
Well, if any of this is true, I'm going to take a pass on this one.
First of all, I'm not really interested in buying movies. It's not the same as music, with movies one view is all it takes and I'm pretty much done. There are exceptions but they are rare - even rarer now considering the stuff studios are putting out these days. If the rumored price points stick, I can't see the value in downloading something that's likely going to occupy too much space on my drive and even more likely to be erased or burned to DVD - if burning is allowed. Counting up the time to download (ugh), the time to burn it to DVD (if it simply doesn't end up being erased altogether, permissable burning or not) for a movie I never had any intention on keeping in the first place and potentially coughing up about 15 bucks just so I get to join the movie download revolution just isn't adding up in my book.
Worse is if the movie is sub-DVD quality, and I have a bad bad feeling it will be. Ratcheting up H264 to DVD quality (or preferably better - much better) is going to make the download time way too long. In as much as Apple was originally competing with file sharing when it entered the music download biz, it had the advantage of offering consumers a consistent, great sounding, high quality sound file which in itself was desirable where songs that bounced around file sharing networks at the time weren't always so blessed. If Apple really wants to repeat the iTunes miracle again, they have to pull off the same thing with movies. In other words, an experience that is equal to or preferably better than the present DVD experience.
Unfortunately, I don't think that's Apple's intention this time around. My guess is that they are getting their rather sizable and feared (if your Sony, lol) foot in the door now before other online movie dot coms saturate the market and worse, much worse - bring their MS WMV DRM along with them. Apple can establish itself now and pander to the iPod/iTunes faithful and not find itself marginalized for selling online movies in the future by MS and it's C:/Windows/Windows_only/Windows_proprietary/DRM.
But not for me. I still think the online movie biz just isn't ready for prime time, and as a competitor or alternative to Netflix and the terrestrial-based movie rental outfits, far from it. But we'll see. I don't want to poo-poo something sight unseen, and maybe Apple has a surprise or two up it's sleeve - but I doubt it. We simply need better bandwidth than what we have in this country now for this stuff to really fly.
First of all, I'm not really interested in buying movies. It's not the same as music, with movies one view is all it takes and I'm pretty much done. There are exceptions but they are rare - even rarer now considering the stuff studios are putting out these days. If the rumored price points stick, I can't see the value in downloading something that's likely going to occupy too much space on my drive and even more likely to be erased or burned to DVD - if burning is allowed. Counting up the time to download (ugh), the time to burn it to DVD (if it simply doesn't end up being erased altogether, permissable burning or not) for a movie I never had any intention on keeping in the first place and potentially coughing up about 15 bucks just so I get to join the movie download revolution just isn't adding up in my book.
Worse is if the movie is sub-DVD quality, and I have a bad bad feeling it will be. Ratcheting up H264 to DVD quality (or preferably better - much better) is going to make the download time way too long. In as much as Apple was originally competing with file sharing when it entered the music download biz, it had the advantage of offering consumers a consistent, great sounding, high quality sound file which in itself was desirable where songs that bounced around file sharing networks at the time weren't always so blessed. If Apple really wants to repeat the iTunes miracle again, they have to pull off the same thing with movies. In other words, an experience that is equal to or preferably better than the present DVD experience.
Unfortunately, I don't think that's Apple's intention this time around. My guess is that they are getting their rather sizable and feared (if your Sony, lol) foot in the door now before other online movie dot coms saturate the market and worse, much worse - bring their MS WMV DRM along with them. Apple can establish itself now and pander to the iPod/iTunes faithful and not find itself marginalized for selling online movies in the future by MS and it's C:/Windows/Windows_only/Windows_proprietary/DRM.
But not for me. I still think the online movie biz just isn't ready for prime time, and as a competitor or alternative to Netflix and the terrestrial-based movie rental outfits, far from it. But we'll see. I don't want to poo-poo something sight unseen, and maybe Apple has a surprise or two up it's sleeve - but I doubt it. We simply need better bandwidth than what we have in this country now for this stuff to really fly.
FFTT
Sep 10, 05:28 AM
What ever Apple decides to do, the result will have to be better than any Vista
Powered AMD set-up.
The thing is that Apple has not only set a standard for performance, but also
for QUIET that no other workstation in it's class has ever achieved.
They won't be able to maintain that ground if they cut too many corners.
Some of these quad core designs will be a success and some with probably fail
to meet Apple's standards.
Powered AMD set-up.
The thing is that Apple has not only set a standard for performance, but also
for QUIET that no other workstation in it's class has ever achieved.
They won't be able to maintain that ground if they cut too many corners.
Some of these quad core designs will be a success and some with probably fail
to meet Apple's standards.
WildCowboy
Aug 23, 05:15 PM
I see Apple stock going up on this news. $100 Million is getting off easy. Could have been a LOT worse.
The aftermarket response for AAPL has been negligible...down 21 cents on top of a 31 cent decline in regular trading. Creative, on the other hand, is now up 36% in after hours trading.
The aftermarket response for AAPL has been negligible...down 21 cents on top of a 31 cent decline in regular trading. Creative, on the other hand, is now up 36% in after hours trading.
Warbrain
Apr 20, 10:13 AM
Section 4b of the software license agreement explains it all:
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/iphone.pdf
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/iphone.pdf