Apple Overlord Steve Jobs has also been getting his bearded face in the papers because he’s finally managed to settle the legal dispute between Apple Computers (now just Apple) and the Beatles owned Apple records. Interestedly Apple is now able to sell iPods preloaded with music. iPod will be the New CD is an interesting article which explores the idea that if iPod Shuffle can be sold cheaply enough preloaded with music they could completely replace CD’s. I though this theory was bizarre at first but iPod Shuffle’s are essentially flash memory drives with a few microchips for the firmware. Flash memory sticks are so cheap these days that many companies give them away like pens or key-rings. The articles author Leander Kahney speculates that the Shuffle’s could be skinned to make them more collectable, it’s certainly a good concept.

There is an interesting article on Information Architects about a theoretical iPhone range. The article is quite detailed and explains the features each model would offer and the type of consumer they would appeal to. I can’t see anything like these actual models produced as they suggest dropping music playback from the iPhone, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple do attempt to create a range of iPhones.

One topic the article touches upon is the huge scope for simplification and reduction of facilities in modern mobile phones. You might want the latest phone with mp3 player, camera, and video games but your Gran probably doesn’t.

To read my previous iPhone pondering click here.

/* Pete Graham */

There has been much discussion in the media this week about DRM (Digital Rights Management) and downloadable music. Apple Overlord Steve Jobs has done a U-turn and now decided that he doesn’t like DRM, Jobs has told the press that the only reason songs downloaded from his iTunes store are locked with DRM is because “the big record companies made me do it”. Sceptics are saying this sudden change of heart is mainly due to new European DRM legislation which means come Summer Apple may not be able to sell downloadable music with their currently DRM setup in some countries.

Personally I’d love to have the convenience of downloading music from the iTunes store, the reason I don’t is I refuse to pay money for music locked into being stored on one computer and one device. If I go to the shops to buy a CD (or order CDs from Amazon) its less convenient but once I’ve got that CD I can rip, and then move or copy the files to which ever computer or mp3 player I want to use. Majority of digital Music is ripped from CDs, so why would people be anymore likely to copy just because it was downloaded?

The other reason I don’t use the iTunes store is I don’t think its great value for money. If I buy a CD it’s around the same price as downloading the Album but I get a nice case and a booklet, I can put that on a shelf with other CDs and impress chicks. I’d like to see Apple offer a subscription based service where the user pays a set free for as many downloads as they like. If people had no download cap on the iTunes store why would they bother “illegally” swapping mp3s with each other anyway?

Interesting Bill Gates stated in December 2006 that he feels that digital copy protection for music and video is too complex. Hopefully with big names in Technology realising that DRM is a problem this could be the begging of the end for DRM, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

# Pete Graham

This is a test post written using BlogDesk application. Has it worked? I hope so. Expect a write up of the BlogDesk software later today. You can find out more in the meantime at http://www.blogdesk.org.

/* Pete Graham */