Apple: RealNetworks hacked iPod

[Renew Deal]

iPod maker alleges Real violated its music player, says new software will not support its products.
July 29, 2004: 12:48 PM EDT
By Andrew Stein, CNN/Money staff writer

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Apple Computer accused RealNetworks Thursday of adopting the tactics of a hacker and breaking into the technology behind its popular music player iPod device.

RealNetworks (RNWK: down $0.08 to $5.50, Research, Estimates), whose shares fell about 1.5 percent Thursday, unveiled a new product Monday called Harmony that allows users to download music from its online music store and use it on any portable music player, including Apple's iPod.

"We are stunned that RealNetworks has adopted the tactics and ethics of a hacker to break into the iPod," Apple said in a release.
<snip>

http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/29/technology/apple_real/index.htm?cnn=yes

[Caution]

1. ethics of a hacker? coming from Steve Jobs' company?

that's rich.

[trotsky]

2. BWAH HA HA HA

Good one. :7

[EconGeek]

3. How is Apple unethical?

What have they ever done that was unethical?

Far as I know, they've just tried to make really good products. Often succeeding...

Real Networks wanted something from Apple. Apple refused. So Real Networks took it anyway.

[Caution]

4. Steve Jobs started Apple by selling Blue Boxes

Devices created solely for the purpose of stealing phone service from the phone company.

Apple initially claimed that the Macintosh would be a fully upgradeable machine. Those of us who purchased a Mac in 1984 were left out in the cold less than a year later when Apple decided against providing any form of upgrade path.

Apple lovers routinely love to bash Microsoft for being monopolistic, while they ignore the fact that Apple acknowledges that OS X has been ported internally to run on x86 hardware (which is pretty obvious since it derives from NeXTStep which had a version for sale for x86 hardware) yet they will not release it for sale because it would ruin Apple's hardware monopoly.

The iPod is a completely closed system for any other form of DRM protected music system, even though Apple has been approached by many other companies for inclusion, but it took Real to engineer their own solution to allow me to use my iPod, a piece of hardware i *own* to be able to put a competing music product on it and use it. Imagine your DVD player only being able to play Warner Brothers movies.

Would you like me ton continue the rundown of questionable business practices by Apple? There is a lot more than just that.

And as i have clearly stated, i own an iPod, I bought my first Mac in 1984, I own a NeXT, and I like Apple products in general. I just think it is very hypocritical for Steve Jobs' company which is founded on theft of service to bitch about Real.

It is because of lawsuits like this that the DMCA is a bullshit law.

[EconGeek]

5. Uh, no.

Come on. I know the history of Apple. You can't jsut say stuff like that and not be called on it.

Apple never said the Mac would be internally upgradeable.. in fact, that was the POINT of the Mac in the first place-- it was the first machine they made without internal slots, for a reason-- to have a smaller footprint.

Apple is not monopolistic-- that's absurd. They have less than %5 of the market share accordign to most people... how is that a monopoly?

And of course ,why should Apple release OS X on x86? Don't you realize they would make more money-- since they sell OS X? They wouldn't need to sell hardware, and it wouldn't hurt their hardware ssales any because Macintoshes are better performing machines for less money.

Sure, the iPod is a closed system. So? How is that unethical?

You misrepresent the situation with the iPod. You can put any MP3 or any other software on it you want. You don't have to use only Apple supplied music. The comparison to a DVD player that can only run Warner is silly-- You can put anybodies music on an iPod. You can't put WMA on there because of Microsoft... but that's it. MP3 is an open standard. AAC is an open standard. Your ipod will play both file formats.

And finally, Apple was not started by selling blue bloxes. That's completely untrue. Steve and Wozniak did do that when they were kids in college, but that was years before they founded Apple. Apple has never sold a bluebox.

The problem is, you are confusign things you don't like (And its not even clear why you don't like them) with "unethical" and that's incorrect.

If you don't like the iPod, don't buy one. Buying one does not give you the right to demand that Apple give it away, or share technology with anyone.

By the way, Apple has not filed a lawsuit against Real. I think they are just going to continue doing what they do, and Real is going to discover that their unsupported product no longer works... and then real will have a lot of angry customers, and of course, Real not being honest about what they have done, will blame Apple. But the reality is, Real is promising their customers something they cannot deliver. And that is unethical.

[Renew Deal]

6. Update: RealNetworks Hits Back At Apple Over 'Hacker' Comment

Consumers, Not Apple, Should Decide Issue, Says Media Company

POSTED: 1:56 pm EDT July 30, 2004
UPDATED: 2:03 pm EDT July 30, 2004

RealNetworks fired back at Apple Computer on Friday over comments that the company was using "hacker tactics" in its new Harmony software. That software allows Apple customers to download and play music from the RealPlayer site on iPod players.

On Thursday, Apple released a statement complaining about Harmony and hinting that it may pursue action against RealNetworks under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

On Friday, Real responded to the complaints with a complaint of its own.

"Compatibility, choice and quality are critically important to consumers and Harmony provides all of these to users of the iPod and over 70 other music devices including those from Creative, Rio, iRiver and others," said the statement.
<snip>

http://www.theomahachannel.com/technology/3597599/detail.html

[huellewig]

7. I'm a huge Apple Nut.

And this pisses me off. Apple is being stupid. I would back this up but lots of cheap booze is running through these blood transport thingies. My brain is mush, but the bartender looks fantastic..