Yesterday, I purchased a 2G 32 gigabyte IPod touch. I took it home, plugged it into my laptop, and waited for AmaroK to pick it up. Nothing. It turns out that no-one has succesfully cracked these new IPods, and so AmaroK can't read it. Brilliant! While I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone figures out a way to get read/write access to these new IPods, they shouldn't have to. Basically, I have to use OS X, or Windows to manage my IPod. This is pretty much the same as someone buying a CD player that only lets them insert CDs if the player is sitting on top of a wooden, or glass table. If they have got a plastic topped table, it won't work. This is absolutely ridiculous and Apple are a disgrace.
Apple need to do one of the following:
- Provide an API for reading/writing MP3s and the itunes DB. (Never happen)
- Port iTunes to Linux. (Although AmaroK is much, much, better).
They won't do either of these, however. Surely, the EU will pick up on this eventually. Given their history with Microsoft, I'd be surprised if they don't start to give Apple a hard time about anti-competitive practices. With their media players, Apple tie you into their music transfer software, and shove their music store down your throat. I want to be able to manage my IPod however I see fit, not how Apple tell me.
There's no doubt that Apple make great hardware, but as their share in the notebook market continues to grow, coupled with their dominance of the media player market, they are in danger of becoming worse than Microsoft in almost everyway that makes Microsoft suck! They're already starting to loose their 'cool' due to the fact that everyone and their uncle has a macbook. Watch out Apple, you're becoming evil.
Pizzy
