Portable Device Issues
Apple is set to roll out a massive marketing campaign to start pushing video iPods. Key to the roll out is the sale of addictive TV soaps and series which hook consumers into returning to weekly downloads from the Apple content site.
One insider at Apple has even admitted that the company is looking at its own weekly content however there are concerns over production costs. During the past few months Apple has held discussions with three production companies with a view to sharing costs on the production of exclusive iPod content, however senior executives of Apple are at loggerheads as several believe that Apple should stick to only manufacturing technology hardware and software and not content.
Apple is set to be on centre stage this week following its fallout with US TV Network NBC and the pending launch of a new iPod range on Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Following last week's fall out with NBC, Apple has issued a press release claiming NBC Universal wanted to more than double the wholesale price charged for its television shows.The iTunes owner made the claim after NBC announced that it would be pulling its programming from the download service when its contract with Apple expires in December.
The Australian distributors of the Archos range of products are charging up to $800 more for the same product than US retailers. Investigations by SmartHouse reveal that it is cheaper to buy the Archos video players from Amazon.com and pay the $25.00 shipping fee than pay the recommended retail for the product in Australia.
iTech International, the distributors of the Archos personal video player, appear to have lost interest in the brand in Australia. In what appears to be a one man band operation, iTech for nearly a week have been uncontactable. Calls to the company are not returned and information on their website is up to 4 years old.
The good old USA, that country they call the land of the free is now considering locking you up if you dare to nick a music track or a piece of software without the express permission of the owner.
Details of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2007, will criminalise "attempting" to infringe copyright.
The surge in the use of iPods and other MP3 players, supported by persuasive advertising slogans such as "live life loud," is leading to a hearing loss epidemic, according to new research from the USA.
Research data from the Hollins Communications Research Institute suggests Americans are resisting warnings from audiologists to turn down the volume on their players.
"With nearly 150 million personal music players on the market - and sales continuing to climb, hearing loss will become as prolific as these devices. iPod users are ignoring warnings that loud and prolonged exposure will give them permanent hearing damage," says Hollins Exeutive Director, Dr. Ronald Webster.
A New York State Senator is proposing fines for pedestrians who cross the street listening to an iPod or mobile phone or even using a portable gaming device in an attempt to minimise pedestrian accidents.
Brooklyn senator Carl Kruger says three pedestrians in his area have been killed in the last six months after they stepped out into traffic listening to either their music player or chatting on the phone.
The iPod video seems to have been a dismal failure as a video player with consumers buying the large screen iPod to listen to music.
The iPod video seems to have been a dismal failure as a video player with consumers buying the large screen iPod to listen to music.
Following a major study in the USA during October Nielsen, Research came to the conclusion that owners of Apple's Video iPod spend far more time on it listening to music or audio podcasts than they do using it to watch TV or movies.
In a move that could have serious ramifications Microsoft has taken that view that most consumers will breach music copyright when they buy a new Zune player, so they have decided to compensate for it.
Microsoft has agreed to pay Universal Music Group a royalty on every Zune media player sold as compensation for pirated music used on the devices, a decision which will have wide ramifications throughout the digital music industry. This royalty would be in addition to a percentage on every track by Universal artists sold through the online Zune Marketplace. Microsoft is apparently ready to extend similar royalty arrangements on Zune sales to other music distributors in a move that could push up the price of players.
Apple reported last month that a small number (less than 1 percent) of Video iPods purchased after September 12 2006, were released with a virus called Rajump on them. In Symantec's latest security update, consumers are warned to be cautious when connecting unknown media devices, such as iPods to computers since this has come to light.
The iPod virus, was traced back to a computer that was used to test the devices during the manufacturing process. Symantec cited similar instances with other MP3 player manufacturers, such as Creative's Zen Neeon player being shipped with a variant of the Wullik worm last year, and the virus problem with MP3 players given away in a promotion by McDonalds Japan earlier this year.
According to Bill Gates local newspaper the Seattle Times, Microsoft is indeed developing a digital-media player to compete with Apple's iPod, but there's much more to the story they claim.
While a few details trickled out last week from music companies that Microsoft is lining up to support the device. Microsoft isn't commenting, but the Seattle Times were able to piece together a broader picture with some research, reporting and information from a source close to the project. What's being developed is actually a complete line of Xbox-branded digital-media products, including a device that plays media, a software media player and an online media service.
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