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Opinion: MacBook, or iMac + iPad?

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The announcement of the iPad has done a lot of things: it’s stoked up excitement in the Mac using community, it’s got a bunch of developers feverishly coding exciting new stuff, and it’s got retailers and cell phone companies the world over drooling over the money they can make from it.
And it’s also somewhat upset [...]

In Depth: 30 Days with the Nexus One

It’s been a month since my review of Google’s “SuperPhone”, the Nexus One. Since that time, we’ve surfed, updated facebook, navigated, called, played endless hands of cribbage and even tried to freeze it to death on a trip to Dayton Ohio. Follow me after the jump to find out does the “SuperPhone” stand the [...]

Apple second only to Microsoft in cash and investments… and that’s about to change

Silicon Insider posted this interesting graph putting into perspective exactly how large Apple is, compared with the other big three tech companies out there. And it’s all about cash.
Essentially, Apple is the second most cash rich company out there, with a little under $39.8 billion in cash and short and long term securities to call [...]

Review: InfiniteScope, Another Fun Free Photography Toy For iPhone

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Welcome to the “iPhone photography toy of the week” slot. Today’s toy is: InfiniteScope.

This little app could not be simpler. All it does is grab what your iPhone’s camera is seeing, and copy it infinite times, one copy overlaid atop the next, each one getter smaller and smaller.
Hmm. That description is hardly snappy, is [...]

NBC Signs Up With Amazon Unbox; Apple Shrugs

After Friday’s rumpus relating to NBC’s withdrawal from the iTunes Store, it’s small wonder that the company has already made a business decision to thumb its nose in Apple’s general direction. The Peacock Network will make theirs Amazon Unbox, the amazing new service that no one uses.  And, wouldn’t you know it, Amazon has consumers in mind, right NBC?

“This further expands our longstanding relationship to bring a robust content offering to the marketplace in a variety of ways that will benefit the consumer and, at the same time, protects our content,” said NBC Universal’s president of digital distribution, Jean-Briac Perrette, in a statement.

Whoops! Looks like they’re just being greedy! It’s known that NBC got into a dispute with Apple over fixed pricing on iTunes, and wouldn’t you know? Amazon offers a variety of over-priced options and makes it way harder to actually watch anything you download! In fact, Unbox won’t let two people in the same household share content on a device — in other words, couples are SOL.

What a kinder, gentler model! <Sigh> I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: iTunes saved “The Office.” What a pity that NBC can’t tell.

Ars Technica 

About the author

Petemortensen

Pete Mortensen is the communications lead for growth strategy firm Jump Associates and the co-author of Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy, a book and blog that are significantly more interesting than you might initially think. Pete's particular Apple avocations are both around design--interface and industrial. Follow him on Twitter!

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4 comments

    I’m a huge Apple fan, but also use Amazon Unbox. Only because you can download straight to your TiVo.

    I’ll be curious to see if the prices are more over there for the NBC episodes. Traditionally Amazon.com has had $1.99 tv episodes as well.

    how are couples SOL? we use Unbox and its great. the best part is you can download the stuff you buy whenever you want for free. unbox is way better than itunes.

    Well then! I hope NBC won’t miss those sales they were getting. I don’t know ANYONE who uses Amazon Unbox.

    As far as I can tell, the Unbox system is incompatible with my Powerbook. THe required media player will only install on a Windows OS. How nice of NBC to say an extra “F You” to all of its Mac-based iTunes customers.

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