Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Apple Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Don Green who wrote (32944)	3/28/2002 1:38:40 PM
From: Don Green	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 213182

IPod Redux Ari Weinberg, 03.28.02, 10:00 AM ET Apple Computer's iPod portable MP3 player debuted to rave reviews last fall. The newest version, released last week, does little to diminish the applause. But it's not yet deserving of a standing ovation. The new iPod: as great as the first one, but not much better The new iPod doubles the storage capacity to 10 gigabytes (roughly 2,000 songs) and adds 20 equalizer presets. That extra space comes at a cost. The 10 GB version retails for $499, $100 more than the original. Like the original, you can try to compare the Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people) to the under-$400 20 GB offerings from SonicBlue (nasdaq: SBLU - news - people) and Archos. But you really can't. That's because iPod still has limited Windows compatibility. It's a shame considering that the vast majority of personal computers are Windows machines. Some third-party developers have come out with Windows-based software and firmware (for the iPod itself), but Apple has yet to reveal any plans for Windows compatability, though the company is rumored to be working on just such a product. The company is rumored to be hammering out a Windows solution, but that involves some mighty concession from both Apple and Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people). Right now, Apple's proprietary FireWire connection port is its leverage. FireWire transfers data at roughly 30 times Universal Serial Bus (USB), the current standard for interdevice connections for PCs and older Macs. The iPod's FireWIre connection can tranfer 2,000 songs in 20 minutes. For a USB MP3 player, that would take ten hours. But as more portable devices--like digital cameras and camcorders--come with FireWire capacity, the Windows machine cartel may consider small concessions too keep the high-end digerati happy. The pressure is on Apple to play ball. Of course, it would be silly to assume that the minds at Microsoft and Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people) aren't hammering out a technology to blow by FireWire. Though many iPod owners use the device as a portable hard drive--which it is--the iPod was built for music. So why is Apple touting the introduction of new software that allows the iPod to display address databases from Palm (nasdaq: PALM - news - people) and Mac? Could the iPod be Apple's doorway into the crowded personal digital assistant market? Let's hope not. Apple has a hit going with iPod's current design and format--to try to morph it into an upscale PDA could be a Newton-sized mistake. forbes.com

To: Don Green who wrote (32944)	3/28/2002 2:03:39 PM
From: Doren	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213182

the battle for market share is over The battle may be over but the war rages on. Linux has made large inroads in the server market and openware continues to be popular. Most UNIX and Openware software will probably be ported. I can easily see companies going with Star Office on Macs, why not? The XP pricing policy etc is not going to derail it in corporations that are heavily invested in Microsoft but it will derail it in smaller companies that will grow and be more cost efficient using Linux or OSX and/or openware. XP heavily sucks. As a matter of fact I believe Microsoft has backed away from some of the more draconian parts of it's XP strategy. You're jumping the gun. OSX has a lot going for it being UNIX based, and easily ported should the time come. Lot's of people have made wrong assumptions based on what seems to be the truth. Like the statement "Only 6 computers will be needed worldwide". Who would have guessed that a crappy system like Dos would gain the upper hand against IBM? Who would have guessed the web would become so all encompassing? Things always change in surprising ways in the computer industry. For the past 10 years Microsoft has been lucky and done the right things for market share but you could say the same about a lot of tech companies during a lot of time spans. Of course in Apple's case OSX is the biggie, the periferals and the hardware designs will only get you so far. OSX has to be easier and more stable to beat XP.