I'll admit, when the iPod was first announced all of 4 years ago, I thought it was nice, but why was it needed? I had a 256mb flash player that I loaded every other day or so thru a USB 1.1 connection. Ok, so it took an hour or so to fill. And had a sucky display and UI. And no real way to automatically fill up when plugged in. But $399 for 5 gigs? Ok, I had 4 gigs of music on my Lombard Powerbook back then (a DARN good computer for its day), but still, $400?

Then I got one via educational pricing, and nothing's been the same with my music since then.

Now Apple's changed the way I look at TV (and probably movies, too). Jobs' connection to Pixar certainly gives him some gravitas in negotiating with the studios and networks for content with this, but what's interesting is how quickly Disney's joined on. Disney was into the iTunes Music Store early on, making their whole catalog online, and now they've made ABC and Disney Channel content available via the iTunes store. Disney understands what the RIAA and the MPAA don't: The choice for the consumer isn't buying music or movies online at the prices Apple sets or not, it's buying online from Apple or pirating the content for free. The instant the cost/benefit equation for legal purchases shifts against the consumer in even the slightest way is the instant the consumers deserts iTunes for BitTorrent.

This entry was posted by Kevin Creighton, on 10.12.2005. You can leave your response.