Want an iPhone? Beware the iHandcuffs - New York Times
David Farber <[email protected]> Sat, 13 Jan 2007 20:03:57 -0500
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--Apple-Mail-2--696607098 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes; format=flowed http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/business/yourmoney/14digi.html?=20 _r=3D1&oref=3Dslogin&ref=3Dtechnology&pagewanted=3Dprint DIGITAL DOMAIN Want an iPhone? Beware the iHandcuffs By RANDALL STROSS STEVE JOBS, Apple=92s showman nonpareil, provided the first public=20=20 glimpse of the iPhone last week =97 gorgeous, feature-laden and pricey.=20= =20 While following the master magician=92s gestures, it was easy to=20=20 overlook a most disappointing aspect: like its slimmer iPod siblings,=20=20 the iPhone=92s music-playing function will be limited by factory-=20 installed =93crippleware.=94 If =93crippleware=94 seems an unduly harsh description, it balances the=20= =20 euphemistic names that the industry uses for copy protection. Apple=20=20 officially calls its own standard =93FairPlay,=94 but fair it is not. The term =93crippleware=94 comes from the plaintiff in a class-action=20=20 lawsuit, Melanie Tucker v. Apple Computer Inc., that is making its=20=20 way through Federal District Court in Northern California. The suit=20=20 contends that Apple unfairly restricts consumer choice because it=20=20 does not load onto the iPod the software needed to play music that=20=20 uses Microsoft=92s copy-protection standard, in addition to Apple=92s own. Ms. Tucker=92s core argument is that the absence of another company=92s=20= =20 software on the iPod constitutes =93crippleware.=94 I disagree. It is=20=20 Apple=92s own copy-protection software itself that cripples the device. Here is how FairPlay works: When you buy songs at the iTunes Music=20=20 Store, you can play them on one =97 and only one =97 line of portable=20=20 player, the iPod. And when you buy an iPod, you can play copy-=20 protected songs bought from one =97 and only one =97 online music store,=20= =20 the iTunes Music Store. The only legal way around this built-in limitation is to strip out=20=20 the copy protection by burning a CD with the tracks, then uploading=20=20 the music back to the computer. If you=92re willing to go to that=20=20 trouble, you can play the music where and how you choose =97 the=20=20 equivalent to rights that would have been granted automatically at=20=20 the cash register if you had bought the same music on a CD in the=20=20 first place. Even if you are ready to pledge a lifetime commitment to the iPod as=20=20 your only brand of portable music player or to the iPhone as your=20=20 only cellphone once it is released, you may find that FairPlay copy=20=20 protection will, sooner or later, cause you grief. You are always=20=20 going to have to buy Apple stuff. Forever and ever. Because your=20=20 iTunes will not play on anyone else=92s hardware. <snip> ------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed as [email protected] To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip Archives at:=20 Archives: http://archives.listbox.com/247/ Modify Your Subscription: http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=3D124739&= user_secret=3Da069132e Unsubscribe: http://v2.listbox.com/unsubscribe/?id=3D124739-a069132e-xcfwfc= eq Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com --Apple-Mail-2--696607098 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 <HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml= -line-break: after-white-space; "><BASE href=3D"data:"><DIV style=3D"font-f= amily: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><BR cl= ass=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><A href=3D"http://www.nytimes.com/200= 7/01/14/business/yourmoney/14digi.html?_r=3D1&oref=3Dslogin&ref=3Dtechnolog= y&pagewanted=3Dprint">http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/business/yourmoney/= 14digi.html?_r=3D1&oref=3Dslogin&ref=3Dtechnology&pagewanted=3D= print</A><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR class=3D= "khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right= : 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-s= pan" color=3D"#666666" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-sty= le-span" style=3D"font-size: 13.4px;"><B>DIGITAL DOMAIN</B></SPAN></FONT></= DIV><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-styl= e-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"6"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style= =3D"font-size: 24px;"><B>Want an iPhone? Beware the iHandcuffs</B></SPAN></= FONT></P><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0= px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" s= ize=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13.3px;"><B>= By RANDALL STROSS</B></SPAN></FONT></DIV><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16= .0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><A href=3D"http://topics.nytimes.com/top/r= eference/timestopics/people/j/steven_p_jobs/index.html?inline=3Dnyt-per"><F= ONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"A= pple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">STEVE JOBS</SPAN></FONT></A><FO= NT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Ap= ple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">, </SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http:= //www.nytimes.com/mem/MWredirect.html?MW=3Dhttp://custom.marketwatch.com/cu= stom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&symb=3DAAPL"><FONT class=3D"Apple-styl= e-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style= =3D"font-size: 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#000065">Ap= ple</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgi= a" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">= =92s showman nonpareil, provided the first public glimpse of the iPhone las= t week =97 gorgeous, feature-laden and pricey. While following the master m= agician=92s gestures, it was easy to overlook a most disappointing aspect: = like its slimmer </SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http://tech2.nytimes.com/gst/tech= nology/techsearch.html?st=3Dp&cat=3D&query=3Dipod&inline=3Dnyt-classifier">= <FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D= "Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-sp= an" color=3D"#000065">iPod</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class=3D"Apple-sty= le-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style= =3D"font-size: 16px;"> siblings, the iPhone=92s music-playing function will= be limited by factory-installed =93crippleware.=94</SPAN></FONT></P><P sty= le=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D= "Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-s= pan" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">If =93crippleware=94 seems an unduly harsh = description, it balances the euphemistic names that the industry uses for c= opy protection. Apple officially calls its own standard =93FairPlay,=94 but= fair it is not.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.= 0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia"= size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">The= term =93crippleware=94 comes from the plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit,= Melanie Tucker v. Apple Computer Inc., that is making its way through Fede= ral District Court in Northern California. The suit contends that Apple unf= airly restricts consumer choice because it does not load onto the iPod the = software needed to play music that uses </SPAN></FONT><A href=3D"http://www= .nytimes.com/mem/MWredirect.html?MW=3Dhttp://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/= nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&symb=3DMSFT"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-spa= n" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"fo= nt-size: 16px;"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" color=3D"#000065">Microsof= t</FONT></SPAN></FONT></A><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia"= size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">=92= s copy-protection standard, in addition to Apple=92s own.</SPAN></FONT></P>= <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT cl= ass=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-s= tyle-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">Ms. Tucker=92s core argument is that = the absence of another company=92s software on the iPod constitutes =93crip= pleware.=94 I disagree. It is Apple=92s own copy-protection software itself= that cripples the device.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px= 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face= =3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size= : 16px;">Here is how FairPlay works: When you buy songs at the iTunes Music= Store, you can play them on one =97 and only one =97 line of portable play= er, the iPod. And when you buy an iPod, you can play copy-protected songs b= ought from one =97 and only one =97 online music store, the iTunes Music St= ore.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-he= ight: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4">= <SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;">The only legal = way around this built-in limitation is to strip out the copy protection by = burning a CD with the tracks, then uploading the music back to the computer= . If you=92re willing to go to that trouble, you can play the music where a= nd how you choose =97 the equivalent to rights that would have been granted= automatically at the cash register if you had bought the same music on a C= D in the first place.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0= px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Geo= rgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;= ">Even if you are ready to pledge a lifetime commitment to the iPod as your= only brand of portable music player or to the iPhone as your only cellphon= e once it is released, you may find that FairPlay copy protection will, soo= ner or later, cause you grief. You are always going to have to buy Apple st= uff. Forever and ever. Because your iTunes will not play on anyone else=92s= hardware.</SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 16.0px 0.0px; l= ine-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Georgia" size= =3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 16px;"><BR clas= s=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></SPAN></FONT></P><P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0= .0px 16.0px 0.0px; line-height: 24.0px"><FONT class=3D"Apple-style-span" fa= ce=3D"Georgia" size=3D"4"><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-si= ze: 16px;"><snip></SPAN></FONT></P><div style=3D"padding:0 4px 4px 4p= x;" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"> <hr> <p><HR>=0D You are subscribed as [email protected]<BR>To manage your subscription= , go to<BR> <A HREF=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip">http:/= /v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=3Dip</A><P>Archives at: <A HREF=3D"http://= www.interesting-people.org/archives/intere</p> <table border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" width=3D"100%"> <tr> <td padding=3D"4px"> <font color=3D"black" size=3D"1" face=3D"helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-bottom: 1px sol= id #444444" href=3D"http://archives.listbox.com/247/" title=3D"Go to archives for ip">A= rchives</a> | <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-bottom: 1px solid = #444444" href=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/member/?member_id=3D124739&user_secret=3Da069= 132e" title=3D"">Modify</a> Your Subscription | <a style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:#669933;border-= bottom: 1px solid #444444" href=3D"http://v2.listbox.com/unsubscribe/?id=3D124739-a069132e-xcfwfceq" t= itle=3D"">Unsubscribe</a> <td valign=3D"top" align=3D"right"><a style=3D"border-bottom:none;" href=3D= "http://www.listbox.com"> <img src=3D"http://www.listbox.com/images/listbox-logo-small.jpg" title=3D"Listbox Email Marketing" border=3D"0" /></a></td> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </BODY></HTML>= --Apple-Mail-2--696607098--