Visions of sugar plums, MacBooks, PS3s and BlackBerrys are dancing through the Grouse's head as he unveils what he'd really like this holiday season
Posted 12.17.2008 at 2:39 pm
6 Comments
3. The death of DRM
I’m not morally opposed to copy protection or digital rights management; I just find them incredibly inconvenient. All I want for Christmas is to be able buy music and movies from wherever I want in whatever form I want, and be able to play them on whatever devices I want. DRM makes that impossible. Nearly two years ago, Apple’s Steve Jobs made a big to-do about abolishing DRM, and yet today I’m still restricted to playing my iTunes purchases on a limited number of computers. And, if I want to take them with me anywhere, my only option is an iPod or iPhone. I also don’t want to worry about authorizing and de-authorizing every time I buy a new computer or replace a fried hard drive. So, until Apple comes around and starts following its own advice, I’ve switched to AmazonMP3.com (for my music purchases, anyway)—and I advise everyone else to do the same. Here’s why: 1) I’ve never had any trouble finding the music I want on Amazon. 2) Downloaded music is automatically imported into iTunes or Windows Media Player. 3) Songs are delivered as MP3s, which means they can be played on nearly anything and don’t care how many times they’re copied. In 2009, I hope more content distributors follow Amazon’s lead.
Turn the page to continue the list.
single pageWant the latest news on grown-up toys and gadgets, product reviews, sneak peeks, and more? Subscribe to Popular Science today, for less than $1 per issue!
6 Comments
To comment, please Login.
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
Gadgets
- Xbox One Is The First Games Console For People Who Don't Like Games
- Xbox One: Here's What We Know About Microsoft's New Console
- Drone-Vision Rifle Goes On Sale For $22K
- What We Know (And Think We Know) About The New Xbox
- The First Round Of Apps For Google Glass Is Here
- Headset Zaps Video Gamers' Brains For Better Reflexes
- Google Should Include A Self-Destruct Button On Every Android Phone
- Internet-Enabled Laser Pointer Lets You Play With Your Pet From Anywhere In The World
- The World's Largest Lego Sculpture: A Life-Size X-Wing Fighter
- The World's Smallest Arcade
Most Emailed
Gadgets
- The World's Largest Lego Sculpture: A Life-Size X-Wing Fighter
- Headset Zaps Video Gamers' Brains For Better Reflexes
- The World's Smallest Arcade
- Xbox One Is The First Games Console For People Who Don't Like Games
- Xbox One: Here's What We Know About Microsoft's New Console
- What We Know (And Think We Know) About The New Xbox
- Drone-Vision Rifle Goes On Sale For $22K
- Internet-Enabled Laser Pointer Lets You Play With Your Pet From Anywhere In The World
- The First Round Of Apps For Google Glass Is Here
- Google Should Include A Self-Destruct Button On Every Android Phone
Most Viewed
Gadgets
- The World's Largest Lego Sculpture: A Life-Size X-Wing Fighter
- Headset Zaps Video Gamers' Brains For Better Reflexes
- The World's Smallest Arcade
- Xbox One Is The First Games Console For People Who Don't Like Games
- Xbox One: Here's What We Know About Microsoft's New Console
- What We Know (And Think We Know) About The New Xbox
- Drone-Vision Rifle Goes On Sale For $22K
- Internet-Enabled Laser Pointer Lets You Play With Your Pet From Anywhere In The World
- The First Round Of Apps For Google Glass Is Here
- Google Should Include A Self-Destruct Button On Every Android Phone
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Um.....lame.
Even thought $399 is the cheapest price did you ever consider what you get for $399. It's like saying, omg, I found a brand new mac book pro for $400, but dang that's too much money. No it's not if you understand the principle of value vs. price.
Not only is the $199 360 a really bad deal, but so is the normal $399 priced 360. Go out and try buying an xbox with a hard drive, a blu-ray player, and a xbox live subcription.
399+399+50 = $848
You can get all that on a PS3 [and more! i.e. 9 core processor, 10 year life, interchangeable HD, internet browser, media center, home, bla bla bla] for $399.
Hum...sounds like a pretty freak'n sweet deal to me.
The question is, when will the rest of the world wake up?
Sincerely,
Santa Claus
oh yeah, and it plays games....
If your looking for a GAMES CONSOLE then you should buy 360 there aren't too many PS3 only blockbuster games that are worth spending $399 for the console. If you want an entertainment system then go ahead. But no matter how much SONY pay Hollywood to make it the industry standard they don't have a say in whether BLU-RAY or HD-DVD become standard. so really it's abit of a gamble in my books. Also at this current point in time, I'm not really bothered about seeing the sweat drip down the body's of the Spartans in 300 I just wanna watch the goddam movie.
My wish?
No more Apple.
It's not that I don't appreciate their overrated, under-featured, mediocre, propaganda-driven, brainwashing-reliant, shiny, flashy, fruit-labeled, market-saturating crap... actually, yes it is.
The stupid work deal is not Blackberry's fault. It's the way that corporate America thinks that they'll fight foreign competitiion -- by spending increasing amounts of time on what often amounts to management drivel. (six sigma, ISO 9000, Baldridge award -- the list goes on).
I'm retired now (yay), but I never begrudged working extra hours when there was some sense to it. However, that was not always the case.
Also, the technology complaint goes back to at least the laptop ( "The good thing about a laptop is that you can work on the plane -- the bad thing about a laptop is that you can work on the plane")
The gloss is great, let me say. I am a graphics designer - I have numerous laptops and PC's with those flat LCD screens. Granted, the Mac's flat LCD is nice, the glass and LED was one of the major reasons I bought the macbookpro, along with it's new shell. Haven't owned one is 10 years.
Overall, the screen is simply a breath of fresh air.