iPod nano privacy concerns; Adobe Lightroom success; more

[AppleInsider]

A major chain of gyms has banned the new iPod nano with camera from its locker rooms; Adobe claims Lightroom is four times as popular as Apple's Aperture; and a vote is due Wednesday on an accounting rule change that could benefit Apple.

iPod nano with camera not welcome in locker rooms

Apple's new iPod nano sports a slim form factor that includes a video camera. The tiny size of the device has become a concern for Life Time Fitness, a company that runs 84 gyms in 19 states. As a result, the new iPod nano has been prohibited from use entirely in the facilities' locker rooms.

In a new report from the Pioneer Press, company spokesman Jason Thunstrom said it is impossible to tell whether a user is choosing a song to play or shooting a video. Bans have also been placed on camera-equipped cellphones at health clubs for years.

The company will allow exercisers to use the new iPod nano while working out, but shooting video while exercising is also prohibited.

The fifth-generation iPod nano has a total size of 1.1 cubic inches. The 8GB model ($149) can record up to 7 hours of video, while the 16GB capacity ($179) can capture 14 hours.

Adobe touts Lightroom success vs. Aperture

In a new blog post, John Nack, principal product manager for Photoshop at Adobe, provided some numbers that show the purported market share of Lightroom and Aperture in total, and specifically on the Mac platform. The numbers suggest that Apple's proprietary Aperture program has lost ground while Lightroom has seen gains.



"As always, everyone at Adobe couldn't be happier about the warm reception pro photographers have given LR, and we're grateful to the amazing, thriving community that's grown up around the product," Nack wrote. "The team has just scratched the surface of Lightroom's potential, and the future looks great."

In 2008, Photoshop Lightroom 2 was released as Adobe's first 64-bit Mac application, beating Aperture and Apple's other Pro software to the punch.

Accounting rule to receive vote Wednesday

The Financial Accounting Standards Board is set to vote Wednesday on a proposed rule change that could have a significant impact on Apple's reported earnings. Drafted weeks ago, the new rule is expected to help Apple, which is currently required to use "subscription accounting" for its iPhone-related filings.

According to Fortune Brainstorm Tech, the FASB will decide on Wednesday whether to approve the new rule, for which Apple heavily lobbied in favor.

Analysts believe the change could have a major impact on the handset maker's reported earnings. Analyst Shaw Wu, with Kaufman Bros., said that the company's revenue was underestimated by $1.4 billion, or 17 percent, last quarter. In addition, he said earnings per share were under-valued by $0.78, or 58 percent.

The proposed rule change would affect the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) enforced by the FASB, a private, not-for-profit group which sets accounting standards for U.S. public companies under the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Analysts like Wu, and Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray, believe that the change could have a positive impact on Apple's stock price.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[teckstud]

We saw this coming. It can be a sneaky little device- can't it? Wait 'til someone starts attaching it to their shoes and shooting up dresses. But would the gym staff really know how to differentiate between current and last Nano? Must be those new shiny ArmorAll colors.

[success]

Originally Posted by teckstud

We saw this coming. It can be a sneaky little device- can't it? Wait some perv starts attaching it to their shoes and shooting up dresses.

No name calling please.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by success

No name calling please.

Sorry your offended by the name and not the act.

[mungler]

To me, Aperture's library, cataloguing and DAM features are way better than Lightroom's.

However, LR wins on image quality, presets, non-destructive plugins, editing features....

So I grudgingly use LR, all the while pining for the library functions of Aperture.

[Maestro64]

Yep knew this was going to be an issue, part of the reason most all cell phone make a click sound when the take a picture so people know they snapped a picture.

This is actually more of an issue then a cell phone since people can leave a cell phone in the car and most people want to workout with their ipod. I guess gyms need to provide a secure checkin for peoples electronics so they do not have to take them into the locker rooms.

[sflocal]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

The company will allow exercisers to use the new iPod nano while working out, but shooting video while exercising is also prohibited.

So basically, nothing happens.

My gym has had the same restrictions for years yet not enforced whatsoever. Members use their phones (with cameras) in plain view of all members and in front of staff with no penalties. Seems they just want it in writing to cover their backsides in case someone does sue the gym.

[success]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Sorry your offended by the name and not the act.

"no act calling" doesn't have the same ring to it.

[iTuomas]

I can personally see why Lightroom is so much more successful. I took both Lightroom 2 and Aperture 2 for a test drive a while back to see which one would suit my needs (I'm not a professional, but need more adjustments than iPhoto provides).

While I liked the familiar feel of Aperture's library, Lightroom provides more straightforward workflow - from left to right, from archiving to editing to publishing. The UI is better-organized, just the right set of features is available at a time. That speeds things up a lot, and that's what made me choose to go for Lightroom.

[jbelkin]

This just shows that when there's a competitor, Adobe is awake pumping out not just an app but updating it for SL & 64 while with Photoshop, what's that? Every upgrade is 2 years behind an OS release and or not upgradeable - just wait for the next Mac release cycle - come back in 2015 for the Leopard upgrade and 2018 for Snow Leopard?

[zorinlynx]

Cameras have gotten so small and concealable that having any expectation of privacy in a room with many other people is pretty foolish.

Is it that hard to go to the gym near the end of the day, so you can just go home to shower? That's what I used to do when I went to a public gym.

Of course I had to start finding a way to work out at home because it felt like I was bringing home a new cold virus from the gym every few weeks. :P

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by success

No name calling please.

It's not aimed at anyone in particular or any group that is regular to AI, and it's describing a particularly undesirable (and generally illegal, legitimately so) practice, so I'm not seeing what the problem is here.

Originally Posted by sflocal

So basically, nothing happens.

My gym has had the same restrictions for years yet not enforced whatsoever. Members use their phones (with cameras) in plain view of all members and in front of staff with no penalties. Seems they just want it in writing to cover their backsides in case someone does sue the gym.

Then I don't see how that is a defense. Saying you have a rule doesn't matter if discovery and witnesses show that no one bothers to enforce it.

However, unless some sort of trusted check-in is offered, it seems like an unenforceable rule. I sure wouldn't leave my devices in the car. Besides, unless they do searches, you're only going to get compliance from the honest people, dishonest ones intent on recording will easily find a way to make recordings without anyone noticing, generally only the sloppy and stupid get caught. And I doubt enough people would put up with searches for a gym.

[Bregalad]

So Apple finally listens to gym users who wanted FM and then stick a knife in those same people by including video. It makes me wonder why, after all these years of telling us we didn't really want radio, Apple went ahead with it.

I'm glad the release of Aperture spurred Adobe to do better. They're getting very lazy without competition, something users of Creative Suite complain about at every opportunity.

I'm surprised at the amount of interest the accounting change is attracting. After all, it's the same numbers just presented differently. Any savvy investor or fund manager has already accounted for the differences between GAAP and non-GAAP so I don't see why the change will have much impact. Individuals who get excited by bigger numbers simply aren't big enough players to make any significant impact on stock price.

[manfrommars]

Originally Posted by jbelkin

This just shows that when there's a competitor, Adobe is awake pumping out not just an app but updating it for SL & 64 while with Photoshop, what's that? Every upgrade is 2 years behind an OS release and or not upgradeable - just wait for the next Mac release cycle - come back in 2015 for the Leopard upgrade and 2018 for Snow Leopard?

I couldn't agree more. Although the irony is that as soon as Adobe [finally] released LR to compete with Aperture, Apple lost interest in Aperture - no more promotion, no more updates or improvements, zero.

In hindsight, it looks like Aperture was really just a stalking horse. Apple got to market first, sold as many as they could, but when the real heavy hitter showed up, they tossed in their cards and walked away.

Yeah, there are subtle differences between the two and each has strengths, but the major difference? Light Room has a future.

[Mac Voyer]

The genie can't be stuffed back in the bottle. It won't be long before every portable device has a camera in it. It is ridiculous to tell patrons that they can't bring a music player to a gym. Mandatory camera sounds are stupid. Bad people will always find a way to do bad things with good technology. Banning technology is insane in a world that is more and more dependent on it everyday. I will not go to a restaurant, ballpark, gym, or anything else that makes me check in my phone at the door. That ship has sailed and companies that are not hip to that fact can die the bad death they deserve.

[alansky]

Originally Posted by iTuomas

I can personally see why Lightroom is so much more successful. I took both Lightroom 2 and Aperture 2 for a test drive a while back to see which one would suit my needs (I'm not a professional, but need more adjustments than iPhoto provides).

While I liked the familiar feel of Aperture's library, Lightroom provides more straightforward workflow - from left to right, from archiving to editing to publishing. The UI is better-organized, just the right set of features is available at a time. That speeds things up a lot, and that's what made me choose to go for Lightroom.

I haven't used either product enough to have an opinion about their relative merits. But I'm very surprised that anyone would prefer Lightroom's interface over Aperture's considering that Adobe has proved itself extremely inept over the years at designing a well-organized, easy-to-use interface for its flagship products (Adobe Creative Suite apps), while Apple clearly excels in the design of elegant, easy-to-use interfaces for its software products. Whatever.

[whimvestor]

Originally Posted by Bregalad

So Apple finally listens to gym users who wanted FM and then stick a knife in those same people by including video.

Originally Posted by Mac Voyer

It is ridiculous to tell patrons that they can't bring a music player to a gym...Banning technology is insane in a world that is more and more dependent on it everyday. I will not go to a restaurant, ballpark, gym, or anything else that makes me check in my phone at the door.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

As a result, the new iPod nano has been prohibited from use entirely in the facilities' locker rooms...The company will allow exercisers to use the new iPod nano while working out, but shooting video while exercising is also prohibited.

According to the article the "ban" is from the locker room only, not the exercise floor, lobby, etc. You can still work out and listen to the radio/nano etc. Then put it away when you go to shower/change. "Prohibited from use" does not mean "leave it in the car" or "check at the door". Since this is the same rule that's been in place for years re: cell phones, this is a non-issue.

[Gazoobee]

Originally Posted by sflocal

So basically, nothing happens.

My gym has had the same restrictions for years yet not enforced whatsoever. Members use their phones (with cameras) in plain view of all members and in front of staff with no penalties. Seems they just want it in writing to cover their backsides in case someone does sue the gym.

Basically, yes, and this is how it should be.

You can't protect yourself from stuff like peepers except by the same methods as you do spam, i.e. - common sense and being aware of the landscape. The prohibitions are just there to ensure that the one pervert out of millions that visits the gym can be appropriately punished/shamed, and so that dummies and interfering types can feel "safer" (even though they are not and never will be).

[Dlux]

This has been raised numerous times: PLEASE SPLIT UP YOUR NEWS STORIES SO THAT THE COMMENT SECTIONS DON'T GET MIXED.

I urge other readers to repeat this request every time it comes up so they get the message. I truly value AI's site, but this is the only place that muddles the comments like this.

[noirdesir]

Originally Posted by manfrommars

I couldn't agree more. Although the irony is that as soon as Adobe [finally] released LR to compete with Aperture, Apple lost interest in Aperture - no more promotion, no more updates or improvements, zero.

Question: How many notable (ie, feature adding) updates/releases have there been to LR since 1 January 2008?
Answer: two (2.0 & 2.2), all others in between and beyond did not add features but were mere bugfixes and added raw support
Question: And how many for Aperture?
Answer: two as well (2.0 and 2.1)
Question: And how many including bugfixes?
Answer: LR eight (1.4, 1.4.1, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5), Aperture six (2.0, 2.1, 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4)
Question: And how many raw support updates?
Answer: LR eight (the same as bugfixes, Adobe bundles them), Aperture seven (RU 2.0 through 2.6)

Surely, everybody must see from these data that LR is constantly updated and Aperture does not receive any updates or improvements. It is really zero for Aperture.

But maybe everybody is just fooled by LR constantly receiving .x updates which (except for one exception in the last 19 months) are mainly raw support updates and a few minor bugfixes (the last update listed exactly one bugfix).

[mcmlxix]

My gym has banned devices with cameras for years*, but it's unencforced. Everyone's yacking on their phones, even in the locker room.

* There's an exception for law enforcement personell, but since it's between an FBI office and a police station, that's quite a few members, and how do you tell who's who? I mean who wears a badge while working out?

Anyway, I'm glad my new iPod Touch is cameraless.

[webweasel]

Originally Posted by sflocal

Seems they just want it in writing to cover their backsides...

Covering their backsides is the very least they should be doing!

[lantzn]

Originally Posted by manfrommars

I couldn't agree more. Although the irony is that as soon as Adobe [finally] released LR to compete with Aperture, Apple lost interest in Aperture - no more promotion, no more updates or improvements, zero.

In hindsight, it looks like Aperture was really just a stalking horse. Apple got to market first, sold as many as they could, but when the real heavy hitter showed up, they tossed in their cards and walked away.

Yeah, there are subtle differences between the two and each has strengths, but the major difference? Light Room has a future.

Which is why I had wished Apple would have bought Macromedia. Can you imagine how much better Adobe's products would have gotten had they done so?

[Dr Millmoss]

I go to the gym for the privacy. Yes indeed.

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by Mac Voyer

The genie can't be stuffed back in the bottle. It won't be long before every portable device has a camera in it. It is ridiculous to tell patrons that they can't bring a music player to a gym. Mandatory camera sounds are stupid. Bad people will always find a way to do bad things with good technology. Banning technology is insane in a world that is more and more dependent on it everyday. I will not go to a restaurant, ballpark, gym, or anything else that makes me check in my phone at the door. That ship has sailed and companies that are not hip to that fact can die the bad death they deserve.

They aren't saying you can't bring the nano into the gym. And they aren't saying you can't use it while you are working out. They aren't even saying that you can't take it into the locker room (so no need for a check-in like some are suggesting). They are only saying you can't use it in the locker room, just like your camera phone. Just keep it in your pocket or your gym bag.

Sure, there is some gray area when you are heading out of the locker room for your workout. Obviously you are going to be carrying it or it will be clipped to your shorts or strapped to your arm. But it's not nearly as Draconian as some are making it out to be. Just don't be sitting in the locker room holding your nano up at eye level and fiddling with the controls!

Side note: Remember when video cameras all had a light on the front to indicate to the people it was facing that it was recording? Do video cameras today have that indicator light? Why don't cell phones and the nano have a light like that?

[c2poon]

After reading the article, I have downloaded the trial version of Adobe Lightroom 2. I do have Aperture already, but I also want to see what all the fuss is about with LR.

[ecking]

It's not that big of an issue anyways since locker rooms are split by gender. How many women are going to want record other women in a change room? And how many men are going to want to record other men? If any one is taping anyone it's going to be strange guys taping women working out on the gym floor where the nanos are allowed even if they aren't allowed to be used for recording. But the article already states that you can't tell when someone is recording...oh wait now we've got an unenforceable rule!

[pt123]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

iPod nano with camera not welcome in locker rooms

I wonder if the iPod nano with camera is welcomed in Apple's R&D area?

[MacTripper]

Originally Posted by Mac Voyer

I will not go to a restaurant, ballpark, gym, or anything else that makes me check in my phone at the door. That ship has sailed and companies that are not hip to that fact can die the bad death they deserve.

The shows in Las Vegas (and most likely New York) also require one to check in their cell phones and any other camera equipped device.

After spending $180 per person for tickets, dinner and transportation for her and you, you'll give them up rather than risking getting caught and escorted out the door mid-show.

Luke: "I'm not afraid"

Yoda: "You will be, you will be"

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by ecking

It's not that big of an issue anyways since locker rooms are split by gender. How many women are going to want record other women in a change room? And how many men are going to want to record other men? If any one is taping anyone it's going to be strange guys taping women working out on the gym floor where the nanos are allowed even if they aren't allowed to be used for recording. But the article already states that you can't tell when someone is recording...oh wait now we've got an unenforceable rule!

That's a very naive view of things. It may apply to teenage boys, but that's about it.

[kevdo]

I think everyone is missing the point (though Apple Insider's misleading headline isn't helping).

You can't *use* a Nano in the locker room. It doesn't mean that it is banned. Saying you can't even have a Nano is one thing but all it is saying is "don't turn it on" in the locker room; no big deal.

[Boogerman2000]

Originally Posted by success

"no act calling" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Don't wast our time with your ridiculous narcissism. If you're that easily offended, then you obviously lack the mental capacity to be a part of ANY forum online.

Originally Posted by Dlux

This has been raised numerous times: PLEASE SPLIT UP YOUR NEWS STORIES SO THAT THE COMMENT SECTIONS DON'T GET MIXED.

I urge other readers to repeat this request every time it comes up so they get the message. I truly value AI's site, but this is the only place that muddles the comments like this.

+1

[NasserAE]

Originally Posted by Mac Voyer

The genie can't be stuffed back in the bottle. It won't be long before every portable device has a camera in it. It is ridiculous to tell patrons that they can't bring a music player to a gym. Mandatory camera sounds are stupid. Bad people will always find a way to do bad things with good technology. Banning technology is insane in a world that is more and more dependent on it everyday. I will not go to a restaurant, ballpark, gym, or anything else that makes me check in my phone at the door. That ship has sailed and companies that are not hip to that fact can die the bad death they deserve.

I agree. We used to have problems in many foreign countries when our architects and engineers take pictures of buildings for use in presentations and 3D computer models. They forget that there is Google Maps where you can find detailed satellite pictures without leaving your home and that if someone wants to take spy pictures he will not be standing in public doing it

Maybe they should start banning wrist watches as well.

[star-fish]

Originally Posted by Maestro64

Yep knew this was going to be an issue, part of the reason most all cell phone make a click sound when the take a picture so people know they snapped a picture.

Yeah, and most cell phones have a function to turn it off.

It should be pretty obvious that someone's filming you if they're holding a nano at that kind of level and angle. The only reason why someone wouldn't figure it out was if they didn't know new nanos had cameras or had their back to the filmer. Besides, girls wear as many clothes in the gym changing rooms as they do on the street. If guys don't, or the gyms don't have at least one or two changing cubicles, it's their own fault for stripping off in public anyway or the gym's problem for not providing those facilities.

[Pixel19]

As long as any new Aperture version supports Canon sRAW is all I need! Even converting to sRAW to .dng doesn't work.
Very frustrating.