Me.com belongs to Apple; Vegas iMac deal
Apple's Internet service strategy has become clearer with the transfer of Me.com to the company. Also, Apple has struck a deal for iMacs in a Las Vegas hotel.
Apple's ownership of Me.com
Lending further support to notions that Apple will soon rebrand and overhaul .Mac, Daring Fireball and fellow technology pundits on Twitter have discovered that Me.com is now in Apple's hands.
On Saturday, records show the domain transitioned from any EasyDNS registration to MarkMonitor, a company that manages domain name services for commercial brands -- including Apple and its host domain. MarkMonitor was most recently used to park various MacBook Air-related domains by the electronics maker.
And while it's possible to abuse such registrations, a site report for Me.com points to the domain administrator as Apple's Ken Eddings, the same employee responsible for MobileMe.com as well as many other Apple-owned domains, including iPod.com. Currently, a simple NSLOOKUP command also confirms Eddings' link to the site.
The reason for the acquisition remains unclear, although the switch would give Apple access to a simpler domain than MobileMe.com for any future service; the company's most recent Mail and Safari updates have deliberately left placeholders for .Mac's new name that would allow a simple change.
Recent discoveries in the iPhone SDK have suggested that the future service will include tighter integration with iPhones and iPod touch players.
iMacs to populate Vegas hotel
In a more public deal, the upcoming Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas will partner with Apple for a unique addition to its suites, according to a fresh tip sent to TUAW.
The hotel's official brochure (PDF) notes an "innovative relationship" with Apple where each of the 3,889 rooms will have an iMac to "share memories and encourages personal expression." It also suggests a connection between the two companies for online booking and planning as well as interactive content at the hotel itself.
Few details beyond this are available, though the Fontainebleau opens the doors to its Vegas location in the fall.
Apple has a relatively strong presence in Vegas, operating two existing retail stores as well as a planned third store at Caesar's Palace.
Apple's ownership of Me.com
Lending further support to notions that Apple will soon rebrand and overhaul .Mac, Daring Fireball and fellow technology pundits on Twitter have discovered that Me.com is now in Apple's hands.
On Saturday, records show the domain transitioned from any EasyDNS registration to MarkMonitor, a company that manages domain name services for commercial brands -- including Apple and its host domain. MarkMonitor was most recently used to park various MacBook Air-related domains by the electronics maker.
And while it's possible to abuse such registrations, a site report for Me.com points to the domain administrator as Apple's Ken Eddings, the same employee responsible for MobileMe.com as well as many other Apple-owned domains, including iPod.com. Currently, a simple NSLOOKUP command also confirms Eddings' link to the site.
The reason for the acquisition remains unclear, although the switch would give Apple access to a simpler domain than MobileMe.com for any future service; the company's most recent Mail and Safari updates have deliberately left placeholders for .Mac's new name that would allow a simple change.
Recent discoveries in the iPhone SDK have suggested that the future service will include tighter integration with iPhones and iPod touch players.
iMacs to populate Vegas hotel
In a more public deal, the upcoming Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas will partner with Apple for a unique addition to its suites, according to a fresh tip sent to TUAW.
The hotel's official brochure (PDF) notes an "innovative relationship" with Apple where each of the 3,889 rooms will have an iMac to "share memories and encourages personal expression." It also suggests a connection between the two companies for online booking and planning as well as interactive content at the hotel itself.
Few details beyond this are available, though the Fontainebleau opens the doors to its Vegas location in the fall.
Apple has a relatively strong presence in Vegas, operating two existing retail stores as well as a planned third store at Caesar's Palace.
Comments
("Me" is the new "i")
iMacs to populate Vegas hotel
In a more public deal, the upcoming Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas will partner with Apple for a unique addition to its suites, according to a fresh tip sent to TUAW.
The hotel's official brochure (PDF) notes an "innovative relationship" with Apple where each of the 3,889 rooms will have an iMac to "share memories and encourages personal expression." It also suggests a connection between the two companies for online booking and planning as well as interactive content at the hotel itself.
Few details beyond this are available, though the Fontainebleau opens the doors to its Vegas location in the fall.
Apple has a relatively strong presence in Vegas, operating two existing retail stores as well as a planned third store at Caesar's Palace.
They must be planning on a very limited user interface for the hotel. I can't imagine how much could get screwed up by guests and little kids erasing important files from an iMac...
They must be planning on a very limited user interface for the hotel. I can't imagine how much could get screwed up by guests and little kids erasing important files from an iMac...
They may do something like Fry's has done lately. The locks they've put on the UI there seem to make it not much more than the old At Ease. Very little is accessible to the average user.
It's a good plan though. A lot of people go through those rooms in a year. That gives good exposure to Apple from people who obviously don't mind spending disposable income.
Hopefully, it will be considered a big success by the hotel. If so, perhaps we will see more such deals.
Are the Me domains a hint that Apple is going to jump into the social networking space? I don't think that would be successful at the current $99/year price. Apple seems loath to allow advertising on their services so there would have to be some sort of fee. Perhaps this isn't simply a rebranding of .Mac, but a complimentary service with different pricing tiers? Maybe basic "Me" interactive, social networking for free with an up-sell to today's .Mac services?
I guess only time will tell...
While they would likely lok up setting in the machines, it would also likely be done in a more subtle way. You don't need to simplify the interface that much to do it.
It's a good plan though. A lot of people go through those rooms in a year. That gives good exposure to Apple from people who obviously don't mind spending disposable income.
Hopefully, it will be considered a big success by the hotel. If so, perhaps we will see more such deals.
Leopard already has Guest accounts that reset themselves automatically when you log out. You can restrict what type of access the guest is allowed, and any files they save or other changes they make are deleted when they are done. I wouldn't imagine it would take too much more tweaking to customize if for hotel use.
Hmm...wonder if this opens the door to usernames like f**k.me.com
I like your thinking
or if they won't let you have that...
screw.me.com
Leopard already has Guest accounts that reset themselves automatically when you log out. You can restrict what type of access the guest is allowed, and any files they save or other changes they make are deleted when they are done. I wouldn't imagine it would take too much more tweaking to customize if for hotel use.
or the maid could wipe the HD and reinstall, while she was changing the sheets
before the next occupant checks in.
Leopard already has Guest accounts that reset themselves automatically when you log out. You can restrict what type of access the guest is allowed, and any files they save or other changes they make are deleted when they are done. I wouldn't imagine it would take too much more tweaking to customize if for hotel use.
That's what I'm talking about, though I didn't remember what they called it. The old days are gone, simplified interfaces aren't needed for this, except for young children who might be confused by it.
or the maid could wipe the HD and reinstall, while she was changing the sheets
before the next occupant checks in.
Actually, it could be even simpler than that... using ARD it could be tied to the check-in/out system. Last time I stayed at the Venetian you did the check out process using the TV remote... this would be even simpler with the iMac and a real keyboard. As soon as you're out of the room ARD can set the machine to boot off the net-boot server and automatically re-image the machine. Even if this is unnecessary most of the time it would likely be done every time so that no one could leave any data on the machine for future guests. On a gigabit connection re-imaging a machine should only take around 10 minutes even with an entire suite of software installed.
Also how much will it cost $15 + a day on top of the room rate just for the internet.
$8+ per hour for games. $7 - $9 for movies. $15 + for adult ones.
interactive content that is just same as the in room check out and on screen room Service.
Logenet has been doing that for years and I don't think they will let apple come in.
So AI is becoming a reprint of MacRumors now, I see.
I've noticed the same thing lately. Makes me wonder why I even have both sites bookmarked.
I've noticed the same thing lately. Makes me wonder why I even have both sites bookmarked.
Well, MacRumors is just a reprint from other sites! AI also reprints other stuff, because it's all the same news. But MacRumors is far worse.
They must be planning on a very limited user interface for the hotel. I can't imagine how much could get screwed up by guests and little kids erasing important files from an iMac...
You don't know much about Macs, do you?
They could simply create a user account with limited access and then have the system boot to that account by default.
That wouldn't prevent someone from rebooting from a CD and reinstalling software or resetting the password, but it wouldn't be easy to prevent that on a Mac (too bad you can't password protect the BIOS like on a PC).
See it's always been about Me, Me, Me!
("Me" is the new "i")
Me is the service i is the product
You don't know much about Macs, do you?
They could simply create a user account with limited access and then have the system boot to that account by default.
That wouldn't prevent someone from rebooting from a CD and reinstalling software or resetting the password, but it wouldn't be easy to prevent that on a Mac (too bad you can't password protect the BIOS like on a PC).
you can put a password on that.
<[email protected]!
I like this one because if we can buy 'me' emails it will be @me. And on that note I would be going for
<[email protected]
<[email protected]
<[email protected]
<[email protected]
<Here'[email protected]
<[email protected]
<[email protected]
But my favourite would be
<[email protected]
<[email protected]
<[email protected]