To answer the question in your sig: "Where's the new Apple TV?"
Here's what I think:
The new AppleTV will use the A8X chip with More RAM, Better CPU/GPU and better WiFi -- more storage.
I think they need this new A8X because they need more RAM to play console quality games which can better exploit Metal and the GPU. Better WiFi will allow faster downloads, AirPlay and crossloads from a Mac or Home Server.
The trick is when to release it? I suspect that it will be sometime before the iPhone/iPad -- late July or early August. Price --> $149. Run a special version of iOS 7 that supports Metal.
Read post 51, my original post and Newbee's reply. Paying less is not always good. When local business is out of business, forcing you to drive 30 minutes out of your way or forcing you to shop the Internet, then you'll understand why.
It's kind of ironic that the behaviour you've described is exactly what Amazon practises every time they sell something, especially books. The publishers do all the "heavy lifting" .... editing, working closely with the author, book tours, promotions, etc. etc.......and then Amazon walks in and undercuts them on price, making it almost impossible to compete, thus resulting in the closing of hundreds, if not thousands, of book retailers.
The thing is, it's us ... the consumer, who is the "bad guy" here. We keep on insisting on lower and lower prices and never once do we question the results of our never ending search for "the best price". We never ever consider the "cause and effect" and if we do, by chance, then we "rationalize" our purchases through companies like Amazon, as just a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things so ....no harm, no foul. Where are the boycotts of Amazon and Walmart and all the other similar companies who thrive on creating the race to the bottom (price wise) while putting North American companies out of business. People, wake up! There is a price to be paid for buying "the cheapest".
To paraphrase a famous comic strip character .... I have seen the enemy ... and the enemy is us.
Well put and spot on. I shop local, exclusively. It's only when what I seek cannot be found locally do I shop outside my area or go to the Internet.
All the book makers need to get together and make a deal with someone else... oops. But they still could work with Apple to make their products on iBooks higher quality than Amazon. Better spell checking, no DRM. Quality works.
All the book makers need to get together and make a deal with someone else... oops. But they still could work with Apple to make their products on iBooks higher quality than Amazon. Better spell checking, no DRM. Quality works.
Sounds like an business opportunity for a startup that will start by selling books, like Amazon did. Perhaps a shot across their bow with a name like Euphrates (doesn't seem like anyone is doing much with the site). Mesopotamia is the birthplace of writing, after all.
All the book makers need to get together and make a deal with someone else... oops. But they still could work with Apple to make their products on iBooks higher quality than Amazon. Better spell checking, no DRM. Quality works.
There's a little more to it than spell checking. Editing, copy editing, typesetting, proofreading, design, layout, page proofs, indexing, cover art, and more. Months of staff work for a relatively simple book. Publishers perform a huge service in production, never mind acquisition, author and project development, publicity, distribution, all the bookkeeping, etc.
This is what the stupid dumb f**k lawyers at the US Department of Justice and their imbecilic boss Eric Holder has brought about. The biggest collection of empowered moronicity that we've seen in a long time. Who the f**k ever expected that the DoJ, under a Democrat no less, would sue to restore a monopoly that was demolished by a new entrant? That has never ever happened in the US before. WTfreakingF?
This Amazon job is not necessarily a product of the visible justice department. The last time this subject came up, we had a poster from France who seemed to suspect a deal between Amazon and certain nosey intel agencies. Of course no patriotic American would want to believe such a thing. Nor would one want to risk one's reputation as a sophisticated observer by getting emotional over what might only be the very surface of the story.
Much as I like Amazon and do use them for many purchases. I don't agree with the wholesale destruction of businesses up and down the High Street. I know capitalism is all about this type of growth/destruction, but for just one company to have so much power and a growing power over the suppliers will only end in tears...for the consumer.
Much as I like Amazon and do use them for many purchases. I don't agree with the wholesale destruction of businesses up and down the High Street. I know capitalism is all about this type of growth/destruction, but for just one company to have so much power and a growing power over the suppliers will only end in tears...for the consumer.
You forget that Amazon only has power because consumers like you give it to them. Remember that the next time you choose to by from Amazon (or Wal-Mart for that matter) instead of the local business owners up and down High Street that you claim to lament for the destruction of. Those destroyed businesses wished people like you would buy from them instead. That's all it takes.
And yet, the worst DOJ in the history of DOJs, a DOJ with a total disregard for the law and the constitution, are going after Apple.
I thought this was a british publishing house & smaller publishers in the UK? What is the DOJ have to do with the UK? Please stop regurgitating delusional nonsense that you can't back up.
Calm down. That's just Apple ][ .. its normal for him and actually one of his less repulsive comments.
Wouldn't it be interesting if a startup business was used to "Showroom" Amazon ...
It is fairly trivial to harvest product model numbers, pictures, prices, reviews, suppliers, etc. from any web site ... then relink to another site ... which offers better prices/service and beats Amazon at its own game ...
You forget that Amazon only has power because consumers like you give it to them. Remember that the next time you choose to by from Amazon (or Wal-Mart for that matter) instead of the local business owners up and down High Street that you claim to lament for the destruction of. Those destroyed businesses wished people like you would buy from them instead. That's all it takes.
The problem is that to get to the 'High Street' means I have to use my car. So for me I always try to weigh the total impact of my purchases. Pollution, congestion all factor in on the equation. I've been many times to the USA and California, especially. I despaired that to buy the simplest item meant a drive in the car, because the mall was too far to walk to.
At least in the UK, most cities have a compact centre, making shopping locally much easier for the city dweller.
I'd love an alternative to Amazon and often use ebay, which at least does support the small business in allowing them to access a wider audience.
TBH, politicians have a lot to answer for when it comes to the destruction of the High Street. High commercial overheads are driven by local councils wanting a bigger slice of the pie. So it's no wonder that the likes of Amazon have gotten so big and powerful.
This state alone tell it all if this is in fact true.
Quote:
Among the concessions sought by Amazon are the right to print its own versions of popular books if the publisher cannot keep pace with demand as well as a new "most favored nation" clause that would prevent publishers from offering other distribution channels terms -- including new e-book agreements -- that would be unavailable to Amazon itself, according to the BBC.
This goes to the point I have always made about books they are not a commodity and thus not subject to free market pricing, It always comes down to how may the author/publisher wants for a book and what the consumer is willing to pay. Amaizon is trying to make books a commodity. They want to drive up demand there by driving up supply. publishers know if you over produce the price will be driven down. They fight to over produce, they need just enough to launch a book, getting this number right is not easy. This is how Amaizon got into the book business, buying up the excess inventory as very low prices then dumping it on the market. This is all good for the consumer since you all pay less, but if the publisher go out of business or the authors do not make money then you will not have books to buy.
Well Amazon is going to fix that problem they going to cut the middle man out. Kind of what Apple first attempted with itunes, but apple learns to play nicely with the record companies so they can stay in the middle of apple and the musicians. This is way no person can directly publish their music to Itunes, you have to be a record company, I suspect the same will hold true for books, only publishers will be allow to sell books to Apple not the creator.
Amazon is attempting to cut the publisher out and over product books so they can drive the price down. You decide if this is good or bad for consumers or not.
How are they doing that? Publishers and authors make the same money with either Amazon or Apple.
That's not true, Amazon have awful terms and conditions that allow them to price your product as they wish and decrease your return relatively, not to mention the terms they're going for now which would allow them to print our books on demand in low quality undercutting the value of quality print books. My family is in publishing and they've switched completely to iBooks even though it's pricier as amazon make up the majority of sales with their monopoly and are abusing that in their T&C.
Comments
To answer the question in your sig: "Where's the new Apple TV?"
Here's what I think:
The new AppleTV will use the A8X chip with More RAM, Better CPU/GPU and better WiFi -- more storage.
I think they need this new A8X because they need more RAM to play console quality games which can better exploit Metal and the GPU. Better WiFi will allow faster downloads, AirPlay and crossloads from a Mac or Home Server.
The trick is when to release it? I suspect that it will be sometime before the iPhone/iPad -- late July or early August. Price --> $149. Run a special version of iOS 7 that supports Metal.
You've never heard of a natural monopoly?
LOLOL why? Because I pay less?
Read post 51, my original post and Newbee's reply. Paying less is not always good. When local business is out of business, forcing you to drive 30 minutes out of your way or forcing you to shop the Internet, then you'll understand why.
It's kind of ironic that the behaviour you've described is exactly what Amazon practises every time they sell something, especially books. The publishers do all the "heavy lifting" .... editing, working closely with the author, book tours, promotions, etc. etc.......and then Amazon walks in and undercuts them on price, making it almost impossible to compete, thus resulting in the closing of hundreds, if not thousands, of book retailers.
The thing is, it's us ... the consumer, who is the "bad guy" here. We keep on insisting on lower and lower prices and never once do we question the results of our never ending search for "the best price". We never ever consider the "cause and effect" and if we do, by chance, then we "rationalize" our purchases through companies like Amazon, as just a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things so ....no harm, no foul. Where are the boycotts of Amazon and Walmart and all the other similar companies who thrive on creating the race to the bottom (price wise) while putting North American companies out of business. People, wake up! There is a price to be paid for buying "the cheapest".
To paraphrase a famous comic strip character .... I have seen the enemy ... and the enemy is us.
Well put and spot on. I shop local, exclusively. It's only when what I seek cannot be found locally do I shop outside my area or go to the Internet.
You, my friend, get it.
That wasn't ruthless. Music was being pirated for free.
All the book makers need to get together and make a deal with someone else... oops. But they still could work with Apple to make their products on iBooks higher quality than Amazon. Better spell checking, no DRM. Quality works.
Sounds like an business opportunity for a startup that will start by selling books, like Amazon did. Perhaps a shot across their bow with a name like Euphrates (doesn't seem like anyone is doing much with the site). Mesopotamia is the birthplace of writing, after all.
We mismanage our finances to the extent that we can only afford to buy everything at discount prices. Very sad.
And they can't afford to buy a cell phone. They have to finance it.
There's a little more to it than spell checking. Editing, copy editing, typesetting, proofreading, design, layout, page proofs, indexing, cover art, and more. Months of staff work for a relatively simple book. Publishers perform a huge service in production, never mind acquisition, author and project development, publicity, distribution, all the bookkeeping, etc.
This Amazon job is not necessarily a product of the visible justice department. The last time this subject came up, we had a poster from France who seemed to suspect a deal between Amazon and certain nosey intel agencies. Of course no patriotic American would want to believe such a thing. Nor would one want to risk one's reputation as a sophisticated observer by getting emotional over what might only be the very surface of the story.
Much as I like Amazon and do use them for many purchases. I don't agree with the wholesale destruction of businesses up and down the High Street. I know capitalism is all about this type of growth/destruction, but for just one company to have so much power and a growing power over the suppliers will only end in tears...for the consumer.
You forget that Amazon only has power because consumers like you give it to them. Remember that the next time you choose to by from Amazon (or Wal-Mart for that matter) instead of the local business owners up and down High Street that you claim to lament for the destruction of. Those destroyed businesses wished people like you would buy from them instead. That's all it takes.
And yet, the worst DOJ in the history of DOJs, a DOJ with a total disregard for the law and the constitution, are going after Apple.
I thought this was a british publishing house & smaller publishers in the UK? What is the DOJ have to do with the UK? Please stop regurgitating delusional nonsense that you can't back up.
Calm down. That's just Apple ][ .. its normal for him and actually one of his less repulsive comments.
.....
Ya' know ...
Wouldn't it be interesting if a startup business was used to "Showroom" Amazon ...
It is fairly trivial to harvest product model numbers, pictures, prices, reviews, suppliers, etc. from any web site ... then relink to another site ... which offers better prices/service and beats Amazon at its own game ...
Mmm ... One-click underpricing!
Then do it and get rich !
Calm down. That's just Apple ][ .. its normal for him and actually one of his less repulsive comments.
I was calm.
You forget that Amazon only has power because consumers like you give it to them. Remember that the next time you choose to by from Amazon (or Wal-Mart for that matter) instead of the local business owners up and down High Street that you claim to lament for the destruction of. Those destroyed businesses wished people like you would buy from them instead. That's all it takes.
The problem is that to get to the 'High Street' means I have to use my car. So for me I always try to weigh the total impact of my purchases. Pollution, congestion all factor in on the equation. I've been many times to the USA and California, especially. I despaired that to buy the simplest item meant a drive in the car, because the mall was too far to walk to.
At least in the UK, most cities have a compact centre, making shopping locally much easier for the city dweller.
I'd love an alternative to Amazon and often use ebay, which at least does support the small business in allowing them to access a wider audience.
TBH, politicians have a lot to answer for when it comes to the destruction of the High Street. High commercial overheads are driven by local councils wanting a bigger slice of the pie. So it's no wonder that the likes of Amazon have gotten so big and powerful.
This state alone tell it all if this is in fact true.
This goes to the point I have always made about books they are not a commodity and thus not subject to free market pricing, It always comes down to how may the author/publisher wants for a book and what the consumer is willing to pay. Amaizon is trying to make books a commodity. They want to drive up demand there by driving up supply. publishers know if you over produce the price will be driven down. They fight to over produce, they need just enough to launch a book, getting this number right is not easy. This is how Amaizon got into the book business, buying up the excess inventory as very low prices then dumping it on the market. This is all good for the consumer since you all pay less, but if the publisher go out of business or the authors do not make money then you will not have books to buy.
Well Amazon is going to fix that problem they going to cut the middle man out. Kind of what Apple first attempted with itunes, but apple learns to play nicely with the record companies so they can stay in the middle of apple and the musicians. This is way no person can directly publish their music to Itunes, you have to be a record company, I suspect the same will hold true for books, only publishers will be allow to sell books to Apple not the creator.
Amazon is attempting to cut the publisher out and over product books so they can drive the price down. You decide if this is good or bad for consumers or not.
How are they doing that? Publishers and authors make the same money with either Amazon or Apple.
How are they doing that? Publishers and authors make the same money with either Amazon or Apple.
That's not true, Amazon have awful terms and conditions that allow them to price your product as they wish and decrease your return relatively, not to mention the terms they're going for now which would allow them to print our books on demand in low quality undercutting the value of quality print books. My family is in publishing and they've switched completely to iBooks even though it's pricier as amazon make up the majority of sales with their monopoly and are abusing that in their T&C.