seanismorris

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seanismorris
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  • WordPress owner Automattic to purchase Tumblr from Verizon

    seanismorrisseanismorris
    ireland said:
    Odd thing about that porn ban -- Tumblr is still chock full of every imaginable type of porn you can think of (web & app) . It's literally as if nothing has changed.
    Not true. I’ve looked, lol. How you supposed to find porn when every porn keyword is blocked.

    Crazy, 6 years ago (hard to believe it’s been six years) purchased for $1.1B and now worth less than $20. Looks like he sold on the crest of a wave.

    And then there’s this: https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/verizon-to-sell-tumblr-to-wordpress-owner-automattic.html
    Not so hard to believe. Tumblr (as far as I can tell) was a haven for “alternative lifestyles”... nudists, swingers, body mods, etc.  plus the garden variety porn and everyone else.

    When Tumblr banned nudity (blame Apple) they killed off their core audience.  They could have backtracked, there wasn’t a need for an App in the first place, but under Verizon that wasn’t going to happen.  Financially Tumblr was a boat anchor...

    Tumblr is guaranteed to be converted to WordPress and have a lot less overhead going forward.  We’ll see if they can make it profitable...

    I’d expect a return of porn from this comment:
    Matt Mullenweg commented: "WordPress.com supports free speech and doesn't shut people down for 'uncomfortable thoughts and ideas', in fact we're blocked in several countries because of that."[21]

    But,
    WordPress.org on Apple iOS. ... There is only one official WordPress app for iOS, and it works with both .org and .com sites. To access your self-hosted (.org) site within the WordPress app, click on the link to “Add Self-Hosted Site”. Then, enter your username, password, and URL associated with that blog.

    So, an App is possible.  Maybe having it walled behind a username and password would be “good enough” but I doubt it with Apple... maybe Google.

    williamlondonwatto_cobra

  • Apple has multiple options to lower potential import tariff impact

    seanismorrisseanismorris
    robjn said:
    You write: “with the company failing to secure tariff waivers this time around”

    Have the US government actually given Apple an answer on this yet? The President’s comment was probably based on what he saw reported on the news.

    Tim Cook later revealed that the basis for requesting exemption was that the parts would be assembled in the US, thus supporting US manufacturing jobs. He also revealed that Apple were still waiting to see what would be decided
    Tweeter and Chief
    "Apple will not be given Tariff wavers, or relief, for Mac Pro parts that are made in China," Trump tweeted early morning Friday. "Make them in the USA, no Tariffs!"

    CNBC
    • Apple stock dropped more than 2% and erased previous gains after President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. will put an additional 10% tariff on a remaining list of goods imported from China starting on September 1.
    • The company assembles iPhones in China, making it vulnerable to price increases if a tariff were to be placed on Chinese exports.
    • Apple warned in June that a previously discussed list of tariffs would affect “all of Apple’s major products,” although Apple could still apply for exemptions or exclusions.
    As AI has said,  Apple will be looking to minimize the impact on earning by shifting production around.  They will likely be mostly successful, due to the long lead time.  Apple will take a small hit to margins, but in general consumers shouldn’t see a significant increase in product price.  The exception is the Mac Pro, you might want to buy one before September... just in case.

    It’s not like Apple is the only company to be affected.  The Microsoft Surface is made in China... it’s just hardware is a much smaller piece of Microsoft’s pie.  Still, consumers might not get quite the deals they were expecting come Christmas.  I haven’t looked a who is receiving exemptions, but the toy, shoes, apparel industries industries will feel the pain.  I also worry about autos, construction... tools, steel, etc.  We’re really playing Russian Roulette with the global economy.
    badmonkmuthuk_vanalingamrotateleftbyte

  • Fitbit's new financial worries are just its latest in a long line

    seanismorrisseanismorris
    sflagel said:
    Now. Now. No gloating.

    The reality is when Apple entered the market everyone else was regulated to mid to low end.  It’s tough to make money without a premium product.  No platform = no premium product.

    This feels like Blackberry, which switched to Android to run Google Apps.  I don’t know the status of the watch project with Google...

    But, maybe they can reinvent themselves with Google’s help... 
    Forgot to add:

    Fitbit making knockoff Apple Watches is their downfall. They had a perfectly original, functional, innovative band that people called "Fitbits". Maybe Fitbit thought their bands would go the way of iPod but now they're chasing the Apple knockoff market which suffers from high volume, low profit. Ask Samsung or anyone else who chases Apples market. You just cannot be better at being Apple than Apple.

    I believe the choice between a "Fitbit"(band) and an Apple Watch is harder than Fitbit Versa Vs. Apple Watch where it's a no-brainer. At least their bands are different and serve a different market. This causes knockoffs to only be able to compete on price, which history has shown us and Fitbit is now adjusting which of course lands you in the high volume/low profit conundrum.
    Agree; Fitbits are companions to traditional watches, worn on the opposite wrist. They should stay in that market which will always exist and which neither Apple not Samsung will want to compete in. 
    The problem is, once you’re a public company investors expect growth...

    You either succeed spectacularly or fail spectacularly....

    They’re trying to spend to succeed, but failing to grow out of their niche.

    Fitbits were trendy for a while, but now they feel similar to GoPro’s.  What’s the loyalty of Fitbit owners? Are they “upgrading” to Apple Watch?

    It sounds like investors are losing patience.  Next, the founders get pushed out, and a new CEO is brought in to pursue “strategic opportunities” AKA “sell out”.
    FileMakerFellerllamawatto_cobra

  • MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air - Which is the better buy?

    seanismorrisseanismorris
    crowley said:
    I bought the Air. Don’t want no stupid Touch Bar.
    I agree the Touch Bar doesn’t add a lot of value, at least not worth paying more for it. But, neither does the slightly lower weight of the Air.

    Conceptualizing the Pro vs Air:

    + $100 for better screen
    + $100 for better performance 

    That makes the Pro the better value...  my “thesis” is with the Pro, people will keep it an additional year, and that’s worth the additional $200.
    dtb200williamlondonGeorgeBMacpscooter63

  • DOJ requiring eSIM support as condition of Sprint & T-Mobile merger, including Dish

    seanismorrisseanismorris
    alexk said:
    passerbye said:
    > "slow to adopt the technology — T-Mobile has". Well, sort of. T Mobile only supports pre-paid plans via eSIM, not regular ongoing post-paid customers. They won't support my iPhone XR with an eSIM. I've been a customer for years. Employees seem flummoxed as to the why this limitation, distinction.
    I have eSIM support for my T-Mobile regular monthly plan (not pre-paid). I turned it on as soon as the my iPhone XS Max was available last year. There is info online on what magic words to say to the reps to have it enabled (have forgotten the words now).
    I have T-Mobile for both my iPhone & iPad Pro, after have intermittent issues (no service, poor connection) I switch from eSIM to T-Mobile SIMs  (at their recommendation) and it fixed most of the problems.  eSIM might be “supported” it they’re not recommended...

    To clarify, this isn’t on Apple but half-ass support for eSIMs by US wireless providers.  Making it convenient isn’t their priority...
    GeorgeBMaccornchip