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Is The Content You Purchase Yours?

Joshua — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:55:14 +0000

Content creators and the public that purchases that content is now embroiled in a constant back and forth over whom that content belongs to. This is not something that would have come up 10 to 15 years ago. Most of the goods we purchased were physical items. Now that much of the entertainment content we purchase is digital, the battle is raging over who actually owns said content.

I know two guys who have been content creators in the past, and strongly support the creators ability to decide how their creation is used. They ask, “Since consumers couldn’t play music and movies on multiple platforms in the past, why does the technology change the rules?” The problem with that is the fact that technology has always changed how people consume. The same way garden hose manufacturers can’t say where you can and cannot use that hose, content creators cannot dictate whether a person uses a CD on multiple devices. And I don’t buy the argument that content creation doesn’t work the same as physical goods. I wouldn’t have the music or movie if I hadn’t paid for it, just like with the hose.

I understand that I’m leaving out the issue of illegal downloads. However, I find it faulty to lump the two scenarios together. If I legally purchase creative content, then I should be able to listen or watch on my iPod, iPhone or any other device I own. The fact that there are people who illegally obtain creative content should not affect the rights of those obey the law.

Apple Events Are Something To Behold

Joshua — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:19:32 +0000

Apple is having an event today where they are likely to release some updates to their products. It’s amazing to see a company that can generate such a buzz every time they release or refresh. There’s not another company in the world that has this much cachet.

There are many folks on the anti-Apple bandwagon. It happens any time a company becomes a dominant player in their field. And that’s okay. No matter how smug you think Apple and their legions of fans may be, Apple products work. They work very well. The iPhone is the most intuitive mobile phone to ever hit the market. The iPod changed the way we listen to music. The iPad is on it’s way to changing the way we read books.

Apple will continue to create this buzz for the foreseeable future. They only thing that could trip them would be if they started to rest on their laurels. However, with Google really pressing hard with their Android mobile ecosystem, I don’t Apple being able to rest. This means more great products.

Is iTunes Headed For a “Cloud” Based Model?

Joshua — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:03:52 +0000

The Apple rumor mill is again aflutter with the potential of an imminent subscription, or “cloud”, based plan that would allow users to stream music across multiple devices. This would involve the music they own, but could also involve new music. This particular rumor has been around for a few years now.

With more and more users accessing their music on more and more devices, this could make sense. I access my music from an iPod, iPhone and Macbook Pro. I would enjoy being able to wirelessly sync my music to each device. The big caveat, however, is cost. I’m already paying $35 per month for my iPhone data and texting plan. I doubt I would pay any amount extra just to access my own music. What could really attract potential customers to such a service would be inclusion of a certain amount of downloads that would be included. Then people would have a reason to buy. There would be something tangible they would be getting for their monthly fee.

Who knows what will actually happen, but the hypothetical is interesting to discuss nonetheless.