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I Don’t Want To Be Part of Your Fucking Ecosystem

Posted on November 23rd, 2012 at 14:50 by Desiato in category: Amazon, Apple, Commentary, Software

Imagine, just for a moment, that your Sony DVD player would only play Sony Movies’ films. When you decided to buy a new DVD player from Samsung, none of those media files would work on your new kit without some serious fiddling.

That’s the walled garden that so many companies are now trying to drag us into. And I think it stinks.

On a mobile phone network in the UK, you can use any phone you want. Hardware and services are totally divorced. It promotes competition because customers know that if they have a poor experience with HTC, they can move to Nokia and everything will carry on working just as it did before.

But, if all of your contacts, entertainment services, and backups are chained into HTC – well, then you’re just shit out of luck if you want to move.

I want to see a complete separation of church and state here. Hardware should be separate from software. Software should be separate from services.

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Comments:

Sue W on November 24th, 2012 at 16:17:

Good article. This is important for the health of the corporate ecosystems too. They don’t think so – on their stampede to the next quarterly results – but their long-term survival depends on competition.

Amazon confirms there’s no way to opt out of Kindle Fire ads

Posted on September 8th, 2012 at 13:22 by John Sinteur in category: Amazon

[Quote]:

Since Amazon announced its new line of Kindle Fire tablets, there’s been confusion over whether the company would allow users to avoid seeing “Special Offer” promotions on their lock screens. According to CNET, an Amazon spokesperson has now confirmed that there is no system for disabling ads on new models of the Kindle Fire.

Amazon is mistaken. I haven’t seen a single ad on a Kindle Fire, ever. And I’m pretty sure I will never say one in the future either.

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Comments:

Roland Hesz on September 8th, 2012 at 16:37:

You have one? Nope. So they are not mistaken. Refusing to buy one is not a “system for disabling ads”.
Spaceman Spiff on September 8th, 2012 at 18:22:

How many seconds after the new Fires are released will some hacker unlock them so you can change the lock screen? I think they can be counted in the 10′s…
Roland Hesz on September 8th, 2012 at 22:46:

Actually, if it will be based on the Amazon recommendation system, then there is a chance that it actually will be useful.
But god forbid they make money. Showing ads when you are not reading. Gasp.
John Sinteur on September 9th, 2012 at 14:30:

Apparently I’m not the only one who said “I don’t want one if that’s the case”. The backpedaling has started
Roland Hesz on September 10th, 2012 at 8:56:

Yes, makes sense that people don’t want it.
Mind you, with a few exceptions, a lot of these same people say “Gosh, I didn’t even know that! Why nobody told me??” when they miss their favourite book on the £1.99 sale, and such annoying things.
Roland Hesz on September 10th, 2012 at 8:58:

It’s the same as with Skype: during a voice call, we show ads on that black spot that you don’t even look at Instant outrage. I don’t look at it but don’t you dare put anything there because, well, I won’t see it anyway, but don’t!

Sometimes I wonder if people are a bit overdoing some things without stopping to think for 5 seconds.
Desiato on September 10th, 2012 at 17:33:

@Roland: you can throw all the rational arguments at it you want, but fact is I don’t want any ads on the lockscreen on my device.

Somehow it doesn’t even feel equivalent to be extorted for money after you buy the device to get rid of the ads, rather than be offered two different prices up front at device purchase time.

In general, though, nice to at least have choices.
Desiato on September 10th, 2012 at 17:49:

P.S., interesting bit from interview with Bezos:

[Quote:]

How does special offers, or the advertising, play a role in the price point?

We had it on our E-Ink devices, but haven’t had it on the Kindle Fire. For those, it’s very good, no one really buys the non-special-offers version. Everyone buys the special-offers version. There aren’t two versions of this (pointing to the new 7-inch Kindle Fire HD). That was a decision we made because no one is willing to buy the non-special-offers version.

So Bezos’ claim is that Amazon decided to simplify the product lineup because too few people were buying the non-ad supported regular Kindles.
Roland Hesz on September 10th, 2012 at 19:38:

@Desiato It’s not an argument, it’s just an opinion. I understand that you don’t want such a device.
However “I don’t want” and “I decry it as an evil, despicable act” are two different things.

I see the point where people don’t want to buy it. I don’t see the point where people start to bash it as evil and such.

I don’t like brusselsprouts, but I don’t call it the vegetable of the Devil
John Sinteur on September 10th, 2012 at 19:41:

no one really buys the non-special-offers version

Is that a bit like that good old Hitch Hikers’ quote?

“No one is really poor. At least no one worth speaking of….”

Amazon Yesterday Shipping

Posted on July 19th, 2012 at 18:41 by John Sinteur in category: Amazon

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Comments:

pete on July 20th, 2012 at 22:43:

Pure genius.

Amazon will make its own TV shows

Posted on May 3rd, 2012 at 10:35 by John Sinteur in category: Amazon, Apple

[Quote]:

For months, the technology world has wondered when — not if — Amazon would get into original TV programing by soliciting scripts and beefing up its nascent in-house staff. Now, it’s official: Amazon (AMZN) will produce original television content.

On Wednesday, the company announced its intentions to develop original comedy and children shows that will be distributed by way of its online streaming service, Amazon Instant Video. “Amazon Studios wants to discover great talent and produce programming that audiences will love,” Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios, said in a release. “In the course of developing movies, we’ve heard a lot of interest from content creators who want to develop original series in the comedy and children’s genres. We are excited to bring writers, animators and directors this new opportunity to develop original series.”

[Quote]: