Apple Announces One Million Ping Users in First Two Days

[Popeye206]

That's very naive. A government could data mine people like you and me for political campaign purposes. With one party having access to the data, that can be an issue. But we all know politicians and the federal government play fair and never abuse power in this country.

LOL! Funny! What would a politician gain by knowing what??? Tell me what I should be worried about? I'm naive too!

 

[Popeye206]

I live in a small village, it wouldn't take too much effort to find out where I live.

Who would find where you live and why would they care?

Heck... people have been able to look me up in the white pages for almost 30 years and still nothing evil has happened to me! I'm more worried about forgetting to look both ways before I cross the street.

Where does all the paranoia come from????

 

[kernkraft]

Indeed.

APPLE IS DEAD. AND SO IS PING.

What's happening? It's usually Microsoft and Adobe...

 

[HyperZboy]

That's very naive. A government could data mine people like you and me for political campaign purposes. With one party having access to the data, that can be an issue. But we all know politicians and the federal government play fair and never abuse power in this country.
Exactly. Yet the irony is that those who scoff at your concern are most likely flag waivers who believe the US can do no wrong. Why do they not understand the nation they love, or the principles it is supposed to stand for?

I totally agree. From a tech standpoint, the Watergate break-in was so lame and barely served any real purpose.

Imagine what a candidate with "serious tech connections" could pull off in today's world as far as opposition research with the right hacker.

And a LOT more difficult to catch or police than a 3rd rate burglary at The Watergate Hotel.

Think about it. It's kinda scary in a way. I don't think even the U.S., let alone European and other countries are prepared for such stuff.

I know people who work for the NSA and I'm like Jesus Christ, YOU NEED ME TO FIX YOUR COMPUTER? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

And that's with a PC, NOT A MAC! LOL

If I have to help fix an NSA worker's PC from viruses, ummm,

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!

 

[Popeye206]

Ping may or may not be a mistake, that is yet to be seen. Apple, however, is not dead.

I agree. I think Apple may have let ping out a little too fast as the content is very lacking. I would have hoped that I could follow any band, not just the ones posted. I would have loved to follow a couple just so I know when they are playing nearby or if anything new comes out for them.

I'm guessing Apple decided they have to get it started somewhere to get it going and hopefully will quickly link into better access to more data. The concept is cool... the reality today is rather lame.

 

[Popeye206]

I totally agree. From a tech standpoint, the Watergate break-in was so lame and barely served any real purpose.

Imagine what a candidate with "serious tech connections" could pull off in today's world as far as opposition research with the right hacker.

Remember, Watergate was about stealing campaign data. And, you are right, if you're going to run for public office like Senator, or President someday, you better have a squeaky clean record or someone (probably the news media) will find out and BBQ you on national TV.

But... again... for the "average joe" like me... who cares??? Besides... in relationship to Ping... I'm not sure what evil things can be done to me because of music in my playlists or bands I might follow????

 

[HLdan]

personally I just want to remove ping off the damn side menu. It is taking up space for something I have zero interested in using and never will have interested in using.

I hate how apple is not giving us an option and more trying to shove it down on us.

Back in the day the annoying get Quicktime pro ad popping up every time we opened up quick time pushed me to go pirate the app just so the ad would go away. I never used a single feature of quicktime pro. I just wanted the ad to go away.

Well, instead of being angry that Apple won't give you the option to remove Ping, be happy they gave you the option to use Time Machine to restore back to the old iTunes. Now, if you don't use TM, then be angry at yourself.

 

[Hal Itosis]

Who would find where you live and why would they care?

Heck... people have been able to look me up in the white pages for almost 30 years and still nothing evil has happened to me! I'm more worried about forgetting to look both ways before I cross the street.

Where does all the paranoia come from????

My, we're quite brave aren't we... um . . . "Popeye206".

Location: In my house

Signed... your pal, "Hal".

 

[AidenShaw]

I'm not sure what evil things can be done to me because of music in my playlists or bands I might follow????

What's the worst that could happen - people will realize that you're gay because of your taste in music?

Loss of privacy is a slippery slope - no single incident seems like a serious issue - but over time one loses a lot.

And no, "Aiden Shaw" is not my real name - but I do enjoy the many movies that he's made.

 

[likemyorbs]

Well, instead of being angry that Apple won't give you the option to remove Ping, be happy they gave you the option to use Time Machine to restore back to the old iTunes. Now, if you don't use TM, then be angry at yourself.

Be happy they give you the option? do you realize what you just said? fanboyism at its finest, all hail to the might apple. they DAMN WELL BETTER give the option.

 

[lifeinhd]

LOL, OMG you made my day with this post. LOL. First, every hour of the day on MR, after the first couple of posts, the thread ends up going OT, so much so that I've forgotten what the thread topic was about.

Oh. Right then. Perhaps I'd better spend some more time in the forums. Most of the threads I follow are ones that originated as front-page stories, not "users with problems."

But now I'm breaking my own rule about off-topic posts, so I'll shut up now.

 

[Popeye206]

My, we're quite brave aren't we... um . . . "Popeye206".

Signed... your pal, "Hal".

Thanks for making my point.... we have a choice as to what we share and do on-line. If you don't want to share personal information... don't. That simple.

Don't like Ping... don't turn it on. Is it really any more complicated than that?

 

[gazmac]

So much negativity on Ping after three days... I know patience is in short supply in consumer land these days and that instant gratification is the order of the day, but jeez people give it a chance.

Forget iTunes on the desktop - it's a much better experience on the iPhone, at the moment at any rate. Once Apple pays the 'onerous' amount facebook is demanding to use the facebook connect api, this thing will fly.

I patiently await the appearance of Arcade Fire, Glasvegas and Robert Plant, but in the meantime you can still comment about their work by navigating to artists' recordings in the iTunes app and doing the 'like' and 'post' stuff.

 

[Liam8]

crazy

 

[ten-oak-druid]

What would a politician gain by knowing what???

LMAO!

I can only guess what you are trying to ask me. Its no surprise that you are naive.

Tell me what I should be worried about? I'm naive too!

One example would redistricting of voters which occurs every 10 years. Political parties with access to data mined social networks can use that to their advantage when drawing lines. In days past they only had party affiliation to go on. And silly little things like tastes in music, or social commentary on current events make a difference because people vote with emotions, not thought. Most voters are are incredibly dense. And that is not party dependent.

I don't have the time to educate you more but that should get you started. Try looking up Nixon for some homework you little naive web surfer you. Start with historical precedents of politicians going to extremes to get elected.

 

[SlamJam12]

Misunderstood

What am I missing if I go back to iTunes 9 instead of sticking with iTunes 10 and Ping?

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Thanks for making my point.... we have a choice as to what we share and do on-line. If you don't want to share personal information... don't. That simple.

Don't like Ping... don't turn it on. Is it really any more complicated than that?

That was your point? I don't think so.

 

[HLdan]

Be happy they give you the option? do you realize what you just said? fanboyism at its finest, all hail to the might apple. they DAMN WELL BETTER give the option.

You don't even comprehend what I meant in that sentence. You just spouted off the usual stupid childish name calling. Fine way of putting words in my mouth. I was just saying rather than rant about Ping being glued to the iTunes sidebar, be happy we are not stuck with it if we had the smarts to back up the old version and just go back to it until Apple makes changes to the iTunes 10. Why don't you take off your fanboy radar and learn to have an adult conversation.

 

[OutThere]

So can a pissed-off ex. So can anyone who has access to the phonebook. So can any website that sold off your junk e-mail address.

So what.

When your name is easily visible it increases your exposure to these sort of people exponentially. It makes it easier. Sure someone could get this info elsewhere, but it's not being presented directly for anyone who browses through by chance. At least when a pissed off ex wants to do something you've got a narrow list of suspects—when someone who anonymously found your information on the internet wants to mess with you there is no recourse, no ability to confront them and they remain under a veil of anonymity.

We've been shown repeatedly that there are people on the internet who will take things way too far just because they're anonymous in doing so. The internet enables irresponsible behavior behind this anonymity. Why should I have to expose my real name to some bored 16 year old in Oklahoma who wants to order 75 pizzas to my house just because I gave his favorite band a sh**ty review on iTunes? You can do that completely anonymously in 5 minutes without ever leaving your desk.

 

[sladey]

Indeed.

APPLE IS DEAD.

Ah... That would be the definition of "DEAD" that includes record worldwide sales of all varieties of Mac computer, sales of iPhones/iPads faster than they can be manufactured, nearly $50 billion in the bank (with no debt), and the no. 2 company on the NYSE by market value.

Obviously quite dead.

 

[Hal Itosis]

Can't wait for the new Apple innovations... they're top secret, but the name has leaked out. It's called "Download."

And then there's "Whois", "Traceroute", and my personal favorite, "FINGER", which illustrates Jobs' creativity and opinion of his audience in one apt term.

While i'm not usually in sync with your typical posts, i have to agree that "Ping" is one lame name for Apple to have usurped. As you rightly point out, that term is already a fundamental element of Internet jargon since day one... and beyond that faux pas, it's just way too similar sounding to Microsoft's "bing".

But apparently even the omniscient Wiki is [currently] unacquainted with the Norwegian band Ping, who themselves have a few albums available on iTunes!!! [anyone else smell a lawsuit... or did Apple pay them off in advance?]

Anyway, bottom line: the name totally sux (exhibits an extreme lack of originality/imagination).

 

[ovrlrd]

Anyway, bottom line: the name totally sux (exhibits an extreme lack of originality/imagination).

This brings up a good point, but honestly, what would you suggest they should have named it?

I mean it's okay if you admit you can't come up with anything because you aren't creative enough, and I agree they could have come up with a better name, but it's way more difficult to come up with names for this kind of thing than people seem to think. There are not only difficulties with trademarking, but also issues with getting the right "marketing" angle, and getting the right brand-fit, and the right logo, and.. you get the point, it's not easy to do.

People seem to always disagree with names of things when the first come out (Retina Display, FaceTime), but over time they get used to it and don't really care anymore. The most important part of naming is to at least partially describe what it does.

With "Ping" it implies a sound (it's an onomatopoeia) which works well for music, but it also implies that you are networking with your friends since you are "Pinging" them to see what music they like/bought. There is probably more implications with the name, but you get the idea.

They clearly did some research into what would be the best name. I don't think the name is that great, but at the end of the day I don't really care. The name out of context sounds weird, but when in context, I will know people are referring to the iTunes "Ping" and not the networking term "ping."

 

[Hal Itosis]

This brings up a good point, but honestly, what would you suggest they should have named it?

Bling • Sing • Swing • Cha-ching • Ring-a-ding-ding • Wing • Ding • Zing • iIng (pronounced "eyeing")

How about kerplop ? (seriously, anything but Ping).

 

[CFreymarc]

Hehe....you've got waaay too much confidence in Apple. Sorry, but this is going to flop big time. You cant release such a limiting social network to so many people at once. It doesn't matter if they improve on it. The damage is done when people first log on, find its got nothing (content/feature wise) and close it, never to be opened again.

C'mon guys, face facts - Apple screwed up and will now have another failure to add to their portfolio.

It's crap, period.

Edit: oh, and 1 million users....thats bugger all! Facebook has 500 million and MySpace has 12 million.

Dude you are twisting data for your own political agenda. A million users in a single day (maybe two) after a fresh launch is incredibility awesome. I want to see the numbers after this three day weekend. Then this time next month.

IMO, the HMS Facebook "The Unsinkable" has just hit the iceburg. Time to rearrange the seating on the deck and start up the band!

 

[NT1440]

IMO, the HMS Facebook "The Unsinkable" has just hit the iceburg. Time to rearrange the seating on the deck and start up the band!

Uhhhhhhhhhh

Facebook and Ping are two ENTIRELY different types of social network.