DoubleTwist Turns The Tables on Apple in '1984' Commercial Remake

[MacRumors]

TechCrunch today noted that doubleTwist, the iTunes competitor launched last year by famed digital rights management hacker Jon Lech Johansen ("DVD Jon"), is preparing to launch a significant update to its software. As part of the promotional material for the release, which is scheduled for October 6th, doubleTwist has remade Apple's classic '1984' television commercial with a twist: a Steve Jobs-like character plays the role of Big Brother speaking to an assembly of iPod-wearing followers.

What a difference 25 years can make. Now Apple has grown from underdog to a tyrant in its own right, preventing other devices from tapping into its iTunes software and restricting what users can install on the iPhones that they've purchased. And doubleTwist, which makes software that lets you use iTunes seamlessly with other devices, is calling it out in spectacular fashion. They've just unveiled their new commercial (embedded below) that’s nearly a shot-for-shot remake, featuring an army of iPod-wearing clones sitting in silence as their master -- sporting Steve Jobs' familiar round glasses -- commands that "no other choices shall distract from our glory".

The ad closes with the statement that "on October 6th, doubleTwist brings you Choice". The company says that a major new release will be coming out that day for Mac users (followed a week later for Windows), but said that the new feature they're unveiling is a surprise. doubleTwist is also exploring showing the ad in movie theaters before previews begin.

Article Link: DoubleTwist Turns The Tables on Apple in '1984' Commercial Remake

 

[Eidorian]

Not terribly surprising to use the old 1984 ad as such.

 

[dukebound85]

i love doubletwist

i am always surprised why pre owners get all up in arms about itunes not working when this works

great ad

 

[Metatron]

ridiculous...Taking part in the Apple ecosystem is a choice. Unlike IBM in the day, which was practically the only game in town, there are dozens of alternatives to Apple.

 

[Fuchal]

I'm hoping for some ZUNE HD SYNC!

 

[Doctor Q]

The movie credits are the best part of the video.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Remaking the ad (again) is rather a cliché, but I'm looking forward to the 6th anyway. If it means I don't have to buy another iPod, woo for that.

 

[kryptonianjorel]

Its about damn time DVD Jon. You had this working years ago!!!

 

[lgoodlove]

competition is always good

 

[NiteWaves77]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

DVD Jon needs to spend less time in the basement assembling PPC code by hand with a slide rule, so he'll be aware of advancements like DRM free iTunes Plus and drag+drop'ing to any device you want. Pfft. Get the doubletwist out of your boxers already, Jon.

 

[Randman]

Cheap add. Looks lame.

 

[Cubert]

"...followed a week later by Windows..."

Who would have thought that we would see this day?

Cheap add. Looks lame.

I know. Their minus looks so much better.

 

[MacFly123]

Geeze the credits were longer than the ad lol!

The commercial had poor flow. The whole thing felt delayed.

This all comes down to them trying to get the spotlight, which this is a good gimmick to accomplish that I guess.

Their claim is ridiculous though. The situation is completely different. I think DVD Jon should do some research on the computer industry and figure out the difference between a user choosing superior products and ecosystems, and having no choice because of vendor and OEM lock-in.

 

[Peace]

What do you expect from a guy that's spent half his life cracking DRM.

 

[LanPhantom]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7C144 Safari/528.16)

Oh whaaa. We can't use iTunes..... Geesus, not again. We all know apple is a semi closed system and yet we all still play. Get over it and go get a friken POS Pre.

 

[DMann]

Not terribly surprising to use the old 1984 ad as such.

Aside from having pink hair, the sledge hammer bearing animé chick bears a resemblance to your avatar.

Geeze the credits were longer than the ad lol!

The commercial had poor flow. The whole thing felt delayed.

This all comes down to them trying to get the spotlight, which this is a good gimmick to accomplish that I guess.

Their claim is ridiculous though. The situation is completely different. I think DVD Jon should do some research on the computer industry and figure out the difference between a user choosing superior products and ecosystems, and having no choice because of vendor and OEM lock-in.

Well stated - the advent of consumers actually choosing to buy Apple's products does not equate to MS's unethical, illegal monopolistic practices, vendor lock-in, and sleazy, exclusive OEM deals to gain marketshare.

 

[spillproof]

Even though I hate the cliché and overused word epic, this IS epic.

 

[jz1492]

You'd think they would at least match the quality of the ancient 1984 ad, with so much technology available these days, but no, it looks like cheap mockery. That by itself should give you pause when considering their software.

Definitely, these guys do not Think Different nor Better, and unless they are going to announce a licensing deal with Apple , they will be as reliable an option as the Pre. Sad.

 

[inkswamp]

Um, so DoubleTwist is claiming its software is going to be to digital music was the original Mac was to desktop computing?

Uh-huh.

Problem is... iTunes, for all its supposed shortcomings, already is to digital music what the original Mac was for desktop computing. But whatever, best of luck and all that. I hope they have something that phenomenal up their sleeve but I kind of doubt it.

 

[DMann]

Um, so DoubleTwist is claiming its software is going to be to digital music was the original Mac was to desktop computing?

Uh-huh.

Problem is... iTunes, for all its supposed shortcomings, already is to digital music what the original Mac was for desktop computing. But whatever, best of luck and all that. I hope they have something that phenomenal up their sleeve but I kind of doubt it.

Had they something that innovative and game changing, perhaps DoubleTwist would have innovated their very own commercial storyboard and format.

 

[Eric5h5]

Unlike IBM in the day, which was practically the only game in town

In 1984? As far as personal computers go, there was far more choice, and much more robust competition, back then, compared to today.

--Eric

 

[nuvolino]

once again someone can't come up with their own ideas and just copied apple ideas it always cracks me up when people or companies do this its like YAY WERE NEW AND DIFFERENT but we still want to copy apple

its not apple that is the tyrant here its everyone wanting a piece of apple that are the tyrants what ever happened to people coming up with their own ideas

so this doubletwist says they now give choice LOL how about you choose to come up with something original and not just be another copycat

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

I actually enjoyed the commercial.

 

[niuniu]

Wicked, so us iPod users are like an army. Do we kick ass or what!

 

[vvebsta]

never heard of double take until this ad...apple should really buy them and implement the sharing and feed features... pretty cool