Palm Pre Roundup: Public Launch Tomorrow, iTunes 8.2 Syncing

[MacRumors]

As most readers are no doubt aware, the Palm Pre will go on sale to the general public tomorrow, just two days before Apple is expected to provide further details on the next generation of iPhone software, and possibly hardware. Early reviews of the Pre describe a promising product with a few shortcomings.

Last week, news broke that the Palm Pre is able to sync with iTunes, allowing for easy loading of DRM-free media. At the time, Apple DRM expert Jon Johansen surmised that the Pre must be emulating an iPod by transmitting Apple-specific vendor and product IDs to iTunes. In a follow-up post, Johansen reveals confirmation of the Pre's use of the emulation method, also noting that Palm's implementation of the technique would allow Apple to easily block iTunes syncing with the Pre in the future should it choose to do so.

With the release of iTunes 8.2 earlier this week, many users wondered if the Pre would continue to sync with iTunes. While it does in fact continue to do so, Johansen cautions against reading too much into the lack of action on Apple's part. Johansen notes that Apple certainly would have had to finalize the iTunes 8.2 release prior to the news breaking about the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes.

Article Link: Palm Pre Roundup: Public Launch Tomorrow, iTunes 8.2 Syncing

 

[ipedro]

Can't wait to see Apple's answer to the Pre.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

I'm kind of looking forward to seeing just how badly they junk up their interface.

 

[Baadshah]

palm pre i crap, cant wait for the iphone 3 gen on monday!!

 

[u49aa2]

I will have more respect to apple if they don't block the palm. May the better phone win!

 

[ciociosan]

whoosh whoosh whoosh

i believe that's the distant sound of someone in cupertino practising a deadly swing with the legal sledgehammer

 

[tkidBOSTON]

I personally would love to see easy Mac syncing with the Pre (and every other smartphone). This wouldnt necessarily have to be via iTunes but I would love to be able to connect my next smartphone to my MacBook and have hassle free syncing.

 

[Voidness]

Johansen notes that Apple certainly would have had to finalize the iTunes 8.2 release prior to the news breaking about the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes.

It's already been finalized. Apple released iTunes 8.2 a few days ago.

 

[azentropy]

Can't wait to see Apple's answer to the Pre.

It is called the iPhone - I hear it is pretty cool...

 

[drew0020]

I will have more respect to apple if they don't block the palm. May the better phone win!

Agreed! I respect intelligent posts around here and they seem to be going in the other direction lately.

 

[GeekLawyer]

It's a hell of a way to go out. Goodbye, Palm, we hardly knew ye.

Or not.

 

[SirOmega]

Its a mixed bag - Apple could possibly sue Palm for patent infringement on the multitouch interface, then block the pre from syncing using itunes.

Its like they're trying to bait Apple into doing something...

 

[patrickdunn]

I don't mind the syncing. Remember, the iPhone won't always be the best phone. Look at the other fallen heros: Moto StarTac and Razr. If it is open now, it will be good for down the road when we don't use iPhones.

 

[ipedro]

I will have more respect to apple if they don't block the palm. May the better phone win!

I don't agree. Palm isn't good enough to design their own desktop client so they use iTunes?

iTunes + iPhone is one package. It's like Playstation coming out with new hardware but using XBox's firmware to compete against Xbox.

Yes, may the best phone win, and part of the phone is its desktop client. Palm, get your own.

 

[Roller]

It's already been finalized. Apple released iTunes 8.2 a few days ago.

What he meant was that Apple finalized 8.2 before they even knew about the Pre transfer "problem."

 

[akacaj]

Apple's answer to the pre is going to be FLASH support! Allowing any flash developer to make apps for the iPhone. Anyway WTF is a WebOS? Throw in widget support with some hooks in to hardware on top of Linux and call it a WebOS? Apple can counter that at any time by allowing pre apps to run on the iPhone.

 

[GeekLawyer]

What he meant was that Apple finalized 8.2 before they even knew about the Pre transfer "problem."

I'm sure 8.2.1 is just around the corner. No judgment one way or the other. I'm sure if Palm would like to license from Apple the technology needed to interface with iTunes, Apple would be glad to talk to them (so to speak).

 

[pcorajr]

Apple would be wrong to block the Pre from syncing. It would be bad PR. It would almost look like anti competitive. In the end it is bad for the consumer to have crap so restrictive as itunes sync.

We applaud openness and free choice but we accept anything that the likes of apple or Google give us. Pretty lame if you ask me.

 

[Shookster]

I think Apple would receive a negative backlash if they blocked the Pre, even though it is very cheeky of Palm to do this.

If Apple does want to kill off the Pre, they should make the iPhone better. That's the best way for all of us.

 

[matrixhacker]

Hmm

Aren't previous apple engineers working at palm. I'm pretty sure they arent so stupid as to bet the product on syncing with itunes if there was any chance Apple could cut them off quickly.

Why couldn't they make it indistinguishable to the iphone 1.0? At the end of the day apple have to support old products with itunes and even if palm gets cut off with iphone syncing, there will always be a way to emulate ipod connectivity. It might turn out to be a cat and mouse game, but to be honest i don't think Apple will even bother. I doubt they see palm as too much of a threat, even with its ridiculous hype. They can always sue their asses for copyright infringement anyway - which would probably kill the company.

 

[bondsbw]

Apple: That ain't cool.
Palm: Haha!
Apple: Give us money or we'll block you.
Palm: You can't block us.
Apple: May I show you iTunes 8.2.1 beta. *Ta-da!*
Palm: Who do we make the check out to?

The question is, does Palm get the better deal by selling more units due to iTunes connectivity (as opposed to any of the other stores they could have tried instead), or does Apple get the better deal by selling more songs through iTunes?

 

[Archon]

I don't agree. Palm isn't good enough to design their own desktop client so they use iTunes?

iTunes + iPhone is one package. It's like Playstation coming out with new hardware but using XBox's firmware to compete against Xbox.

Yes, may the best phone win, and part of the phone is its desktop client. Palm, get your own.

+1

Palm's dev team working on hacking into iTunes instead of making their own media sync program.

That is a joke, Apple should lock the Pre out for trying to piggy back onto Apple's hard work.

seriously, anyone who thinks otherwise obviously doesn't own or create anything themselves.

 

[Cameront9]

It's already been finalized. Apple released iTunes 8.2 a few days ago.

No, what he's saying is that there wouldn't have been time for Apple to do anything regarding Pre syncing in 8.2, since 8.2 would have been in the pipeline before last Friday's announcement of the Pre's ability to Sync.

Frankly, if I read this stuff right, Palm is emulating Apple's USB device ID, which is illegal according to the USB consortium. Frankly, I expect the USB people to fight this before Apple does.

 

[GeekLawyer]

The question is, does Palm get the better deal by selling more units due to iTunes connectivity (as opposed to any of the other stores they could have tried instead), or does Apple get the better deal by selling more songs through iTunes?

First, LOL!

Second, I think Palm wins by advertising seamless syncing with iTunes. I can't imagine the Pre moving enough units to make a big difference in iTunes content sold. All those Pre people probably have at least one iPod already, anyway.

 

[Iam9376]

They can always sue their asses for copyright infringement anyway - which would probably kill the company.

Um. No, they can't.