TidBITS#969/16-Mar-09
=====================
Issue link: <http://db.tidbits.com/issue/969>
It's an iPod, iTunes, and iPhone issue this week, thanks to Apple's
release of the new 3rd generation iPod shuffle (so small it moves
the buttons to the earbud cord) and iTunes 8.1. But Apple also
enhanced the App Store so reviews are now associated with
application versions, making it easier for iPhone and iPod touch
owners to pick good apps. Matt Neuburg also tells the truly silly
story of what he had to go through to download an audio book from
his local library, and Dennis Wurster passes on a workaround for
anyone who needs to print labels from the PayPal shopping cart.
Other notable software releases this week include CopyPaste Pro 2.0,
Front Row 2.1.7, and NTFS for Mac OS X 7.0.
Articles
3rd Generation iPod shuffle Shrinks, Gets Mouthy
iTunes 8.1 Enhances DJ Capabilities
In Search of iTunes 8.1's Autofill
App Store Reviews Now Distinguish Versions
Printing Shipping Labels from PayPal's Shopping Cart
A Silly Saga: How I Downloaded an Audio Book from My Library
TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 16-Mar-09
ExtraBITS for 16-Mar-09
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk for 16-Mar-09
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3rd Generation iPod shuffle Shrinks, Gets Mouthy
------------------------------------------------
by Doug McLean <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10133>
A few years ago, Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update featured an
appearance by "Steve Jobs" wherein he presented progressively
smaller iPods, ending with the iPod invisa, an iPod so small that it
was invisible yet was capable of storing, among other things, "every
photo ever taken."
<http://nerdnirvana.org/2006/05/02/saturday-night-live-the-ipod-invisa/>
Apple's announcement of the 3rd generation iPod shuffle contains
echoes of that ridiculous skit, with the updated iPod shuffle
measuring half the size of the previous iPod shuffle design. Apple
says the new shuffle is now smaller than a AA battery. The drop in
size is coupled with a fourfold increase in storage capacity, to 4
GB, or, as Apple touts, up to 1,000 songs (depending on song length
and encoding rate of course).
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/ipodshuffle.jpeg>
**Lost Buttons** -- The reduced form factor has led to the relocation
of the player controls from the casing to the earbud cord. The cord
- similar to the one that ships with the iPod touch - has three
buttons enabling users to play/pause, increase/reduce volume, skip
to the next/previous track, fast-forward/reverse, get song
information, and change the playlist. The only button now located on
the case is the power/play-mode slider.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/ipodshuffle2.jpeg>
The click-patterns for skipping to tracks, or fast-forwarding and
reversing aren't intuitive, and while they're listed in the
documentation, many people probably won't bother to read through
that. Here are the important ones: Double-click for next track,
triple-click for previous track, double-click-and-hold for
fast-forward, and finally, triple-click and hold for rewind.
Users who prefer third-party headphones are already bemoaning the
change for the limits they anticipate it will place on their
headphone options. However, Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of
iPod and iPhone product marketing, has said Apple has been working
with accessory makers to ensure there are various compatible
headphone options, especially sports-oriented ones. More
importantly, he told the Telegraph, "There will also be adapter
cables available, so you can use your existing headphones with the
new shuffle too."
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/apple/4973346/Apple-launches-new-talking-iPod-shuffle.html>
Additionally, if you use your own headphones, the iPod shuffle will
start playing when you plug them in, and stop playing when you
unplug them. As might be expected, you won't be able to adjust the
volume, skip tracks, or pause playback.
**Speak to Me** -- Another major addition to the iPod shuffle is
VoiceOver, a feature that enables your iPod to audibly announce the
name of the song, artist, or playlist you've selected. Like the
earbud buttons, VoiceOver helps Apple justify reducing the player
size beyond even the previous minuscule size.
While this functionality is impressive, it should be noted that the
iPod isn't actually performing the text-to-speech operation.
Instead, iTunes is synthesizing the speech, while the iPod is just
mixing the song and announcement audio. (This is how the
fourth-generation iPod nano provides spoken-word menus for those
with vision difficulties.)
The Guided Tour video, available from Apple's iPod shuffle page,
gives a nice sense of how VoiceOver actually works. Holding down on
the center button of the earbud controls prompts VoiceOver to say
the song and artist information, without interrupting playback.
Continuing to hold down on that button tells VoiceOver to list your
playlists, enabling you to choose a new playlist by clicking the
center button when the one you want is named.
<http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/>
Apple claims VoiceOver will automatically recognize which language
you speak (presumably deducing this from your iTunes information),
though should you want to change the language you can do so via
iTunes. Currently the feature supports 14 languages including
English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese,
Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.
Perhaps it will be a long time before any iPod has enough processing
power for this, but we'd like to see the voice-based interface taken
one step further, granting the user control through speaking into a
microphone mounted on the earbud wires, much like the iPhone's
earbuds. It would need to recognize only a very small set of
commands - play, pause, next, previous, etc. - and would be a
welcome option for people listening to iPods while exercising or
performing tasks that occupy their hands. But anyone caught talking
to an iPod in a crowded airport could be glared at for extreme
boorishness.
Although choosy users may be temporarily upset about the inability
to use their favorite headphones, many people will undoubtedly love
the new iPod shuffle's reduced size, earbud-based player controls,
expanded storage space, support for playlists, and VoiceOver
support. Overall, this is a welcome and forward-looking update to
the least expensive iPod model.
The iPod shuffle comes in either black or silver anodized aluminum
and has a built-in stainless steel clip. Apple claims a 10 hour
battery life. It requires iTunes 8.1, which was released the day of
the announcement.
The 3rd generation iPod shuffle retails for $79 and is available
now. The 2nd generation iPod shuffle, which comes in five colors and
offers 1 GB of storage, remains available for $49, although there's
no telling how long Apple's supplies will hold out.
<http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle>
<http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle_2gen>
iTunes 8.1 Enhances DJ Capabilities
-----------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[email protected]>, Doug McLean <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10134>
In stating that the 3rd generation iPod shuffle would require iTunes
8.1 many hours before the software actually appeared, Apple
uncharacteristically let the cat out of the bag about a
more-than-minor update. The latest version of iTunes, while
obviously including support for the new iPod shuffle, also includes
notable updates to Party Shuffle (now called iTunes DJ) and more.
<http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/>
**iTunes DJ** -- iTunes 8.1 renames the longstanding Party Shuffle
feature to iTunes DJ, and makes the feature more social by allowing
anyone on your Wi-Fi network with an iPhone or iPod touch and
Apple's Remote app to request songs or vote on other requested
songs. iPhone and iPod touch users must update to Remote 1.2 to be
able to access a shared iTunes DJ, but at that point, they can see
the entire iTunes DJ source list on the host Mac and vote for
favorite songs. A single vote is enough to move a song to the top of
the playlist, but if multiple people are voting, songs with more
votes float to the top. You can't vote against a song.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/iTunes-DJ-Remote-app.jpg>
Within iTunes, the iTunes DJ feature gains its own set of
preferences that enable you to send a welcome message, turn voting
on or off, or require that users enter a password to gain access.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/iTunes-DJ-settings.png>
As much as iTunes DJ is a wildly cool feature that will undoubtedly
be popular in clubs and at big parties, assuming whoever is in
charge of the music is willing to let guests participate, it's
unlikely to be particularly useful outside of large gatherings. That
said, some people have suggested that iTunes DJ and the Remote app
turn iTunes into a personal jukebox as well; I guess I don't have
time to interact with my music that specifically.
**Other Improvements** -- Apple claims iTunes 8.1 is faster when
handling tasks such as loading large libraries, navigating the
iTunes Store, and syncing devices. Apple hasn't said how much
speedier these tasks will be, just that they are noticeably
improved. We haven't noticed significant improvements, and accessing
different parts of the iTunes Store still feels a lot slower than
loading Web pages in Safari.
iTunes now automatically converts music from CDs as "iTunes Plus"
files - meaning AAC format at 256 Kbps - which are higher quality
than the previously standard files encoded at 128 Kbps.
Parental controls have been extended to control iTunes U and the
iTunes Store separately, so teenagers of older iTunes users can sit
in on lectures in iTunes U without being allowed to sneak off to the
iTunes Store to listen to whatever racket those kids consider music
these days.
Perhaps most significantly, the Autofill feature, previously
available only for the iPod shuffle, is now available for all iPods.
You can control whether or not Autofill replaces all items on each
sync, if it chooses items randomly, and if it prefers higher rated
songs. A slider enables you to reserve space for disk use -
otherwise Autofill automatically selects the amount of music that
will fit on the destination iPod so you don't have to play a
guessing game. From what we can tell in initial use, Autofill
appears to honor podcast settings, which is good, and overall
Autofill looks as though it will be extremely welcome for those of
us who have more music than fits on our iPods. However, enabling
Autofill isn't obvious; see "In Search of iTunes 8.1's Autofill,"
2009-03-13.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/iTunes-Autofill-Settings.png>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10136>
Oddly, the Genius sidebar, introduced in iTunes 8.0 as a way for
iTunes to recommend new songs, was supposed to have been extended to
include television and movie recommendations - it was mentioned in
the release notes and Apple had even updated the iTunes Web pages to
discuss it. Alas, the feature was apparently pulled at the last
minute, since Genius in iTunes 8.1 still says, "Genius sidebar only
works with music. Select a song in your library to see related
music." Perhaps we'll be seeing iTunes 8.1.1 soon.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/Genius-promo.jpg>
iTunes 8.1 requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later, and works all the way
back to Macs with PowerPC G3 processors. It's a 63.4 MB download and
is available via Software Update or from Apple's Web site.
<http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/>
In Search of iTunes 8.1's Autofill
----------------------------------
by Michael E. Cohen <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10136>
The recently released iTunes 8.1 makes Autofill available to all
iPods, instead of just the iPod shuffle. Autofill makes filling your
iPod with music easy, automatically selecting the amount of music
that will fit so you don't have to guess. While Autofill performs
this task beautifully, it's not at all obvious how to gain access to
the feature for your iPod (or iPhone).
Here are the steps you must follow to take advantage of Autofill in
iTunes 8.1:
1. Connect your iPod to your computer.
2. In the iTunes source list (that's the sidebar on the left), click
the icon of your iPod.
3. At the top of the main iTunes pane, click the Summary tab.
4. Near the bottom of the Summary info pane, enable the "Manually
manage music and videos" checkbox.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/iTunes-Manually-Manage-Music.png>
5. Return to the source list, click the triangle to the left of your
iPod to reveal its contents, and then click the Music icon below it.
And there you have it: at the bottom of the iTunes window, a new
pane appears with an Autofill button, a Settings button, and a menu
from which you can choose a source for the Autofill operation.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/iTunes-Autofill-pane.png>
Easy as pi - if you calculate pi on an abacus (which you may have
found yourself with the inexplicable urge to do last Saturday,
National Pi Day). Seriously, while the Autofill feature is most
welcome, the method by which you access it is serpentine. Here are
some things Apple should consider if they want to improve the user
experience:
<http://www.piday.org/>
* Don't require five steps to get access to an "ease of use" feature;
that's four more steps than is necessary.
* Don't make the user click through three screens of iTunes Help to
get to the Autofill instructions.
* Don't require the user to set something to "manual" in order to
access an "auto" feature.
* Don't make the user click a Settings button just to see the
feature's current settings: there's plenty of room in the Autofill
pane to display them.
* Don't make the feature's settings ambiguous. For example, does
"Replace all items when Autofilling" also mean photos will be
replaced? What about TV shows? Podcasts?
Why do I get the feeling that this pie is not completely baked?
Hopefully, Apple will take some of my advice and make it easier to
access this otherwise handy feature.
[Being the author of "Take Control of Syncing Data in Leopard,"
Michael E. Cohen cares very deeply about all topics related to
synchronization.]
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/leopard-syncing?pt=TB969>
App Store Reviews Now Distinguish Versions
------------------------------------------
by Doug McLean <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10135>
Imagine if, in the iTunes Store, reviews for "The Dark Knight," the
acclaimed latest installment of the Batman series, were diluted with
complaints about the widely panned 1997 "Batman and Robin." It would
be wildly confusing and annoying - sure, both movies have the
Batmobile, the Batcave, and Batman himself, but they're completely
different films. While no analogy is perfect, I think you can see
what I'm getting at.
Until now, the iPhone App Store lacked a way for reviewers to
distinguish between which version of an app they were reviewing.
Thus, developers were continually punished for previous bugs or
mistakes, even after correcting them in subsequent versions. With
the updated review policy, customers are presented with two
different sets of user reviews: Reviews for the Current Version, and
Reviews for All Versions.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-03/App-Store-reviews.png>
Presumably, once an app is updated, the reviews and ratings for the
formerly current version will be integrated into the reviews and
ratings for all versions. That will likely make it impossible to
compare the new version with the immediately preceding version.
While that might have been handy in some cases, it's mostly
irrelevant, since you can only purchase the latest version anyway.
The change has been generally well-received by iPhone developers.
Shane Crawford of Alta Vida, developer of the Babelingo translation
app, said, "I think that the changes linking a review to an app
version as well as a date are long overdue. Those are great
changes." However, Crawford was less certain about the way the App
Store obscures the average star rating for previous versions.
<http://ibabelingo.com/ >
David Sinclair of Dejal Systems, developer of the SmileDial visual
dialing app, called the change "a most welcome enhancement," and
went on to say, "Often, reviews mention deficiencies that are
addressed in subsequent versions, but without a version number (and
to a lesser extent, a date), potential customers have no real way of
knowing if that comment is still relevant."
<http://www.dejal.com/smiledial/>
Another small update to the App Store is the capability to sort
reviews by Most Helpful, Most Favorable, Most Critical, and Most
Recent. This brings the App Store into line with other online stores
such as Amazon.com, which give customers greater control when
sifting through reviews. Amazon still has an edge here, enabling
customers to view the Most Helpful Favorable and Most Helpful
Critical reviews in a side-by-side comparison. Apple might think
about extending this same functionality to the App Store.
<http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Generation/product-reviews/B00154JDAI/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
>
Shane Crawford also suggested that Apple consider removing the
prompt to review an app when the user deletes it, since that's a
point at which most users are thinking negatively. Adam Talcott of
Atomic Powered, developer of the Napkin Genius sketching app, echoed
this sentiment, saying, "What I'd really like to see Apple focus on
is making it easier for users to rate applications they like and not
just those they delete."
<http://www.atomicpowered.net/iphone/napkingenius/>
Since the review-on-removal prompt surveys a biased population,
Apple should work on ways to prevent the data from being skewed in
this manner. One solution would be simply to remove the prompt, but
a more constructive approach might involve creating a time- or
activation-based request-for-review prompt for those continuing to
use an app over the long term. Either way, it's an issue on
developers' minds - and one which Apple should find a way of
addressing.
This isn't the first time Apple has taken steps to improve the App
Store's review process and policy. In September 2008, Apple began
requiring that App Store reviewers had actually downloaded the
application they sought to evaluate, in an attempt to prevent trash
talk reviews (see "Apple Changes App Store Customer Review Policy,"
2008-10-07). Apple took another major step towards cleaning up the
review sections when it removed all of the remaining non-customer
reviews a few weeks ago, effectively lowering review counts for most
apps, but also often resulting in higher average ratings.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9800>
<http://www.macworld.com/article/139081/2009/02/apple_purges_noncustomer_reviews_from_the_app_store.html>
As we've noted recently (see "High App Spending Points to iPhone
Lock-in," 2009-03-06), it truly is in Apple's best interest to
improve the health of the App Store, and implicit in that is
ensuring that the review process reflects consumer opinion as
clearly as possible. The decision to distinguish between reviews of
different versions is thus a smart move in the right direction.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10098>
Printing Shipping Labels from PayPal's Shopping Cart
----------------------------------------------------
by Dennis Wurster <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/9905>
A client of mine recently set up a simple shopping cart from PayPal.
He sells a small widget that he invented, and he handles the packing
and shipping himself.
In general, PayPal makes it easy to print shipping labels that
include a barcode for delivery confirmation and electronic postage.
It's a convenient way to save time at the post office for people
like my client who do a lot of mailing.
<http://www.labelcity.com/mmEONLINE/Images/99019_400.JPG>
PayPal's Java-based label printing software - an applet embedded in
a Web page - consists of a window that displays the label that it
plans to print, along with three buttons. One button selects a
printer, another prints a preview image with a watermark, and the
last one prints the official label and deducts the postage amount
from your PayPal balance.
I was optimistic about using a Dymo LabelWriter Twin Turbo for this
purpose. But no matter what I tried, I couldn't get the labels to
print in the desired orientation. I wanted landscape but they would
print only as portrait. Traditionally, a Mac user would solve this
problem by adjusting the paper orientation in the Page Setup dialog.
In this case, while doing so changed the way the browser would print
the entire Web page, it had no effect upon the embedded Java applet.
<http://global.dymo.com/enUS/Categories/LabelWriter_Printers.html>
Unfortunately, according to PayPal's support pages, "label printers
are not currently supported on Macintosh computers." That is, if you
want to print a shipping label from a Mac using a label printer
you're out of luck.
Fortunately, I discovered an effective workaround that mitigates
that gloomy position. After a little bit of experimentation, we're
now printing shipping labels just fine using the Dymo LabelWriter
Twin Turbo. Other Dymo units that support the "1-Part Internet
Postage Label" (SKU 99019) should work just as well.
The trickiest part of the problem is that PayPal's embedded Java
applet doesn't present a standard Print dialog. Once you click the
Print Label button in the applet, the label printer immediately
dispenses the label - incorrectly printed.
To wrestle control of the printing process, I needed to interrupt
PayPal's Java applet before it could communicate with the label
printer. I reasoned that printing to an intermediate PDF file would
be a good start.
However, this wasn't as straightforward as it would be from a normal
Macintosh application. Again, I didn't have a standard Print dialog
to work with. What I needed was a virtual printer that would take a
print job and turn it into a PDF file. As long as PayPal's applet
would print to this virtual printer, I could do whatever I wanted
with the result.
Although Adobe's Acrobat Professional installs a virtual printer
that can make PDFs, it costs $449 and is overkill for this
particular need. After a little Googling, I found the free CUPS-PDF
and followed its directions to create a virtual printer that prints
directly to a PDF file. Then, I directed PayPal to print labels
using this virtual printer. The first test worked perfectly,
outputting a PDF file into a folder on the desktop.
<http://www.codepoetry.net/projects/cups-pdf-for-mosx>
After that, I opened the PDF file in Preview, where I was finally
able to adjust the orientation to landscape in the Page Setup dialog
and select the proper label from the Paper Size pop-up menu.
Finally, I clicked the Print button in Preview's Print dialog, and
the Dymo LabelWriter Twin Turbo dutifully printed the label, just as
I wanted it. Success!
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2008-12/Page-Setup.png>
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2008-12/Print-dialog.png>
Until PayPal updates their label printing applet to work properly
with Mac-connected label printers, I suggest using this method. It
requires an extra step, but any label at all is better than
believing PayPal's claim that it's impossible.
[Dennis Wurster provides Mac-focused expertise to businesses in and
around Rochester, NY. He has written for Ziff-Davis's "Mac
Administrator's Journal" and presented at the User Group Leadership
Conference. Dennis is a certified Apple Product Professional and
currently blogs the solutions he discovers at Mac Smarts.]
<http://www.macsmarts.com/>
A Silly Saga: How I Downloaded an Audio Book from My Library
------------------------------------------------------------
by Matt Neuburg <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10123>
Audio books are a great way to pass the time while running, driving,
or falling asleep. So, a couple of years ago, when I heard that
libraries were distributing audio books over the Internet, I was
ecstatic. But I was then disappointed to learn that the whole system
was Windows-only. (This seems to be the rule throughout much of the
United States; if you consult your local library system's online
catalog, you'll probably find that, if it provides downloadable
audio books, it operates through NetLibrary, just like mine, and has
the same restrictions.) The reason seems to have to do with the
perceived need for digital rights management. Apparently, only
Windows has the necessary built-in technology to prevent the user
from "stealing" an audio book downloaded from a library. I actually
considered running Windows on my Intel-based MacBook, just to get
these audio books, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble.
<http://library.netlibrary.com/AudiobooksAtAGlance.aspx>
Then in late 2008 came the exciting announcement that the privilege
of obtaining audio books online from libraries had been extended to
Mac users, through a free application called OverDrive Media
Console. I downloaded the app, and dashed off (virtually, in my
browser) to my local library's Web site to view my choice of audio
books. After some confusion, it turned out that my access was
enabled through a third-party site, the Black Gold Cooperative
Library System. (Once again, you may well find that your local
library, too, if it has a Mac-enabled set of downloadable audio
books, operates through OverDrive, though the details of how you
obtain the books may differ).
<http://www.overdrive.com/aboutus/getArticle.aspx?newsArticleID=20081119>
<http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/>
<http://www.vencolibrary.org/eaudio.html>
<http://blackgold.lib.overdrive.com/>
So, what was my experience like? It was pretty silly.
**The Agony and the Silliness** -- First, it turned out that there
wasn't much I was interested in - there are fewer than 200 titles to
choose from. (Some library!)
Then, when I did find something I wanted to listen to, I couldn't
just download it. I had to "place a hold" on it. Some further
digging showed why: Black Gold was treating these audio books as if
they were physical objects being borrowed from a physical library,
and only one person at a time could have each one. This was as far
as I could get: "You have successfully placed a hold on the selected
title. You will receive an email when the selected title becomes
available for checkout. Once you receive the email, you will have 4
days to check out the selected title."
Several weeks passed, and finally I received the promised email.
Returning to the Black Gold site, I found that I still couldn't
download the audio book. Instead, I had to click "Add to Cart," as
if I were shopping for socks. On the cart page was this warning:
"Please note: Titles added to your cart will remain there for 30
minutes before they are returned to the library's collection. Please
be sure to complete your checkout within this timeframe to avoid
losing access to your desired title(s)."
The next step was to click "Proceed to Checkout" (it is sounding
more and more like buying socks, isn't it?). But I still didn't get
to download the book. First, I had to pass through a "Terms of
Service" page (which of course I didn't read, since no one ever
does). Then I had to proceed to the "Confirm Checkout" page, where I
_still_ didn't get to download the book; all I was doing here was
confirming that I wanted to download the book, something I had
already said about half a dozen times that I wanted to do. I did,
however, learn on this page more about the terms of "borrowing" an
audio book: I could check out a maximum of 4 at a time - not that
this site even had 4 books I cared about - and the lending period
was 14 days. (I wondered: What happens after 14 days? Will the file
lose its ability to play? Will my iPod self-destruct?)
At last I arrived at the download page, and clicked the link there;
but I _still_ couldn't download the book! What I had downloaded
turned out to be a tiny ".odm" file. It was not at all clear what to
do with this, but after a while I realized what you're supposed to
do: you open this file with OverDrive Media Console, and _it_
performs the actual download for you, placing the MP3 files in
~/Documents/My Media/MP3 Audiobooks.
**Who Put the D in the DRM?** Sillier and sillier. First you make me
wait for weeks. Then you force me to add the book to a fictitious
cart, instead of downloading it. Then you tell me that I must
immediately download it or it will be removed from my cart? So why
didn't you just let me download it in the first place?
Without sinking into the mire of perennial arguments over DRM and
our outmoded, corporate-minded copyright laws, this much seems
obvious to me. There are no originals in this story, so there is
nothing to protect. When you download an MP3 file, you are not
borrowing a physical object which no one else can have as long as
it's in your possession. It's digital, and what you download is, by
its very nature, a copy even before you receive it. Therefore, this
pretense that you can't "have" the MP3 file until all other users
have "finished" with it, that it must be placed in a "cart" and
retrieved within a certain time frame, and that you can "keep" the
file for only a limited amount of time, is just a lot of
inconvenient flapdoodle.
But the icing on the silliness cake is what happened after my 14
days were up - nothing! It's true that when starting up OverDrive
Media Console, I encountered a dialog stating that items in my
"media library" had "expired." It said, "Under the terms of the
license agreement and terms of use, you are required to
delete/destroy all copies of expired titles, including those
transferred to portable devices and other media." I then had to
click a Delete button in order to proceed, and sure enough, those
files were deleted from my MP3 Audiobooks folder.
But of course I had copied those files. The copies, elsewhere on my
computer, and on a different computer, and on my iPod, were not
deleted, and they still play perfectly well. There isn't actually
any DRM in this story at all! So what on earth was all the fuss
about?
**Kooky Kabuki** -- Here's my theory. The library has bought audio
books in digital form from some publisher, and can do so only by
satisfying the publisher that this is not a direct route to
unlimited copying all over the universe. Let's leave aside the
question of whether this is a reasonable concern on the publisher's
part (I happen to think it is not, because digital wants to be free,
as in free-as-a-bird), and just accept that this is how libraries
and publishers do business.
We can find support for this theory in the following tale. A couple
of years ago, I borrowed a cassette tape (remember those?) of an
audio book from my library. My first move, when I got it home, was
to play the tape into my computer and turn the resulting digital
file into MP3s - not to steal it, but in order to listen to it. I
listened to it (on an iPod on a long driving trip), and then deleted
the files. But part of the tape was damaged, and it occurred to me
that I could help prevent this kind of thing. Our library is tiny
and works mostly through volunteers, so I went to a library
administrator and said: "How would you like me to digitize your
cassette library for you, to prevent further deterioration and to
make it easier for borrowers to listen?" They were horrified and
sent me scurrying from the building. Clearly, libraries are not
allowed to think like this. They deal in physical copies, and making
a new physical copy is illegal.
Returning to my downloadable audio book experience, let's contrast
the procedure for a Windows user. A Windows user can download a WMA
audio book instantly from the library Web site without passing
through a third-party application. But the resulting WMA file _does_
have true embedded DRM: only certain recent versions of Windows
Media Player, and certain approved handheld devices, can play the
file at all. So there's sufficient control maintained over the
file's playability (and, I'm assuming, its lifetime) to satisfy all
the parties concerned.
<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/10/default.aspx>
<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/10/devicesupport.aspx>
Now, there is a DRM mechanism on the Mac (iTunes and authorized AAC
files), and iTunes movie rentals even add a lifetime playability
mechanism. But this works through the iTunes Store, so presumably
the distributors of these audio books can't use it. Thus they are
left with _no_ DRM mechanism. Therefore, they compromise in a
different way: they force the user to participate in a Kabuki drama
intended to instill a notion that what's being downloaded _is_ a
physical object that only one user at a time can borrow for a
limited time. It's DRM by hypnosis! Apparently, such hypnosis is
sufficient to satisfy all parties that the relevant laws are being
obeyed. But the hypnosis involved is really only self-hypnosis.
Someone, somewhere, is kidding no one but himself. Maybe that's why
the selection of available MP3 downloads is so poor; perhaps they
are providing access only to books that aren't selling anyway, so
they don't really care what happens to them after all.
TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 16-Mar-09
---------------------------------------------------------
by Doug McLean <[email protected]>, Joe Kissell <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10137>
CopyPaste Pro 2.0 from Script Software is the latest version of the
longstanding multiple clipboard utility. Changes include new
instantly available palettes for Clip History and Clip Archives, a
clipboard editor called Bean, new drag-and-drop functionality, a
major update to the manual, a refreshed interface, improved
performance, and newly available Danish, Japanese and German
translations. ($30, free update, 3.7 MB)
<http://www.scriptsoftware.com/copypaste/>
Front Row 2.1.7 from Apple is an update to the media center software
featured on all Macs and Apple TV. The update provides compatibility
with the recently released iTunes 8.1, and is available via Software
Update and the Apple Support Downloads page. (Free update, 12.6 MB)
<http://support.apple.com/downloads/Front_Row_2_1_7>
NTFS for Mac OS X 7.0 from Paragon Software is an update to the
software that provides Mac users read/write access to files stored
on NTFS-formatted volumes, such as those used by Boot Camp (optional
with Windows XP; mandatory with Windows Vista). The latest version
gives Boot Camp users transparent access to their Mac volumes
formatted using HFS/HFS+, provides an alternative means of
restarting in Windows, and offers enhanced NTFS performance and
reliability under Mac OS X. ($39.95, 2.9 MB)
<http://www.paragon-software.com/home/ntfs-mac/>
ExtraBITS for 16-Mar-09
-----------------------
by TidBITS Staff <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10138>
**'Take Control of iWeb '08' Updated for MobileMe and Twitter** -- For
people still using iWeb '08, we have released a free update to "Take
Control of iWeb: iLife '08 Edition." (If you own it, click Check for
Updates in your copy to update.) In it, author Steve Sande swaps
.Mac for MobileMe and explains how to add a Twitter feed to an iWeb
page. The iWeb '09 edition of the book is also underway and will be
a free update for anyone buying the '08 edition in 2009. (Posted
2009-03-16)
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/iweb?pt=TB969>
**Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter Causing Problems?** --
Michael Tsai, the Macintosh developer behind such utilities as
SpamSieve and DropDMG, discusses on his blog his problems in getting
a Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter to work properly with
his 15-inch MacBook Pro. According to Tsai, the $99 adapter,
released back in December 2008, creates various screen distortions
and Apple, while acknowledging the issue, has yet to provide a
solution. (Posted 2009-03-09)
<http://mjtsai.com/blog/2009/03/06/macbook-pro-mini-displayport-dual-link-dvi/>
**Security Glitch in Google Docs** -- A number of users recently
received notice from Google that some of their Google Documents had
been accidentally shared with collaborators who had previously
lacked access. The security glitch, apparently affecting .05 percent
of all Google Docs, underscores the concerns some have with
cloud-based computing, though others have noted that documents
stored on stolen laptops have also been implicated in significant
security and privacy breaches. (Posted 2009-03-09)
<http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10191463-2.html>
**Doug Talks iMacs and Safari 4 on Tech Night Owl Live** -- Making his
maiden voyage into the world of Internet radio, Doug McLean spoke
with Gene Steinberg of the Tech Night Owl Live (in the second third
of the 05-Mar-09 show) about the refreshed iMac line, the recently
updated Safari browser, and what his Apple dream machine would look
like. (Posted 2009-03-09)
<http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/nightowllive/www.techbroadcasting.com/podcasts/nightowl_090305.mp3>
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk for 16-Mar-09
----------------------------------------
by Jeff Carlson <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10139>
**Answers to Questions about Updated Apple Base Stations** -- Is the
capability to determine the best wireless network a feature
exclusive to Apple's newest AirPort Extreme, or can other dual-band
routers do the same? (2 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2513>
**Hands on with a Dual Network AirPort Extreme Base Station** --
Apple's wireless gear has the capability to prioritize types of
incoming data, but the feature isn't implemented. (4 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2514>
**iPhone apps** -- A reader can't view search results in iTunes for
the App Store. (3 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2516>
**Memory stick problem** -- A driver bug is likely to blame for a
crash when copying large files to a memory stick. (2 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2517>
**Recycling Floppies** -- What's the best way to dispose of old unused
floppy disks, and the cases they're stored in? (3 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2519>
**3rd Generation iPod shuffle Shrinks, Gets Mouthy** -- Readers
discuss the new controller-embedded headphones that come with the
iPod shuffle, and whether other headphones can be used instead
(namely, ones that don't fall out of your ears when running). (8
messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2522>
**MailForge vs. Eudora** -- With MailForge apparently nearing release
status, how will it compare to the venerable Eudora? (5 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2523>
**Macs for elderly neighbors** -- What Macs are good models to
recommend to elderly neighbors who haven't used computers in years?
(6 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2524>
**Mac Pro Pricing** -- Readers look at the pricing of various
configuration options for the new Mac Pro. (2 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2525>
**Spam** -- After a spammer penetrated the TidBITS defenses (curses!),
the question of what to do about unsolicited email is raised again.
(15 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2526>
$$
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