“Shares of Digital River climbed today on rumors that its technology may be used to download games onto the next version of Apple Computer’s iPod, an analyst said. Digital River, which is based in Eden Prairie, Minn., helps software publishers sell their products online,” Jon Ann Steinmetz reports for The Mercury News. “Its stock was at $37.49 in afternoon trading, up $2.33, or 6.6 percent, on heavy volume on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Friday’s strongest level of $40.17, at that point, was a 52-week high surpassing the prior high of $36.23 set Oct. 21. There was a 52-week low of $19.38 on March 11.”
Steinmetz reports, “Spokesmen for both Apple and Digital River weren’t immediately available for comment. Craig Hallum analyst George Sutton said the rumor of a deal with Apple’s iTunes music service looks questionable. Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Aleksandar Zorovic said he believes Digital River will likely sign a deal with a major software publisher or video game maker between now and February.”
Full article here.
interesting direction for apple, if true.
gah.. when are they going to release iSync for Windows?!
They could even call it something dumb like iPod transfer..
(Or else all this extra stuff is going to make iTunes a fscking mess)
Since iSync for Mac is going to be discontinued with the introduction of Tiger, I highly doubt Apple will come out with an iSync for Windoze. You’ve got a good point about iTunes though. With any luck the new Sync engine in Tiger will bring iPod Photo syncing directly to iPhoto without having iTunes as a go between.
Why in the world would Apple team with Digital River? Apple has far more technology and expertise then Digital River even though DR’s been around for quite some time. Most companies DR deals with don’t have their own eCommerce operations or fulfillment so they need a DR. Apple doesn’t. At least I can’t see where they would.
If we get downloadable games for the iPod I wonder if that means the Photo iPod could be used to play those games on the television. Even something as simple as the Music Quiz could be done now but it is not. Apple could steal some of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft’s thunder in the hand-held market. Here comes the iPod DS!
“…..gah.. when are they going to release iSync for Windows?!…..”
mike….
If you want the stuff Mac Users have…. buy a Mac !!
Simple as that !!…
Apple made it so you can also use iTunes and the iPod.. but, making it comvienient for WinCrap users to have everything Mac Users enjoy would be just plain dumb !!
yeah.. i have an eMac btw.. it just seems like the iPods compatibility with Windows is advertised and if they keep adding all this stuff… end.. er.. putting syincing in iTunes.. it gets really hairy..
well that’s not my opinion, that’s the truth..
the question is how much extra functionality will t hey add and will they put it ALL on iTunes.
so, if youre a mac user, why do you care what Apple Apps get ported (or not) over to WinDoze ?….
WinDoze has enough problems making the apps they have work… why add to their headaches ?
How about selling a WMA and Janus DRM for the iPod via Digital River for $49.99. You want to use Micro$oftopoly’s format- fine. Pay for it.
1) It would shut up the PT’s of the world.
2) It would make money for Apple.
3) It would shut up the Anti-Trust Crybabies.
Give away AAC/FairPlay with the iPod but sell them WMA and Janus if they so choose- just make them pay for it.
No,
I don’t even like the iPod Photo, its a waste unless I can download directly from my digital camera/video camera.
Earphones plugged in, digital camera plugged in, that’s the right way.
Games? No way. $600 for a handheld gaming box?
Insane, Apple is going over board and ruining a great product with TOO MUCH CHANGE
Sell your stock.
Relax, NightOwl…
Read the FIRST word in the headline…
We are approx 2 months from MWSF… you know the drill.. Rumors will come and go…some will pan out…others will not..
Buy MORE stock !! AAPL hasnt topped out yet, I betcha !
so, if youre a mac user, why do you care what Apple Apps get ported (or not) over to WinDoze ?….
WinDoze has enough problems making the apps they have work… why add to their headaches ?
—
Cuz if it’s Mickey Mouse, no one’s gonna think.. ‘Wow, if this is how sweet it is to run Apple Software on a PC, I wonder how nice Macs are!”
And besides that.. if it’s just plain hokey, Apple’s ‘we refuse to give XP iPhoto’ stance will look like them ‘cutting off the nose to spite the face’ by pissing off iPod Photo owners
that would be AWESOME. Apple finally gets that Games are a big part of the comuting experience…
Doesn’t seem like anything more than an empty rumor.
Unlike a phone, which has several buttons, the iPod’s interface has next to none.
Existing cell phone games in Digital River’s catalog would be almost impossible to
port over to the iPod’s user interface. Plus, you would need at least one of those buttons
to pop back into the iPod menu. This just makes no sense.
But it would be nice if Apple would publish a programmer’s interface for the iPod.
It wouldn’t allow direct ports of existing games, but it would open up entirely new
applications for the ‘pod. Problem with that is that Apple has to be careful because
too deep of a toolkit would allow a bunch of hacks to permit getting around music
copy protection, which would get the music publishers upset, which would make
life more difficult for Apple to keep iTMS competitive. Gotta keep the labels happy,
that’s just how it is. It’s their content.
Does anyone know that, since iSync is being discontinued, would the Tiger software support windows so that the notes and contacts features on a windows formatted ipod might work?