“Palm may be out of moves in its battle to have the Pre continue syncing with iTunes,” Jim Dalrymple reports for The Loop. “The USB Implementers Forum rendered its decision today and in a letter seen by The Loop, the group sided with Apple.”
Dalrymple reports, “Palm reported Apple to the USB Implementers Forum [USB-IF], a member group that oversees the implementation of USB in the industry, in late July. Palm said it believed Apple was improperly using the Vendor ID provided by the forum.”
Full article here.
Arik Hesseldahl reports for BusinessWeek, “Writing for the USB-IF, Traci Donnell, the organization’s executive director, wrote that ‘Palm’s allegation (if true) does not establish that Apple is using its Vendor ID contrary to USB-IF’s policies.’ In short, Apple, by limiting access to iTunes to Apple-made devices only, isn’t doing anything wrong, at least not according to USB-IF policies.”
“However, Palm’s July 22 complaint letter also contained this: ‘Palm will shortly issue an update of its WebOS operating system that uses Apple’s Vendor ID number for the sole purpose of restoring Palm media sync functionality.’ Here Palm is saying it plans to issue software to the Pre that allows it to masquerade as an Apple iPod when talking to iTunes,” Hesseldahl reports.
“Whoops. That’s a no-no, Donnell writes. Under USB-IF’s policy, ‘Palm may only use the single Vendor ID issued to Palm for Palm’s usage… Usage of another company’s Vendor ID is specifically precluded.’ She then gives Palm seven days to ‘clarify its intent,'” Hesseldahl reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Winners win and losers lose, Lurch mini™. Now stand by for class action lawsuits filed on behalf of Pre sufferers to whom Palm advertised iTunes mooching — just as soon as they can get some lawyers on the horn; right now their Pre units need to be replaced due to shoddy build quality or their batteries are all recharging for the 3rd time today already.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Jubei” and “Ken” for the heads up.]
Visualize this, a big large “L” on Rubinstein’s forehead..
Careful MDN, I need to charge my iPhone a couple of times each day. That is unless I hardly use it, which is rare.
MadMac:
Disable WiFI (turn it on only you have to and then disable again)
It’ll make a world of difference to your battery drain
Wow, talk about a backfire. What a bunch of prima donnas.
My iPhone’s battery lasts at least 3X longer than my wife’s Pre battery (she’s stuck on Sprint at her work).
Learn how to maximize the lifespan and battery life of your iPhone:
http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html
Jon Rubinstein:
“Well, if Apple won’t let us <strike>steal … mooch off, </strike> use their iTunes store, we’ll just make an online music and app store of our own.
How hard could that be?!”
Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
The Pre does look cool, but I don’t respect Palm’s business (lack of) ethics. They need to make their own syncing software.
Dear Palm,
Next time you report somebody, don’t forget to include a bribe.
Sent from my Windows Mobile PoC
“Palm will shortly issue an update of its WebOS operating system that uses Apple’s Vendor ID number…”
There is dumb, there is stupid, there is crazy, there is mad, and then there is Palm so desperate that they admit to violating the rules of the standard’s body that they are complaining too.
Ok, I totally don’t get the Lurch reference…. Post a normal pic of this dude. If he matches, then Umcle Fester get company.
what i want to know is, who was the moron at PRE that thought this would actually work to their advantage?
up next pystar!
I love the smell of desperation in the morning…
NCIceman,
Click the photo of Lurch.
@Madmac – My 1st Generation iPhone lasts +2 days between charges and I use the WiFi constantly. Granted I don’t have GPS or 3G, but 3G isn’t anywhere close to us in Central PA so it would be wasted money anyway. My original data plan is still only $20 a month since I don’t have a 3G phone. Not a bad trade off.
What is completely insane is that Palm allows Apple to have any part in the Pre user experience. That is a strategic blunder of the highest magnitude.
Can you imagine Apple introducing the iPod in 2001 and then saying “We’re going to use Microsoft Media Center software to sync everything.” And, “Oh, by the way, we haven’t actually gotten permission from Microsoft to do so.”
Dumb, dumber and dumbest.
Thats what you get for being a jerk with Apple and their hard work with iTunes. Now you screwed over your Pre customers with a promised based on a hack or illegal premise.
So, after my initial contract with AT&T;expires with my first gen iPhone, is there any reason I can’t go to any other wireless company???
What?!?!?! That is unbelievable, Apple has a right to protect their property? Did Palm actually think that this was going to end in their favor?
That’s funny — Palm reported Apple. And then got bitch-slapped. I assumed Apple would have brought the complaint, but Palm is so stupid, *they* complained. Unbelievable.
On another site, one of the commenters speculated that Palm already has their own custom-written sync software waiting in the wings, but that they’re trying to use this situation to position Apple as Goliath to Palm’s David, as well as to keep Palm in the news (bad publicity is still publicity!).
They also seem to have an army of astroturfers ready to spread their version of events, pretending that going through iTunes is the only way to access iTunes content, and conveniently forgetting the fact that all the information is provided in XML format for you to write your own software to sync with iTunes. In this respect, they seem to be using the same playbook as Psystar – mooch off Apple, and when Apple defends their rights, appeal to the masses by painting Apple as “EEEEEEEVIL!”
Even if this is all some big convoluted plan by Palm to stay in the news and try to score PR points at Apple’s expense, what could they possibly have been thinking by announcing their intention to use Apple’s USB vendor ID? They had to know the USB-IF would not stand for such a clear and blatant breach of the policies everyone must abide by. I suppose it’s possible this, too, is part of their grand scheme, but it’s hard to see what exactly they gain from this.
Palm could have chosen to sync with and support Mozilla’s Songbird program (open source alternative to iTunes), not only getting iTunes synchronization for free (as Songbird is able to do this), but also currying actual goodwill among the masses by supporting and promoting the use of an open-source iTunes alternative. Instead, they chose little more than to just attack Apple, by trying to convince the world at large that mooching off iTunes is somehow a fundamental right.
I still say check out the folks providing financial backing to Palm, because it sure seems like those same folks must be funding Psystar as well.
Hmmm…. I think you all got it wrong, MDN included. John R. still works for Apple. How else could Palm have gotten so much wrong?
Peace.
‘ “In short, Apple, by limiting access to iTunes to Apple-made devices only, isn’t doing anything wrong, at least not according to USB-IF policies.” ‘
Uh, no, unless Apple owns all the beleaguered Windows- and Linux-box makers.
Magic word: reported. Consider it done.
@MadMac
I used to have the same problem after upgrading to 3.0.
I have disabled push notifications and Push email for gmail (I leave it for Exchange) and now my battery las up to 2 days and a half with out charging and with heavier usage (playing games, chatting via sms, voice calls)
Why do people think they have a right to other people’s property?
According to this type of logic I should be aloud to go in to anyones house and watch their tv or use their computer whether or not they want me to. If I own something (like iTunes) and only want it used with something else I own, unless it is a trust, I should be able to dictate the use of my property. This isn’t a communist country, and Apple is not responsible for the success any one but Apple. If the situation were reversed, then Apple would be in the wrong, but it’s not and Palm is mooching.
Palm sent this to USB-IF back in July: ‘Palm will shortly issue an update of its WebOS operating system that uses Apple’s Vendor ID number for the sole purpose of restoring Palm media sync functionality’
Didn’t they do it already, and if so what are the consequences?
Will Palm lose it USB license?