Prediction: Apple will begin giving away bumper cases with iPhone 4’s and issue $30 credit for early buyers in the next 2 weeks
Filed under: Apple Bashing, Cynicism, Steve Jobs, WTF, You Bet I'm Pissed, design, iPhone, stupid
When I first heard Gizmodo’s report that iPhone 4 cell reception was adversely affected by touching the stainless steel band that surrounds the iPhone 4 and serves as the antennae for the device, I was a bit skeptical. The fanboy in me wanted to think that since Gizmodo clearly has a bit of an ax to grind with Apple, they may be exaggerating the claims, or perhaps it was a problem affecting only a select number of handsets. Besides, everyone knows Apple would never sacrifice function over form, so they MUST have tested this design beforehand, right?
Well, one hour after getting my iPhone 4, and THREE dropped calls later (I am one of the rare iPhone customers for whom AT&T service has been rock solid), I began to worry. A quick test of my own revealed that Read more
Some things are just so stupid that they’re awesome…
Filed under: Apple Fanboyism, Awesomeness, Humor, It's a joke, Photos, Rumors, That's Weird..., iPhone, iPod Touch, stupid, video
… and some things are just stupid.
I am somewhat on the fence here about the Retro TV Dinner Turkey Corn and Mash Potatoes Gadget Case for the iPhone/iTouch.
Sure, it seems like a good idea for a joke gift, but at $20 it rivals the cost of many “real” iPhone cases that a person might actually use. Now, if it looked like bacon, that would be different. But as it stands, there are simply too many carbs for me.
[etsy via TUAW's twitter]
Why is Apple treating apps differently than movies and songs?
Filed under: Apple Bashing, Cynicism, That's Weird..., WTF, stupid
For quite a few years now Apple has been selling R-rated movies and sexually explicit songs on its iTunes store. In fact, half of the current Top 10 movies on iTunes are either Rated R or Unrated for scenes of nudity and sexual content.
Currently 20% of Apple’s top 100 iTunes music chart are labeled as “explicit”, due to profanity and strong sexual material.
Despite having the same ratings and parental controls in place for Applications as they do for movies and music, two days ago Apple inexplicably decided to begin pulling all apps from the app store that contain “objectionable” sexual material. One developer, jonaeu from Chilifresh, whose “Wobble” app was pulled (despite not containing any nudity or even images of women) actually called Apple and received the following outline for what types of content are now too sexually explicit for the app store:
1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)
3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble “overtly sexual!)
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)
So what’s the deal? The cult horror classic “Last House on the Left” (iTunes link) has a very disturbing rape scene of teenage girls, but apparently that’s fine. However a shot of a woman wearing a bikini is now taboo. It’s fine for Apple to sell songs about “Fucking ho’s”, but a silhouette of a girl is now no longer allowed in an app.
What am I missing here?
Is it just me or isn’t letting “kids” buy movies and songs featuring celebrities that they idolize, acting out and speaking explicitly about sex far more damaging than allowing an app featuring CLOTHED WOMEN (albeit not wearing exactly snow pants) to be sold? Let me remind you, none of the apps being pulled by Apple currently contain ANY nudity, nor images of people having sex. In fact, despite having a 17+ rating, NONE of them actually contain anything that a PG-13 movie doesn’t. They simply show attractive women in bathing suits. However, there is full frontal nudity and full on sex available for sale in the iTunes Movie store.
Even more baffling is that, at the moment at least, Apple has allowed both the Playboy and Sport Illustrated apps to remain in the store. In fact, one developer who recently had his Bikini girl app “Box Score Babes” pulled posted this comparison between his app and the SI swimsuit app which is still available for sale.
The only logical explanation?
Well, actually I wouldn’t call it “logical”, but all I can think is that Apple is SEVERELY over-reacting to whatever bizarre letter writing campaign a couple of religious yokels have organized, and decided to clean up the app store to make their iPod touch more like “Nintendo”. Of course, this is a ridiculous argument as any kid old enough to have their own iTunes account (and credit card) knows how to type in “blow job” into the Safari browser and get ACTUAL sexual content on their iPod. In fact, most of them probably already know that Bing is even better for doing this. Whether we like it or not, this is not 1980, and seeing girls in bikinis with the word “Babes” under them is actually the tamest thing these kids are likely to encounter. To my mind, naming apps like these with the words “babes” or “boobs” is a good thing, as that is how they will appear on their parent;s credit cards.
But whatever the reason, Apple is really acting like a bunch of puritanical hypocrites here, and I just hope they come to their senses. And not just because we were 4 days away from releasing our official Mac Chick of the Month app.
… Although I’m not holding my breath. I can’t remember the last time Apple ever admitted one of their policies was wrong or changed their mind about any decision.
Oh, and by the way, you can buy the full 2 Live Crew discology on iTunes. And yes, the album covers feature girls in bikinis
Remember Kids: Always Delete your Bomb Threats
You know how Apple has that ridiculous disclaimer in some of its software README’s which forbids you from using products such as iTunes for illegal activities, “…including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture, or production of nuclear missiles or chemical or biological weapons.”?
Well, one New York teen apparently didn’t read the fine print, and is now facing seven years behind bars.
17-year old Jason Barry was charged with making a terrorist threat at his arraignment Wednesday in Staten Island Criminal Court despite his claim that he was “joking” when he and his friends typed out a suicide/bomb threat on a computer at the Staten Island Apple Store.
“”I have threatened your store and all its employees with a bloody death … whoever the crew maybe working, or the innocent citizens that walk in … will be eliminated with the force of a … bomb loaded with C4, strapped to my chest.”
Funny stuff. This guy could EASILY write for Leno. Barry claims the note was a joke however, and that he simply “forgot to delete it” before leaving the store.
“Although this defendant claims he was joking, a letter threatening to inflict ‘a bloody death …’ is no joking matter,” said District Attorney Daniel Donovan. “There are serious consequences for this type of reckless behavior.”
Assuming Barry has a decent attorney, he should be able to easily beat the charges using the “moron defense”, as apparently Barry signed his threat with the name of one of his friend’s fathers, all but ensuring his capture.
[via 1010WINS]
OMG I need two of these so bad!
Filed under: Apple Fanboyism, Awesomeness, Slow News Day, deals, stupid
I am of course referring to the WOMAN, not the Snuggie.
I managed to successfully hold off on buying a Snuggie this holiday season, but a man can only be so strong. I meam, check out this new LEOPARD (as in OS X) Print Snuggie! How cool would I look?!?
I can’t believe the bargain! Apparently if I order now I can get TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE plus a free book light, and I will certainly need two so I can wear one and use the other as a makeshift tent when the Bride of Macenstein kicks me out of the house for buying 2 Leopard print Snuggies…
