Apple: It just works, well sometimes.

This article is talking about the new iPods, and the fact that they aren't compatible with any Apple OS older than Tiger.

In particular, I love this quote: "Now, I've seen the criticism that some of those True Believers have directed at those of us disillusioned ones, left behind by the shiny new OS's. We should have read the system requirements on the box.. I admit it. I didn't."

It really sums up everything I've always hated about Apple. Apple is the company that had this huge ad campaign that basically said "Apple: it just works!". Well, apparently not. And it's not like this is some 3rd party solution we're talking about here, it's an Apple product.

"Apple: it just works. Well, sometimes. Only if there's Mac support, and only if it's an Apple product that we decide should work with what you have. "

Me, I'll stick with the PC - at least if something doesn't work with my PC, there will be 25 other choices that do the same thing I need to have done.

HD-DVD is dead! Long Live HD-DVD!

Well damn.

I suppose it was inevitable. Sony has lost so many format wars (VHS, MP3, Minidisc, memory stick, etc. etc.) they were bound to decide to just buy a victory eventually.

I have the HD-DVD add on drive for my Xbox360. I like it a lot. I also have an "upconverting" DVD player that shows my regular DVDs in HD. I like that a lot better. I bought it for $49.95 on sale at Best Buy. That said, I CAN tell a very, very slight difference between watching an HD-DVD disc and an upconverted DVD. Only on certain scenes, at certain times, if I'm looking very closely. Certainly not enough of a difference to justify the additional cost of HD-DVD players and discs. And if it's not worth the extra cash for HD-DVD, it's certainly not worth the even higher cost of Bluray.

Eventually, I'll get a PS3 so I can do the Bluray thing, and play the few PS3 exclusive titles I'm interested in. My guess is that for a good, long time the REAL winner of the "format war" will be the regular old DVD we've all come to know and love - played in upconverting players.