John's Blog

It seems like a classic "good news/bad news" scenario. After numerous re-booting sessions I relented and re-installed the iPod software to restore the factory settings. As a result, the wifi has magically returned. so I can now web-surf and play Bejeweled to my hearts content.

The bad news is that I see that yet another upgrade is now available from Apple. They will now be shipping new iPod touch units that include new apps that add Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes widgets to make it a virtual clone of the iPhone, sans phone. Existing users get to purchase this extra functionality for $20! Much like the price drop on the iPhone, Apple once again punishes early adaptors. And just to rub salt in the wound, iPhone and Apple TV users get a firmware upgrade that adds features and functionality, and they are FREE! If they keep on pulling this kind of crap, it will sure cool the heels of loyal customers who otherwise wouldn't hesitate at paying a premium for innovation. Perhaps if enough irate and vocal customers express their displeasure, maybe they will change their mind on this PR misstep as well.

But despite my displeasure with having to buy what (in my opinion) should be free, I became a spineless lemming and hit the "purchase" button. Although I could already access my Gmail through Safari, having a stand alone app that displays previews and allows inline photo viewing is "almost" worth the cost of the upgrade. But the keyword here is "almost", since $20 isn't that much money, although it bugs me on principal. If they were charging EVERYBODY, I wouldn't mind. This seems like a greedy move from a company that is usually pretty consumer friendly.

Tags: iPod, news, pointless rambling