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Apple Broadcasting Today's Music Event Live: But Only for Mac Owners

Sep. 1, 2010 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

If you're among the majority of Apple's customers--that is, you own a Windows-based PC and at least one of the company's iOS-based devices or iPods--you're out of luck if you want to see today's Apple music event live. To do that from a PC-type desktop, you need to use a Mac. (Apple is also streaming its event to iOS-based devices if you don't mind the small screen and performance issues.) Why shut out the PC? Because they're Apple, that's why. Maybe if they made it too easy to watch, it wouldn't work.

But this speaks to an issue with Apple that's true of Facebook as well: Why is this company so antagonistic to its users? It's just so childish.

If you do have a Mac, or some other compatible device, stay tuned to Apple.com. The event starts at 1pm ET. I won't be covering it live, but I'll do some form of recap. Apple's stuff is just too popular too ignore, which is a shame.

Discuss this Article 14

meason
on Sep 1, 2010
gets popcorn, waits to see if AT&T network can handle all the people trying to stream this to their phones......
Waethorn
on Sep 1, 2010
I like how they talk about using HTTP Live Streaming as being "based on open standards", and yet you still need one of their computers to use it. How open is that? Apple has always had a bastardized view on "open standards". I bet you need to use Quicktime technologies to view it too, and that certainly is anything but open. Apple won't license Quicktime technology. They allow for integration of their own closed software packages instead.
Keleko
on Sep 1, 2010
Or maybe it is because the technology they're using hasn't been implemented on Windows. If you can find an HTTP live streaming implementation for Windows, then you can use it to watch the event. It seems only Quicktime X and iOS devices have that right now. Also, they want to test out their new data center's capabilities. They may not want all the extra Windows users hitting the stream for this test.
Ocean
on Sep 1, 2010
Apple is fudging the numbers again...how many phones Steve, not total iOS devices...?
Waethorn
on Sep 1, 2010
" If you can find an HTTP live streaming implementation for Windows, then you can use it to watch the event." How is it an open standard then? It's not open, because it's on Mac's only, and it's not a standard, not only because only a small percentage of users have that capability, but also because it isn't even near ratification - it's in draft progress right now. It is NOT an "open standard".
Keleko
on Sep 1, 2010
VLC will view it, but it doesn't work right for live streams. It will show a fully recorded video using the same technology, though.
rr0de74@live.com
on Sep 1, 2010
" Also, they want to test out their new data center's capabilities. They may not want all the extra Windows users hitting the stream for this test." So the new data center can only handle 4% of Internet users? I went to Twit Live, which was good. Leo was disapointed. Alex Linsy, loves everything Apple, its funny listening to him try to make the now even feature-less Apple TV sound like a great deal. Wow we get the old Shuffle back!!!! Ping will fail. The Apple luster is starting to fade.
chuckb84
on Sep 1, 2010

"Apple is fudging the numbers again...how many phones Steve, not total iOS devices...?"

Android "activations" are counting OS updates, so I don't know that either number provides for a real comparison. However, we can be sure that both phones are selling in huge numbers compared to Windows Phone ;).

Old iPod Shuffle is a nice change. The "buttonless" shuffle was a disaster.

"Apple has always had a bastardized view on "open standards"

Right, not like, say...Microsoft, which is famous for "embrace, extend, pollute, control" approach to standards.

Nice updates, nothing that stunning. So, does my old Apple TV get the new functionality via software update, or is it a doorstop? Don't know...

Waethorn
on Sep 1, 2010

"Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming, which IS BASED upon open standards"

Apple proposed HTTP Live Streaming in draft form.  Much like HTML5, it isn't complete, it isn't ratified, and therefore, it IS NOT a set standard.

en.wikipedia.org/.../HTTP_Live_Streaming

Furthermore, Apple requires that implementations be based on MPEG-2 transport streams with Apple only implementing H.264 and AAC, and Fraunhofer/MPEG-LA still holds patents for those, making them completely NOT open.

arstechnica.com/.../apple-proposes-http-streaming-feature-as-a-protocol-standard.ars

Now if you mean that HTTP Live Streaming is based on RTSP, remember that Apple made Quicktime Streaming Server as a closed source project, while Darwin Streaming Server is open source based on .  Do you really want to bet which one their streaming data center used?

HTTP Live Streaming will never be FLOSS.  Sorry.

Dipsh t Admin
on Sep 1, 2010
Isn't Ping basically a Zune Social clone?
tayme
on Sep 1, 2010
The first thing that came to my mind regarding Ping was the way the Apple fanatics laughed at the Zune Social and the song sharing - remember "squirting"? Now they will think that this is the greatest thing ever - the ability to "squirt" all over strangers!!! --tayme
lotsamystuff
on Sep 1, 2010

"If you're among the majority of Apple's customers--that is, you own a Windows-based PC and at least one of the company's iOS-based devices or iPods--you're out of luck if you want to see today's Apple music event live."

What are you talking about? I own a Windows-based PC and an iPhone, and I was able to see the event live just fine...on my iPhone.

DRWAM
on Sep 1, 2010
I only had 2 to 3 bars of reception and had no problem with the stream on my iPhone 4. Apple TV is now looking pretty good to me, but I wonder why there is no Safari so that you can surf the web on it. For $99, that would be a nice added feature. I guess you would need a port or two for more stuff, such as a keyboard, unless someone can make a wireless one that will work with it. Wow, it is really a small form factor. I guess I'll just wait until rev 3 rolls out ;)
Waethorn
on Sep 1, 2010
@Doc: This IS revision 3. If third time's a charm, Apple TV has 100x more than it did. Of course, anything times nothing is.....anyone? Steve? Bueller? McFly?

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