Listen... Did you hear that? That was the sound of the other shoe dropping. Ever since Connectix unveiled its remarkable "Virtual Game Station" Playstation emulator at the Macworld Expo a few weeks ago, Sony has made no attempt to mask its displeasure. After all, VGS was reportedly developed entirely without Sony's knowledge or involvement, there's no licensing agreement in place, and the emulator sells for less than half the price of a real Playstation console, so why wouldn't the nice folks at Sony be a little cheesed off at somebody cutting into their action? (Oh, sure, maybe Sony loses money on every Playstation they sell, and every unit of VGS that goes out there makes them money on games, but it's the principle of the thing, darnit.) Anyway, the upshot is that as of Wednesday, we've got yet another lawsuit to follow-- according to MacCentral, Sony has gone ahead and sued Connectix for violation of their copyrights and trade secrets.
No surprise there, though we strongly suspect that Sony doesn't have much of a chance of winning. Connectix claims that they created their emulator entirely through "clean room" reverse-engineering, so that it uses absolutely none of Sony's intellectual property. In addition, Sony alleges that VGS "circumvents" copy protection and regional lock-out technology built into every Playstation that prevents users from playing pirated games or ones restricted to a foreign market; however, Connectix made it clear when the product first surfaced that VGS does include those protections. (Some enterprising hackers have since figured out how to get around that protection in VGS, but by the same token, people have been bypassing the same technology in real Playstations for years.) Lastly, according to Sony's statement, they take issue with VGS' "inferior performance." Well, heck if you can sue someone just for releasing a product that you don't think is good enough, get out of our way-- we've got some Microsoft lawsuits to file.
Connectix's response to all this seems to indicate a profound sense of confidence, as they've just announced that they're shipping VGS 1.1, featuring better compatibility-- and improved protection against piracy. Let's see if they can get it out the door and onto store shelves before Sony can get an injunction halting the product. Actually, this may all work out for the best; if Sony's just angling for a licensing deal and one gets hammered out, then it's definitely possible that Sony would work with Connectix to improve the product in future versions. Imagine if VGS 2.0 features 100% Playstation compatibility and a 40% speed boost. Providing that the price of the product doesn't rise much beyond the current $49, Connectix's latest killer app might get even more vicious.
Shopping for Toys (1/20/99)
Boy, how 'bout that Connectix, hmmm? It seems like they just come up with one magical product after another. Back when RAM was actually expensive (we recall how thrilled we were when we bought a used 16 MB SIMM for $400 cash-- it was a huge bargain!), RAMDoubler was a cheap way to run more applications. And in the early days of the PowerPC, back when very little software was available in PPC-accelerated versions and so most computing was 68k code run in emulation, SpeedDoubler gave an instant boost to many early PowerPC adopters. Then there's the QuickCam, that nifty little eyeball-shaped video camera that made QuickTime capture and videoconferencing possible for a low price. And consider the astonishing capabilities of VirtualPC, which opens the door to run a lot of PC-only software on fast Macs.
How ironic, then, that their latest breakthrough is not a revolutionary productivity enhancer. In fact, it's a productivity reducer; Virtual Game Station lets you play scads of Playstation games directly on your G3 Macintosh. Performance is surprisingly good, compatibility is excellent for a 1.0 release, and it only costs $49. In fact, the product isn't actually available in stores yet, though Connectix sold some 3000 copies on the show floor at the recent Macworld Expo. It's a hit. In fact, it's so much of a hit that this is the killer app that reportedly has Apple negotiating to buy out Connectix lock, stock, and barrel. Apple Insider's got more on this juicy rumor.
See, Connectix has stated that they're planning on releasing a Windows port of their latest hit later this year, but work on the project hasn't started yet. It seems that Apple is determined to prevent a Windows version of VGS from ever hitting the market. A total buyout of Connectix would certainly accomplish that-- and give them the option of either bundling VGS on all future iMacs, or possibly even building the technology right into the Mac OS, for transparent Playstation compatibility. Still, would such a feature really convince a fence-sitting consumer to buy a Mac instead of a PC? After all, several Playstation games are already available in Windows versions, and there are other Playstation emulators being worked on for that platform (though none may be as complete and as downright cool as VGS). Who knows? Perhaps next Christmas Apple will have iMacs that come much closer to being a complete home entertainment appliance; with Playstation compatibility, more native Mac games, and maybe DVD video (complete with video-out to a television), such a machine could be a real marketing juggernaut-- especially if included VirtualPC technology makes every iMac Windows-compatible. Hmmm...
Get Your Motor Running (1/22/99)
If all of those studies are to be believed, there are plenty of benefits to being a Mac user instead a PC user: increased productivity, quicker return on investment, higher sense of satisfaction, all that stuff. Of course, Mac users don't need fancy studies to tell us that computing with a Mac is just plain fun, as well. But in recent months it's looked like we Mac users might be in danger of losing one of the most important benefits of all-- that whole techno-rebel image. C'mon, admit it-- there's a certain pride in choosing a platform that only one person in fifteen or twenty is actually using, especially when the press kept saying that Apple would be out of business in no time flat. It may not qualify you for a role in the upcoming sequel to "Easy Rider," but hey, it's a modern rebellion nonetheless. We gotta take what we can get, right? So that's why, even though we've all been happy about Apple's comeback, we at AtAT are just a little nervous that as the Mac becomes a more and more "acceptable" computer choice, it might lose its counterculture panache. After all, we're used to being the runner throwing the hammer through that screen that all the clones are watching.
But apparently there's no reason to worry anytime soon; recent indications show that the Mac still isn't considered a "real" computer in many circles. Certainly Macs have a long road to travel before they're welcomed in most large enterprise environments. And while the best-selling iMac has made great strides in increasing Apple's acceptibility in the home, there are still signs that there's a long way to go yet. For instance, what about PC World Magazine's recent article listing their picks for the "Top 10 Home PCs"? The article was written after the holiday buying quarter, during which the iMac was the number one selling computer in both retail stores and via mail order-- over 800,000 were sold from the middle of August through the end of the year. And yet PC World apparently felt that the iMac wasn't even worth including in the 33 systems they reviewed in their article-- or even mentioning-- let alone placing in their top ten list.
Whew! Relieved? As long as close-minded and behind-the-times publications like PC World are around, we won't have to worry about the Mac becoming too accepted or losing its rebellious je ne sais quois. It's like a great weight has been lifted from our shoulders. So fire up Steppenwolf, cut off your sleeves to reveal your "Born to Mac" tattoo, and rev up that Finder-- you're a rebel, and you'll never ever be any good...
Big Brother Inside (1/22/99)
Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be any more reasons to use a Mac, Intel goes and throws another one on the pile. Perhaps you've heard about the Pentium III? It's yet another instance of Intel's brilliant engineers managing to strap more rocket engines onto a roller skate; the fundamental technology at the heart of the Pentium line goes all the way back to the '70's, and it's a real testament to Intel that they've managed to squeeze six gallons of juice out of a single orange. Since the next-generation Merced chip is still in development, the Pentium III will be Intel's big gun until the Merced finally sees the light of day sometime next century. That's all well and good-- heck, we don't have to use it-- except that a recently announced "feature" of the Pentium III has some people concerned about their online privacy.
See, according to the Chicago Tribune, every Pentium III will include an "embedded electronic serial number" ostensibly to be used in Internet commerce scenarios. The idea here is that the new embedded ID number will allow remote sites to verify the identity of the computer connecting to them. Since the ID number isn't changeable, it'll be a simple matter for net sites to be sure that a returning visitor is in fact connecting from the exact same Pentium III computer. Doesn't that sound great? Unless, of course, you're concerned that any site you visit on the internet can know that you've been there, and could even share that data with other sites. When you connect from your Pentium III system, you're no longer anonymous.
Oh, sure, users will be able to turn off the ID mechanism-- but they'll have to turn it off every single time they boot their system. Oh, sure, a lot of "average users" are going to do that. And, Intel warns, since they've got a crushing grip on the industry and everything, they expect plenty of e-commerce-oriented web sites to embrace the the new ID technology, so people who turn it off are likely to be rejected at those sites. The message is clear, here: submit to electronic tagging, or accept the consequences. Oh, joy-- buy a Pentium III and get a steaming helping of Orwell on the side.
Blast from the Past (1/3/99)
You'd probably never guess this about a guy who voluntarily writes a web-based soap opera on a daily basis, but I started out absolutely hating English class. During my freshman year of high school, while I was decidedly unthrilled with just about every class I took except for Computer Science, I considered English class a particularly annoying interruption in my day. I especially disliked writing essays, even though I got to write most of them in AppleWorks on my beloved Apple //e. In fact, the involvement of the computer in my writing process was just about the only thing that kept my writing grades higher than mediocre.
About mid-way through the school year, we were given an assignment I found a little more compelling than the usual slop (yes, at the beginning of the school year we had even been assigned to write that standard "What I Did Last Summer" essay; I wrote about sitting in front of my computer for three months and never leaving my room). The teacher told us to write an essay about a product or company we viewed as an "all-American" institution. And, in a move foreshadowing the coming of AtAT some twelve years later, I decided to write about Apple Computer.
I hadn't thought about that essay in many years, but while being snowed in at my Grandmother's house (and while not having reliable 'net access due to old and overloaded phone lines), I decided to wait out the blizzard by digging through some old boxes. I found picture books I wrote when I was six, my high-school diploma, old Spider-Man comic books, my varsity letter (in Scholastic Bowl-- even geeks could get letters at my school), Apple II software including Infocom's Infidel and the original Tetris, and a slew of old school papers-- including that Apple essay. How cool is that? Reading it was worth a chuckle, if for no reason other than to see the germ of AtAT in a freshman essay written so long ago that I praised the Apple //e for being beige, and waxed eloquent about the Apple platform's excellent software availability. Hmmm.
So here it is, complete with the few original misspellings, awkward constructions, incomplete sentences, misplaced modifiers, and all: an essay I wrote at the ripe old age of thirteen. Go easy on me; it was a long time ago, and actually marked the turning point at which I began to discover that I liked to write. I was just beginning to find my voice. Without further ado, I give you a glimpse into AtAT's prehistory, dated January 8th,
1986.
As American as Apple... Computers?
The clock was relentlessly ticking away the minutes. Five o'clock was the deadline for filing a name for their new company, part of the business licensing procedures. The two young men had been throwing names around all afternoon, yet none seemed to please either of them. Steve Jobs then looked at the apple he was eating and decided that, unless he or Steve Wozniak could come up with something better, that would be the name they would use. Five o'clock soon passed, and the company who makes the friendliest and most useful home computers was then officially named.
Apple Computer is the most definitely the company that manufactures the friendliest, all-American computers. A computer should be easy to use, unintimidating, and have many practical uses. Apple has achieved all of these goals. Their computers come with introductory diskettes that help you ease into using them. The computers themselves are not cold, hard, and intimidating steel, but a gentle, soothing, relaxing beige. You can't beat the Apple for software availability, and it is so easy to use it is one of the only computers I have encountered that upholds the "First Law of Computing,: which goes along the lines of, "Using a computer should always be easier than not using a computer." The keyboard is very comfortable to type on, and doesn't put a "dangerous" key near another well-used key, like "return." I have seen other systems place the dreaded "reset" key right above it. The Apple's reset key is harmless unless the "CTRL" key is held down at the same time. The Apple's manuals are friendly, helpful, and obviously not translated from Japanese. Its name even sounds American, but even that is not the clincher. The first Apple computer was not built by a team of Einstein's relatives in white coats sitting in a sterile, hard, steel room. It was built in the garage of Steve Jobs' parents by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. That is definitely an all-American concept.
Since the first Apple I computer was built, the company has thrived incredibly. Always striving to better itself, the company has since built seven other computers: the Apple ][, the Apple ][+, the Apple //e, the Apple ]|[, the Apple Lisa, the Apple //c, and the Apple Macintosh. They also supply a long line of peripherals-- computer "add-ons." The company supplies disk drives, printers, modems, and many other peripherals that make owning an Apple computer even more fun and worthwhile.
The Apple computers are very versatile. They are useful for business use, entertainment, and education. The company now has its computers in most of the schools across the United States, including my own. Besides IBM and a couple of other "grand-daddys" of the computer industry, Apple is actually one of the oldest computer companys around.
Apple always has discounts and special offers available. For example, if you're a student, you can purchase an Apple computer system for fifteen percent off the total price. Apple always backs up their computers and peripherals, so if anything goes wrong, you can just bring it in to a nearby Apple dealer (I can think of three in the immediate area) and have it repaired. If it's just a minor problem, they will often fix it for free. This is nice to know, but I have owned an Apple computer for over a year and I haven't had any trouble with it yet. This is what partly makes it such a well-known computer. The word "apple" has almost become synonymous with "computer." All this from two young men working in a garage with a dream. That is what makes the Apple an all-American concept.
Okay, so it's not the best stuff in the world. But it represented a change in the way I viewed writing, as I took a chance to write about the computer I loved as "all-American" when everyone else wrote about Coca-Cola and Levi's jeans. And it was one of the first A's I ever got in a high-school English class-- but not the last. Heck, I even went on to major in English literature (and computer science) at college; chalk one up to Apple's achievement of making computers for the liberal arts geeks, too. So there you have it: a rare glimpse into AtAT's formative years. This concludes today's flashback broadcast.
Cough Up the Dough (1/17/99)
Isn't FireWire cool? It's powered, hot-pluggable, faster than most kinds of SCSI, supports up to 63 simultaneously-connected devices, and simply rocks for transferring digital video. For instance, the whole idea of just unplugging a tiny hard disk from one Mac and plugging it into another-- without having to worry about ID numbers, termination, or even a power source-- and just having it mount live on the desktop is truly a wonderful thought. Heck, it's even got the coolest name of any connectivity technology we can think of, assuming you call it "FireWire" and not "IEEE 1394."
Here's the thing, though-- FireWire is an Apple technology. More than that, it's an Apple technology that hasn't quite caught on yet. Apple themselves have only just started shipping Macs with FireWire on the motherboard, and even though bigwigs like Microsoft and Intel are reportedly pushing the whole FireWire idea, the biggest obstacle to widespread adoption might be Apple themselves. According to a CNET article, Apple is no longer licensing FireWire to manufacturers for a flat fee, but is instead charging about $1 per port. That means computers and peripherals using FireWire will be more expensive to produce-- and, therefore, more expensive to purchase.
Apple's walking a thin line, here. FireWire's taken a very long time to get as far as it has (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers have recognized it since 1995), and that isn't very far at all. If Apple really wants FireWire to catch on, charging a per-portroyalty might be the wrong move. On the other hand, FireWire is a killer technology, and we're positive that Apple wants to ensure that they make some real money off of it. So can Apple walk the tightrope between setting a new standard and making a hefty profit without crashing and burning?
•Jack Miller• <jackm@infoXczar.com>
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