I was out of contract… for quite some time now. I’ve been waiting for a decent upgrade to the Treo 700P. There may be some tips on my article about saving money on cell phones.

Thus, the barrier to entry (another big test of monopoly) is really quite low.

I’m sure that Apple would be happy to redirect the lawsuit … but the PR damage would be done. Frying isn’t likely, but something like accidental deletion of data is.

Honestly, though, they don’t need to actively block it – there are other ways to skin that cat.

I think there’s something to be said to having a device that is similar, but better. For instance Palm came out with a Windows Mobile device or two and it was trying to compete with other Windows Mobile devices.

The Palm Pre is different enough from an iPhone (gestures, webOS, Synergy, etc.) to qualify as “completely different”, I think. However, it also should compete because they are similar devices (smart phones that offer a lot more than the calling experience – web, apps, e-mail, etc.

I don’t really get the iTunes frying a Pre. If I plug in my old Treo, what if iTunes fries that? Under no circumstances should iTunes fry anything. Apple would probably love it if iTunes fired a Pre. They’d be more than happy to redirect that lawsuit to Palm.

Apple can’t really come out of this looking good, and I think that’s the point. If they block the Pre, they have to come up with a reason why they are hurting consumers without it sounding greedy. If they let it go, they potentially put themselves in a worse position.

But I could imagine a problem with products from some of the lower end vendors.

eventually they will surpass every RIMM product…give it time…

and wait til the new OS and new phone come out…

i really dont understand trying to compete…try something completely different or stay behind the curve

How’s that? Essentially, the iTunes/iPod interactivity is iTunes acting as a hardware driver. Most software drivers only work with hardware from that vendor. Does HP need to make sure that my printer driver will work with a Lexmark?

Also, the fact that there are a zillion viable competitors to iTunes makes it hard to claim a monopoly. For example, you have managed to evade the “monopoly”, so you don’t use it.

You’re grossly oversimplifying the MS case. If it was just that one issue, they would have been OK.

:)

Shouldn’t you be paying off loans instead of buying phones? :)

… except to marvel at slow it can make a computer.

If Windows could be thought of as a monopoly (it control what software ran on it), couldn’t the iTunes be considered one if it starts to block competition.

Palm isn’t looking for an advantage here, they just don’t want to be at a disadvantage.

How is there a monopoly with iPods? There are plenty of choices for software that controls your music collection – you’re not forced to use iTunes and the tight iPod integration :)