hp gets in bed with apple
apple licenses itms/ipod to hp. this is a big deal, both for apple (licensing its stuff) and for hp (committing hard to consumer electronics and their vision of the future). rumors ran wild on the details, including one about supporting microsoft’s drm with the hp widget. microsoft knows that threat. the factions are set (pick your drm alliance), and the long-term picture is that as long as everyone’s busy putting locks on the content and developing new locks for the content, the less frustrating alternatives can maintain traction.
will apple embrace a new more-open approach? given the economics, and the coming squeeze, will they “wake up” to their old ways and realize that they don’t really want competition for money-making ipods and pull the plug on competition? it’s happened before.