Tipping Points

Apple's Garden Has No Walls - Finally!

The Library of Congress, which has the power to define exceptions to an important copyright law, said on Monday that it was legal to bypass a phone’s controls on what software it will run to get “lawfully obtained” programs to work.

via www.nytimes.com

App developers, rejoice!  The Library of Congress has brought down the walls around Apple's walled garden.  Developers can a) circumvent Apple's copyright restrictions to deliver non-Apple-approved apps to the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch; and b) leverage the wireless connectivity provided by those devices. 

Who knew the Library of Congress had such awesome power!   It's news to me.  Follow this link to read the ruling - for the impatient, go immediately to bullets (2) and (3).

Why do we need more apps, with over 225,000 apps on the app store and 5 billion downloads by June 2010?  Judge for yourself: rejected apps range from the silly to the baffling. 

Apple seemed bent on making itself the Mayberry of content.  Let porn, gambling and pureplay ads reside on the Internet.  Keep apps on the Apple platform squeaky clean and support Apple's premium positioning.  Let Android be the place for everyone else's apps. 

Who will benefit?  Clear beneficiaries include:

• developers impatient with Apple's review process
• advertisers seeking a more direct appeal to audiences
• content creators who want unfettered creativity
• entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of what a the combination of high-speed wireless connection, GPS, gyroscope, touch screen and rich media can provide, and
• of course, porn, gambling and all the other naughty and nasty vices that are publicly condemned and privately enjoyed.

Any guess on how long it will take to get Adobe Flash on the platform?

What Happened to the Ad-Network Apocalypse?

..."rampant consolidation" and "decimation" were used to describe the impending, inevitable shakeout that was sure to come.

Almost a year later, no apocalyptic shakeout has hit yet. So what happened? 

What Happened to the Ad-Network Apocalypse? - Advertising Age - DigitalNext.

Mostly Gloom for Glossies - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com

Mostly Gloom for Glossies - Interactive Graphic.  It took me a few minutes to figure this out, but if you're obsessed with the state of the magazine industry like I am, then this is well worth the effort. 

Thank You, Scott Kirsner

I've never met Scott, have no relationship to him, in fact until today never heard of him.

Web Video 101 .  Scott has published a simple compilation called "The Future of Web Video" that anyone interested in video on the web - producing, distributing, selling, advertising - should go out and buy, especially because as an e-book, it only costs 15 bucks.  Don't expect brilliant insights; utility is its raison d'etre.

Scott writes that "the launch of YouTube, like the first demonstrations of cinema and television before it, marked a new era in creating and distributing moving images. This third era – the Web video era – is creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and independent content producers, and presenting new challenges to the media companies and advertisers who have thrived in the businesses of cinema and television."

Released on November 22, 2006, it is timely as only an ebook can be, full of facts, indispensable when you need to sound smart, a reference for all the key players and stats, quick read, and fun.  So don't walk.  Run.

Also, take a look at Scott's blog.