Wednesday 12 October 2005

Apple Announcement Today May Unveil Miers iPod

Two Colors Offered and Pre-Programmed With Unknown Songs; Possible Video iSqueal Also Talked About

After teasing reporters for weeks, Apple Computer's press conference today, at the California Theatre in San Jose, is expected to announce a new addition to the popular iPod line - a Harriet Miers edition, available in two colors and pre-programmed with unknown songs from unknown artists.

Steve Dowling, a spokesman for the Cupertino company, declined to comment.

The Miers iPod will be available in 'Supreme Court Black' or 'Government-Issue Green' and with a new power system in which the owner will need to change the battery the Frist Monday in October.

One caveat is that the owner of the Miers iPod must play all the song programmed before they can be erased or recorded over.

There is also speculation that certain features of the Miers iPod may be integrated into the Roker, the new iTunes-enabled cell phone from Apple and Motorola, with the user being able to download Supreme Court decisions. The text decisions can be saved and transferred to a hard drive or emailed to friends, with an iTunes song attached as a personal soundtrack.

The prerecorded songs from unknowns may be a nod to Apple's growing battle with the music labels.

Sources tell The Garlic that a majority of the unknown artists are from Warner Music. Warner has been at odds with Apple and its iTune program, believing the music labels should have flexibility and control over the pricing of their music.

Apple has maintained its .99 price for iTunes songs.

Another long anticipated move by Apple may be forthcoming, as there is speculation that Apple will also debut the new Video iSqueal.

As first reported by The Garlic, Apple launched iSqueal back in March, as a means to root out leaks over new Apple product announcements and dissent aimed toward Apple.

The program, allowing users to call a special iSqueal Hotline or email their information, has been hugely popular and, at times, completely overwhelming Apple's iSqueal team and operators.

"They have," says Ralph Centanni, author of "I Scream For iPod", "gotten a lot of information on the objective but they've also gotten a lot of junk as well."

Centanni says the iSqueal Hotline has become a dumping ground for "every complaint imaginable".

"You've got people reporting traffic accidents, divorce cases, people complaining about products that aren't even Apple's … It's been a very challenging program for them."

With Video iSqueal, Apple hopes to root out the nonsensical complaints, believing people will be less inclined to leave such complaints if they have to identify themselves.

"It also gives Apple the opportunity to sell more video tools and software," says Centanni.

Centanni believes the Miers iPod concept came out of the iSqueal files.

"It started with the Roberts nomination, the calls and emails to iSqueal. I think Steven Jobs saw something and, with his flair, came up with the Miers offering. Either that, or he's going after the Conservatives, an older but prosperous market. Maybe there's some kind of blockbuster deal that will follow, like having a big push of Christian Rock on iTunes … It's a market … It's out there."


Webster's Dictionary confirmed debunking a longtime adage, as proof emerged that pigs do not fly, but swim

Google Launches Lobbyist; As Usual, In Beta-Mode and By-Invite Only

May Signal Move To Broaden Google Wallet and Googlets With Expanding Empire

Google confirmed last week that the company has, in its' tradition, quietly launched a Washington Lobbyist to look out for the company's interests and "defend the Internet as a free and open platform for information, communication, and innovation."

The lobbyist, technology-law expert and Washington veteran Alan Davidson, is only operating in beta-mode at the time and Google has not made any predictions when they will unveil the lobbyist as a full running program.

Additionally, only users of Gmail and Google Talk have access to Davidson and only those users can invite friends and family into the Lobbyist program. Each user has 25 invites to offer.

As lobbyists are nothing new, Google's beta-lobbyist is said to be lacking some features and is "no way near" most of the complete and functioning lobbyists dotting the Capital, according to sources.

Google shied away from purchasing an already established lobbyist, preferring to build one from the ground, up, as with most of their programs. And it's also not clear if the lobbyist will be a independent program, or integrated into the Google Desktop Tool Bar

The need for a lobbyist comes at a time as Google expands its' empire.

There's speculation that Google is going to take on the Telecom industry. Google has already launched its' Google Printprogram and has run into trouble as publishers and the Authors Guild has filed suit over copyright infringement.

However, some insider say that it is the Google Wallet, and their new monetary system, Googlets, that may be at the heart of the lobbyist beta program.

In June, as reported by The Garlic, Google launched a pay system to rival eBay's PayPal and, took the extra step to seek having it also serve as legal tender. Googlets are wired with sensors so that a user can pull up Google Maps to research which vendors in their area accept Googlets as payment.

"It's a smart move," says Daria Pannesi, editor of 'In The Loot', the newsletter for high tech dollar traders. "If they're going to establish these 'Google Bars', or whatever they’re called, they are going to need a point person in Washington to get this pushed through."

In the beta-mode, Google's lobbyist will be located on J Street in Washington, not K Street where most of the other lobbyist firms are located. He'll have most of the tool used traditionally by lobbyists and a few extras, such as having the entire history of case law and Supreme Court decisions available for reference via his Google Desktop Search.

"He'll have all those things," says Pannesi, "plus a couple-a-few billion dollars to throw around."
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