What I find disappointing is that most tech sites seem to just superficially report on the story "Apple locks out Pre from iTunes" which just attracts Apple fans or haters, without looking deeper at the substance behind the headlines.

For instance, this entire story started with the Pre being able to trick iTunes into thinking it's an iPod. What is interesting is how this was accomplished.

http://nanocr.eu/2009/06/04/palm-pre-usb-hack-confirmed/

You can see the code for Palm's hack for yourself. Basically the Pre is reporting false USB IDs. This was found by Jon Lech Johansen who is famous for defeating the CSS encryption in DVDs. When the Palm Pre is in MediaSync mode it is clearly using the "iPod" Product ID and is reporting itself with the "Apple" Vendor ID.

http://www.usb.org/developers/vendor/VID_Only_Form_withCCAuth_02042...

The application form for USB vendor IDs clearly states that vendor and product IDs are assigned to one company for it's sole and exclusive use. Vendor IDs cost $2000. Duplicating vendor and product IDs is only supposed to happen with written approval from the USB Implementers Forum. I'd be curiously to see if the Pre using Apple's vendor and product ID contradicts "sole and exclusive use" and whether Palm had written permission from the USB IF. I wonder what type of disciplinary actions the USB-IF has? I would love a tech enthusiast website to explain whether Palm violated USB licensing regulations since this would probably have much broader implications than simply the "Apple blocks Pre" headline at hand.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

And the premise of all this Palm Pre syncing business is flawed anyways. The use of the iTunes XML library file to allow third-party applications access to music file information and iTunes playlists is clearly described by Apple. Apple clearly state that they eat their own dog-food and their own applications like the iLife suite use the XML method to access iTunes information. If anything Apple is being malicious to themselves by not allowing their own applications to directly interface with iTunes.

If Palm really cares about providing their Pre customers access to their iTunes music, they can create their own sync application that reads from the iTunes XML files that preserves music information and playlists. Or if they want more direct iTunes integration, they can create an Applescript that users can run inside iTunes to sync music to the Pre. Such iTunes syncing Applescripts have been created to make iTunes work with the Sandisk e200 series.

Apple may not necessarily be against third-party device usage with iTunes, after-all they provide the tools to do so and use them themselves in iLife. What they are definitely against is Palm stealing their USB vendor and product IDs and putting little effort into developing their own syncing method but rather trying to pass off iTunes as their own feature.

This is fundamentally why, every time I see Apple market share rising, every time I see a friend with an Apple product...

...I cringe. Call me a hater, call me a Microsoft fanboy, call me whatever - but this is the crux of why I will never, ever buy Apple. They *must* control everything about their platform, and that is precisely why, eventually, they will fail. They cannot hope to offer the best product in all the markets they compete in, all the time (arguably, they don't even offer the best product now). The Pre vs. iPhone (and more interestingly, of late, Android) is a perfect example of that. Windows 7 is a good example of that.

That control-freak business model is what nearly killed them in the late '90's, and it will come back to kill them later on. It's what's hurting Microsoft (but to a lesser degree, because GENERALLY speaking, their platform is more open), and empowering the use of Linux. Industry standards are good, proprietary BS is BS.

I'm unaffected; I don't use iTunes (Foobar2000/Winamp for MTP) and I don't sync phones (only a few Cowon DAPs). Still, though... as MadManOriginal said, would this open Apple up to lawsuits, investigations and such like?

I am glad that I have never used iTunes on any of my computers. It does kind of suck because there is music that I would have loved to purchase via MP3 but it was only on iTunes so I purchased the CD's and ripped them myself. Point being is that I have a Pre and would be really pissed if I did not have sync access to my music (Since I use a Pre) if I bought my music through iTunes.

Just another reason why I despise Apple.

Gay. Wouldn't expect anything less from Apple though. Microsoft has them scared on the laptop hunters ad and Palm has Apple scared on the portable music device/phone side.

This is also why I use Amazon to purchase music. DRM free and easier to sync.

This really makes me angry mainly because of the way it has become cool to hate Microsoft in our culture. If Microsoft would of patched media player or even windows itself to only work with Zune players, imagine the press and backlash and legal fees. But its apple so everyone seems to agree they can do whatever they want with their own software.. Double standard much ?

Not only that Apple's tactic is even worse since Itunes is tied to an online store. Its like BMW opening a store but saying only people with BMWs can park and shop. Apple wants people to buy the Ipod and its exactly this kind of tactic that would cause me NOT to buy one. I just dont understand our government and other apple lover peoples mentality sometimes.

Microsoft had to pay for bundling IE to windows and they never once patched windows so no other browsers would work. Yet they got sued for just including it. Thank God Apple isn't in control of the mainstream OS segment in our world. It would be like the freaking mafia.

there are much better devices out there than what apple makes. and a lot of them have much friendlier applications for loading music on them.

iTunes' restrictions are strict and pretty well known: Apple's deal with the content owners allow only Apple hardware. Pre's ability to sync was nice, but it violated Apple's ability to prevent non-approved hardware to sync with iTunes.

ahhh...anti-competitive practices. Any time the EU in all their wisdom will step in and slap Apple with a fine...any time now...Just a few more days...*tumbleweed blows by*. Oh right, I forgot that Apple is cool and can do what-ever they want *cough* bundling Safari with OSX *cough cough hack*

Wow. Glad I never bought a apple product

Pre won't be able to sync with iTunes, well that's not a bad thing. Seems you can still use Amazon and not be restricted on what Apple thinks you should use for software and music player.

I agree. The MS ads are pathetic as hell. I can't stand computers being treated the HGTV way. But apparently they work.

iTunes is DRM Free now. Why would they care? Wouldn't this only help them sell more music?

Read about this yesterday. Considering Apple's huge market share in online music they've got to be careful or they could come under government anti-competitive scrutiny. Then again people who keep themselves tied in to iTunes may just be getting what they deserve :p

Ha Ha

(in the Nelson voice, pointing at Palm who just got kicked in the nads and had their ball stolen)

Whew, looks like Apple is doing Pre owners a favor. iTunes blows smelly chunks, and has from the start.

Well, Pre owners should be happy.

Heh. Why am I not surprised? Apple is showing once again that it loves to be anti-competitive.