InBox: Sherlock, iTunes Scandal, Elements, More.

By Tera Patricks • Saturday, September 18, 2004 • Home » Email In Box »

Regarding our post on Watson as one of those great apps that doesn’t get used any more, many readers pointed out they don’t use Sherlock much anymore either. What does that say about how many applications we have on our desktops?

“Apples own Sherlock seem’s to be of less use these days since searching in Safari is faster one less app to open and if you add AcidSearch it get’s even better. and the system search as well!

Sherlock needs some refreshing perhaps some P2P plugins/iTunes ..to give it a new life. and maybe better intergration with Safari/iLife Apps.”

Reader “buckley” took issue with the fracas over Apple’s pricing scheme in the UK. It’s about 20-percent higher there but no one knows why.

“It seems that every site reporting this makes the same mistake. This complaint is nothing to do with the fact that the prices are cheaper in the France and Germany. Do you really think everything in the EU is the same price?!

The reason for the complaint, is that UK users cannot take advantage of the cheaper prices in France and Germany because iTunes requires a Credit Card Billing Address in France or Germany. One of the fundamental principles of the EU is free market trade across the borders of the EU. For example I can order the same CD from Amazon in France, Germany or the UK despite differences in price.

I guess the problem is that these EU rules never really considered the impact of new technnologies such as Apple’s iTMS.”

Finally, someone likes Jack’s (Jack D. Miller) thinking regarding Apple’s ability and need to continue to innovate or die. We couldn’t agree more. Or less. Sometimes. We need to be as definitive as reader “steven.”

“I like Jack’s thinking. Business is all about change and challenge. I think the tablet is the thing, but with a difference. I think’s it’s a modular Mac: a relatively small but complete unit that can dock into an optional base that expands the capabilities in all kinds of ways: dvd burner, wireless access, large monitor, tivo unit, backup storage, and so on. The modMac becomes the bridge from a personal consumer unit to a home consumer device. Remember the dock? Picture wireless dock connectivity!”

Reader “sergio” almost agreed with Jack. Mostly. Sometimes.

“Jack, you’ve got a few (JUST A FEW) points to your favor here. You are right about the fact that Change is the blood that pumps through the veins of business. You’re also right about Apple relying on innovation to stay in the cutting edge. Saying that Apple needs to keep introducing “hit” products is so… what’s the word: DUH!. EVERY company needs to produce hit products to survive, that is unless you sell something everybody needs, like toilet paper… or even worse, if you’re Microsoft, in which case people will be trained to buy whatever mediocre crap you produce, as the girl from the Orbit chewing gum ad would say: “no matter what.”

Adobe introduced Photoshop Elements 3.0 for both Mac and Windows (shipping later this fall). What’s impressive is the big list of pro features in a consumer application and Adobe admitting that Elements is a good fit with iPhoto. Reader “bob” chimed in:

“Not really surprising. When you ask pirates why they pirate, one of their biggest excuses is “They’re overcharging for the software. If they lowered the price I would buy it.” Well, when the list price is $89 and it has some pro features in it like Healing Brush, a pirate can’t use price as an excuse. Most people don’t need more than Elements has. Adobe can make more money if their low price product can scoop up people who might have otherwise pirated Photoshop.”

That’s only a portion of a very heavy InBox this week. If you’d like to leave a comment on any one of our articles, simply click the Comments link below to share your thoughts with others. For a little more anonymity, or if you use big words with multiple sylables, click the private Feedback link below.

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Classy Mac360 Photo By Tera Patricks | Tera Patricks co-founded Mac360 in early 2004 with Bambi Brannan, Alexis Kayhill, and Ron McElfresh. Tera died in the summer of 2006 following a long bout with cancer. Her legacy site is Tera Talks.

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