The Battle of Ecosystems.

There is an interesting new phenomenon going on that I only recently became aware of that I think is either not thought of OR written in much detail about...I intend on doing as such.

So with this being said, lets look at the iPod, the iTouch, the iPhone. Before Steve Jobs came back and introduced the iPod, Apple was on the virge of collapse (then Microsoft saved it, no joke. Something in the ballpark of 150 million dollars). But then the iPod debuted and created a wave of resurgance for Apple in the form of consumer devices. The first largely successful consumer device and touted by Apple no less. Thus began the jealously of Windows users, "I want an iPod!" and eventually Apple decided to throw up it's first White Flag and succumb to windows users. But it wasn't "Here's the iPod, use Windows Media Player." It instead was "Here is OUR device for OUR operating system and OUR music store called iTunes which you will use lest not get our fabulous device." I consider this the first form of consumer software espionage by Apple at Microsoft. Apple had successfully broke itself into the mainstream world with the iPod and iTunes and gotten it on Windows. Now the default music player for Windows users isn't Windows Media Player (WMP) it's iTunes. Everyone has to have an iPod or iPhone now.

It's only re-enforced the diehard Mac followers and their belief of superiority. It has made Windows users for the first time question their long standing PC's running Windows. "Well I love my iPod, maybe I should get a Mac?" Which brings me to the point of this whole article. The big decisions (computers) are now being based on the consumer end devices. The iPhones and the Xbox's.

Think about it. The decision for what carrier to get is based on the device now, then again it has been for awhile...but Apple has a device. People see one device and immediately start scratching their heads "What else can Apple do for me?" The same goes for Apple people who own Xbox360's. They themselves are a walking contradiction, but they are aware of it. They recognize the schism that exists. "Microsoft does have a pretty awesome product here, might as well explore what else they may have done right."

Again, my point is merely that your desktop decision is actually based on your true "consumer end device." People who get the iPhone either already have a Mac or are now thinking about it. "If i put my iPhone and a Mac together, that'd probably better than this PC." and again "If i had a PC with this 360, that'd probably work better than my Mac." Granted both situations, people generally don't know what exactly gets "better" but it just sounds better/seems to make sense. Granted it is better for lots of reasons, but they are unknown to the average user.

Enter the "Battle of Ecosystems"

Apple says...

You buy on the iTunes store, play it on your Mac (and PC) computers in iTunes. Play it on Apple TV. Take it with you and play it on your iPod, your iPhone. Who cares if you cant share the content with your friends, you paid for it. It's yours. Its on your stuff. What more could you ask for?

iTunes Model: Pay 79 cents for old songs, 99 cents for current, and $1.29 for really high quality awesome new music from iTunes. Rent or buy movies from $4.99-$19.99 in standard and high definition. Credit cards are required to register your account and you can buy iTunes gift certificates next to anywhere.

Microsoft says...

You buy on the Zune marketplace, play it on your PC (or Mac) in any music software. Play it on your Xbox360, put it on your Windows Mobile phone, your ZuneHD, give it to friends. Purchasing on the Zune Marketplace co-authorizes you on the Xbox Live Marketplace and vice versa.

Zune/Xbox Model: Things are dealt with in terms of points, not cash. So if you aren't 18, don't have plastic (or mommy and daddy's plastic) you can just go purchase points at Gamestop. Enter the code on either marketplace and your account balance is added. Credit cards are not required to register in either store. Every 400 points is $5.00 - 79 points gets you one song on Zune, about 900 gets you a whole album, games on Xbox cost anywhere from 100-1200 points. But it's shared currency. A an episode of South Park is about 160 points. Hi-def stuff costs about 240 points. But if you buy on one marketplace, you are authorized in the other.

Then there is Zune Pass ($14.99 per month) and download ALL the music you want and keep 10 songs every month. iTunes has NO model like this. Basically, your Zune Pass downloads are all DRM protected (so you can't share them with anyone, in the same fashion purchasing one song on iTunes prevents you from doing the same) but you keep 10 a month (that are NOT DRM protected, and you could give to friends.) So that means you keep about 1 album a month. I'd love some statistics on how many albums people legitimately purchase per month. This is a deal that sounds perfectly fair to me. Remember? Zune Pass can be tried for 14 days with zero commitment, be warned on the 15th day you will instantly miss this service. It seriously feels like piracy, you go the Zune store...queue up 20 albums and you are good to go. It's scary and it is awesome.

I personally as a huge computer nerd and senior in Network Engineering am sticking with

MY Windows Seven Desktop

MY Windows Seven Laptop

MY Windows Server 2008 computer

MY Xbox360

MY ZuneHD

MY Windows Mobile 6.1 (soon to be 6.5) Smartphone and

My lovely DRM free, no rules ecosystem. Where I can write applications, develop games, and share my stuff with the people I want when I want. I challenge anyone at Apple to define the word "choice."

- Note, the picture at the top is NOT photoshopped. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs really are sitting down with each other for a joint interview at D5 with Walter Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal. It's a phenomenal, tech thought provoking interview and regardless of the side you stand on truly makes you get off your horse and appreciate tech for what it is. It's available on iTunes and Zune as a free download. It's also available on YouTube over the course of several videos. I highly recommend watching. It's also available at the D5 website here, small window which makes it lame. But at least i can provide some kinda link. http://d5.allthingsd.com/20070531/video-steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-highlight-reel/

"I think of most things in life as either a Bob Dylan or a Beatles song, but there's that one line in that one Beatles song, 'you and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.' And that's clearly true here." - Steve Jobs @ Bill Gates

"I would give a lot to have Steve's taste. In terms of intuitive taste for people and products, I said in a Mac product reviews...and look at it as an engineering question. I see Steve make decisions based on people and products - it's magical." Bill Gates @ Steve Jobs