---

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Apple Rant

I have been using Macs since the days of the 'Multi-Finder' anyone else remember that? When you could actually have more than one application running at a time!

After a time away from Macs I was first in the queue to get a Mac when OS X first came out. I had to put up with a lot of grief from my co-workers and the highly non-standard nature of my computer. Gradually one by one they took to Macs and there is not really any going back to Windows after you have used one.

iPod's - fantastic again very happy to be an early adopter. iPhone - yup I need on of them, and its great.

So, you may be surprised to discover that I am considering trading in my iPhone for an Android phone. The reason for this change of heart, is that Apple are deliberately making it hard for anyone like me to make any kind of hardware that works with the dock connector, without having to buy special licensing chips and give Apple money!

All I want to do is to get at the line-out pins on the dock connector to wire my iPod into my car stereo and have a nice neat single plug dock for my iPod when its in the car, without having to plug a lead into the top for audio.

But you can't! Apple have forbidden it, so my iPod breakout board will be going onto eBay and if it wasn't so damned nice, it would be followed shortly by my iPhone!

Apple, you are supposed to be the good guys, just take a leaf out of Google's book and be nice.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

'Monster' used to do a 12v re-charging cable for the iPod with a 3.5mm stereo line level jack socket on the side of the plug. Works with the iPhone too. Also pauses the iPod when you turn off the ignition. It may be still available, should be it's a good product.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Simon Monk said...

Thanks Steve, I did find a lead in the end at Dealextreme.com It works well.

But I was still denied the pleasure of making my own.