Come on. This is an excellent post on an issue that is important to many engadget readers. I'm glad engadget is following this issue closely and serving as a mediator. I want apple to consider this issue carefully and figure out a way to give us native 3rd party apps without damaging their bussiness strategy. Thanks for laying it out.

"'"I do think that if we got organized we coudld persuade apple to reconsider their path here."

There's two things wrong with that strategy.
1) Even if "we" were to get "organized", the "we" would surely amount to an audible yet, to the target market, insignificant number.'

I agree that we would be a vocal but small group. However, as a group of loyal Man-fans we represent more than our numbers. Mac already has plenty of haters and they are generally kept in-check by mac fans. Apple sales depend a lot on young people across the world identifiyng with the brand at a cultural level. The success of the ipod and even the new powerbooks are pretty closely linked with Apple's image (along with its great tech). The iphone/itouch looked to be an extention of this. If it turns out not to be so "hip" and people "in the know" say so, then the impact on sales will be much broader than merely losing me,you and sally as customers. Our buddy Pat will get the picture too. I think apple knows this -- organizing our complaits, a shot across the bow, would deefinitely help.

This is an excellent article about apple's new policies: http://wilshipley.com/blog/2007/09/iphone-ipod-contain-or-disengage.html

I do think that if we got organized we coudld persuade apple to reconsider their path here. I'm waiting on an itouch till i know i can port mail, add events in cal and put on a third party ebook app. it is difficult to buy something so crippled, especially when its potential is so obvious. why all the black space on the home screen if not going to let it be filled with new, innovative, silly, weird and helpful apps? We send out a link for a single apple feedback site to speak our minds.