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Apple News+ includes 'LA Times' and 'Wall Street Journal' subscriptions
At its streaming service event in Cupertino on Monday, Apple announced that in addition to more than 300 magazine titles (including TechCrunch's ExtraCrunch) on its newly revealed News+ app, the company will also include subscriptions to the LA Times and Wall Street Journal. What's more, users will get access to the entire digital newsstand for $9.99 a year. Given that users would have to shell out more than $8,000 annually to acquire these magazines individually, that's a pretty good deal.
Malware stalls delivery of LA Times and other major US newspapers
If you still look forward to reading a physical newspaper now and then, you might have been in for a rude surprise this weekend. An unspecified malware strain has attacked Tribune Publishing's network, delaying the release of Saturday editions of at least some of its papers (including the LA Times, San Diego Union Tribune and South Florida Sun Sentinel) as well as West Coast versions of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, both of which are printed at the LA Times' Los Angeles plant. It was particularly severe for San Diego residents -- between 85 to 90 percent of Saturday papers didn't reach customers.
Major US news sites are still blocking Europeans due to GDPR
Months after GDPR privacy rules went into effect, over a thousand US news sites still aren't available in Europe. That includes outlets like WGN, the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune and publishers including Tronc, Lee Enterprises and GateHouse Media. All told, about a third of the 100 largest US newspapers have blocked European visitors to their sites rather than complying with the new law, reports NiemanLab.
LAPD's body cameras roll out Monday, but footage won't be public
Come Monday the Los Angeles Police Department begins its deployment of body cameras for officers. The initial rollout is limited -- only 860 of the proposed 7,000 cameras will hit the streets at first -- and the SWAT team won't get them until sometime after mid-September, according to The Los Angeles Times. The LAPD "doesn't plan on" making the recordings public unless a criminal or civil court case attached to them, though. The American Civil Liberties Union says that this blanket refusal to make all captured video public means that police departments can cherrypick what footage they do choose to distribute and essentially use it as PR for good deeds while keeping less-than-applause-worthy footage out of the limelight. Of course, one way around that would be setting up a YouTube channel like Seattle did, but that brings about its own set of critics. [Image credit: Associated Press]
Massive budget SNAFU further damages LA's student iPad program
There's likely nothing more embarrassing for educators than messing up their own arithmetic, but as the LA Times reports, that's just what happened with the Los Angeles school district's student iPad program. On top of the fact that a good number of students have already found a way around the school district's attempts to prevent non-educational use, it now seems that the US$30 million that was approved for purchasing the Apple tablets isn't nearly enough for what the district actually needs -- and it was a simple math error that caused the confusion. When coming up with the budget request for the iPad program, the district priced the iPads at $700 each, taking into account a discount program that the schools aren't actually eligible for. So when the order was placed, each iPad cost $100 more than what the schools originally planned, meaning a whole lot less hardware for the same amount of money. On top of that, the budget didn't take into account physical keyboards and other accessories that push the final price tag far past where it should have been. However, the number of iPads the district secures may not matter for much longer, as some school officials have already began collecting the iPads, effectively killing the program or at the very least putting it into an unfortunate hiatus.
LA Times critic disparages future Apple Campus
Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic, Christopher Hawthorne, examined the architectural plans for Apple's newly proposed campus and wasn't too pleased with what he saw. Instead of buying into Jobs' architectural sales pitch like the Cupertino City Council did, Hawthorne criticizes the building, claiming it's not futuristic mothership, but is "doggedly old-fashioned" and reflects the suburban corporate architecture of the 60's and 70's. Hawthorne also criticizes Jobs' tight control over the building plans, noting that the architects designing the building are hardly ever mentioned by Jobs. The critic implies that Jobs likes to appear as if he plays an active role in the design of each building, but really has little to do with it. It's the architects that do the bulk of the work. Hawthorne even disapproves of the building on a socioeconomic level claiming the building's serene and secure environment keeps its employees aloof from the world around it. He notes it's "essentially one very long hallway connecting endlessly with itself" and calls its a "retrograde cocoon."
Lost in translation: Microsoft retail stores not matching Apple success?
In a pattern we've seen repeated numerous times over the years, copying the superficial look and feel of something often does not yield the same end result. Over the years, Microsoft has frequently taken inspiration from the work of Apple, including Windows, Zune and, of course, its new retail stores. The record of commercial success for Redmond has been decidedly mixed, with Windows obviously being huge and the Zune a dismal failure. Despite hiring (and then losing to Tesla) George Blankenship, who helped craft Apple's retail experience, and locating its stores adjacent to Apple stores, Microsoft just doesn't seem to be gaining much traction. So far, Microsoft has opened seven stores but hasn't said much publicly about their performance. The LA Times did a bit of anecdotal analysis at the Shops at Mission Viejo mall, where the two stores sit near each other. Over the half hour period that the stores were observed, 19 customers walked out with purchases from Apple while only 3 did the same at the Microsoft store. This is far from a scientific analysis, but given the slow rate of expansion for Microsoft, it probably isn't atypical. Microsoft has said little publicly about its goals for the stores, other than building its brand. The problem is that most of the products that the stores sell don't carry its brand, aside from a small Windows sticker or logo. Other than software and accessories, all of the main items available from an Apple store are from Apple. The limited lineup of products made by Apple allows the stores to stock almost all of the variations available. Microsoft sells computers from HP, Samsung and others, and the limited space in a mall location means that it ends up with less selection and higher prices than a competing big box store like Best Buy. Without Apple's hard to define "cool" factor and more focus, it's not apparent whether Microsoft will be able to make a go of its stores, or if they will become the next Bob. What is it about Apple stores that makes you buy stuff there instead of Best Buy or Target? [via Electronista]
Hulu's subscription service might run $5 for access to select shows
There was a mini-internet revolt the last time NBC Universal's TV chief started talking about ways to actually turn a profit from Hulu and the search for a balance continues. People familiar with the matter -- our favorite source by the way -- told the LA Times that the search in question could take another six months before official pricing is announced, but the latest idea being thrown around is to charge a $5 per month subscription for access to older shows. A quick search of Hulu just showed that only the past four or five episodes of newer shows are currently available, so charging for older shows means new access to additional content. We have to say that offering additional programming above and beyond what is currently free is a pretty good strategy, but the other one we'd like to see is a premium option to view content commercial free -- no word on if any of the paid content will still have commercials. The one thing this won't change is the fact that the content creators already sold the rights to these shows on the TV, which of course means Hulu won't be able to stop going out of its way to block things like Boxee and the PS3 -- still kind of shocked that PlayOn isn't affected.
At $1 a day Redbox is perfect for consumers, not so much for Hollywood
Not sure who would've guessed that Redbox Kiosk rentals would be this successful, but evidently most don't mind heading out of the house to rent a movie if the price is right. But it seems that as popular as the disc vending machines are with consumers, Hollywood isn't too keen on the idea. Evidently it is believed that the $1 rental fee is more effective at motivating consumers to rent instead of buy when compared with other alternatives like Netflix and Blockbuster. The interesting thing here to us is that at least one studio (Universal) has attempted to delay selling titles to the company in an attempt to help DVD sales, but as you might expect, Redbox responded with a lawsuit -- which is still pending. Seems to us that Redbox is yet another great example of how packaged media isn't dead, because if for no other reason it is useful because it helps prevent the draconian control of content that Hollywood would obviously love to have.
Do you suffer from 'appiphilia'?
Do you download applications you don't even use? Do you stay up late, obsessively logging in to iTunes? If so, you may have appiphilia. But don't worry: Appiphilia is treatable with Appien, from the makers of Extensionil and Kaleidoscept. Talk to your doctor about Appien. For some patients, it can reduce the joy associated with buying new applications, meaning less time on the App Store, and more time doing the things that you love: like checking email or using Maps. Only your doctor can diagnose appiphilia. If you spent more than $30 on applications in the last week, there's a good chance Appien can help. Appien isn't for everyone. Side effects include nausea, projectile Zune ownership, and dry mouth. Tell your doctor if backing up your iPhone takes longer than four hours, since this can be a sign of a rare complication that requires immediate medical attention. Talk to your doctor about Appien. Appien. Regain control of your iPhone. [Via The Los Angeles Times.]
LA Times: 'I Am Rich' author sold eight copies
Armin Heinrich, developer of the do-nothing I Am Rich application, told the Los Angeles Times yesterday he sold eight copies of the app, which is no longer available in the App Store. If true, Heinrich pocketed $5,600 for his work, and Apple skimmed $2,400 off the top. According to Heinrich, six people from the U.S., one from Germany, and one from France each bought a copy of the app. One App Store reviewer said that he bought the application by accident, but it's unclear if that individual is included in the final tally. An update to the Times article noted that Heinrich said, "I've got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app," who had "no trouble spending the money." He also said that he had "no idea" why Apple removed his offering from the App Store. John Gruber, in a blog post at Daring Fireball, expressed skepticism at Heinrich's honesty, suggesting that his claim of receiving emails from satisfied customers "didn't ring true." [Via Valleywag.]
Can the Wii keep its winning streak going?
The LA Times is reporting that many seem to have doubts about the staying power of the Wii as their latest article suggests Nintendo's newest console could be dropped by casual gamers in the long run. Some analysts, including Van Baker, a consumer technologies analyst with Gartner Inc., are thinking that the nature of going after casual gamers means they could leave you just as easily as they love you. "Its appeal is primarily to casual gamers, and there's a serious question about how long casual gamers will stay engaged with the platform," he says, adding "It wouldn't be surprising to see them lose interest after a relatively short amount of time."But after a little over 5 months of being on the market, Nintendo is consistently doing well and the Wii console is still being snatched up as soon as it finds itself on a retail shelf in some areas. No one can predict the future, but we feel this trend will only continue, especially with big titles like Metroid Prime 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Strikers: Charged and Pokemon Battle Revolution coming this year. We're not worried.What do you guys think?[Via 1UP]
Consumers are/aren't hot for mobile TV, Part V
It appears that despite a strong push by carriers and content providers, consumers' cold, uneasy reception of mobile video continues. This time around, LA Times and Bloomberg have the numbers, showing that a mere 9% of folks in the influential 18-24 age bracket have any desire to watch television on their handset, compared to 40% who wouldn't mind doing so on their computer. The numbers get even worse for movies -- and understandably so -- with just 6% wanting to squint their way through a film. The numbers get a little better among 12-17 year olds with 14% willing to give mobile television a shot, but still, it looks like major investments in mobile TV infrastructure could prove to be money pits if stakeholders don't figure out how to hook 'em while they're young.[Via PVR Wire]
LA Times tackles Sony's "used games" patent
The LA Times, a couple months late to the story, has reopened the festering wound we like to call "the Sony used games patent." Rumors that the PS3 would incorporate technology that would prohibit the later sale of used games -- technology that was patented (#6,816,972) by Sony in 2000 -- have been making the rounds (and being denied) for some time. So what's left to talk about?LA Times reporter Dawn C. Chmielewski gathers some exciting quotes from familiar names like Michael Pachter, P.J. McNealy, and even an anonymous cryptographer! "I actually think they're toying with this idea ... Maybe they'll copy protect movies or music downloads." --Michael Pachter "While we believe it is unlikely that [Sony] will ban PS3 pre-owned games from being sold by the same chains that sell new PS3 games, we believe this issue remains under consideration." --P.J. McNealy "In the video game business, it would be suicide for someone to do this. It's actually possible Sony filed this because they wanted to keep people from doing that." --anonymous cryptographer Gotta love that little conspiracy theory at the end: maybe Sony gobbled up this tech to prevent other companies from taking advantage of consumers? Yeah, cause Sony -- a giant conglomerate with their fingers in everything from content to technology to life insurance -- they're cool like that.[Via /.]
