Category: Apple
Nine Inch Nails Response to iPhone App Update Rejection
Trent Reznor, creator of Nine Inch Nails (one of my favorite bands), has posted a rant on the nin.com forum in response to Apple’s confusing rejection of the latest version of the “nin: access” iPhone application to the iTunes App Store. The program simply allows Nine Inch Nails fans to stay connected with nin.com and other fans.
Here’s Apple’s rejection letter…
From forum.nin.com:
Thank you for submitting nin: access to the App Store. We’ve reviewed nin: access and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store at this time because it contains objectionable content which is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement which states:
“Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.”
The objectionable content referenced in this email is “The Downward Spiral”. Since the app is live on the App store, please make the necessary changes to the application as soon as possible, and resubmit your binary to iTunes Connect. Thank you
Regards,
iPhone Developer Program
Evidently the new version of the app linked to a podcast that featured a song from The Downward Spiral album that contained profanity or something otherwise “objectionable,” though Reznor isn’t quite sure since Apple’s letter is so vague. Ironically, you can purchase The Downward Spiral in the iTunes Music Store, profanity and all, so apparently it’s okay to buy the music, but not buy an app that lets you hear it.
Here is an excerpt from Trent Reznor’s response…
From forum.nin.com:
I’ll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy. Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and “clean” versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including Nirvana) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc to meet Wal-Mart’s standards of decency – because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records. NIN refused, and you’ll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any “indecent” material for sale – but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film “Scarface” completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense?
Reznor hilariously finishes the post with just a few more sentences that I can’t repost here and remain a (mainly) family-friendly blog. If you want to read it, click here… but don’t say I didn’t warn you if you read something “objectionable” by your own standards.
TweetFRIDAY FLASHBACK: Elusive Intel Pentium MMX Bunny Suit Commercials
In the mid-to-late ’90s, Intel was promoting its new processor with a series of fun and colorful commercials that seem to have now vanished off of the face of the planet. I wish I could find those…
Elusive Intel Pentium MMX Bunny Suit Commercials
This foreign-language version of the commercials in question is the closest example I could find of the fun Intel commercials that featured people in rainbow-colored clean room “bunny suits” dancing around:
I enjoyed these commercials so much that I even bought (and still have on my desk) one of these bunny suit plushes:
So where are all the Intel Pentium MMX commercials? How are they not on YouTube? Or am I just missing something?
It’s no surprise that it’s very easy to find the Apple parody version:
The bunny suits are also featured in this Intel Inside commercial featuring The Simpsons:
If anyone can find one of the United States versions of the dancing bunny suit Intel commercials, post a link in the comments!
TweetPlush Steve Jobs is Both Hilarious and Huggable
When my wife walked up the driveway from our mailbox today holding a padded envelope, sporting a smirk on her face, I knew something was up. She handed the envelope to me and told me to open it.
Inside was a plush version of Apple CEO and Disney board member Steve Jobs. I had no idea such a thing even existed, but now he’s lurking around my desk, judging my every move. He’s only been here for a few minutes and already I feel like I have to be more productive or else I’m at risk of being fired from my own office.
Here he is posing with my iMac and iPod:
He won’t stop staring. Must. Get. Work. Done.
“Plush Jobs” (his official name) is available from PodBrix here.
TweetTUESDAY TECH: Fun With Business Cards -or- Low-Tech Tuesday
Not every interesting piece of technology has to be electronic or even advanced. So today is Low-Tech Tuesday in which I spotted a great use for an item that nearly everyone has at least one of in their wallet or purse…
Fun With Business Cards
In browsing a Core77.com 1 Hour Design Challenge with the theme “Business Card Hacks,” I came across this clever idea for a cord winder made solely from a business card:
As you can see, not only does folding a business card like this enable you to neatly wrap an earphone cable up, but it also creates a handy little pouch in which you can store the earphones themselves. Whenever I venture out to record audio of something, I always carry with me my small earphones and my in-ear binaural microphones (which resemble earphones), but inevitably end up with both tangled either together or amongst themselves. Maybe next time I’ll pull out a business card in an attempt to keep them organized.
There are a few more entries in the “Business Card Hacks” thread, including a handy iPhone/iPod Touch holder for watching videos. In addition, a Google search for “business card origami” yields plenty of interesting results, though I couldn’t find any quite as handy as the earphone wrapper.
TweetSkype for iPhone Officially Coming Tuesday
From reviews.cnet.com:
Months after teasing us at CES with an announcement of Skype’s native VoIP client for the iPhone, the free Skype for iPhone will finally be available to download from the iTunes App Store sometime on Tuesday.
[…]
In terms of navigation, Skype’s VoIP app for iPhone looks more like your traditional iPhone app than it does Skype 4.0 for Windows. For many who already prefer Apple’s sleek interface archetype, that’s a triumph, but those who enjoy Skype’s branding may feel disappointed.
Skype’s screens are well organized and use the iPhone’s ability to add filters, for instance, to sort your contacts alphabetically, or by who’s online. There’s chatting as well, though Skype’s flagship feature is its VoIP calling that’s free to other Skype users and an inexpensive per-minute fee to landlines. Calls on Skype for iPhone work only if you’re in range of a Wi-Fi network, so your call quality will in part be at the mercy and strength of wireless networks nearby–calls will not work over the cell phone network on the iPhone (but chatting will.) Assuming your connection is solid, you can dial a number or quickly call a contacts stored in your address book. iPod Touch users will need earphones with an embedded mic to talk. During a call, you can mute the line, go on hold, or put the call on speakerphone. In the My Info window, you can follow a link to buy more SkypeOut credit online.
Taking a photo from within Skype to serve as your avatar image, or pulling a picture in from the camera roll are two iPhone-only features that makes use of the phone’s hardware attributes. Another imperfect, but still neat, feature is the ability to accept incoming conference calls. While you won’t be able to initiate a call, we’re told, you will be able to jump on one if a buddy invites you in. We hope the next version includes placing conference calls from the iPhone.
So while Skype for iPhone won’t replace your regular calling plan while you’re on the go, you will be able to use a WiFi connection in place of using your AT&T minutes.
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