[Rant On]

I went to re-download a video I had purchased, Casino Royal, and realized after some searching that I couldn't.  I have purchased music, video, and other content on the Internet before and this is the FIRST time ever that a recoverable solution wasn't provided.  Not only does Apple not provide movie downloads for the same content you?ve bought, they offer some second downloads on other things, let you download apps multiple times, and in certain circumstances might let you do this or that.  Needless to say, for a company that is supposed to keep it simple, that is the WORSE UX (user experience) and mismanaged business logic that simply, I wouldn't have expected from Apple.

I've been contemplating getting an Apple PC for a while now.  With this policy, I'm not sure I want to.  What other ways does Apple jack somebody for hard earned cash?  I also started contemplating getting an IPhone for personal use, but just realized that IPhones operate like Windows 3.11, they pretend to be multi-tasking but they aren't.  Every time I'm trying to listen to music I get interrupted by text messaging or something.  VERY annoying.

In addition to these two silly little things, the new Windows Mobile doesn't look or perform too bad.  Guess what else, I can have two apps running at one time!  OMG are u serious!  Yes, hell, I can even run 3 or 10 apps.  I guess MS developed the OS for real business use, and that usually requires the ability to do multiple things.  Sure, Windows Mobile is still rough around the edges, but it in my opinion is gaining pretty fast and already has some unique advantages.

Don't even get me started on the Blackberry Business Leader.  The functionality on it along with the fun of apps like Pandora really don't leave anyone reasons to switch from Blackberry over to IPhone.

Between bad purchase policies, betting you'll just leave whopping backups of your crap everywhere on all those extra drives and tapes people always buy (NOT) Apple is making some rather huge mistakes.

But this is why, Apple has been a 2-bit player in the competition between Apple & Microsoft for a LONG time.  Apple is by far more monopolistic, with bad business practice, and other concerns all because they expect their users to ?not think about using the computer? mess.  Bad idea.

I'll be sticking to Vista reluctantly after these two divisive observations and getting screwed out of my $15 bucks for Casino Royal.  BTW Apple, no, I'm not reading your stupid 8 gazillion page EULA about movie purchases, if I can't download what I've bought before ? and I'm buying a single time download ? it really should be a little more obvious.

Then of course, I guess I'm used to the Internet that has choices, with my options being my choice versus handed to me.

Thanks Apple, I'll keep my choices with more computing power and more options, more applications, more games, and *gasp* more hardware.

[Rant Off]

Fini.