Public Address | System (Home)

Posted at 10:54AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I don't know if this adds anything...but I discovered last night that in the lastest version of iTunes you can set which iTunes store you want to log into. This means I can use my UK iTunes login and buy songs in New Zealand. Gotta watch that exchange rate though.

Posted at 11:03AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I'm <quiet voice> not really fussed about an iTunes store</quiet voice>, but I would love to see a bricks-and-mortar Apple store here.

It bugs me no end when people, after having used my mac, are suitably impressed enough to go in to an Apple reseller only to be faced with dire customer service by people who don't know the first thing about macs. And even those who purport to know often come out with completely erroneous information.

And for me personally, being told by the AppleCare people to go into local authorised service centre to have a particular problem fixed, given a job number, and then being told by the locals that "oh no, Apple won't authorise that", really doesn't enhance the Apple owning experience. I dread having something go wrong with my laptop and having to deal with the service centre again.

Posted at 11:16AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I will only be interested in an iTunes store only when (if) Apple offer the ability to download music that isn't infected with very restricting DRM.

Until then, not interested.

Posted at 11:44AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I just did a quick check in DNS, and the mail exchanger record for apple.co.nz still points to Renaissance's mail server.

The renaissance mail server also accepts messages to people in the apple.co.nz domain, but of course, I can't tell if they're being forwarded elsewhere after that.

Hmm, cool... now I can get some banging Nikos Xilouris anthems from Itunes Greece, like Kavgades me to giasemi. Really though, it's such megalo arhides that there's no store for NZ.

Posted at 11:49AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Hi Sarah

This is no help to you in the Hutt valley but in Auckland Ubertec in Parnel is well stocked, have friendly attentive staff, and know their shit. This however is the exception, there is a largish Mac specialist store in central Auckland which is repeatedly given me appalling service, with staff more interested in chattiong each other up than selling stuff and when dragged on to the shop floor to help, respond in monosylables.

However an Apple store would be nice too.

cheers
Bart

Posted at 11:55AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I guess the other option is that Apple are planning to set up a proper Apple NZ and shuffle Renaissance out of the game in terms of distribution.

Although If Renaissance knew about this they would have to disclose it to the NZX, as I think itwould be market sensitive,

SO maybe it just is the *long* awaited itunes, just in time for Christmas l Toto,

Posted at 11:58AM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Will an Apple run business mean more keenly priced hardware?

The iPod range has become steadily more affordable, but the PC's have not kept in-line, esp the portables.

Posted at 12:17PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

From Renaissance insider: "They haven't told staff officially, everyone just knows, possibly within the month, watch this space"

Posted at 12:21PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I'm with Mike C on this one. I'm getting tired of this normalisation of the notion that the "purchase" of media is just another form of licencing.

See that now MSN Music is going down the gurgler, Microsoft is recommending that people "back up" their old "play for sure" tracks to CD? For personal use only, of course. What is the point?

I'll stick with the non-restrictive sites like Magnatunes, thanks. Or preview tracks on Last.fm, buy the CDs and rip them myself.

Posted at 12:31PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Gary: If the Apple stores in London and Tokyo are anything to go by, then no.

Posted at 12:35PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I guess the other option is that Apple are planning to set up a proper Apple NZ and shuffle Renaissance out of the game in terms of distribution.

Hmmm. Apple Australia has always treated NZ like the poor cousin, so if they are planning to properly establish an Apple NZ now that Renaissance (and any number of retailers) are selling iPods hand over first, that would be ironic ...

I visited the Apple Store in San Francisco recently - good but not great, I thought. The best part is the genius bar or whatever they call it, which you can book a face-to-face chat with someone who can (hopefully) solve your problem ...

Posted at 12:37PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I'm quite interested to see what the prices will be. I'm assuming $1.99, which like most music deals will well and truly suck for those NZ artists signed to a major label.

Posted at 12:38PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

BTW, anyone else have crashing problems with Safari on Public Address System?

I've had a few crashes, but I suspect the problem is at my end. The prefs may reset after the crash, or the preset menu bar items (Apple, eBay) I've deleted come back.

Tried deleting the preferences file, didn't seem to help.

Posted at 12:38PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Nope, no crashes for me

Posted at 12:45PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Another vote for Ubertec, definitely the best Mac retailer, and have brilliant accessories including the very Mac friendly STM bags.

In the interim (and I'm hoping this is the interim) this is an interesting local site to check out:

http://txttunes.com/default.aspx

Posted at 12:58PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

waaahhhhh... then I'm stuck in affordable PC hell

Posted at 1:06PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I have midnight music cravings and nowhere to fulfil them. Back when the Australian iTunes Store launched and it was possible for New Zealanders to imaginatively fill in their account details with an Australian address, I also signed up. I bought a handful of Van Halen tunes (awesome) but had to tear myself away. So the sooner it launches for real in Aotearoa, the better.

Anyone else have crashing problems with Safari on Public Address System

Not from me, but it seems to log me out after a while, which is annoying.

Posted at 1:11PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

My money is on this being about Renaissance losing the Apple contract. There has been speculation about that for years. Renaissance has a conflict of interest, as it is both the sole supplier of Apple product in NZ and a major PC wholesaler. Renaissance both supplies retailers and competes with them.

Posted at 1:27PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Not from me, but it seems to log me out after a while, which is annoying.

Robyn, there is an issue with cookies not applying to both publicaddress.net and www.publicaddress.net, so watch which one you're using as you may be logged in on one but not the other. A fix is in the works.

Posted at 1:30PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I'm getting tired of this normalisation of the notion that the "purchase" of media is just another form of licencing.

For a useful development of this, go to The Register (thanks NZBC), to see Peter Jenner declaiming on the subject in this vein:

The major four music labels today are "fucked", he says. Digital music pricing has been a scam where the consumer pays for manufacturing, distribution, and does all the work - and still has to pay more. Labels should outsource everything except finance and licensing.

But he's also optimistic that for almost everyone else - indie labels, musicians, songwriters and budding entrepreneurs - as well as network providers - the future's going to be pretty bright. The Big Four know that the DRM era is nearly over - and within two or three years, he predicts, "most countries" in the world will have a blanket licensing regime where we exchange music freely, for a couple of quid a month.

Posted at 1:32PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Losing has become something of a trend for Renaissance - they lost Macromedia & Adobe, so it would fit that they also lose Apple.

If you've ever visited the Renaissance offices, you might have gone through the same double-take I did... "Wait, THIS is APPLE?!" It was like the offices of a paper merchant in Slough, certainly not what I expected from the most carefully cultivated marketing driven brand on earth.

If the eternally rumoured NZ Itunes store provided TV shows I want, in higher quality than I can get from torrents, and more conveniently (so maybe they can provide for fast downloads, but torrenspy is pretty damn convenient), I would absolutely pay to get them. But they won't. They won't be anything like up to date. So they'll be a complete waste of time for the majority of people that are already comfortable with downloading TV.

Posted at 2:14PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

This just in from a "worker bee" at Renaissance:

Yep we are indeed losing our apple.co.nz email addresses here at Renaissance. we've not been given any worthwhile explanation as to why it's happening, except it's to strengthen the Renaissance brand. That sounds like bollocks to me, but I just work here. Perhaps something exciting may be in the works? Apple division hit $100M revenue last year, some have suggested that might be the magic number when Apple Inc get interested in the local market. But seems unlikely. Still no goss regarding the iTunes music store.

It's kind of funny that a $100m market might be too piddly for Apple corporate ...

Posted at 2:21PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Fantastic, soon I will be able to get the Stooges Fun House Sessions boxed set.....the one thing missing in my life...

Posted at 2:38PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

This just in from a "worker bee" at Renaissance:

Hey Russell, maybe your "worker bee" and my "worker bee" should trade information, perhaps that will paint a clearer picture.

Posted at 3:29PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I'm hoping we see Apple taking the NZ market seriously. I recently tempted a Windows friend to switch over to a MacBook. Now two months later his hard drive died right in the middle of a critical project. We managed to retrieve the data but it was going to take THREE WEEKS (yes THREE) in order for Apple to get a replacement drive (via Aussie). After he complained directly to Apple Australia about the delay it has been reduced to two weeks. This is outrageous - two weeks for a tiny laptop hard drive that everyone agrees needs to be replaced. Why?

Posted at 3:38PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

We managed to retrieve the data but it was going to take THREE WEEKS (yes THREE) in order for Apple to get a replacement drive (via Aussie).

That is what happens when you have a second or third party involved in the distribution of a product.

Posted at 7:40PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Renaissance has been ‘difficult’ for years so “good night and good luck” to them hopefully. itunes? apple stores? isay yep. 99% great product, suspect marketing & support in NZ, I see several independents have recently got into servicing. To be fair though, the education unit of Apple NZ have certainly helped keep the platform visible in what should be one of its natural habitats. Check out www.roughlydrafted.com for an articulate overview of how the mac bounced back from 90s near oblivion, and why it mattered.

Posted at 8:10PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

Isn't it funny though, that despite the uneven support offered here in NZ for the Mac by Renaissance (and I've experienced the highs and the lows of this) we still keep buying the damn things, eh?

Posted at 8:27PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

"Crossgrading" from Final Cut Studio to the Universal version was a 6 week process. This involved physically sending my original install discs to a third party global logistics outfit in Sydney along with a cheque for $99 (13 September) Three weeks later nothing had arrived in the post so I called the 0800 number on the upgrade form and got an answering machine. Checked the Apple Australia website and discovered the logistics firm had changed their postal address. Rang 0800 number and left a strong message asking where my $2500 worth of software was. One week later on October 13 I received an email from "Apple Fulfillment" (German email address) explaining they'd received the discs on the 6 October and they were waiting for the cheque to clear. Cheque didn't clear until 19 October and the universal discs turned up about a week after this (sent from Singapore then repackaged into a Courier Post bag). What is the point of having a local distributor if they are unable to distribute a simple software upgrade?

Posted at 8:29PM on 7 Nov 06. Permalink.

I just can't get excited about paying for low quality DRM files. I do love my new Mac and iPod tho (and no issues with PA on Safari so far)...and RB and crew...nice work re PA System...