iClone Software No Threat to Apple
- 2002.11.29
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Apple's 'i' applications gained popularity with Mac fans almost immediately after iMovie was introduced. iMovie was popular because of its ease of use. Before iMovie, it was difficult to edit your own digital movie without some knowledge of existing video editing software.
When iTunes arrived, it became almost everyone's default MP3 player application, making Windows users wish that an application like this would be released for their OS.
With OS X 10.2 came iChat and iCal, both of which have room for improvement.
Some of these Windows users apparently realised that wishing wasn't good enough - they would actually clone applications for their OS. So out came AquaTunes, an OS X like browser, 'Finder' type file browser, iChat like chat client, and Mail-like E-mail application. Run all of these at once and you might even fool yourself into thinking you're somehow running OS X on a Windows PC.
But that's as far as it goes.
Open it up, and AquaTunes* looks exactly like iTunes. However, looks are deceiving. Unlike the real iTunes, which lets you to set up playlists, edit file information, view visualisations, and use the equalizer, AquaTunes, does none of that. In fact, all it does is play one MP3 at a time. Try to drag a file into the window - nothing happens. You must click import and select the file in an open file dialogue box. Once the file is done playing, the application almost always crashes.
- * Editor's note: I used Google to search the Web, but was unable to find a link for AquaTunes. You can be very certain that Apple legal will be all over them for use of the Apple logo - if they haven't already done so. dk
AquaBrowser looks just like IE for Mac OS X, even with a menu bar at the top of the screen. But the menu bar is false; clicking on menu items does nothing, and you cannot change preferences. It does load pages very quickly, but loading pages is about the only thing it does.
AquaFinder is also somewhat useless. Upon opening it, you feel like you're running Mac OS X - and you can browse folders quickly and easily (I so much prefer the Mac OS method to the 'Explorer' type interface that is the default in Windows 98 and above). The toolbar buttons even work. The menu bar at the top only works sometimes. I say this because clicking on an item often does nothing, but occasionally the menu will pop up. However, selecting a menu item does nothing either.
iTalk has a welcome screen exactly like that of iChat, but alas, it is not AOL Instant Messenger compatible, and you must have an MSN account in order to use it.
AquaMail also has the same welcome screen as the Mac OS X Mazil program, but I didn't set it up fully.
These applications are a great attempt by someone with a real "do it yourself" attitude, which is great. "Apple won't release it, we'll do it." And they did - sort of.
If only these apps would work as well as they do on the Mac, but unfortunately AquaTunes is practically useless, and the other apps aren't much better. But it does show that it can be done.
I realise that Apple is trying to help convert users to its platform with their i-applications, so they will probably try to prevent the developers of these "clones" from continuing with their work.
I hope that Apple will leave them alone. I don't think these apps are a threat - in fact, they might help sell more Macs. If people start to like the OS X interface after using it on their PC, they might be tempted to buy a Mac.
This is a project I had been hoping for someone to undertake the minute I first started using iTunes, and I am very curious to see how these cloned applications will change and (hopefully) improve in future versions.
Recent Apple Archive articles
- iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, 12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
- Options for replacing your older iPod, 11.19. Whether you've run out of space on your old iPod or want features it doesn't have, here are your options in new and used iPods.
- Could the $200 'green' PC with gOS Linux become a threat to Apple?, 11.14. The low cost, low power Everex desktop comes with a customized version of Ubuntu Linux, has a Mac-like Dock, and sells for $400 less than the Mac mini.
- Leopard different, a bit buggy, but worth the upgrade, 11.02. Leopard on a Power Mac G4 and a MacBook Pro: It runs well on both computers, but each has some odd bugs, and some of the changes are a step backwards.
- More in the Apple Archive index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: 'Sawtooth' Power Mac G4, Aug. 1999 - Available in speeds from 350-500 MHz, 'Sawtooth' introduced AGP video to the Mac.
- Group of the Day: G4 List is for those using Power Mac G4s or G4 upgrades.
- November 22 in LEM history: 99: Gradebooks - 00: Leveraging Apple design - Quadra 630 to Power Mac 5200 - 02: Laptop or desktop? - 04: SuperDuper: Quick, easy, efficient backup - Cross-platform programming for the rest of us - 05: Mac video surveillance on the cheap - Which OS is best for my vintage Mac? - No 'best browser' for the Mac - Sorry state of browsers for classic Macs - 06: Core 2 means cooler running 'Books - 2.0 GHz G4 upgrade
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- The Long Term Value of a High End Mac, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 11.21. Low-end Macs are more affordable up front, but the flexibility and upgrade options of a top-end Mac can make it the better value in the long run.
- iPhone #1 Worldwide, Google Voice Search for iPhone, iPhone 3G Battery Pack, and More, iNews Review, 11.21. Also British accents throw off Google voice search, lots of new iPhone apps, universal USB car charger, new protective cases, and more.
- 15 Reasons Macs Are Better, Quad-core iMac in January?, USB 3.0 Spec Finalized, and More, Mac News Review, 11.21. Also 25 years of Macs, 'Snow Leopard' in Q1?, SimpleTech's faster and greener hard drive, Hyperspaces, StarOffice for OS X, and more.
- DisplayPort Copy Protection, Trackpad Update, Netbooks Not to Be Taken Lightly, and More, The 'Book Review, 11.21. Also Apple set for record sales, 4-finger gestures on original MacBook Air, MacBook Apple's best consumer notebook to date, Cricket laptop stand, bargain 'Books from $490 to $2,299, and more.
- Virtualization Shootout: VMWare Fusion 2 vs. Parallels Desktop 4, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 11.20. Both programs do the same thing, but one runs Windows XP smoothly alongside Mac apps, while the other bogs down everything but Windows.
- Just Right: Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear MacBooks, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 11.20. Some people like small and light notebooks, others prefer huge desktop replacements, but the best value tends to be in the middle.
- Apple Caves to Hollywood with DRM on iTunes Videos, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 11.20. HDCP on the new MacBooks means that you may never really own those videos you buy from the iTunes Store.
- Leopard Runs Very Nicely on PowerPC Macs, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 11.19. Some claim that Mac OS X 10.5 is so optimized for Intel Macs that it runs poorly on PowerPC hardware. That's simply not the case.
- No High Definition iTunes Video for You, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 11.19. The October 2008 MacBooks are preventing users from viewing some high-def iTunes content from being viewed on their external displays. Poor form!
- Every Working Computer Is Useful to Someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac, 11.19. Whether it's a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, it could be all the computer someone needs.
- 3 WeatherBug Options for Apple Users, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 11.19. Have instant access to current local weather conditions with a Dashboard widget, iPhone app, or Firefox plugin.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.20. Used 400 MHz, $50; 733, $100; 800, $199; 1.25 GHz, $300; 800 MHz dual, $200, 867, $300; 1 GHz, $350; 1.42, $400.
- Best iBook G3 Deals, 11.20. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 366, $199; 800 CD, $180; 600 CD-RW, $240; 700 Combo, $290; 900, $369; 14" 600, $360; 900, $449.
- Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, 11.20. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; blue & white 350, $80; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15; shipping additional.
- Best iMac G4 Deals, 11.18. Used 15" 700 MHz Combo, $243; 800 MHz, $280; 1 GHz, $380; 17" 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, $400; 20", $549.
- Best MacBook Air Deals, 11.18. New 1.6 80, $1,150 after rebate; 120, $1,744 a/r; 1.8 80, $1,794 a/r; 1.6 128 SSD, $2,150; used 1.8 64 SSD, $1,500; new, $2,200 a/r; 1.86, $2,398 a/r.
- Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 Deals, 11.18. Mac OS X 10.0.3, $30; 10.1, $20; 10.2, $60; 10.3 CD, DVD, $100; CD, $119; 10.1 Server, unlimited users, $58; 10.3 Server, unlimited, $150.
- Best iPod nano Deals, 11.17. Refurb 3G/4 GB, $79; new, $114; refurb 8 GB, $99; new, $125; 3G/8 GB, from $134; 16 GB, from $189. Prices include ground shipping.
- Best Titanium PowerBook G4 Deals, 11.17. Used 1 GHz with SuperDrive, $478 plus shipping.
- Best Xserve deals, 11.17. Used G4/1 GHz, $999; G5/2 GHz, $1,288; new 2.0 4-core Xeon, $1,900; refurb 3.0 4-core, $2,599; 2.8 GHz, $2,499; 3.0 8-core, $3,499.
- More deals in our archive.
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