http://disqus.com/people/4805ae676246fe10784a4752cb567dac/enTue, 18 Sep 2007 00:58:10 -0000http://johnlillyblog.disqus.com/ringtone_robber_barons/#comment-1418925John, what surprises me how Steve's audience applauded hearing this insanity. What surprises me more how in the Apple-concerned press so few opinions have been like yours. I do admire Apple but this idea is just what you call it, an incredible ripoff. My small $280 Nokia lets me set any kind of noise stored in its memory as a ringtone. Any song or recording in any file format, that I can freely move from my computer to the phone. I think Steve will have to see oceans of hacks and mountains of competition to change this bloody attitude. But let's see what the future holds for the iPhone in Europe...<br>On the other hand I would be happy to spend some bucks on music at iTunes. But I live in Hungary, which is an EU-country, but in Apple's funny case some basic EU-values (free flow of people, labor, goods and money) do not work here. I am not allowed to buy songs unless there is an iTunes store dedicated to my country. But why isn't there a single EU-iTunes-Store?? I know, Steve claims it's just because of the music labels... <br>But what comes in November, when T-Mobile starts to sell the iPhone in Hungary? How shall I convert songs - purchased thru iTunes - into ringtones for some more tax?<br>All the best,<br>VilmosVilmos VinczeTue, 18 Sep 2007 00:58:10 -0000