WTF?! Apple orders all apps > “G” expunged. Continues to push iPhone platform further into irrelevance.

Since way back in 2007, Apple has been pretty strict about sexual content in the App Store. At first there was just cause — there wasn’t really any easy or robust measures set in place to protect the kiddies from the horrors of nipples and wieners. Then came OS 3.0 and better parental controls. It even got to the point that Apple was starting to switch sides by approving iBoob and iBabe app to the joy of many iPhoners alike. But just as fast as it all started, it’s ending — a burning, crashing ending.

Call it the great “Sexual Smiting of 2010″ if you want, the simple fact is that Apple is going ape shit removing any and all apps that aren’t “G” rated. So far, it’s been reported that over 5,000 apps (and counting) have seen the ban hammer boomerang back around and catch them off guard. One such developer is the man behind the formerly available “iBoobs”. This is what “Jonau” had to say:

1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)
3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic) — [See pic on right]
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble “overtly sexual!)
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)

I lost that iPhone fanboy/lust/glassy eyed, blind love a long time ago. Once Apple started getting more and more asinine and outspoken on jailbreaking and at the same time, severely limiting innovation in the App Store, I called it quits and moved on to bigger and better things. Hell, even after seeing a small sliver of Windows Phone 7 from MWC, I’d even go as far to say that Microsoft (of all people) could regain valuable market share from Apple if they continue fucking people over like this.

Regardless if you use your iPhone for PG+ material or not, how can you not feel even a little bit disgusted about Apple’s stance and polices regarding the removal of anything even remotely 2x removed to a boob? It’s a stupid knee-jerk reaction is what it is. So a kid saw a boob. Big damn deal. Better that than a head getting sliced off, wouldn’t you say?

In the end, Apple isn’t protecting anyone. They’re only hurting themselves and the iPhone platform. Why the hell would I want to support an environment that has some morons sitting on chairs with reject buttons who can’t even display common sense for 10% of the apps that come through the approval line?

Yet another reason to drop the utter bullshit of a platform that Apple hath created…

MobileCrunch > ChilliFresh

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Microsoft confirms modded Xbox hardware banned for life! [Update]

Talk about fast development, just yesterday we got word that Microsoft was banning all modded Xboxes from Live services and were speculating as to how long the ban would be in effect and how accused gamers could go about reinstating their account. Today Microsoft told BBC that banned ‘boxes are gone…forever. So much for longevity by modding your system. In order to reinstate your Xbox live account, you’ll have to back it up onto a new, un-modified Xbox unit. Banned hardware will still be able to play offline. But come on, the Xbox platform is made for online gaming. Without it the Xbox just isn’t the same.

As I mentioned yesterday, renting a game, copying it, then spreading it isn’t the greatest or most legal idea. If you were copying it to back up for you own use then fine. Nothing wrong with that. Though the money bags that run our country and copyright system think differently. Still, tinkering with your own personal property is in no way someone elses business.

Microsoft went on to say that “One modified console is one console too many”. That’s the biggest load of BS I’ve ever heard. Backups of legally purchased content are perfectly legal! Because a minority of the population breaks copyright doesn’t mean your break the entire environment for the rest of us. Sadly they are failing to realize there will always be those who break the law for commercial profit. You’ll never stop them. Get over it and stop fucking around with my stuff!

Rants aside, just give it time. I promise you that a couple months from now we’ll have some clever hackers and modders who manage to find away around the ban hammer system. And so it begins, the Microsoft/modded Xbox cat and mouse game. Kind of sounds familiar doesn’t it? *Dreams of fruit and metal bars….*

**Update: As Ars Technica points out, this is a bittersweet moment for Microsoft. They’ve instantly riddled the Live market of modded systems (their wish). But a second much more ominous and mounting problems is that you can’t instantly tell if a unit is hacked or not. Even as we speak, eBay and the second hand market as a whole is flooding with banned Xboxes for sale. Now we’ve got lawsuits just waiting to happen. How so?

Take a retailer like Game Stop, if a customer brings in a modded ‘box, Game Stop isn’t going to know or check for it. They’re just going to plug it in to the TV and check to see if it makes lights and sounds and it’s back to the shelf. I know I’d be pretty pissed if I bought a seemingly legit, used ‘box with intent of saving some dollars and got home only to realize it was hacked (a plus if I have or am acquiring a stash of free/copied games — bad if I ever want to play anything online.)

So in the end we’re right back where we started. A good idea on paper is sizing up to be a major headache for Microsoft and used game console retailers alike. For the sanity of us all, I hope said retailers start hooking up to the internet to make sure it’s a fully usable, used ‘box don’t you?

BBC

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Microsoft throws the ban hammer at over a million Xbox live accounts over modded hardware.

Microsoft giving the ‘ol ban hammer to Xbox live users for various reasons is nothing new. Though banning over 1,000,000 users because they’re running hacked or modded hardware is certainly a deviation from the norm. The whole problem with modded 360′s is it allows end users to circumnavigate the many layers of DRM in use by the Xbox software. Obviously game developers have a problem with this as games are then easily copied and saved to the device sans payment. Apart from legal worries, having a modded Xbox actually brings about unlimited potential that Microsoft either refuses to build in themselves or is taking too long to do. Just go to any Xbox/gaming enthusiast site and scour the countless threads on Xbox modding. The units are incredibly capable.

Banning one million plus Xbox users because of hacked units is pretty dumb. You’re always going to have people going against the ToS, breaking the rules and the law. Nothing you do can stop it. I wouldn’t discount the fact that Microsoft was probably getting heat from game developers who were and still are upset about hacked ‘boxes have the powers to copy games. If you assume that the hacked units were all Xbox Live Gold members ($50/year), then that’s $50 million per year that Microsoft just cut from their budget. Then again, $50 million is like pocket change to a company as large as Microsoft so I don’t think it was that much of a con.

It’s also important to note that there isn’t a time line as to when these banned accounts can regain access. Anything from 1-day, 1-month, to a “life time” ban have been thrown around the interwebs leading many to panic. Getting a lifetime ban from hands down the best online gaming environment to date isn’t something any Red Bull fueled gamer is going to take lightly. For the sake of many gamers, I sure hope the ban doesn’t span millennia. Putting initial fears aside, banned users are probably looking at at least a couple months of downtime.

Through it all, there has to be a better way of protecting game developers other than simply banning hacked ‘boxes from accessing Live services. Punishing those who simply tinker with their gadgets is no reason to neuter them with a digital kill switch.

What do you think? Is Microsoft’s unleashing of the ban hammer justified or is there a better way to do it?

Cnet

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