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Back in late-March, early-April, when the world was gripped in iPad hysteria, a debate emerged about the iPad / iPhone's closed system. Some said Apple's locked-down approach was a deal breaker. Others noted that even the airtight iPad can be opened if one so inclined.
That debate came to mind recently when I interviewed Appcelerator's Kevin Whinnery and he made an interesting comparison between two common but seemingly unrelated devices: iPhones and cable boxes.
Here's what Whinnery said when I asked him about the biggest problems with Apple's model:
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The full interview is available in the following video. Whinnery makes the cable box comparison at the 2:42 mark.
When you buy a product, you're also acquiring the ability to do whatever you want with that thing: crack it open, leave it untouched, blend it, etc. I get that. And I've certainly taken a few liberties with products I own.
But here's the question I want to pose:
If a manufacturer makes it hard for you to open/hack/tweak a device, does that decrease your sense of ownership?
I don't really share that feeling, but I'm curious to know if I'm in the minority. So please weigh in through the comments or take a moment to cast a vote in this post's associated poll.
Related:
- Hacking, Jailbreaking and tearing down the iPad
- Why I won't buy an iPad (and think you shouldn't, either)
- We are iPad. Resistance is (not) futile
- The iPad needs its Hypercard
