iRony? [krakatoa]

It is inevitable, I suppose, that any company dependent on the non-conformist consumer to compete against an entrenched juggernaut will eventually become that which it espouses to rebel against.

Apple is to benefit from the University of Missouri's school of Journalism requirement that students must have an iPhone or iPod.

Before you protest that it may seem ridiculous, lavish, or favoring Apple to force students to pick up one of these expensive pieces of hardware, Brian Brooks, associate dean of the journalism school, told the Columbia Missourian that the requirement "will not be enforced, however, and there will not be a penalty for students who chose not to buy an iPod touch or iPhone."

Sure, sure. It won't be enforced... for now. After a few semesters though, don't be surprised to see Justin Long-coiffed stormtroopers beating freshmen into compliance.

Related: Google CEO Eric Schmidt is raising anti-trust flags since he sits on the boards of both Google and Apple.

The irony is that Microsoft intends to cite Google as an antitrust example when it defends itself against anticompetition charges before the European Commission next month, arguing that any mandate to force Microsoft to promote competing browsers would strengthen Google's stranglehold on the online advertising market.

Remember those innocent days when Apple was going to rescue us from Big Brothers IBM & Microsoft?

posted by xgenghisx at 09:02 AM

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