If you were thinking of using RealNetworks' latest software, that lets you purchase songs from its own online music store and play them on an iPod, you may want to think again. Apple says they are "...stunned that RealNetworks has adopted the tactics and ethics of a hacker to break into the iPod, and we are investigating the (legal) implications of their actions." Even if they don't look for a legal fix, look for future upgrades to the iPod to block this intrusion by Real.

A different view was in USA Today's Cyberspeak column titled "Apple's Control-Freak Tendencies Could Crush iPod". While this probably isn't a good time to pick on Steve Jobs, columnist Kevin Manley shows how this could lead to the same situation that led to Apple's loss of market share in the PC market.