Unfortunately, no website or magazine seems to use their full scale in fear of upsetting publishers too much. So, for years now, it's been a silent rule that 1-10 scales actually are 6-10 where a 7.5 (or 75%) equate a 50% for most buyers.
After I read the "delete to upgrade" I decided it was time to simply delete and forget. I wish them good luck, their software launched in a horrible state and I can see many others not giving them a second chance.
I am not sure about their intentions but I did happen to see the email they sent to developers and it only noted that iTunes Connect would not be available. There was no mention on charts being frozen.
After seeing the odd behavior with apps I figure only man-powered services were taken down to be able to give the staff a break, and after my passing observations also assumed that the Top charts are entirely automatic and therefore not frozen.
I'm guessing app reviews need a human being to approve, to avoid spam posts that are just ads for other products or websites.
I was paying sporadic attention to the top lists during Christmas day and they were far from frozen. I think I saw Ultimate Spiderman jump constantly between 22nd and 19th spots, and the two versions off Doodle jump surely shifted as they were back to back at one point in the day while being at separate spots at other times.
Developers ability to change pricing, and users reviews (likely also ratings) were definitively offline, though.
I agree with you, but my guess is that Apple wants the bang that would come with announcing the service already backed up by high-profile magazines.
There is a potential the service will work like iBooks, an app you read your magazines from. If so, then they would definitively need some catalog at launch.
The way I see it: Apple should roll out support for subscriptions now. Once it's there, let the magazines jump in, let new ones be born through it.
It's not like the App Market needed deals to be in place for apps before it launched to become the huge success it is. Let the magazines that want more than Apple is willing to share shoot themselves in the foot by leaving the door open for competition. I can see many information websites being re-vamped into magazine format. I'd be very willing to pay for some sites-turned-magazines if enough work went into them and they used the extra money to help them generate exclusive content (without witholding the current flow from the pages, that is.)
Download Intel AppUp Center, get free Angry Birds
Mar 25th 2011 11:13AM (Joystiq)The iOS version is not free, it's paid, and does not rely on adds to make money.
Infinity Blade looks great on a 50" HDTV via iPad 2
Mar 16th 2011 4:53PM (TUAW.com)THQ stock drops 25 percent in one day on Homefront launch
Mar 15th 2011 11:35PM (Joystiq)Unfortunately, no website or magazine seems to use their full scale in fear of upsetting publishers too much. So, for years now, it's been a silent rule that 1-10 scales actually are 6-10 where a 7.5 (or 75%) equate a 50% for most buyers.
THQ stock drops 25 percent in one day on Homefront launch
Mar 15th 2011 11:29PM (Joystiq)The Daily trial extended to the end of February
Feb 15th 2011 12:01AM (TUAW.com)Vintcase giveaway: Your chance to win this sexy iPad case
Feb 1st 2011 4:54PM (TUAW.com)"We have top men working on it now."
"Who"
"Top... Men" :)
App Store freeze has ended
Dec 28th 2010 6:09PM (TUAW.com)After seeing the odd behavior with apps I figure only man-powered services were taken down to be able to give the staff a break, and after my passing observations also assumed that the Top charts are entirely automatic and therefore not frozen.
I'm guessing app reviews need a human being to approve, to avoid spam posts that are just ads for other products or websites.
App Store freeze has ended
Dec 28th 2010 5:41PM (TUAW.com)Developers ability to change pricing, and users reviews (likely also ratings) were definitively offline, though.
Apple, publishers still debating magazine subscriptions
Dec 6th 2010 1:37PM (TUAW.com)There is a potential the service will work like iBooks, an app you read your magazines from. If so, then they would definitively need some catalog at launch.
Apple, publishers still debating magazine subscriptions
Dec 6th 2010 1:27PM (TUAW.com)It's not like the App Market needed deals to be in place for apps before it launched to become the huge success it is. Let the magazines that want more than Apple is willing to share shoot themselves in the foot by leaving the door open for competition. I can see many information websites being re-vamped into magazine format. I'd be very willing to pay for some sites-turned-magazines if enough work went into them and they used the extra money to help them generate exclusive content (without witholding the current flow from the pages, that is.)