Apple created a one stop shopping experience for music and just about made B&M music stores obsolete. They ushered in the new age of LEGIT digital distribution. But that's all, no big deal. And quite honestly, if iTunes is a "hassle" for you, you're doing it wrong. The reason iTunes has become the success it is, is because it is NOT a hassle for end-users.
And BTW, you do realize 90% of BD bundled digital copies are tied to iTunes, right? No, iTunes, no "free" digital download. Sorry. You can pay EXTRA for a digital copy somewhere else if you are hell bent on not using iTunes. And again, that is what makes iTunes great, a one stop shop for music and movies.
If iTunes has changed the music industry, then perhaps it can join MTV, claiming credit for the end of the 'album' and the proliferation of canned-pop garbage on the radio
So far, I've not bought a DVD or BD with digital copy that didn't include a choice of iTunes or some more widely usable format. To be fair, I've also never bothered downloading the digital copy, because I've never bought a movie or TV show planning to view it on a wristwatch.
Given that I don't own an Apple device, and don't particularly want to, I fail to see why this would impress me - I feel strongly that we should all pay for our content, but frankly I think it's insulting and borderline criminal to be forced to pay twice if you've already bought the most expensive, highest quality version.
I've never bothered, but would have zero trouble ripping my own digital copy of any movie I have purchased.
This is a typical PC geek attitude that thinks they are cool because they "go against the grain" just for the sake of going against the grain. You can deny it all you want, but in the last few year Apple HAS been the one who has been driving innovation in the tech field. There is no denying it. The ONLY people that argue against it, are the blind PC geeks. Everyone else can see it clearly.
As for the tablets being useful, you're wrong again. In the A/V automation scene, it has been a game changer. Instead of costly dedicated touch screens (that can cost several thousand dollars), integrators are now using iPads and just designing the software. And that is just one example of how it has has proven to be "useful." And another example of how Apple is leading the industry.
I don't hate Apple; I just think most of their products are limited, and overpriced, which does make them perfect for the reasonably affluent, casual user.
Of course a mass-market product is useful for those who have been custom building it themselves as a niche product. It's automatically much cheaper! Affordable tablet-like products are likely to find a large number of uses; but the market is going to fragment as well. For one thing 10" isn't the perfect size for every application, though it might be great for couch-surfing.
I'm not particularly concerned with looking cool. I just think you're spewing ridiculous hyperbole, and are largely wrong. That you are so upset, sarcastic, and juvenile about it is pretty amusing though.