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View Full Version : "iFlicks" coming tomorrow?


colin+mac
2005-01-10, 23:20
MDN is reporting (http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/helixent_pulls_iflicks_itunes_for_movies_halts_dis tribution_leaving_only_a/) that iFlicks (http://www.helixent.com/iflicks/download/notice.html) -- which was an awesome tool for sorting and viewing movies on your mac -- just shut down operations with this very strange message:

Helixent Technologies is sorry to report that iFlicks is no longer available, at least for the time being. Due to a situation that has arisen, we have made the decision to halt further distribution of iFlicks.

We would like to note, to the people who have already installed and/or purchased iFlicks, that we are not aware of any serious technical problems with iFlicks. If you have a copy, it will continue to function as normal. The situation that has caused us to cease distribution of iFlicks is in no way something that will cause undesirable effects to any computer in which iFlicks is installed and/or running.

At this point, we can not say for certain what the future holds for iFlicks. We were and are really excited about the capabilities it provides in allowing people to organize and play movies. Ideally, iFlicks will return in the coming months, as an even better and more useful application. However, we are still looking into our options to resolve the issue we are having, and cannot make any promises. We can make one assertion, though. If and when iFlicks returns, it will be a free upgrade to anyone who has already purchased a copy.

Unfortunately, at this time, we cannot provide further details as to why we have made the decision to halt distribution of iFlicks. As soon as we are aware of further details which we can make public, we will post the information to this page...

Unfortunately, the situation at hand has forced us to make this very disappointing decision.


The interface was nearly identical to iTunes and even allowed users to access Netflix through the application. Sounds to me like the perfect platform to build a new online store for movies for an iHome-esque living room media hub.

Screenshots and info still available (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/iflicks.html) on apple's website.

...or maybe they just got sued.

hyperb0le
2005-01-10, 23:38
Screenshots and info still available (http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/iflix.html) on apple's website.

...or maybe they just got sued.

Erm... That link is for a different program, "iFlix." Same purpose, slightly different name, much worse interface.

Anyway, I would say that one of two things happened:

a) Apple came down on them because Apple's own iFlicks software will be released tomorrow

b) Apple threatened to sue because of interface similarities between iFlicks and iTunes.

I am more inclined to go with option (b). I seem to remember that Apple recently patented iTunes' interface. If so, iFlicks was in clear violation of that patent.

colin+mac
2005-01-10, 23:44
oops... i fixed the link so that it points to the correct page.

Akumulator
2005-01-10, 23:53
Didn't this software just come out a few days ago? Weird. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with Macworld, but the timing is there to make it seem so.

However, we are still looking into our options to resolve the issue we are having, and cannot make any promises. We can make one assertion, though. If and when iFlicks returns, it will be a free upgrade to anyone who has already purchased a copy.
This part makes it seem like it's not an Apple purchase or anything but maybe something legal with Netflix or whatever. I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. My eyes burn.

InactionMan
2005-01-11, 00:32
This is very odd. I'll let others do the speculatin'. Apple Movie Store....confirmed???

Messiahtosh
2005-01-11, 00:34
Hard to tell, isn't it?

iFlicks seemed like a total rip-off of the iTunes interface though...

InactionMan
2005-01-11, 00:38
I just read that they had some sort of RSS integration to schedule the download of tv show of BitTorrent. Maybe that's what killed them.

BlueRabbit
2005-01-11, 00:57
I just read that they had some sort of RSS integration to schedule the download of tv show of BitTorrent. Maybe that's what killed them.
I doubt it. If that's the problem, they'd be able to just take out that feature, no more problems. This does seem to bode well for an Apple movie store, hopefully coming out tomorrow!

ZogDog
2005-01-11, 01:51
Could we be seeing a way to finally BUY movies online and download them? I hope this could be true because I would buy all my movies that way, no joking...

iCarus
2005-01-11, 02:47
Erm... That link is for a different program, "iFlix." Same purpose, slightly different name, much worse interface.

Anyway, I would say that one of two things happened:

a) Apple came down on them because Apple's own iFlicks software will be released tomorrow

b) Apple threatened to sue because of interface similarities between iFlicks and iTunes.

I am more inclined to go with option (b). I seem to remember that Apple recently patented iTunes' interface. If so, iFlicks was in clear violation of that patent.

Yes, it could be either of them. Or, they may have just run out of money. Sharpening Occam's Razor and moving in for the kill.....

Akumulator
2005-01-11, 03:23
Link stolen from AI....... :)

An interview with the software creator:

http://www.shapeofdays.com/2005/01/iflicks_now_you.html

naren
2005-01-11, 04:32
Very interesting.

Hobbes
2005-12-26, 11:17
It seems it's (b), as in the interview he talks about updating the application and there not being any issues with the name...

It's kind of lame if it's just Apple bullying small developers w/r/t to the iTunes UI, though -- just look at the Yahoo! Music Player.

Just a hunch, by the way... I wonder if it might have something to do with the icon. It's just the sort Apple would use were they to introduce a movie service.

EmC
2005-12-26, 13:54
I was so excited until I saw the date.:lol:

Hobbes
2005-12-26, 16:06
I was so excited until I saw the date.:lol:

:o Oops, missed that!

Ah well. :lol: