New Apple Update service...

[pam123]

...that they didn't tell anyone about.

I'm of two minds about this.
Apple now has an automatic update function for iPod firmware :

apple Update software comes included with Itunes7. It is the program that downloads new versions of your ipod firmware. 100% safe to use, made by apple. There is actually an update it downloads that fixed many of my ipod problems with 1.2.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=697607&tstart=0

Now this is good since many of the update problems involved older iPods.
But why spring this on everyone without warning?
As for Apple's update software being safe to use, no it's not as anyone who had trouble with 7.0 will tell you.
If they kill any iPods with this the reaction will be fierce.
And if it turns out that they can block you from playing something they don't approve of, or that wasn't downloaded from the iTunes store, by using it they could kill their own product.
I have no faith in corporate wisdom.

[doctorgonzo]

And if it turns out that they can block you from playing something they don't approve of....

Oh, I'm sure they will do that eventually.

It's nice that the first thing that comes to mind whenever a company like M$ or Apple makes these announcements is, "How can these companies use this to prevent fair use of products by their customers?"