Apple makes PCWorld's Winner/Loser List

by , 12:35 PM EST, December 28th, 2005

PCWorld's Winner and Loser list for 2005 is available, and Apple made the list - on both sides.

Winners
Apple scored a win for its technological innovations, including the Mac mini and the video capable iPod.

The iTunes Music Store was a winner, too. Thanks to Apple sticking to its guns on US$0.99 per song pricing, despite pressure from the recording industry. It also was able to convince movie studios and television networks to let it add videos to the store, ushering in a new style of TV viewing.

Other winners included the Sony PlayStation Portable for packing a high-powered gaming console into a paperback book-sized package, and Google for giving us a high-end Internet search engine, blogs, free email, and more, all for free.

Losers
Apple was hit as a loser for the way it dealt with Mac rumor sites that revealed confidential product information before it was publicly released. Apple sued several Mac web sites for publishing information about the Mac mini before it was officially announced at Macworld Expo 2005 in San Francisco.

Other losers included the Motorola Rokr E1 for showing that an underpowered cell phone coupled with iTunes doesn't ensure a hit, the FEMA Web site for working only with Windows Internet Explorer in the wake of hurricane Katrina, and the Grokster v MGM decision for limiting the rights of ordinary consumers that want to copy their own music.