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frogboy4
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Brief Thoughts on Apple Inc.
It's no secret that I jumped ship from Apple years ago due to budget and compatibility issues. They've bridged much of the compatibility, but they are out of my price range. I'm an artist so most people think I'd own a Mac, but in the last decade I have found that every graphic thing that can be done on Mac can be done on PC...and more in some cases. That's the advantage to buying into the product with a bigger market share. We get more viruses too, but that's also due to market share. If I were rich, I'd get a Mac alongside my PC. They are very pretty and quite user friendly for the first couple of years.
Product Anticipation
That said, there are two exclusively Apple items that I've been anticipating. One item is their touch-mouse that I totally think will take off until touchscreen technology hits big. I still believe people will want a computer mouse for years to come. I might pick one up if it's compatible with my PC.
The other item is the ipad. Basically, it's a touchscreen laptop without an external keyboard, mouse, removable battery, stylus or disc drive. Everything's wifi and that's kind of neat...when it works. I was underwhelmed after the unveiling of this super-sized iphone. That's basically all it is. I don't really get it except for use on an airplane or a laptop alternative. However, it still won't support Flash. I like Flash when implemented correctly and I love working in it! Nonetheless, it's still considered a firm industry standard today and for at least the next few years.
Lack of Flash & Blu-Ray Integration at Apple
You heard right. No internal Blu-Ray disc drives included in this or any future Apple computers. You could plug a special external BD drive into an apple, but that kind of loses the elegance of Apple's design. Steve Jobs has cited many reasons for his lack of interest in these two industry standards.
His reasons for the Flash include the tweaky nature of the application on Apple computers and the laziness of Adobe's developers to patch the problem since purchasing the technology from Macromedia. That's particularly true with older Macs and smaller hand-held devices. I still wonder how much has been done on the Apple end to solve the issue. There's also the claim that HTML5 will be a non proprietary technology of the future. Most developers like this eventual idea, but that's at least 7-10 years away from the mainstream marketplace. What will we do until then? Jobs has the solution of "Flintstoning" it until technology progresses past it.
Jobs' reason for excluding internal Blu-Ray drives for the ipad and all Apple computers is that movies can and will be wifi streamed to computers and there's no need to actually install something he feels will be an artifact. But of course, until HD downloads can do what Blu-Ray does in clarity and features they should include it.
The Real Strategy Behind It
Apple doesn't want competition for your dollar. Jobs wants users to buy all music, media and movies through itunes instead of purchasing a Blu-Ray or better yet, watching still-free programming on sites like Hulu. Apple hardware and apps usually must be bought from their Apple boutique and they set the price. There's no real comparison shopping. Most Applephiles wonder why anyone would want to shop around, but I like to have options. Also, as PC related items age there are always a variety of off-brand work-arounds. The Apple model is set up to encourage buying new systems instead.
The Competition
PCs have made a wide variety of tablets available for years now, so what does the ipad provide that the others don't besides a slick advertising campaign and a sleek iphone look? Integration. This is a device for Apple users who already have integrated libraries of content through itunes. Basically it's about the brand and the Apple lifestyle. If these take off, so will the alternatives. It's already happening with the iphone and that's what I'm betting on.
What I Want
I'd like an affordable, quality, wifi-ready, portable touchscreen tablet that included a disc drive, stylus option and replaceable battery. One that's compatible with all of today's Flash, Blu-Ray and PC technology. That's the dream. This isn't close. I don't get what this is unless it's the clumsy precursor to something much cooler in the future.
My Conclusion
None of this is about "proprietary free technology" as Jobs claims. When was the last time Apple gave one of its inventions away? This is about what company gets the opportunity to fleece media consumers. Jobs wants it to be Apple and I don't blame him for that. I just get peeved when he and Bill Gates express such dishonesty while they're doing it. And don't forget that the docking stations, wifi service subscriptions and other fees are not included in the advertised retail price. Customers are likely looking at a minimum of $700-$1,200 after tax and neccessary options.
The ipad fails to suit most of my basic needs. I already have a Cintiq to use for my artwork and a Palm Pre for all my cool internet phone needs. There's nothing really here for me. The ipad is a very cool extravagant techno-tchotchke. I sometimes wish there were more money in my bank account to experiment with new technologies, but until then I'm a PC user on the outside looking in and waiting for Apple to do something interesting enough to encourage my investment. Right now it's like a lifestyle branding clique at Apple and I'm not much of a joiner. Like everyone here - I do "think different" yet as an underpaid artist I also have to think pragmatically. Anyone remember these?
Your thoughts?
It's no secret that I jumped ship from Apple years ago due to budget and compatibility issues. They've bridged much of the compatibility, but they are out of my price range. I'm an artist so most people think I'd own a Mac, but in the last decade I have found that every graphic thing that can be done on Mac can be done on PC...and more in some cases. That's the advantage to buying into the product with a bigger market share. We get more viruses too, but that's also due to market share. If I were rich, I'd get a Mac alongside my PC. They are very pretty and quite user friendly for the first couple of years.
Product Anticipation
That said, there are two exclusively Apple items that I've been anticipating. One item is their touch-mouse that I totally think will take off until touchscreen technology hits big. I still believe people will want a computer mouse for years to come. I might pick one up if it's compatible with my PC.
The other item is the ipad. Basically, it's a touchscreen laptop without an external keyboard, mouse, removable battery, stylus or disc drive. Everything's wifi and that's kind of neat...when it works. I was underwhelmed after the unveiling of this super-sized iphone. That's basically all it is. I don't really get it except for use on an airplane or a laptop alternative. However, it still won't support Flash. I like Flash when implemented correctly and I love working in it! Nonetheless, it's still considered a firm industry standard today and for at least the next few years.
Lack of Flash & Blu-Ray Integration at Apple
You heard right. No internal Blu-Ray disc drives included in this or any future Apple computers. You could plug a special external BD drive into an apple, but that kind of loses the elegance of Apple's design. Steve Jobs has cited many reasons for his lack of interest in these two industry standards.
His reasons for the Flash include the tweaky nature of the application on Apple computers and the laziness of Adobe's developers to patch the problem since purchasing the technology from Macromedia. That's particularly true with older Macs and smaller hand-held devices. I still wonder how much has been done on the Apple end to solve the issue. There's also the claim that HTML5 will be a non proprietary technology of the future. Most developers like this eventual idea, but that's at least 7-10 years away from the mainstream marketplace. What will we do until then? Jobs has the solution of "Flintstoning" it until technology progresses past it.
Jobs' reason for excluding internal Blu-Ray drives for the ipad and all Apple computers is that movies can and will be wifi streamed to computers and there's no need to actually install something he feels will be an artifact. But of course, until HD downloads can do what Blu-Ray does in clarity and features they should include it.
The Real Strategy Behind ItApple doesn't want competition for your dollar. Jobs wants users to buy all music, media and movies through itunes instead of purchasing a Blu-Ray or better yet, watching still-free programming on sites like Hulu. Apple hardware and apps usually must be bought from their Apple boutique and they set the price. There's no real comparison shopping. Most Applephiles wonder why anyone would want to shop around, but I like to have options. Also, as PC related items age there are always a variety of off-brand work-arounds. The Apple model is set up to encourage buying new systems instead.
The Competition
PCs have made a wide variety of tablets available for years now, so what does the ipad provide that the others don't besides a slick advertising campaign and a sleek iphone look? Integration. This is a device for Apple users who already have integrated libraries of content through itunes. Basically it's about the brand and the Apple lifestyle. If these take off, so will the alternatives. It's already happening with the iphone and that's what I'm betting on.
What I WantI'd like an affordable, quality, wifi-ready, portable touchscreen tablet that included a disc drive, stylus option and replaceable battery. One that's compatible with all of today's Flash, Blu-Ray and PC technology. That's the dream. This isn't close. I don't get what this is unless it's the clumsy precursor to something much cooler in the future.
My Conclusion
None of this is about "proprietary free technology" as Jobs claims. When was the last time Apple gave one of its inventions away? This is about what company gets the opportunity to fleece media consumers. Jobs wants it to be Apple and I don't blame him for that. I just get peeved when he and Bill Gates express such dishonesty while they're doing it. And don't forget that the docking stations, wifi service subscriptions and other fees are not included in the advertised retail price. Customers are likely looking at a minimum of $700-$1,200 after tax and neccessary options.
The ipad fails to suit most of my basic needs. I already have a Cintiq to use for my artwork and a Palm Pre for all my cool internet phone needs. There's nothing really here for me. The ipad is a very cool extravagant techno-tchotchke. I sometimes wish there were more money in my bank account to experiment with new technologies, but until then I'm a PC user on the outside looking in and waiting for Apple to do something interesting enough to encourage my investment. Right now it's like a lifestyle branding clique at Apple and I'm not much of a joiner. Like everyone here - I do "think different" yet as an underpaid artist I also have to think pragmatically. Anyone remember these?
Your thoughts?
