Something interesting about Apple...:-)

The article below which I found on the net is good reading, I believe!

Seimour West

Macworld Expo - the comedy will go on…

Whiffs of anticipation oozing from Mac users - what will be seen at Macworld Expo January '08…
After all, over the last few years, computers produced by Apple Inc. are far from shining example of technological excellence…
Look fellow Mac users, before setting your expectations at high, there is an often missed but very important fact - Apple Inc. is not much interested in computers any more. The change of company policy was signalled a few years ago with the change of the name from Apple Computer into simply Apple Inc.
This change was meant to reflect company's expansion into other products as the official line goes…
All these iPods, iPhones, they sell better, they are cheap to manufacture in the third world sweat-shops and profit margins are enormous compared to those of computers.
So, why really bother with computers let alone that vision, science, excellence stuff e.t.c?
Of course, the promotional spin habitually trumpets that vision, science, excellence stuff, but it's just that - spin.
Just look back at the pandemonium of hard selling about the Mac Air contraption, nowadays known as Mac Hot Air, disposable Mac and other nicknames less polite…
The changes of existing models are just marginal, cosmetic, practically close to none.
Sure, Mr. Jobs will keep dancing, prancing and describing Apple's computers with adjectives like 'fantastic' and 'excellent' but the fact remains - computers are on the back burner in Apple Inc. and will stay there. Even farther, in the freezer, to be precise.
The cheap to make and easy to sell iPod and iPhone are the real money makers for Apple and, as the people in the know will tell you, Mr. Jobs' (and therefore Apple's ) company policy consists of some rules not intended for outsiders.
Rules such as 'Spin hard, look cute and grab suckers' money now', 'Set the price higher' and 'Appearance is important, not the substance'
The policy based on such rules works well for Mr. Jobs.
Point to remember here , he is not really a computer guy, he is a salesman, a spruiker.
For the less well informed, that Apple computer as we know it from its heyday when it truly deserved superlatives, was not created by Mr Jobs but individuals like the other Steve. Steve Wozniak but let's not get into the past.
Steve Jobs is just into selling, mind you! Naturally, after those years rubbing into computer pros, he's accumulated certain technical knowledge and a personal vocabulary at certain level but that's about all.
The job Jobs really likes is spinning and selling stuff, not any kind of science or computer development.
Today, unfortunately, Apple Inc. employs too many spin'n-grab-the-money types like Steve Jobs.
Apparently, no true creative computer professionals with the proverbial spark in the eye are allowed around.
Here is an interesting parallel made by observers - the same 'spin hard…' mentality, self praising and complaisance drove the big three US automakers into the gutter where they are now. But this is a different topic…
Back to Apple computers - again, it is important to keep in mind that any brain activities in this area, are not encouraged and are not on Apple Inc. agenda at all.
Naturally the players in the industry can see this, made their minds long ago and act accordingly by just ignoring Apple as a serious computer maker. Just an example - Adobe's quiet, even polite, but steady way of giving a cold shoulder to Apple.
There are thousands of instances when manufacturers of computers, software and electronics just do not bother with Apple compatibility of their products. Ever bumped into some electronic devise useable with Windows, fellow Mac users?
Certainly there is a way to put Apple back on top, like in late '90s when first iMac appeared and pretty much stunned the public.
It certainly is possible to make similar bang now.
Let's focus on laptops just because they are the choice of majority users nowadays.
Here is the general idea for a laptop deserving the adjective 'excellent' because it shall definitely stick out of the current crowd:
1. Fitted with the latest model processor available. Clarification - current Mac laptops are not fitted so.
3. Guaranteed max. operational temperature over 100 degrees F (i.e. about 40 degrees Celsius)
Reason - current stated operational temperature indicates flows with proper cooling. To be fair, this is a long standing problem all over the computer industry not only for Apple - just go to the nearest store and touch the chip area of any laptop…
4. RAM - mandatory 2Gb off the shelf, with laptop designed in a such a way that RAM is upgradeable by the owner to 4 or 6 or 8 Gb, e.t.c in accordance with the further developments of the industry.
5. Video Card - mandatory 1Gb off the shelf , easy to upgrade by the owner when need be.
6. Ability to support 40 inch external monitor in both mirror and split screen modes.
7. Hard Drive - eliminated and replaced by a solid state (stick memory type) storage of at least 180 Gb. Designed as a clip-on, upgradeable/replaceable by the owner. Reasons - ATA HDs are dirty cheap for the manufacturers like Apple Inc. but are obsolete and energy hungry - nasty thing when longevity of the battery is a major issue for every laptop user. Solid state memory sold at wholesale prices to manufacturers is not as expensive as some sources keep telling you. There is no future for spinning HDs, a HD in personal computers is a last century stuff, like a floppy disk.
8. Keyboard - all mechanical parts eliminated. This goes with proper software ensuring there is no stickiness in keys' response.
9. Built-in dial-up modem (a news flash for dwellers of Jobs' ivory towers in Cupertino - as per year 2008, majority of web users have dial-up connection). Sure, blackmailing users to fork out extra money is fits well into Apple's company policy but it still looks, feels and IS shonky way to do business.
10. Built-in TV and radio tuners with proper software for downloading broadcasts. Reason - the civilised world outside Cupertino has free to air TV and radio!
It may come as a surprise for Mr Jobs and his subordinates but is true!
And, no, fear not that bad computer users will spend their lives stealing TV and radio stuff. They won't…
11. Built-in tablet for hand writing and drawing (think a Wacom tablet ). Supported by a truly working program, that is, a software that is able to promptly recognise your handwriting and transform it into typed text without endless errors.
There is a plenty of room for such a tablet to be incorporated and/or even be turned on/off as an alternative of the flat keyboard. Either way, no technical difficulties here just bright designers needed.
12. Built-in camera - capable of rotating in a socket, so it can point at different directions. Able to take at least 6 Mp stills.
13. Built-in universal card reader.
14. Doubled number of USB ports plus one FireWire port (regardless of the fact that FireWire is effectively dead).
15. In the box with the new laptop - mandatory extra battery.
16. Laptop is shockproof, able to survive fall from 2 meters, i.e, about 6 feet. Warranty 1 year, parts and labour included. This includes the monitor too, of course.

16. Pre-loaded software - a decent word processing/layout program. Something like AppleWorks and InDesign, not that TexEdit which could be rated as good but back in 1995.
A decent, repeat, decent image manipulation program. (a small detail - ever wondered what happened with GraphicConverter incorporation into Mac's software package…)
That useless trials and demos are to be dumped altogether. They are nothing but one of the many hard selling tricks used by Apple and proven to be immensely obnoxious.
16. Vista operational system included, ready to be installed and put to work instantly.
Well, these are just some improvements which if implemented can ensure Mac laptops are well regarded.
The realistic, i.e. not inflated price for a top of the range model at around $1100-$1300 (US dollars).
The lower end laptop, with smaller display, smaller graphics card and storage, with price tag under $1000 (US dollars).
The bad news - you will not see such computers coming from Mr. Jobs' Apple Inc. Ever. Remember, computers are on the back burner there and will remain so.
Now the good news - such changes/improvements are entirely within the capabilities of a computer maker like Apple Inc., both in financially and technically.
But there is more good news - Macs will not disappear from the shelves anytime soon! Reason - the Mac OS operational system.
See, it is not that it is so good, the programmers in Cupertino do their best to make it messier, clumsier and more pretentious. Apple's employees in charge for OS just keep confusing terms 'complicated software' and 'sophisticated software'. And as the Murphy law goes
the OSX steadily gets more complicated (i.e. messy) as opposed to sophisticated (i.e. intuitive, user friendly)
This said, however, OSX compared with THAT Microsoft nightmare and joke of operational system named Vista… well, you get the picture. Give me OSX any time.
And here is the prediction for what will be seen in January '08 - do expect to see ailing Mr. Jobs strutting his old stuff in a slightly new makeup, i.e., the same old dog-and-pony-small-town-glitter-spangled show.
No real substance will be offered but the show will be still mildly amusing if you are in that fun mood and inclined to laugh at a stand-up comedian making fool of himself…
So, enjoy the show but trim your expectations down, please.
Ray G. Mauser K.B.O.
San Francisco-New York-Sydney-Berlin-London

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