>1.No cloning Please...Apple doesn't allow cloning because they that's how they make money. It's a tradeoff for having well integrated software for the hardware.
>2.The MHZ gap That's not Apple's failure. And it seems they're doing their best to hedge their bets by jumping onto the new IBM PowerPC chip...even though it won't be available for a year. In the meantime, I think it's fair to say that the hardware is perfectly capable for the vast majority of computer owners. They aren't interested in a speed war when the machine does what they want it to do, and does it well.
>2.5 Frontside bus technology 3 generations behind the PC. See above.
>3.No PDA Are you kidding? How is this a "failure"? PalmOS devices work seamlessly with Macs anyway. What, Apple has to have an answer to PocketPC? And even if this were a "failure", who's to say that Apple isn't working on it now, but has their priorities straight.
>4.No strategy for the gaming market. OK, possibly true. But the biggest factor is that game developers just don't find it economically beneficial to develop games for a platform with such a small marketshare. There's not much Apple can do about this in the short term other than continue to provide a better experience for users to sell more machines.
>5.No strategy for the server market. No strategy for the server market? Hello, XServe. It may not be a mature "strategy," but it's a great start!
>6.No low-end solution with unbundled monitor (monitorless iMac, or Cube-with-realistic-pricing). You want a basic, cheap Mac? Try the eMac. Yes it has a monitor, but it's what you would consider "realistically priced". Besides, whenever people mention the pricing, they never consider the total cost of ownership. Mac hardware isn't a commodity like PC's, so you'll never see the bargain-basement prices like the Dell greyboxes. Get over it!
>7.No yellowbox-for-Windows runtime This is probably just a matter of not having the developer resources to spare...Apple's priorities are certainly elsewhere. But my guess is that most "Mac Zealots" don't even know what you're talking about!
>8.The dock Please! The Dock is hardly considered a "failure". I think there was a lot of backlash because it was SO different from OS9. But most Mac users I know have warmed up tremendously to it. Please keep your personal feelings out of this.
One thing that I remember from when we first heard talk of the move is that the head of IDG World Expo, Charlie Greco, said his goal was to bring MacWorld back to his hometown...as in he wants the "Local Man Makes Good" glory by bringing some $$$ to Beantown:
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
One thing that I remember from when we first heard talk of the move is that the head of IDG World Expo, Charlie Greco, said his goal was to bring MacWorld back to his hometown...as in he wants the "Local Man Makes Good" glory by bringing some $$$ to Beantown:
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
Here in Manhattan, if you don't get to a movie at LEAST half an hour in advance, you'll get a crappy seat...and that's for two people! It's awful...who wants to sit in the theater for half an hour watching those lame slideshow ads? But if you show up too late, your $10+ per person is not well spent because you're sitting way off to the side/back of the theater.
Maybe I should live in a city that doesn't have 10 million entertainment-focused people?
My tibook's firewire port went dead, as have many others. When I took it to the Genius Bar at the NYC Soho Apple store, the "Genius" tried to tell me that software (specifically Fruit Menu) was causing my problem. Obviously, the problem was still there when she boot into OS9, so she conceded that it was the hardware. Genius indeed.
There's a concept called "Total Cost of Ownership" that goes beyond the initial outlay for the system. Macs have a much lower TCO in lost productivity time, frustration, etc.
If you go to apple.com/switch, you'll notice that each Switcher's story is accompanied by the email they sent to Apple for consideration in their new advertising campaign.
Yeah but you can't send pictures to your friends via short messaging (a la SMS or MMS) like they can in Japan. You could email them via POP3 or IMAP, but it's SLOOOOOOOW.
I own a T68i and went out to buy a clip for it this afternoon. The t-mobile store had the camera...for ***$239***! Holy crap! If it was $40 I might buy it. MAAAAYBE if it was $75. But why the hell would I want to pay $239 for a camera that takes tiny crappy pictures that can only be used on my phone? To do picture callerID? I can get better quality pics on the phone from my computer using a bluetooth connection. There's even a photoshop action to optimize images for the T68i.
Then again, we are talking about a Sony product here. Big surprise that it's overpriced...
My GOD that's a generalization. I know plenty of graphic designers that are comfortable with a computer and like to tweak their machine to personalize it. It's still a tool to them, but it also makes it THEIRS. They're people like everyone else...some users DO like to do this.
We work with a division of a major financial institution whose manager has spent literally millions on a software project. Obviously, the project could haved been done for less money, but as my boss pointed out...in order for this guy to be "noticed" by the high level executives, he must spend a lot of money. Convincing the executives that the project is necessary and will benefit the company gives him facetime with the "leaders" of the organization. And during his rise to corporate stardom, he'll have this multi-million dollar notch in his belt to flaunt.
Of course, the project not only could be done for less money, but will simply push problems onto other departments and people. But that probably won't be noticed. He'll be a hero, and eventually get the keys to the executive washroom. I love corporate America.
Actually, Jobs used a Sony Ericsson T68i at the MWNY keynote to demonstrate iSync...not the P800. That is what you meant by "MacWorld Expo", right? There were a bunch of T68i's next to 17" iMacs at their booth to demo iSync as well.
You think any government is gonna let anyone but governmental agencies and maybe academic institutions get their hands on a QC for the foreseeable future?
I live in the West Village, and the illustration of the atomic bombs going off in Manhattan and Queens at the top totally freaks me out. Really puts the potential devastation into perspective. Yikes.
Trolling? I wasn't really looking for anyone to respond to me...I guess my intention was to chastise the poster for being a little too holier-than-thou. Some people might actually believe that the Gecko thing is more important than an article by Cory Doctorow on something we slashdotters talk/think about everyday. I don't use karma points to determine someone's integrity...I think their words usually speak for themselves. In any case, sorry if it seemed like I was trolling.
Is the poster DESPERATE to get his story posted or what? Obviously he/she is clueless...that story was about the adoption of a Gecko browser by the world's largest ISP. That's great news for the open source movement and the Mozilla project. Don't get me wrong, this story is important and well done, too...but that little bit at the end just screamed "Look at me! Look at me!". Have a little class...
Obviously that car commercial (Volkswagen?) didn't make that much of an impression. You didn't remember what automaker it was for! But I agree...it is a good one.
On a recent road trip from LA to Las Vegas, my friend and I discussed the possibility of setting up a mobile short-range "radio station" for a caravan of cars using one of those personal FM radio transmitters you use to listen to your 1/8" jack-equipped audio device in a car, such as the awesome iRock. We dreamt of a "DJ" seat in someone's backseat with a laptop and music software (i.e. Ableton's Live or an MP3 mixing app), and the other cars tuning into the station to listen to a set. Then, when it's time for a gas/bathroom break, someone else gets to play DJ! Could be fun...
I'm curious...which problem do you claim is due to a tight case? The hinge cracking? How would a tight case relate to hinge problems? For example, the last time the hinge broke, the right hinge actually seized, causing the contact point with the LCD to break off part of the LCD casing when I was closing it with both hands. I believe this was caused by the hinge being too tight, and the lubrication eventually wearing out. I came to this realization after stuying it for a while. I noticed that the hinge had been turning yellow, but I just thought it was cheap paint. Turns out, it was the hinge grease. At a certain point, the friction became too much for the flimsy contact to maintain structural integrity. I did notice that the hinge seemed to get a little tighter with usage, but it wasn't THAT noticeable...it's not like I had to fight it to close it.
My current case it actually pretty tight. I assumed that was a GOOD thing since it will a) keep the lid from jostling while latched (the filmsy latch releases easily and doesn't keep the lid tightly sealed), and b) keep the paint from rubbing off since it can't move around within the bag. The Tom Bihn shell is suspended, so the unit never gets banged on an edge.
You may THINK the powerbooks are rugged...but I can tell you straight out that they are by far the most delicate laptops I've ever used. My powerbook G4 550 has had its LCD replaced TWICE (under warranty) due to the poor/weak hinges...and it's only seven months old. I'm somewhat hard on it, but I take good care of it. It stays in a padded hard shell (tom bihn) within an sfbags padded sleeve within a laptop-specific backpack.
Just because it has a titanium shell does NOT make it durable...much of it is made of cheap plastic that cracks and chips very easily.
FWIW, I absolutely love my powerbook, but there's no denying the build quality is quite poor. In addition to those points, the internal 802.11b reception is appalling, and the keys touch the LCD when the lid is closed...inevitably scratching the display if you don't have a "screen protector". I'm not the only one with these complaints, just check powerpage.org and Apple's own support forums. I hear the iBooks are far more durable, so I'd stick with that.
In any case, I'd recommend waiting a couple of weeks until Macworld Expo NY to see what Apple is gonna bring us next. If anything, you might find new pricing on the iBooks...
"If you use better programs (i.e. Trillian instead of ICQ) you can avoid the AOL plugs and program bloat."
Could you define "better" with something more than Trillian. Everything I download has extra shit piled on. That's how they help recover their costs. In any case, there's no escaping bloat if you add or remove software from a windows machine every so often. You've never experienced "Windows Rot"?
As for the plethora of windows software...not that I want to get into the same old argument, but quality over quantity, dude. And there's this thing called the internet that lets you download all sorts of software without having to walk into a local computer store and pay tax/markup anyway.
I don't know the last time I bought shrink-wrapped software anyway...other than Quake3 for my Athlon.
Hah! Unfortunately, it is a lot more difficult to steal installed Windows software than installed Apple software. Most Windows software requires the installation executable so it can do fun things like inflate your system registry even MORE, install necessary.dll's to the obligatory (and sometimes arbitrary) locations, and place crappy AOL shortcuts on your desktop/install spyware.</sad truth> A notable exception is games, however. At least that's true in my experience.
All you need to execute virtually all Mac software is the application/package itself...with the occasional prefs file for Classic apps. Ahhhh...simplicity.
Slashdot Mirror
>1.No cloning
Please...Apple doesn't allow cloning because they that's how they make money. It's a tradeoff for having well integrated software for the hardware.
>2.The MHZ gap
That's not Apple's failure. And it seems they're doing their best to hedge their bets by jumping onto the new IBM PowerPC chip...even though it won't be available for a year. In the meantime, I think it's fair to say that the hardware is perfectly capable for the vast majority of computer owners. They aren't interested in a speed war when the machine does what they want it to do, and does it well.
>2.5 Frontside bus technology 3 generations behind the PC.
See above.
>3.No PDA
Are you kidding? How is this a "failure"? PalmOS devices work seamlessly with Macs anyway. What, Apple has to have an answer to PocketPC? And even if this were a "failure", who's to say that Apple isn't working on it now, but has their priorities straight.
>4.No strategy for the gaming market.
OK, possibly true. But the biggest factor is that game developers just don't find it economically beneficial to develop games for a platform with such a small marketshare. There's not much Apple can do about this in the short term other than continue to provide a better experience for users to sell more machines.
>5.No strategy for the server market.
No strategy for the server market? Hello, XServe. It may not be a mature "strategy," but it's a great start!
>6.No low-end solution with unbundled monitor (monitorless iMac, or Cube-with-realistic-pricing).
You want a basic, cheap Mac? Try the eMac. Yes it has a monitor, but it's what you would consider "realistically priced". Besides, whenever people mention the pricing, they never consider the total cost of ownership. Mac hardware isn't a commodity like PC's, so you'll never see the bargain-basement prices like the Dell greyboxes. Get over it!
>7.No yellowbox-for-Windows runtime
This is probably just a matter of not having the developer resources to spare...Apple's priorities are certainly elsewhere. But my guess is that most "Mac Zealots" don't even know what you're talking about!
>8.The dock
Please! The Dock is hardly considered a "failure". I think there was a lot of backlash because it was SO different from OS9. But most Mac users I know have warmed up tremendously to it. Please keep your personal feelings out of this.
- MacWorld likely to return to Hub
- IDG World Expo's Charlie Greco Appointed to Massachusetts Lodging Association's Stamas Commission
- Shows wait for Hub move
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
- MacWorld likely to return to Hub
- IDG World Expo's Charlie Greco Appointed to Massachusetts Lodging Association's Stamas Commission
- Shows wait for Hub move
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
Maybe I should live in a city that doesn't have 10 million entertainment-focused people?
My tibook's firewire port went dead, as have many others. When I took it to the Genius Bar at the NYC Soho Apple store, the "Genius" tried to tell me that software (specifically Fruit Menu) was causing my problem. Obviously, the problem was still there when she boot into OS9, so she conceded that it was the hardware. Genius indeed.
There's a concept called "Total Cost of Ownership" that goes beyond the initial outlay for the system. Macs have a much lower TCO in lost productivity time, frustration, etc.
If you go to apple.com/switch, you'll notice that each Switcher's story is accompanied by the email they sent to Apple for consideration in their new advertising campaign.
HAH! She is so stock-image it's not even funny. Just like that awful copy. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Microsoft to put out soulless PR crap like this.
I own a T68i and went out to buy a clip for it this afternoon. The t-mobile store had the camera...for ***$239***! Holy crap! If it was $40 I might buy it. MAAAAYBE if it was $75. But why the hell would I want to pay $239 for a camera that takes tiny crappy pictures that can only be used on my phone? To do picture callerID? I can get better quality pics on the phone from my computer using a bluetooth connection. There's even a photoshop action to optimize images for the T68i.
Then again, we are talking about a Sony product here. Big surprise that it's overpriced...
My GOD that's a generalization. I know plenty of graphic designers that are comfortable with a computer and like to tweak their machine to personalize it. It's still a tool to them, but it also makes it THEIRS. They're people like everyone else...some users DO like to do this.
Of course, the project not only could be done for less money, but will simply push problems onto other departments and people. But that probably won't be noticed. He'll be a hero, and eventually get the keys to the executive washroom. I love corporate America.
EXCELLENT. Thanks for that blast from the past.
Actually, Jobs used a Sony Ericsson T68i at the MWNY keynote to demonstrate iSync...not the P800. That is what you meant by "MacWorld Expo", right? There were a bunch of T68i's next to 17" iMacs at their booth to demo iSync as well.
Export controls.
You think any government is gonna let anyone but governmental agencies and maybe academic institutions get their hands on a QC for the foreseeable future?
I live in the West Village, and the illustration of the atomic bombs going off in Manhattan and Queens at the top totally freaks me out. Really puts the potential devastation into perspective. Yikes.
Trolling? I wasn't really looking for anyone to respond to me...I guess my intention was to chastise the poster for being a little too holier-than-thou. Some people might actually believe that the Gecko thing is more important than an article by Cory Doctorow on something we slashdotters talk/think about everyday. I don't use karma points to determine someone's integrity...I think their words usually speak for themselves. In any case, sorry if it seemed like I was trolling.
Is the poster DESPERATE to get his story posted or what? Obviously he/she is clueless...that story was about the adoption of a Gecko browser by the world's largest ISP. That's great news for the open source movement and the Mozilla project. Don't get me wrong, this story is important and well done, too...but that little bit at the end just screamed "Look at me! Look at me!". Have a little class...
Reminds me of a Steve Martin joke (paraphrased)...
How to make a Million Dollars and not pay taxes:
1) Make a million dollars.
2) Don't pay taxes!
Obviously that car commercial (Volkswagen?) didn't make that much of an impression. You didn't remember what automaker it was for! But I agree...it is a good one.
On a recent road trip from LA to Las Vegas, my friend and I discussed the possibility of setting up a mobile short-range "radio station" for a caravan of cars using one of those personal FM radio transmitters you use to listen to your 1/8" jack-equipped audio device in a car, such as the awesome iRock. We dreamt of a "DJ" seat in someone's backseat with a laptop and music software (i.e. Ableton's Live or an MP3 mixing app), and the other cars tuning into the station to listen to a set. Then, when it's time for a gas/bathroom break, someone else gets to play DJ! Could be fun...
I'm curious...which problem do you claim is due to a tight case? The hinge cracking? How would a tight case relate to hinge problems? For example, the last time the hinge broke, the right hinge actually seized, causing the contact point with the LCD to break off part of the LCD casing when I was closing it with both hands. I believe this was caused by the hinge being too tight, and the lubrication eventually wearing out. I came to this realization after stuying it for a while. I noticed that the hinge had been turning yellow, but I just thought it was cheap paint. Turns out, it was the hinge grease. At a certain point, the friction became too much for the flimsy contact to maintain structural integrity. I did notice that the hinge seemed to get a little tighter with usage, but it wasn't THAT noticeable...it's not like I had to fight it to close it.
My current case it actually pretty tight. I assumed that was a GOOD thing since it will a) keep the lid from jostling while latched (the filmsy latch releases easily and doesn't keep the lid tightly sealed), and b) keep the paint from rubbing off since it can't move around within the bag. The Tom Bihn shell is suspended, so the unit never gets banged on an edge.
You may THINK the powerbooks are rugged...but I can tell you straight out that they are by far the most delicate laptops I've ever used. My powerbook G4 550 has had its LCD replaced TWICE (under warranty) due to the poor/weak hinges...and it's only seven months old. I'm somewhat hard on it, but I take good care of it. It stays in a padded hard shell (tom bihn) within an sfbags padded sleeve within a laptop-specific backpack.
Just because it has a titanium shell does NOT make it durable...much of it is made of cheap plastic that cracks and chips very easily.
FWIW, I absolutely love my powerbook, but there's no denying the build quality is quite poor. In addition to those points, the internal 802.11b reception is appalling, and the keys touch the LCD when the lid is closed...inevitably scratching the display if you don't have a "screen protector". I'm not the only one with these complaints, just check powerpage.org and Apple's own support forums. I hear the iBooks are far more durable, so I'd stick with that.
In any case, I'd recommend waiting a couple of weeks until Macworld Expo NY to see what Apple is gonna bring us next. If anything, you might find new pricing on the iBooks...
Could you define "better" with something more than Trillian. Everything I download has extra shit piled on. That's how they help recover their costs. In any case, there's no escaping bloat if you add or remove software from a windows machine every so often. You've never experienced "Windows Rot"?
As for the plethora of windows software...not that I want to get into the same old argument, but quality over quantity, dude. And there's this thing called the internet that lets you download all sorts of software without having to walk into a local computer store and pay tax/markup anyway.
I don't know the last time I bought shrink-wrapped software anyway...other than Quake3 for my Athlon.
All you need to execute virtually all Mac software is the application/package itself...with the occasional prefs file for Classic apps. Ahhhh...simplicity.
Why is this redundant? Obviously the moderators haven't read "Snow Crash". Lame.