Making Life Better

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Sarah Hampson recently castigated Apple for subtly insinuating that “iPhones [are] the meaning of life” in it’s latest TV spots, Our Signature and Designed By Apple. Before making her ‘meaning of life’ and hubris claims Hampson quotes this portion of the Designed By Apple ad:

Who will it help?

Will it make life better?

Does it deserve to exist?

We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch enhances each life it touches.

Now The Macalope already had his mythical way with this piece, but I just wanted to add an additional comment about this article and these commercials.

Apple does strive to make my life better through technology. Not to infiltrate, but to enhance. If I let technology get in the way of my life that’s no more Apple’s fault than it’s beer’s fault someone becomes an alcoholic. I need to own that part.

But my Apple computers let me connect with family and friends via the internet on a platform that never crashes and doesn’t pester me to update constantly. My Airport wireless router allows me to do so wirelessly, without worrying about where the nearest ethernet jack is. My Apple TV lets me wind down with my favourite TV programs on demand, and after that program is over my Photo Stream screensaver kicks in and shows me photo after photo of my infant son. Dozens of times my wife and I will just sit and reminisce over our family photos until the Apple TV turns itself off. My iPad enables me to play games with my wife and quickly plan and print set lists for when I’m invited to lead worship for a church or youth group. And my iPhone — probably my favourite of the bunch. Not just for quick information or interactive maps-in-my-pocket as the Macalope suggests, but because I know I have a decent camera (photo and 1080p HD video) in my pocket at all times, which lets me capture moments like this video of my son giggling with his mom on film and keep them forever.

Apple is constantly trying to make technology more transparent. To get it out of the way and allow what it can do, not what it is to shine through. If that’s not making one’s life better, I honestly don’t know what is.

Market Fundamentals

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Dmitry Fadeyev:

If this is the view of the market that Microsoft subscribe[s] to, then Windows 8 is the answer to that...It’s an OS that assumes that most computing will be done on devices that resemble powerful tablets with detachable keyboards, not on the laptops and the desktops of today. It’s an OS that tries to serve everyone at once, to cover all use cases and all markets....

But this only holds if the original premise is correct, that the tablet is the evolution of the laptop, and I just don’t think that’s right. Where the division lies is not a[t] the desktop and the mobile level, or between the laptop and the tablet, but between professional use (i.e. content creation), and light/entertainment use (i.e content consumption). While tablets are not necessarily used purely for content consumption, their limitations (small screen size and lack of a hardware keyboard) mean that this will always be their main use.

This is what Apple has demonstrated an uncanny understanding of since 2007, and it's why they're making money hand over fist.

Tim Cook on Compromise

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Microsoft was chanting the mantra of "No Compromises" at it's Surface Launch Event. But that's just delusory nonsense. Even Tim Cook, whose company has been leading the charge in almost every profitable & popular emerging area of personal computing said (via Joanna Stern):

One of the toughest things you do is make hard tradeoffs and decide what a product should be, and we’ve done that with the iPad.

It's not about 'no compromise' it's about the right compromise.

Ballmer's Reality Distortion Field

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Steve Ballmer, in reference to the tablet market (via CNBC & The Macalope):

I don't think anyone has done a product that I see customers wanting.

There's only two possible things happening here. Either Ballmer knows he's lying through his teeth, or he doesn't. Unfortunately both of these alternatives still make him look like, well, an idiot. If I were Ballmer and had some high-end talent heading to the free agency pool soon, I'd watch my back.

Option 1: Ballmer knows he's lying through his teeth. He's trying to play down (read: ignore) the obscene success of the iPad as irrelevant (sounds familiar) in order to make the Surface look like the better option. But this doesn't make the Surface look better, it makes Steve Ballmer look out of touch with reality. And worse, it makes Microsoft look like they have not a single clue what people want. Microsoft isn't the biggest player in the game anymore. And Ballmer needs to realize it. Perhaps more importantly he needs to know that we realize it.

Acknowledge that Microsoft hasn't had a compelling product in this space. Acknowledge that you're targeting it. Show us what you have, tell us what it costs, tell us when it will ship, and tell us why it's better.

Option 2: Ballmer doesn't know he's lying. If this is the case, then Steve Ballmer has his own Reality Distortion Field.

Samsung/Apple UK judgment

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This whole thing is so stupid I can't even handle it. The UK court wants Apple to apologize to Samsung on the Apple UK homepage for giving Samsung months and months of free adverts and fodder for ads with additional space on Apple's site. I understand why Apple was upset with what Samsung had done (and continues to do), but they gave the South Korean electronics manufacturer a metric tonne of publicity (I was going to say "free publicity", but it wasn't). None-the-less Samsung's Galaxy Tab line went from 'just another tablet' to front-and-centre. They should be thanking Apple, especially since Californian tech giant lost it's case in Europe, leaving that territory rife for the selling.

Maybe they'll make back what they lost in the US...

Everyone Happy All The Time

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Microsoft's big push behind Windows 8 (and its new tablet, the Surface) has been all about the promise of “no compromise”. Microsoft wants its offering to be all things to all people. But to anyone who thinks critically about anything, ever, that's just plain stupid. Design is all about compromise. It's about choosing what battles to fight and what battles to cede.

The 11" MacBook Air. If you want a laptop that compact and portable, the screen won't be very large. The battery life won't be as good. The thermal envelope doesn't support jamming a ton of processing power in it. Why? Because those are the things that need to be sacrificed at the altar of portability.

The 15" MacBook Pro with Retina Display has the opposite problem. It has a large (and gorgeous) display, better battery life, and scads of horsepower. But it's much bigger and much heavier than the 11" Air.

The iPad (4) is bigger, thicker, and heavier than the iPad Mini, but those are the tradeoffs that had to be made to keep the battery life the same and still run the retina display/A6X processor.

Of course, despite all the high-minded talk, this is also true of the Surface (from Matt Honan):

Microsoft’s new tablet is an altogether curious device. It’s something completely new and different. It is, in some ways, better than an iPad. In some ways, worse. It’s brilliant, and yet it can be puzzling as well. Confoundingly so at times. It’s a tablet of both compromises and confusion. It is a true hybrid — neither fully a desktop nor mobile device. That’s reflected in all sorts of ways. It is Wi-Fi only, but won’t run traditional Windows applications. It has a full-featured keyboard and runs Microsoft Office — but it’s certainly meant to be touched and swiped and tapped.

It’s different.

And of course — but again, not unexpectedly — Windows 8 runs into similar compromises (from Tom Warren):

Microsoft has made the decision to remove a number of features from its Office 2013 RT release to ensure battery life and reliability are not impacted on tablet devices.

Some compromise is fine as long as we don't go overboard (remember netbooks?). Consumers understand compromise. Further, people in general understand compromise. We do it all the time in all aspects of our lives. Our electronics are no different. And Microsoft, I don't blame you for compromising; we all knew you had to do it. But please, please don't treat us like we're stupid.

That's one thing I won't compromise on.

"Market Share"

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Eric Slivka:

According to IDC, Samsung remains the number two tablet manufacturer behind Apple, but despite strong 117.6% year-over-year shipment growth still saw its tablets outsold by the iPad by a margin of 7-to-1.

Say it with me now, "Shipments mean nothing". I could not possibly care less how many Galaxy Tabs Best Buy purchased last quarter. How many of those ever made it off the shelf and out of the box? Apple is selling all those iPads... can the same be said for whatever else is being made? When I go to Best Buy there must be 25 tablets on display. No one ever uses them. But the iPad display is crowded every time I go there. I'd like, just once, to see "Market Share" numbers that reflect actual in-the-hands-of-end-users market share. Just once.

Apples vs Phantom Oranges

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Killian Bell (emphasis mine):

We’ve been watching the iPad laugh in the face of the competition and dust off competitors without too many worries for the past three years. But the Surface will be the first tablet to put up a real fight, and that’s something Apple will need to keep an eye on.

For real? This is just as bad as people declaring that iPad Mini will destroy the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire. When it ships and you can actually use it and see how it works under real-world conditions then you can feel free to make whatever comparisons your heart desires. Until then please stop talking. This sort of rampant speculation is the reason my site's named what it is. Review and compare actual, shipping products only, please.

iPad Mini Redux

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Ben Brooks:

Right now Apple sells and markets devices by showing users why they need/want such a device. The amazing screen on the retina MacBook Pro. The amazing form factor of the MacBook Air. The intimate web and portability of the iPad. The amazing do everything, go everywhere iPhone. 10,000 songs in your pocket iPod.

How does Apple market a seven inch iPad if they are only making it because it would be cheaper to buy? What is demonstrably better about a 7 inch tablet?

Bill Gates on Surface

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Bill Gates (via CNET), interpreted:

I actually believe you can have the best of both worlds. You can have a rich ecosystem of manufacturers and you can have a few signature devices that show off, you know, wow, what's the difference between a tablet and a PC.

Translation: Our OEMs blew it. We can do better, but I don't want to just come out and say that. But I kind of will anyway. In related news, you can have your cake and eat it too.

You don't have to make a compromise. You can have everything you like about a tablet and everything you like about a PC all in one device. And so that should change the way people look at things.

Translation: Yes, we've been trying the same approach since 2002 and no, we do not see a problem with that. Also, we are courting Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis to join Steve Ballmer as co-co-co-CEOs.

There were a few things that could have been done differently to bring it (a Microsoft tablet) to critical mass...

Translation: We should have waited to see what Apple would do from the beginning. Than added a kickstand.

I'm sure Apple is terrified.

Again with the iPad Mini?

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Killian Bell reports on the new crop of iPad Mini rumors:

iPad mini will feature a 7.85-inch IGZO display from Sharp, and will start at just $249.

With that kind of price tag, the iPad mini is in a perfect position to fend off any threat from the recently released Google Nexus 7, or the upcoming Kindle Fire 2. Sure, it’s $50 more expensive than its $199 competitors, but you can bet you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck.

I'm holding my breath.

Well, when you're wrong, you're wrong. M.G. Seigler:

As for Steve Jobs implying Apple could never do a smaller tablet because users would have to whittle down their fingers to use it — welcome to Steve Jobs and Apple. Jobs saying that was just as good of an indication that Apple may eventually move into the space. And now it sure looks like they’re getting ready to.

There is just too much buzz coming from too many sources to be based on pure speculation at this point. I still feel like Jobs was right about a 7-inch tablet being a "tweener" but I'll surely be playing with one when (if) it comes out.

Microsoft Office for iPad

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Jake Smith:

BGR reports that Microsoft Office for iPad is launching in November.

I'm sure the masses will be delighted if this turns out to be true. But if this is the case then Microsoft is basically admitting defeat in the tablet space. Office as an exclusive for Windows could be their killer app. And they're giving it away. It'll be interesting to watch, however.