Apple Hates You

[jonnythan]

Typed on a Mac.

The only Apple product I've ever owned is an iPod Nano.

It bothers me that I get lumped in with whoever the largest "group" associated with something is. If I'm concerned about climate change, I'm a bleeding heart liberal. If I'm heavily in favor of cutting back on gun control, I'm a selfish dirty conservative. If I claim that human life begins at conception, I'm a religious zealot. If I claim that it's probably OK to have an abortion in the first several weeks of a pregnancy, I'm a pro-choicer with no respect for human life. If I defend Apple, I'm a prissy elitist Apple snob surrounded by Apple gear. If I defend the PS3, I'm a Sony fanboy. If I defend the XBox 360, I'm a Microsoft fanboy.

The reality is that I think for myself and call foul where there is a foul, no matter who it's on.

People on the internet are incredibly quick to categorize people. They're usually incredibly wrong. People need to open their eyes and quit being pathetically narrow-minded. 2-party politics in the US have turned absolutely every opinion into us versus them and it's obscene.

 

[Wafflesomd]

The only Apple product I've ever owned is an iPod Nano.

It bothers me that I get lumped in with whoever the largest "group" associated with something is. If I'm concerned about climate change, I'm a bleeding heart liberal. If I'm heavily in favor of cutting back on gun control, I'm a selfish dirty conservative. If I claim that human life begins at conception, I'm a religious zealot. If I claim that it's probably OK to have an abortion in the first several weeks of a pregnancy, I'm a pro-choicer with no respect for human life. If I defend Apple, I'm a prissy elitist Apple snob surrounded by Apple gear. If I defend the PS3, I'm a Sony fanboy. If I defend the XBox 360, I'm a Microsoft fanboy.

The reality is that I think for myself and call foul where there is a foul, no matter who it's on.

People on the internet are incredibly quick to categorize people. They're usually incredibly wrong. People need to open their eyes and quit being pathetically narrow-minded. 2-party politics in the US have turned absolutely every opinion into us versus them and it's obscene.

Wow, it was just a joke.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I don't own any Apple products... Not for me. When I work, I have my laptop in front of me (thanks Dell or HP), when I drive, I have my car stereo that can read mp3s from CDs (thanks Sony).

So, when I got a mp3 player, I just wanted something cheap - and a 2GB player last Black Friday covered those needs perfectly (thanks SanDisc).

Am I interested in Apple products?

Absolutely! If they actually were to make something, just ONE thing, that actually did perform better than product that was half the price I might be interested. The AppleTV? Great product! Except, I actually have all my DVDs, in their original DVD format on hard drives in my home... AppleTV compatibility? Nope!

In fact, it just continues to be the case over and over again - there is good, solid product from Apple, but it is always fairly DRM heavy handed and specifically defined to work certain ways. Great for people who want those basic features and don't question anything in life, but for those who actually want some versatility in our products, Apple is often sorely lacking...

...or at least, no better than most others.

As far as pricing? Early adopters should know better. Any single early adopter who complains is a fool. The price is what it is, and it will always go down. Plasma buyers have seen it for years, and it isn't likely to change. I've bought on opening day before for products only to see prices fall - it sure as heck hasn't 'suprised' me, and it sure wouldn't ever make me the slightest bit mad at the company offerring the price cut.

Carpe Diem

 

[Nomo]

Carpe Diem

Used as an admonition to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future.

Wow, I had to Google that.

I agree completely.
While Apples products may at times be on the cutting edge, their proprietary functionality across the board is a complete turn-off to me.

 

[stratman]

Used as an admonition to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future.

Wow, I had to Google that.

I agree completely.
While Apples products may at times be on the cutting edge, their proprietary functionality across the board is a complete turn-off to me.

Gee that sounds like Apple's philosophy. Carpe the function!

 

[emorphien]

Apple hates everyone, it's just taking a while for people to figure out they're being used

The iPod & iTunes and everything being tied together is one of the smartest and most difficult to bust "monopolies" there's been in a while in technology. Even MS didn't try that hard when they integrated IE in to Windows.

 

[jliedeka]

I think abboudc had it right. You could re-write this article for Sony, Microsoft, etc. I don't currently own any Apple products but I'm seriously thinking about getting a Mac Book. I'm not a big fan of Sony's proprietary formats for everything but I like SACDs and own a few of their products. I hate Microsoft's OS (all my computers run linux) but I own both Xboxes.

I guess my point is that even companies you otherwise dislike may offer a product or service you do like. The choice becomes to support someone you don't like or deny yourself something you want.

 

[stratman]

You're right, some are as vitriolic toward Sony as some to Apple and Microsoft, I really have a problem with Apple as far as they've notched themselves in the market, but then again the same can be said for Microsoft, I don't have Apple products because I don't need them, coming from a design background I appreciate their aesthetics, only B&O puts so much effort in the design of their CE, I think the i phone is the nicest looking phone on the market same for the i pods, but the pretty design doesn't justify the premium prices.

 

[birdonthebeach]

*yawn*

really??

- sigh -

zzzzzzz

 

[Seth=L]

*yawn*

really??

- sigh -

zzzzzzz

*laughs*

Wut?

- lol -

not zzzzzzz, but pretty close to it.

 

[stratman]

Yawn thread to begin with, in fact all apple threads are "yawny" to begin with.

 

[Audioholics]

I think we could write a 30 page review of the latest projector and it would get 3 thread posts if we're lucky. Write a funny bash of Apple and we get 31 posts - so far... I think I found a pattern here, lol.

PS. Who says I'm not gearing up a 'Microsoft Hates You' article to follow up?

Typed on a Mac Mini.

 

[stratman]

What does that tell you??

 

[Wafflesomd]

I think we could write a 30 page review of the latest projector and it would get 3 thread posts if we're lucky. Write a funny bash of Apple and we get 31 posts - so far... I think I found a pattern here, lol.

PS. Who says I'm not gearing up a 'Microsoft Hates You' article to follow up?

Typed on a Mac Mini.

A 30 page projector review? Sounds interesting\

 

[jdskycaster]

I have been a mac supporter for many years, BUT I have learned to wait a bit and I never buy anything when they first release it except software. I have been stung a couple of times; the original imac was one of those times. OS X is awesome and 10.5 is going to have some amazing technology built in. I love my dual boot MacBook, it is really like having two laptops.

This post, as well as others proves the author is dead on about this company.

The typical Apple supporter:

"Apple rules. I have been a supporter since the days of the Apple IIc. They have the best products around. Even though they have screwed me a few hundred times over the last 27 years I will never buy anything else. Over the past couple of years I have reluctantly taught myself to wait a few months before I purchase their products. Yes, I realize that this means that I lose the primary cache' of buying the products in the first place, but as I said, I refuse to buy any alternative. Even if that means I give up my own freedom to chose a better product because the way a product looks really is the only reason to purchase it in the first place."

Competition is good. I hope Apple stays around for many years to come but lately the people buying their products have stepped beyond the realm of being rational intelligent consumers. This is where companies begin to think they can market anything that looks cool, stamp it with the company logo and it will sell. Ultimately, the products begin to suffer over long run. Many state that Apple has the best industrial design. Why not couple that with an unequaled feature set and the best customer support? I have yet to see a single product come out of Apple that meets these basic criteria. And by the way, you get to pay a premium for it.

The author is correct, he just missed stressing the point that nothing has changed with regard to how Apple has always treated their supporters long before an MP3 player hit the shelves.

JD

 

[Davemcc]

Apple Performs a Major *ahem* "Bug Fix" for the iPhone with Firmware 1.1.1

* While this sounds innocent enough, this recent "fix" actually results in a complete eradication of most all the third party apps - presumably on purpose, however we can't say for sure
* The update may potentially "brick" (as in turn your iPod into a worthless hunk of aluminum and glass) any unlocked iPod.
* All non-iTunes Store ringtones are broken (ie. rendered useless) with the update
* The iPhone no longer works with the iPod HiFi with firmware 1.1.1

Isn't this the same sort of anti-third party programming that landed Microsoft in it's anti-trust suits? In Microsoft's European anti-trust case, they are being forced to provide their source code to third party competitors.

What makes Apple so different? Are they not leaving themselves open to an anti-trust suit by third party app providers or charges of malicious programming by disabling third party apps that consumers have paid for and installed?

 

[jonnythan]

Isn't this the same sort of anti-third party programming that landed Microsoft in it's anti-trust suits? In Microsoft's European anti-trust case, they are being forced to provide their source code to third party competitors.

Yes, but it was only illegal for Microsoft because they had/have a monopoly on the PC desktop operating system market.

It's not illegal to lock third parties out of your platform, but it becomes illegal if you are doing so when you have a monopoly with that platform.

Apple does not have a monopoly on the cell phone market.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Apple hates me?
I hate Apple too!
I have never ever owned anything from Apple in my life.
I showed them!

 

[NELSON1138]

Many state that Apple has the best industrial design. Why not couple that with an unequaled feature set and the best customer support? I have yet to see a single product come out of Apple that meets these basic criteria.
JD

abc7.com = Unless you're a computer geek, when something goes wrong with your PC, you might need to get tech support, either at home or on the phone. Many computer users are dissatisfied with the repair service offered by computer companies. There are two companies that get high marks from Consumer Reports: Apple Computer, which has an 80-percent customer satisfaction rating; and Lenovo, the company that took over IBM's personal computers.

PC Magazine gave Apple a score of 9.1 out of 10 for customer care (the highest ranked company)

Damn those pesky facts

 

[jonnythan]

Home computer service is outstandingly awful. Dell, HP/Compaq, and Gateway are ridiculously bad at giving customer service for their home PCs.

Their business service is fantastic. All of them.

Apple seems to pretty much have everyone beat in terms of supporting consumer PCs.

I feel that I have to add that I don't own one and I'm not an Apple fanboy, because anyone that defends Apple in any capacity seems to be immediately pegged as a Mac zealot or something.