Steve, I'll 'think differently', rather than 'think different', thank you very much.
Some days, I just have it 'up to here' with all those Apple fans who've really been drinking the Kool-Aid.
Those of us who are more perceptive and savvy, we don't buy the idea that Apple is some clever underdog. We know Apple is a big corporation that has gone evil, much more so than even Microsoft.
Apple has been trying to sell an image of being progressive, anti-'Big Brother' innovators since I was born. I mean that quite literally. I was born on January 13th, 1984. (It was a Friday, which my friends and family believe explains everything about me.) Apple's iconic Ridley Scott directed, George Orwell themed commercial, introducing the Macintosh computer, was televised only twice, once on December 31st, 1983 in the Idaho area, and once during Super Bowl XVIII on January 22nd, 1984. I was born almost halfway between the two airings. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_(advertisement)
Gee, I'm just a week and a half older than Apple's first Macintosh. And the idea behind that iconic commercial was pretty simple to grasp- Apple's progressive innovation will shatter the 'Big Brother' like hold of their tech competitors! 1984 won't be like (George Orwell's) '1984'! And ever since, in various ads, commercials, and in various ways, Apple's been trying to convince consumers of that image.
So, let me sarcastically play with that concept for a while! Yes, Steve Jobs, Apple is soooo anti-Big Brother! It's soooo anti-Big Brother to:
- Feature really restrictive DRM in your products!
But if Apple fits anywhere in the equation, whether you're using iTunes, an iPod, an iPhone, and/or an iPad, Apple makes damn well sure you must buy from iTunes (not their legal competition) and only enjoy it on that one device. Transfer an iTunes purchased song or video from your iPod to your friend's iPhone? Unless you're a competent hacker, that's a no-go.
The DRM is obviously not just about making sure that musicians and copyright holders see some money, because they make less money (as a percentage of retail price) off of music and videos sold on iTunes than they do from Apple's legal competition. Musicians make 13% of iTunes' retail price on average, and Apple wants to see that lowered to 4%. See http://applesucks.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/apple-wants-artist-royalties-lowered/ and http://torrentfreak.com/pirated-by-itunes-artist-turns-to-bittorrent-080206/.
Spiritually related to that, it's soooo anti-Big Brother to:
- Deliberately limit what your products can do, both to screw your competition and to limit adult access to pornography!
Most people agree that it's very important to keep porn out of the hands of children. But usually, only people on the religious right want to keep porn made by consenting adults out of the hands of other adults. Mr. Jobs hardly strikes me as a born-again Christian, so what the hell's his problem?
Ol' Steve says: "We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone."
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20002922-71.html#ixzz11WY9TzHO
You heard it straight from the horse's mouth, folks. The Apple CEO believes he has a 'moral responsibility' to keep adults from enjoying porn.
If you're a parent, and you want to keep content that's inappropriate for children away from your kids, Apple's competition makes that possible. I own both a PSP (a Sony product) and an Xbox 360 (a Microsoft product). There is parental control software on both devices. I don't use any of it, because I love M rated video games (I'm particularly fond of the Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty franchises), and my fiancé and I are both childless adults. But Sony and Microsoft make it really simple to set up parental control accounts for children that won't play M or T rated games. If I had kids and I wanted a parental control-free account for myself, I could set it up to be password protected from my kids.
Plus, I have popular erotica novelists in my family. My dad is 'Morgana Baron' and 'Felix Baron' and my stepmother is 'Madeline Moore'. They would be glad to sell adults e-book versions of their works. But, I don't think Steve wants you to enjoy them on your iPad or iPhone.
Now, on to the Flash issue.
“The primary goal of Flash has always been to enable cross-browser, platform and device development,” (Adobe product manager Mike) Chambers wrote in a blog post. “This is the exact opposite of what Apple wants. They want to tie developers down to their platform, and restrict their options to make it difficult for developers to target other platforms.”
Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/adobe-flash-iphone/#ixzz11Wb5Ilsm
Now, why wouldn't Apple want the iPhone and iPad to be able to access Flash content? Could it be because Apple doesn't want you to play games on those devices that you didn't have to buy from Apple's App store? Or could it be because Apple wants you to be buying videos from iTunes instead of watching them for free via Youtube or Veoh?
Also, it's soooo anti-Big Brother to:
Treat your customers like crap!
Remember the antenna issue with the launch of the iPhone 4 earlier this year? At first, Steve Jobs wanted his customers to quit whining about the iPhone 4 having a defect. See these quick videos:
Eventually, Mr. Jobs was forced to admit that the iPhone 4 had a serious antenna problem. And he HATED to have to offer consumers a fix. Listen to his tone of voice, and watch his body language in this video:
Gee, ol' Steve sounds pretty pissed off while rambling off with his doublespeak! (A SMALL number of phones, how about ALL iPhone 4s, Mr. Jobs?) Doublespeak... hmmm... doesn't sound like 'Big Brother' at all!
Occasionally, this high and mighty billionaire has direct communication with his customers. When he does, he makes it clear he doesn't give a rat's ass about them. See this news reported on Gawker.com:
Long Island University senior Chelsea Kate Isaacs, 22, emailed Jobs Thursday with a complaint: Her journalism professor had assigned her a story on a new initiative at her college to buy iPads for all incoming students. She wanted to get a quote from Apple about the use of iPads in academic settings. But when she repeatedly called Apple's PR department, leaving six voice messages, they never got back to her.
"My friend just jokingly suggested I email Steve Jobs," Isaacs told us over the phone. "I wrote him a long email not expecting that he would get back to me."
Ms. Isaacs: "Mr. Jobs, I humbly ask why Apple is so wonderfully attentive to the needs of students, whether it be with the latest, greatest invention or the company's helpful customer service line, and yet, ironically, the Media Relations Department fails to answer any of my questions which are, as I have repeatedly told them, essential to my academic performance."
Mr. Jobs: "Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry."
Ms. Isaacs: "I never said that your goal should be to "help me get a good grade." Rather, I politely asked why your media relations team does not respond to emails, which consequently, decreases my chances of getting a good grade."
Mr. Jobs: "Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can't respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry."
Ms. Isaacs: "You're absolutely right, and I do meet your criteria for being a customer who deserves a response:
1. I AM one of your 300 million users.
2. I DO have a problem; I need answers that only Apple Media Relations can answer."
2. I DO have a problem; I need answers that only Apple Media Relations can answer."
Mr. Jobs: "Please leave us alone."
So, my conclusion is glaringly obvious. Apple has sold itself as anti-Big Brother since I was born, but just like a used car salesman who tells you he's 'really, really honest", Apple is anything but.
Don't buy ANYTHING Apple! Unless you hate yourself!
You might want to read this previous post of mine:
Don't Get an iPad, Wait for RIM's PlayBook
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