The iPod is More Than an MP3 Player!

The transformation of Apple from a computer manufacturer to electronic device manufacturer has begun. Mark it down as the iPod.


The iPod is one nifty MP3 player/recorder, but I believe Apple may have an underlying strategy with the device. Has everyone noted there been no Apple-branded PDA device announced? Could iPod possibly be the handheld device that will deliver this technology to Mac (and possibly Windows) users? Think about it.


Now I am not familiar with the underlying technology in iPod. However, what I do know is that it can serve as a hard drive for Firewire-equipped Macs and has its own operating system used to select and play songs. If you take this one step further it would be noted that programs theoretically could be installed and run on the device. Now , you tell me, how hard would it be for Apple to write PDA software to run on iPod? They already know how to do it (Newton) and they would have had to been blind not to see the tremendous potential out there (Palm, Microsoft CE devices).


You may say, well Newton was a bomb, so why would they want to go after this market again? Well, the answer is simple: iPod wouldn't just be an MP3 player/recorder, PDA or whatever. Depending on software installed, it's a cool and extremely portable extension of your computer desktop. Steve Jobs said it himself during the introduction of iPod: it will go places only PowerBooks dream of.


Well, there's my theory. Hey, I may be wrong, but it's interesting speculation nevertheless, huh?


No matter what happens with iPod, it appears Apple will be introducing more non-computer based gadgets in the future and attempting to migrate to more of a computer electronics company.


Click here for an example from Mac Directory that shows the iPod can be more than an MP3 player!

Different May Not That Bad After All!

A funny thing is happening on the way to world PC domination. Many journalists covering the computing industry are writing that fewer PC manufacturers may be a good thing and that Apple has a real chance of becoming a relevant computing platform once again (as if Mac users had to be told that). I've noted some significant news stories covering the computer industry the past several weeks.


It all started when Hewlett-Packard bought Compaq a few weeks ago and someone forgot to tell HP that a merger of the two PC box manufacturers wasn't necessarily a good thing. Stocks dropped and the PC press jumped in with both feet. What I liked most about the whole debacle is what they said about Apple:


"Dell sells online and through catalogues, its primary customers are companies and businessmen," writes Charles Haddad in his Byte of the Apple column. "Although Apple's online sales are growing smartly, the company still sells largely through retail outlets. Its customers are home users, students and artists. And that pits Apple directly against HP and Compaq, which dominate the consumer market for PCs ... If HP and Compaq wed, odds are good that one of these well-known consumer brands in PC retailing will disappear. That thinning of the marketing clutter should help elevate Apple's already lustrous brand name among consumers."


Charles Haddad of Business Week writes how brilliant he thinks Apple's strategy is to open retail outlets across the country.


"Call me crazy, but I agree with the handful of analysts who believe Apple-branded stores are a stroke of genius," said Haddad. "A place like CompUSA is basically a fast-food joint, except the boxes hold microprocessors rather than hamburgers. Sure, the labeling varies from box to box -- Sony, Compaq , whatever -- but what's inside is pretty much same. Not so with a Mac. It has a unique architecture that not only melds the machine to the operating system but enables users to do just about anything -- from playing graphic-intensive games to editing video -- without adding new parts. It never ceases to amaze me the hassles PC users learned to accept. Games that won't work without special cards. Printers that work with one PC and not another."


No truer words have ever been spoken about a computing platform.


Another Internet writer made the following observation recently (sorry, I didn't get the name or attribution):


"Ironically, Apple now appears to be the most stable company in the business (even though Dell is formidable). HP/Compaq's and IBM's ongoing presence in the desktop market is far from certain. Sony has so many other businesses that it's involvement with PC's need not be permanent. I'd think with the Xbox coming out that Sony (maker of PlayStation) would try to prevent people from using Windows since consoles and PC's are starting to converge. Gateway is in trouble, eMachines has been delisted from the NASDAQ, Micron, Acer, Tandy, NEC and Packard Bell are all gone. The dog-eat-dog world of Wintel is getting down to very few uneaten dogs, and the survivors may have pieces missing. Apple is starting to look awfully smart for marching to the beat of a different drummer."


Do you feel the tide may be turning in Apple's favor? You bet! What's more, Apple has a major change in OS strategy coming that will rattle a few cages. It's OS X and its UNIX based, which makes sense (finally) to all those computer geeks out there who could never embrace what they feel was Apple's proprietary operating system/hardware integration (like Microsoft isn't proprietary the way they "integrate" their technology)! For good or for bad, OS X will be embraced by a wider range of computer users simply because of its UNIX underpinnings.


While OS X will move a lot of folks initially to the Mac platform because of the UNIX attraction, in the end it may be cool and superior hardware that seals the deal. Some say there is no way Apple can build enough computers annually to keep up with say, a 10 percent increase in market share. Make no mistake, Apple has learned the hard way how to outsource product and would be able to keep up with nearly any demand the market has to throw at it.


I haven't said a think about the rumored 1.6 GHz G5 chip from Motorola, mainly because there are conflicting stories on the subject. Actually, I think it's believable because of the way it states Motorola got there – by altering the G5's pipeline structure from its initial seven stages to a total of 10. Thus, Motorola is using a type of microchip slight of hand to get the GHz to comparable Intel levels. The current 867 MHz Motorola G4 is roughly equivalent to Intel's 2 GHz P4 chip. That means a G5 running at the same 867 MHz could be at least twice as fast as the current P4, except for the added pipeline structure which could slow it down somewhat.


For more about the rumored G5 chip, see http://www.osopinion.com/perl/story/13626.html.


As you can see, it has been a busy couple of weeks in the Mac world. Hang on, it's only going to get better.

Yellow Bug Computers: Great Mac Source

I don't normally use this space to tout particular local businesses, and come to think of it, don't think I ever have. However, one local entrepreneur has come to my attention who definitely is worthy of mention – if for no other reason – his worthy cause.


His name is Bob Avery-Babel, owner of Yellow Bug Computers located in Columbia, Missouri. If you live in Jefferson City, you may have read his advertisements in the classified section of the newspaper touting low-cost Macintosh and PC systems.


Well, I've met Bob and actually been to his place of business, which at the moment just happens to be his small apartment. The day I was he had one room filled with lots of Macs, Mac parts and Mac accessories, as well as some PC equipment. Being a sucker for any Mac ever made, I bought several items, include a 17-inch AppleVision monitor and some other stuff.


Bob is a unique individual. He spends his days working at a PC-based communications company, but moonlights working on his first love, Macs, through Yellow Bug Computers. And his mission is noble: he buys and refurbishes Macs, then makes them available at low cost to first-time computer users and others who want to take a dip into computer technology. Pretty cool idea.


The flip of all this is that while Bob scourers through piles of Macs and PCs at various auctions looking for parts to rebuild computers, he comes up with lots of good stuff that Mac users can use. I'm talking about used monitors, keyboards, memory, drives and other parts that can cost much through mail order. If you have PC friends that need stuff, you can have them give Bob an email or call.


Bob has been to monthly appleJAC user's group meeting and said he would like to get to know our group better. I've encouraged him to do so and to visit us often.


So the next time you need some Mac stuff, give Bob a call. He may not have what you want at the moment, but he'll sure be on the lookout for you – which will benefit your pocketbook if you can wait. Yellow Bug Computers is located at www.yellowbugcomputers.com.


I'll Miss New York and MacWorld


This column is being written prior to July's MacWorld in New York, so I won't be commenting on what happened, however, I must admit I'm missing not being at The Big Show in the Big Apple.


Last year saw the introduction of the Cube, new displays, new keyboard and a mouse. Who knows what this year's offerings will be, but if you believe the various Mac news sites, not much is expected.


But that's not what I want to point out about MacWorld. Whether it's San Francisco in January or New York in July, if you ever get the chance to go to The Big Show, do it! There's the obvious attraction of a major Mac expo, but what's more the overall atmosphere you'll experience being around thousands of people who love and support arguably the best computing platform ever.


You'll see people like David Pouge walking the show floor, hundreds of product demonstrations designed to showcase the advantages of the Mac OS, and if you're lucky, Steve Jobs at the keynote or on the show floor.


While I could not make it this year, I'm already making plans to vacation either in San Fran or The Big Apple in 2002 – during MacWorld, of course. If you love the Mac, I'd suggest that you do the same.

"I want to be like Steve!" - Michael Dell

I've watched in amusement the past couple of years Michael Dell's comments about Apple. I'm amused for a couple of reasons.


First, if Apple is such a "niche" player in the overall computer market, why does Dell bother by berating the company every chance he gets? Secondly, why would Dell, who heads up a company that essentially repackages technology, want to poke at one of the most innovative computer companies of all time?


Well, you don't have to look far to see the source of Michael's frustration.


While Dell has certainly done well over the years repackaging technology, the real excitement around Silicon Valley surrounds those who push the technology envelope. And Apple -- love it or hate it -- does just that.


Additionally, Michael would have to have been blind not to notice that Apple has done very well, thank you, the past couple of years. This seems to bother Michael. You see, despite all the reasons Wintel manufacturers should care that Apple stays viable and healthy, they really want Apple to die. Apple introduces products on its platform that people want on the cheap Wintel platform. If Apple were to die on the vine, Dell and others would have less reason to produce compelling products.


While Dell doesn't necessarily produce "exciting" products; whether Dell wants to admit it or not, it is influenced by companies like Apple.


For example, do you remember the all-in-one computer Dell produced for a while? I don't see it in their advertisements anymore, so I assume it has been discontinued. Also, have you noticed the special "panels" Dell places on its laptop computers? Michael Dell knows that no matter what kind of colorful panels he sticks on his computers they won't come near to "cool factor" of the computers Apple produces. Why? It's simple. Apple had to invest millions to developing the special plastics and housings for its computers. Dell repackages PC components. Any R&D it does definitely would not focus on the look of its computers. There are exceptions like Sony, but for the most part PC manufacturers aren't concerned with aesthetics -- either with the boxes they build or the interface their machines run. Dell is a classic example of a "non-innovator," as it has made billions throwing parts from different suppliers together to build its computers; then uses Microsoft's operating system to run it.


So we return to our original question: "Why is Michael Dell so concerned about Apple?" After all, according to Michael the company is going out of business, has lost the education market and is essentially not a relevant computing platform.


My answer? Perhaps Michael is smarter than we think. After all, the last time he lambasted Apple, Steve Jobs came out with the phenomenally-successful iMac that pushed the Wintel forward.


Go ahead, Michael, make Steve's day!

Mac: The Original 'Windows Experience'

Recently, while digging through some old Macintosh promotional pieces I've managed to hang on all these years, I began to think about the machine, it's makers and the literal revolution in computing the Mac created.


Those of us "old hats" who have been around have a different perspective on the Mac experience than more newer converts to the platform. I'm am constantly amazed by the number of people who marvel at Windows and proclaim what Windows is the "greatest thing since buttered bread." If any connection with the Macintosh is suggested, these same people quickly discredit the original GUI (Graphical User Interface) platform that made it all possible.


When Macintosh hit the market in 1984, it was unlike anything most of us had seen. Yes, some computer junkies knew of the existence of GUI-interfaces; but most of us were still computing happily along with a command line. Steve Jobs and the Macintosh development team changed all that. Many said it couldn't happen, but it did.


Despite the fact that the Mac was somewhat under powered at launch, Jobs and his team made it happen and clearly put Apple ahead of GUI development for the next six years. What made the Mac interface so great in the early days: simplicity of design, drop down windows, a mouse, etc., has been replicated over and over again in millions of Macintosh and Windows computers sold throughout the world. The Mac did bring computing to "the rest of us."


While Apple clearly won the battle to get GUI to a mass market, it also clearly has lost the war. As Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said a few years ago at a college commencement service, "We won. Every computer is a essentially a Mac." This is true to an extent, however, Apple lost mind share and all-important market share through the years. I think Apple and Steve Jobs are happy now being a niche player in the world of computers. As I looked through clippings, brochures and other items from the dawning of the Mac era, I couldn't help but thing how things could have been different if there were more Macs in the world than Windows-based machines.There are some thoughts:


Personality. For one thing, more people would consider their computers more an extension of their personality than just a work tool they must tolerate. That's what has kept me loyal to Macintosh all these years. It's just a better computing platform. There are few headaches using a Mac than Windows. It's that simple.


Ease of Use. More people would be organized. While no computer has ever truly been "easy to use" with no prior instruction, the Macintosh is the best thing we've been able to come up with. I like the way everything on a Mac is consistent in implementation. Everything works the same. All programs work the same. It brings peace to my life.


Innovation. There would more innovation. Apple Computer, with the research and development resources of Microsoft, would be something to behold. Most of the major innovations in personal computing have come from the laboratories of Apple. It's a fact. I could name them, but I will not. If you're the curious sort, check out the following The Most Hugest Page of Mac Facts at http://www.13idol.com/mac/macfacts.html. As you read, you'll smile … a lot!


Obviously, these are just a few of the many things I could mention. I count it a joy to still be a Mac user and free from what I call the "Windows Form Factor." The next time you boot your Mac, count it as a joy as well.

It's Time for Apple to Innovate Again

Well, here we are in the year 2001 and it isn't quite the "Space Odyssey" everyone expected. There is one constant however: Apple Computer is once again going out of business.


In fact, a C/NET columnist went as far in recent weeks to predict that 2004 will be the final year for Apple, the company that invented the personal computer in the 1970s and refined the personal computer experience with the Mac in the 1980s.


Now, I'm not one to make predictions, particularly when it's related to such a volatile business as computers. Concerning Apple, however, this prediction really doesn't make much sense. While Windows -- in all its current incarnations -- dominates computing, there is a growing public out there who doesn't want to follow the status quo. Face it, Windows is seen as corporate America. Apple, on the other hand, is still seen as counterculture and cool. In some ways it's Apple's cool factor and zealous users that make it the target of the corporate Wintel establishment -- whether it be by an information services manager or the technology press.


There was a time I thought that bad press could kill Apple Computer. I am now convinced that the only thing that can kill Apple is Apple itself. As we enter the year 2001, Apple is in a unique position of being the only computer manufacturer which can control the entire computing experience -- the hardware and the software -- for the end user. This is something that even Bill Gates cannot claim.


Today, in a time when people are looking for easy access to technology, Apple can lead out with devices that provide this accessibility to the masses. By doing so it can accomplish something in computers that companies like Sony have been able to do with electronics such as the Walkman. While this opportunity certainly is within reach of Apple, I am not convinced it is ready to take on this role. While Apple is without a doubt one of the most innovative computers companies ever, Apple is not the risk taker it once was. I recognized that Apple has had to become more like other PC companies in order to survive.


As I have mentioned in this column before, the guts of today's Mac are much like the guts of the average Wintel PC. While there are major differences such as the CPU, hard drives that work in PCs work in Macs, as do most other components. The difference in the Mac has always been the user experience. What started out to be a very simple interface has evolved into a complicated conglomeration of interface enhancements and add ons.


While the current Mac OS 9 is one of the most stable Mac operating systems ever, it is still essentially based on the original technology that created the Macintosh in 1984. Will OS X be the savior -- and liberator -- of the Macintosh operating system? From what I've seen so far, it is an impressive multi-threaded operating system that is extremely stable. While Apple has done a great job of hiding the UNIX underpinning of the new OS with its Aqua interface, it's still there and for the first time the Mac will have a command line available to the average user. Apple needs OS X, but IÕm not sure the average consumer does. There is little doubt it is a great entry into the server market, but I just don't see OS X in its current form winning over multitudes of Wintel users.


The company that gets the next evolution of the computer interface right may very well revolutionize the way humans interacts with silicone. I'm convinced, however, the next interface innovation will make computers as easy to use as a Palm Pilot or any home appliance. I believe that Apple -- with its unorthodox and innovative corporate culture -- is the computer company with the best ability to color outside the lines to create the next great innovation in computing.


Apple has for many years led the way in the industrial design of its hardware. Now it is time for Apple to lead the way with a device that revolutionizes the computing experience.