Could Apple be Microsoft's Worst Nightmare?

By Tim Yarbrough
MacDoor Editor
zxmac8384@yahoo.com

"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 recognize that Apple has had to become more like other PC companies in order to survive."

Above is from the my column, "It’s Time for Apple to Innovate Again" written for The Macintosh User in January 2001. It appears Apple has decided it will innovate rather than fade into computer obscurity. What’s interesting is how it may "innovate" in the future.

Apple is getting serious. By all appearances, Apple’s "iApp" strategy will move way beyond the home and education user into, dare I say, the enterprise market? Consider these recent events:

• Apple introduces 17-inch "iMac for education" in the form of the affordable eMac. Apple is once again "attacking" the education market.
• Apple announces "Jaguar" OS X. Among other things, Jaguar features iChat, which accesses AOL's instant messaging servers: see "Apple’s New Gig: Smooth Interoperator" http://www.business2.com/articles/web/0,1653,40592,00.html; and Rendezvous, a technology that allows users to search out IP Networks and to share network "aware" devices; as well as other cool network stuff.
• Apple’s integration of Microsoft technologies with the apparent strategy to "embrace and extend" (see "Could Apple be Stealing a Page from Microsoft’s Playbook?") http://www.mymac.com/mccormick/5.15.02.shtml.

All noteworthy stuff indeed, especially that about Microsoft. Actually, it would be a funny turn of events if Apple really did pursue the "embrace and extend" strategy. It would be hard for Microsoft to stop Apple from "cherry picking" its technologies … but I’m sure it would try. It would be harder for MS to pursue such a policy considering the Federal antitrust lawsuit that continues to dog it … in addition to the fact that Apple hardware is based more and more on industry standards and the UNIX operating system.

Apple is certainly capable of delivering all types of devices based on its technology and the technology of others. The key is the strategy it decides to pursue. As Jason Brooks of eWeek points to in the article, "Bluetooth will Provide Strong Spokes for Apple’s Digital Wheel" http://www.eweek.com/article/0,3658,s=1870&a=26999,00.asp.

It appears Apple is planning to embrace a wireless and integrated device strategy that once again could move it ahead of the computer pack. Bluetooth, as you probably already know, is a wireless technology that links mobile computers, mobile phones, portable handheld devices, and theInternet. For more about Bluetooth, check out the web site www.bluetooth.com.

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Alsop Gets Real

The more I read Stewart Alsop’s columns on technology in Fortune, the more I like him. Not only is he giving the new iMac an extended test drive (and liking it), his latest On Infotech column "XP Means Extra Pain" in the April 29 print edition hits at the core of what has become Microsoft’s legacy:

"I agree with the reviewers. There’s nothing in Windows XP to cause anyone to go out of his way to get it. In fact, I wonder why such an amazing giant of technology as Microsoft — which argues vociferously for its right to integrate new technology into its operating system — can’t do better than this."

Alsop continues to break down why XP doesn’t deliver on its promises: XP isn’t all that new or stable; MS is the same old company; and XP is not easier to use.

It will be noted that in the same column he also states, "As many readers know, I’ve been using the Macintosh more and more at home. Apple recently upgraded its operating system to what’s known as OS X. That is based on Unix. You don’t have to restart your computer all the time. Managing programs and data is even easier than before. Of course, Apple is still the same old company too. But I’m beginning to think that Apple might actually be able to use such advantages to compete effectively."

Great column, Stewart. We’ll continue to walk with you as you seek enlightenment.

Latest iMac Design Playful and a Joy to Use

From the Houston Chronicle, April 27, 2002

By Dwight Silverman

WHEN Apple Computer's new iMac arrived at my home for review, I first set it up on the dining room table. One of my daughter's friends was the first to see it, and her reaction was telling.

"Wow, look!" she said. "It's the moving computer!"

That's a reference to the infectious TV ad that shows a man stopping in a window to admire the iMac, and the machine mimics his movements. My daughter's friend actually hoped that the iMac would play with her, too.

Indeed, "playful" is the perfect word to describe this computer's design. Apple's ad campaign captures its spirit beautifully. And design is the primary thing the new iMac has going for it.

Other computers do what the iMac does -- functionally, it performs in the same way as other Macintoshes and many Windows-based computers do. What makes this different is the way it physically engages the user.

Apple and its often zealous followers have long maintained that the Macintosh is the friendliest computer to use, and in this case they've been referring to the operating system, the Mac OS. But this is the first time that Apple has designed hardware that does as well in communicating that friendliness.

In that spirit, let's add the word "inviting" to its description.

I later moved the iMac up to our guest room, and my in-laws came to visit and stayed in that room. My wife's 85-year-old mother -- who to my knowledge has never touched a Mac -- sat down at it (ignoring a Dell sitting next to it, by the way) and figured out how to sign on to America Online on her own. When she finished, she asked coyly what it would take to bring it back with her.

For those who haven't see the ads or the machine itself, it looks like no other computer you've ever seen, even though its components are familiar. It has a 15-inch flat-panel screen. The screen is mounted on a shiny, polished chrome neck that's about 8 inches long, allowing the screen to move freely. The neck comes out of the center of a milky white hemisphere that's about the size of half a basketball. The computer's lone drive -- which can burn both CD and DVD discs -- pops out of the front of the hemisphere. Various connections are in a row along the back and bottom of the hemisphere -- Ethernet, FireWire, fax modem, USB. Even the speakers are cool -- they're a pair of clear spheres with impressive sound. They are a vast improvement over the speakers found in the original,
wedge-shaped iMac.

The version I tried came with an 800-megahertz PowerPC chip, 256 megabytes of memory and 60-gigabyte hard drive. About the only thing it lacked was an AirPort card, Apple's version of 802.11b wireless networking.

It also has a full-size keyboard and a cool-looking -- if somewhat limited -- clear optical mouse. I've complained about this before, and here it is again: Apple's stubborn adherence to a one-button mouse is a disservice to users. Fortunately, almost any USB mouse will work with this computer, which will give you two or more buttons for better productivity and convenience.

The price for this particular model -- the flagship in the line -- is $1,899. Less expensive models with slower processors and lacking DVD burners are $1,599 and $1,399.

Early reviews made the point that, given the flat-panel display and DVD burner, the iMac was a good value. Windows-based PCs could not match that price at the time, but that has changed since. For example, it's possible to configure a Dell Dimension 4400 with similar specs and pay $1,866.

The iMac comes with Mac OS X 10.1, which can run both native OS X applications as well as programs designed to run on the "Mac Classic" OS. At this point, though, it's possible to go with a pure OS X setup.

The combination of OS X -- with its attractive, intuitive interface -- and the unique physical design of the iMac are what makes this such a joy to use. I suspect even those who sneer at Macs as toys would be won over after an hour or so of use.

The iMac comes with a suite of multimedia applications aimed at making work with music, movies and photographs easy. Both the MP3 player and cataloguer iTunes and the video editing program iMovie, found on earlier Macs, are included. What's new is iPhoto, a basic image-editing and organizing program. Plug a USB-based digital camera into the iMac, and a simple dialog box lets you import the pictures you've taken. If you like, you can have iPhoto launch automatically to do the import. This makes getting digital photos into your computer a snap.

While the image-editing features of iPhoto are limited, they should be enough for most home photographers.

Besides the use of a single mouse button, I have only one small gripe about the hardware here. In most cases, the flat-panel display is beautiful, and is well-matched with an nVidia GeForce2 MX graphics card. But I found that small text on the screen tended to suffer badly from the "jaggies." Settings in the OS X control panel for font smoothing didn't seem to help.

Other than that, this is a great choice if you are shopping for a computer. If you are a Macintosh user and it's time to upgrade, you should snap up one of these.

But what about Windows users? Is this compelling enough to pull market share away from the dominant personal computing platform? I'd say that, for the first time in a long time, it may be. The trick is to convince Windows users to give up their investment in the software they've accumulated. While the iMac comes with just about everything you'd need to do most jobs, longtime computer users have programs they don't easily abandon.

However, this computer is so friendly, stable, easy to use and fun, I think anyone who is in the market -- regardless of what she or he has now -- should take a serious look at it. I know I will the next time I buy a computer. Send e-mail to dwight.silverman@chron.com. His Web site is at www.dwightsilverman.com.

Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle