“While Apple users will line up to buy Apple’s latest and greatest–and will eagerly defend the Mac from slights in the press–they aren’t sheep. Wade in among the Apple fans gathered at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco this week and you’ll find there are things that bug even the most ardent fans about Apple,” Brian Caulfield reports for Forbes.
“You can put Steve Jobs at the top of the list. Sure, Jobs deserves a spot in the technology hall of fame. And over the past 10 years, Apple shares are up 34-fold. You can’t do that unless you’re doing a whole lot right. And Apple users love Jobs for it,” Caulfield reports.
“Jobs, however, can’t love them all back, at least not the way they want. When blogger Violet Blue–who has pictures of herself posing with her Apple laptop on her Web site–approached Jobs on the floor of the MacWorld Expo to ask for a photo, lightly touching his arm, Jobs rebuffed her. ‘He told me curtly, flatly that I was rude. And turned his back to me. The small circle of people around him sniggered,’ Blue wrote on her blog, Tiny Nibbles. ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever ‘fangirled’ anyone. And it’ll be my last,'” Caulfield reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Quelle tragédie! We have personal experience with this one. While we haven’t ourselves approached Jobs for a photo or autograph, we have stood near him and observed others trying to do so on the Macworld Expo floor for many years. For example, back in 1999 at Macworld Expo in New York’s Javits Center, we witnessed Jobs (and his assistants) fending off photo- and autograph-seekers left and right. When we asked an Apple rep about this, they told us that if Jobs started he’d never be able to stop posing and signing. He’d never be able to move, much less take in at least some of his company’s Expo. Even by not starting, Jobs is consigned to very short periods of time with the public out on the Macworld Expo floor. Such is the life of the multi-billionaire rock star CEO.
Caulfield continues, “Jobs’ and Apple’s obsession with beautiful design also leads to other worries. Dive into the crowd at MacWorld gathered around Apple’s latest product, the MacBook Air, and they’ll quickly point out what could be the wafer-thin machines biggest flaw: Users can’t swap in fresh batteries. That could be a deal-breaker for road warriors looking for a lightweight notebook.”
MacDailyNews Take: So, get a MacBook or MacBook Pro if you want a portable Mac with a swappable battery. Or figure out where the power outlets are in airports and airplanes. Or wait a second for the first external battery packs designed for MacBook Air to show up and buy one. Or realize that we’ve heard all of this before with iPod, and then again with iPhone, and the vast majority of users won’t care if the battery is sealed inside and will learn how to work with it (see: external battery packs, using available outlets). Note also that Apple will offer in-house MacBook Air battery replacement for US$129 (same price as a new MacBook Pro battery). Just take your new MacBook Air to the nearest Apple store, or send it in through a mail service, and you’ll get it back quickly.
Caulfield continues, “Of course, the biggest thing bugging Apple fans–at least those who own the company’s stock–might be the performance of its shares this year. After the iPhone was unveiled a year ago, nothing Apple could do this year could top the hype the company kicked off with the hot-selling gadget. As a result, Apple’s shares are down nearly 6% this year, as the stock market punishes fast-growing technology companies.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The often-irrational and nonsensical stock market isn’t punishing Apple for being a fast-growing technology company. The stock market has been punishing pretty much everybody this year, regardless of how well-positioned companies are in their respective business(es). Apple shares can care of themselves. Let’s wait for Apple’s earnings release next Tuesday, shall we?
“Forbes looks at what bugs Apple fans”
I’d have to say ill fitting shoes. And a bad haircut.
I don’t like Jobs ever since he called the police after he caught me in his sewer collecting his excrement.
I mean, how rude! All I wanted was a piece of Steve!
I would not want to be famous. Can’t go to a movie. Can’t go shopping. Can’t go out to eat with your family. It’s not worth it.
Now, some people can be very wealthy and not recognized walking down the street. That appeals to me.
But famous, I might turn into britney and develop multiple personalities.
Apple has brand equity that most marketers would kill for but that equity could evaporate quickly with product missteps. Steve Jobs, while a rock star CEO, has the personality of mafia Don and Apple has done little to work with it’s loyal fans to integrate them into the Apple marketing fold. Jobs is known for going off on employees and to this date his “secret feature” of Leopard that never materialized has not been challenged. Yes he does not have time for the little people but in the end the little people may not have time for Apple because staying on top becomes more and more difficult in a cut throat business.
I’ve heard that Steve-O curses like a sailor.
Any confirmation on this?
Also, is it true that he is a fruitarian (subtype of vegetarian)?
It was rude of Steve to call that lady rude. He should have simply smiled and then had his bodyguards beat the crap out of her.
… or it could be companies without any pride that churn out bloated, faulty software like Microsoft & Adobe.
OK, what really, really bugs me in life is what non-Apple companies try to sell me. Yes, I’ll touch consumer nirvana once Jobs takes over the world.
@Rich Meyer
“Yes he does not have time for the little people but in the end the little people may not have time for Apple…” Well, as a little person, why not learn a lesson and stay away from your stalking your beloved. Big people have no need to fanny up to him.
According to that lady, Jobs didn’t actually call her rude. He said “that would be rude”.
But what do you expect from Forbes journalists?
Also, is it true that he is a fruitarian (subtype of vegetarian)?
He’s a pescetarian – the only meat he eats is fish. The error has been arisen and been corrected here on MDN before.
As for the Mac Air – speaking from experience as a former road warrior – one battery is enough for many. It was for me
My suggestion: Carry multi-outlet adaptor or extension cord with you so that you can share scarce outlets at the airport (location, not Apple product), etc.
Give me a break. I don’t buy Steve Jobs personality, I buy the products, and I buy them because they work.
I don’t expect to have a personal relationship with him.
I don’t get what the fuss is about. Jobs called her rude which is exactly what she is – she writes sex books for a living…
@kenh
Without that personality you would never have had those products…
Respect.
Re: Secret feature of Leopard (at least one)
My guess is the optical drive showing up in Disk Utility without a disk inserted. This wasn’t so up to and including Tiger. Leopard disk utility now shows your Mac as having a of minimum two drives – hard disk and optical. Made sense when the Macbook Air was announced – part of what allows you to wirelessly select someones disk drive to use.
I think it’s obvious that a non-user replaceable batter is better for the environment. If I have to send my iPod/iPhone/MacBookAir in to Apple for battery replacement, that means Apple has responsibility for disposing of the battery properly, not me (or you). Despite what media-whore environmental groups say, Apple is in a position to recycle/dispose of batteries in ways the average consumer cannot.
So why am I not reading articles congratulating Apple on it’s environmentally friendly battery replacement policy?
If he had agree to the picture, the title would be “Jobs poses for photo with sex journalist.”
poor Violet Blue – my coochie aches for you. How dare you touch the Steve.
Oh, I forgot. Bloggers are people, too!
” ‘He told me curtly, flatly that I was rude. And turned his back to me. The small circle of people around him sniggered,’ “
Sounds like Steve Jobs. I do not like him for his personality. I am not defending Jobs – it would be nice to politely decline – but am a saying that his personality is not something that bugs me about Apple.
I do hate the kind of mentality that the “small circle around” Jobs exhibited. That is complete douchebaggery.
As a published author who has enjoyed (cursed) a minor degree of celebrity when on tour I can attest to the challenges of being in the public eye even for the small amount I was. Even then I can only imagine what it must be like for SJ.
I do know from my own experience that I am glad my book did not have my photo on it and that I can enjoy relative anonymity away from my organised tours etc. I certainly do not want to be famous on sight and have to deal with all the consequences that such celebrity brings.
If she is a person with publishing connections then she could have probably set up an agreed photo opportunity without the embarrassment of being rebuffed for interjecting SJ on what is probably one of his 10 busiest days of the year.
Of course on the other hand we only have her word that it actually happened anyway.
I myself witnessed how his entourage fends off people at the grand opening of the 5th Ave store.
Odd.
Jobs has always been very polite to me.
Maybe cause I’m typically there trying to sell Macs to large institutions, and not get my picture taken.
Violet Blue is a sex-book writer. Anyone with a high profile has to be careful who they get photographed with.
What bugs Apple fans almost more than anything is when writers who don’t understand The mac, Apple or Steve’s philosophy make factually incorrect statements.
“Lightly touching his arm” is doubly rude! In our society, you don’t walk up to someone you don’t know and touch them in any way unless they offer to shake hands. Stupid dingbat.