“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?
Who does Jobs think he is? I bet Bill Clinton never treated her that way….
I personally am just plain sick and tired of Jobs the rock star (and by the way buy some new clothes the jeans and black shirt are dated). All companies like to keep marketing and product plans secret and I understand but the level of secrecy there would be impossible for the KGB to penetrate. What keeps me an Apple zealot is their great products and that is ALL. Just like a bimbo..great sex no relationship potential and we leave as soon as they let themselves go.
Rich Meyer,
It’s men like you that make life harder for the rest of us.
Yeah, because so many people here know what it’s like to be a celebrity.
Being mobbed and touched without your permission in not cool, and frankly, what was she thinking?
Ever wonder why so many celeb’s end up fugged up or die young?
People need to get lives…
The stock market has been punishing pretty much everybody this year, regardless of how well-positioned companies are in their respective business(es).
Yea it’s called a post real estate bubble recession.
Somebody around here called that one right, so it’s expected to see all stock take a beating, including Apple.
You were warned, pity the fools who didn’t listen to his advice.
Forbes used to be okay, but these days, they are a crap magazine… Most everyone I know who used to subscribe, stopped.
The reason that Apple stock took a beating is twofold: first the overall economy and tech sector have brought down all tech stocks the second reason is that in reality investors were looking for more. That is the downside of continually surprising people with innivative products. Remember these are MBA’s who do nothing but recommend stocks on what they fell is in the short term. I have Apple stock and continue to purchase Apple stock because I know that before the year is out we will see a new iPhone, OSX upgrade (I hope) and possibly a tablet.
Jobs is the driving force behind Apple there is no doubt about that and when he retires Apple stock will take a major hit but I would just like to Apple become a little bit more unclouded in secrecy and Jobs would be more open with the people who have made Apple what it is today.
“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.””
Down 6%? It seems to me that AAPL was at about $97 this time last year. That’s more like 60% UP! What’s this guy smoking?
You have to remember that people love to through rocks at Apple because of the stock. Wall Street is not concerned with the long term their motto is “instant gratification takes too long”. That being said and after all I have written here Apple is still a great company it’s just that they are, as we all are, a little snobish. I mean we can afford to be we are David against the Microsoft beast.
Actually, what bugs me is…
1. People clamoring for rumors and then when Steve-O doesn’t dish out that phone/tablet/ipod/newton/itv/headless imac (fill in the blank from the past few years) people get mad and the stock drops.
2. No live streaming of MW! Ahg! What’s up with that?! That used to be the lunch hour to live for! (East coast here)
3. People tyring to touch Steve Jobs. Hey! Stop it! You might rub some of the genius off!
“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.”
Well if only they had posted anything factually incorrect. But nice try trying to spin it. I am sure MDN applauds you for it.
And dont make me laugh comparing the battery issue with iPods and iPhones. BIG difference between those two devices and a full blown functional notebook. But keep on trying to spin this MDN. Just re enforces your status of being shit.
“You might rub some of the genius off!”
But if you do, be polite, wear soft, sanitary gloves and clean up afterwards.
I’m a Steve Jobs & Apple fan to my core… but if what she said happened then Steve was an a-hole for it. As someone who works with celebrities, I’ve seen them be gracious with even the rudest fans. It comes with the territory. It’s one thing to be an ass to your employees and entirely something else when you’re an ass to the fans/customers that buy your products, that make you the billionaire that you are. And if it is an issue of ‘if you do one, you have to do them all’, then there is still a graceful way of handling that. Perhaps Jobs and his people could use some of the sleekness they put into all their products, into their personalities.
Was at a public performance in Ottawa last week. A major celebrity was in the crowd. Everyone left him alone while he was with his companions, when he was busy getting refreshments, etc..
When he was alone and not busy during intermission, a few people politely approached him for autographs. No-one touched him. No-one interrupted him while he was talking to anyone. Celebrity very politely and pleasantly complied with autograph requests.
See the difference between the event described above, and walking up to SJ busy in conversation, touching his arm to get his attention, and not getting a polite response?
“…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. …”
Its the 18th of January for Pete’s sake!
A celebrity at a public performance in Ottawa in the dead of winter?
Was this to fulfill a court-ordered community service sentence? (j/k)
Apple Mouse sucks
@Scarbro:
Washing a celebrity’s car doesn’t count.
And, you’re wrong.
Steve’s not a movie star or a rock star (in spite of reports to the contrary) – he’s a computer geek/billionaire/CEO.
Hands off the man.
Simple.
What about glossy screens – judging from the whine level on these forums, I think that might be more significant than someone not getting a photo with Steve Jobs.
T.T.,
“Who does Jobs think he is? I bet Bill Clinton never treated her that way….”
Nope. He gave her a cigar.
What really bugs Apple’s fans is Windows fans.
I just want to be an Apple Fellow, get a plaque, and a free MBA.
Now, a pie in Bill Gate’s face was funny.
Lame… Very few Apple “fans” will ever see Steve Jobs in person, so that point is irrelevant. If I was Steve Jobs, I wouldn’t want random people touching me either.
What makes today’s Apple great is that they DO NOT listen to all fans and air-chair CEOs (analysts). That was Apple of the 90’s, with five dozen Mac models and configs (plus a few Newton MessagePads), trying to satisfy everyone while slowly going bankrupt. Apple now has razor-sharp focus, amazing profits, and a bright future. True, it doesn’t always give me the exact product I want, but that’s OK, because it so often exceeds my expectations.
@ Me In LA
LOL! Washing cars… not quite, but that was funny. I guess cuz you’re “in LA” you think you’re some sort of authority on celebrity. But working at the Foot Locker in the Beverly Center “in LA” doesn’t make you an authority on anything but shitty retail wages and stank ass feet.
Celebrity does not exclusively mean movie or rock star. Clearly in this day and age you can be a celebrity for any number of reasons. In fact, if you use your Dashboard Dictionary widget and look up celebrity you’ll see that it’s definition is simply “the state of being well known”. And I think we can agree that Steve Jobs is just that.