“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?
How about this list off the top of my head:
* Mighty mouse ball can’t be cleaned easily, and if cleaned properly (taken to bits), it quickly becomes unusable again in 3 months.
* Mac Pro (rev A) apparently can’t use the newer video cards released with the Rev B last week. This is a $3K machine we’re expected to throw away?? Rrrriiiight.
* Built in obsolescence in most products (latest e.g. even the new MacBook Air is 2 year old tech), video capabilities of iMacs are another example, 8GB for iPhone (there should really be a 16GB version by now, although this is nitpicking – more to the point would be 3G, and various applications such as IM etc.)
* Stupid headphone socket on the iPhone
* No ability to rent 3 movies for (say) $7 deal in iTunes (i.e. no discounts like video stores offer.)
* 16 bit screens on iMacs and pro notebooks (misleading descriptions.)
* general Apple arrogance
Note, I’ve used Macs continuously since 1990, so I’m not trying to be a troll. I’m not a fan-boi either; just realistic – and somewhat annoyed at each of the above issues in one way or another.
It is better to have someone who cares more about his company’s reputation and prosperity, but refuses to indulge you with a photographic momento, than someone who can destroy a nation’s prosperity and reputation, but is a great guy to have a beer with.
pete,
“than someone who can destroy a nation’s prosperity and reputation, but is a great guy to have a beer with.”
Are you referring to Saddam Hussein or G.W.?
The biggest gripe I have with Apple is this need to make everything small and thin. How about a touch iPod with a fat 250GB hard drive? That would be the shit!
Also everyone thinks Steve is Apple and there wrong. Apple is a group of people who work together to make kick ass products. SJ is just this guy you know.
honistly who gives a shit.
Mort,
“Also everyone thinks Steve is Apple and there wrong. Apple is a group of people who work together to make kick ass products. SJ is just this guy you know.
honistly who gives a shit.”
honistly Mort, I believe Apple supporters and Wall Street give a really friggen’ big shit.
It can’t be fun being ignorant AND semiliterate.
I have to agree.. Steve Jobs needs to cool his heels and show the people some respect. Its the people who have taken his products and make them worth something.
Every time I have seen him it is been when he is around his nitch folks. No one can approach him and even say hi. That’s bad.
He has plenty of time. Since his employees are the ones now pulling the load, I think he should have a little more time to at least shake hands and say hi to folks.
I wish he would, this action just might be the best marketing he will ever need or do.
Jobs should be more open to his fans, but considering he is a rock star of sorts, it would be difficult for him to sign autographs or shake hands with everyone. I would bet Bill Gates would be far worse with his ultra geek personality.
@Rich Meyer
“”Yes he does not have time for the little people but in the end the little people ….”
uh, no, he often prsonse personally to user email. (google,is your friend.)
those art he only ppl that matter. there are no “little ppl” –unless we’re stoned.
mw: moved. wild thing (c1) i think you moved me.
btw, violet blue is porn star.
mw: “cut” the cake.
Ok… Steve is an asswhipe, big time. I could care less about him than he about any of us. I just like apple products. Steve can bite me!
Ted,
You sound a bit cranky. I’ll bet you haven’t killed anything in the last ten minutes. Any chance that you have a .44 mag slug that wants to make a journey to the center of your mind?