Okay. So one thing I like to do is watch all the old Stevenotes from Macworld Expos. I love to do this because it lets me see how far technology has come. A few years ago a computer that had an 800 MHz processor was considered a super computer. And a few years ago, a computer with less features would cost up to $700 dollars more. It's great to see how much better and cheaper you can get thing now.
Macworld 2003. Apple introduced the very first 17" notebook computer. Nobody had ever had a 17" before. And they included another industry first. A backlit keyboard, with an ambient light sensor that automatically brought the backlight up as the room lights went down. It blew peoples minds, and obviously was copied in almost every other high end notebook to this day. They also introduced a new wireless internet standard 802.11g. Which is now on it's way out to make way for 802.11n (which Apple also introduced to notebooks). They did all these things while making a larger notebook than any of their competetors while also making it thinner and lighter than any competing notebook computer. This computer was a little less than 1 inch thick and weighed only 6.8 pounds, while most other notebooks that had 15" screens were up to 2 inches thick and weighed up to 10 pounds.
They also introduced the worlds smallest full featured notebook computer. It had a 12" screen. Now mind you, this is measured diagonally so the actual width of the computer was roughly 11". It had all the same features as the 17" notebook but was a little slower. It was 1.2" thick and weighed 4.6 pounds. Which is a little thicker and more than a little lighter than the computer I am currently typing this on.
This is widely considered the greatest of Steve Jobs' Keynote speeches. With every announcement the crowd went bananas. Apple introduced so many industry first which are now industry standards.
And I feel now that this excitement is gone from computing.
In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone. It was phenomenal, it was different, it was truly revolutionary. That was exciting, even if it was and is flawed. At Macworld 2008, Apple introduced the MacBook Air. "The World's Thinnest Notebook Computer" and it is goregeous. It is extremely thin, and at first it was exciting. But when people realized how much stuff was missing, the excitement turned into almost hostility. It doesn't have a disc drive, which Apple still contends that most future notebooks won't need them. It has only one USB port that is really hard for anything except Apple cable to get to. It wastes a space in the I/O, that could be used for another USB port, for an external display hook up. This is Apple's foray into the subnotebook/netbook market, yet it has a full 13" display and keyboard. I spoke with a man that refuses to buy any new Macs because they are too big. He is still using a 12" PowerBook G4. He figured out that Apple could make a notebook with a full size keyboard and only have an 11.6" display. Many Apple fans and Mac users dream of a Mac netbook, and for every keynote or special event they dream Steve will announce it. And for the most part, it angers them that Apple made the MBA as their answer to other company's netbooks, which all have disc drives. The MBA is way more expensive than a more featured, and faster MacBook that is only 1/4 of an inch bigger than the thickest point of the MBA.
What this all kind of comes down too I guess, is that Apple fanatics are begging for something and Apple is ignoring them. They were there when Apple was wasting time and money on things like, TiVo type devices, video game consoles, digital cameras, portable CD players, and other rediculous things. And though most of those things they tried were the first of their kind, they weren't what Apple needed to be focusing on. And loyal Apple enthusiasts stuck by them. They sent out emails about how great the Mac was, they went to computer stores on their days off and voluntarily helped sell Macs to customers. And Apple is ignoring and insulting these people.
I have been an Apple geek for almost 6 years now. Although I have only been an official Mac owner for a month or so. I have always felt part of the Apple community. I have been an Apple activist, and zealot for all those years even when I didn't own one. I know what I am talking about more than a lot of people that work in the Apple retail stores.
Apple users will always be there, but they are getting sick of being ignored. If Apple unveils another 12" notebook or smaller, their will be block parties thrown. Apple's stock will once again and as always shoot up. And maybe more people will use their computer and other products.
If you read this whole thing...thanks. It would be cool if you would comment and told me what you think.
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Reading this further proves my theory that all Apple does is take existing products and make them smaller, lighter and add some silly gimmicks to them. The laptop they came out with in 2003 was like any other laptop except it weighed less and it was thinner. It was essentially the same product that had already been on the market, but since it was smaller and lighter and had backlit keys people went nuts. Let's be honest, backlit keys that turn on when the lights turn off? That's a gimmick if I ever saw one. Try not being bias for a second and take a look at the rest of Apple's product lineup. They just take shit that already exists and make it smaller, sleeker and add stupid gimmicks. Steve Jobs shouldn't be praised for anything because Steve Jobs is a joke.
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