January 09, 2007
News Flash: Entire World Becomes Apple Fanboys + Girls
Or so you'd think everyone wetting themselves about the new Apple phone - which incidentally everyone including The Steve is still calling the iPhone, despite Cisco's legal claim to that name.
During an interview with CNBC TV, Steve Jobs, aka Stock Options Steve, claimed that mobile video is a killer app because they'd sold 50,000,000 downloads of TV show episodes. Yeah, but is anyone actually watching them on their video iPods, afer the content purchase? Research says that a very small percentage (can't find the reference; guessing at 16%) use the video features of their mobile devices, including the iPod. That's hardly a killer app now, is it Stevie?
But what's that got to do with the new Apple Phone? Well, this device, if you don't already know, must be like manna from heaven because it's got everything: calling, video, audio playing, etc. Though it ain't got buttons. A phone with no buttons, and it took them 200 filed patents. And they're banking on, changing their name from Apple Computers, Inc., to just Apple, Inc., to show their decreasing focus on just computers. Hoo boy. Wonder what Sir Paul McCartney is going to say about Stevie once again trying to steal the name "Apple".
Said Jobs wisely, "...wish we could sell for $100 but we can't. It's a little more expensive than that." A little? The phone goes for US$499 and $599. That's not a little, Steve. Once again, you've maintained your elitist strategy.
Now, I've secretly been an Apple fanboy since my hands first touched one of the 1st generation Apple computers. But Apple's always been just beyond my computer budget. While it's true that my next computer has a 70% chance of being an Apple, call me an old-fashioned gadget freak because I can't fathom spending $500+ on a device that could be easily lost or damaged. (Sure, my Treo 650 runs for $399+, but I got it during a promo for $150. And my beloved iPod nano was a gift.) But for those people who are not fanboys/ girls and just want a phone, the Apple Phone is just too much. Well, at least you can look at the phone. I won't pay for this phone, but if Apple ever comes up with a voice-activated car....
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