Friday, June 14, 2013

A Ushanka Tech Update

For those who do not know, we come from a technology background.  So we saw a bit of the recent news out of Apple and Microsoft and felt compelled to share our thoughts.

First, Tim Cook should have come out on stage at the WWDC conference this past week and said, "Steve Jobs is still dead.  We have no idea how he did it."  He then should have walked off the stage.

Instead, he chose to embarrass himself and his company, and probably a few in the audience.

Except, maybe, this guy...


So the big innovation with the iPhone will be a new look.  The icons will appear - wait for it -  "flatter".


And the Mac Pro, Apple's top desktop computer, will have a re-designed box.


Dear Apple,

You can't replace a Steve Jobs.  Stop trying to act like Apple is some cutting-edge dynamic and innovative company.  
You're a bloated company filled with super-bright employees who lack a strong leader with a compelling vision.  You will now follow the same path as Xerox did over 20 years ago.  You'll fail to recognize innovation within, and watch the best among you leave.
Our advice: cancel all future MacWorld and WWDC shows and start telling your market about new products or upgrades the same way Buick does: buy a commercial.

Sincerely,

Karl



They might have been cheering at Microsoft after this Apple news.  They should be.  Microsoft sold its soul long ago (if it ever had one).  They chose Corporate over Consumer and have been forced to follow others down the innovation path ever since.  The only way Microsoft will look good when compared to Apple is when Apple fails as it is doing now.

The only innovation out of Microsoft in the past two decades has been the high-gloss wax used to buff Steve Balmer's bald head to a radiant sheen before he takes the stage at an all-staff meeting to do the fat-boy dance.




The new Microsoft X-Box game system is coming out, and here are some interesting "features."  BTW - Did Microsoft's Marketing department convene even one focus group?

The system must connect to the Internet every 24 hours to upload your gaming activity, or it's "No X-Box for you!"


You cannot share games.  A purchased game may be sold once to a registered X-Box user.

The camera and microphone stay on even when the machine is off.


And only for $499.

Maybe there is a market that will pay that price.  Or maybe it'll be $249 a couple months after launch.

Assuming there isn't a recall.

Our advice:  only produce a dozen at a time and relish in the media reports of a nationwide shortage.


The good news: there is plenty of innovation going on.  Former Apple and Microsoft employees, and other enthusiastic independent thinkers, are working long hours in Silicon Valley on the next batch of services and products for us (and the NSA).

Full disclosure: We use Apple products and were big fans of both Apple and Steve Jobs.  We don't play video games (except for Tetris on our iPhone).

Our previous posts about Steve Jobs:

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