THIS JUST IN! The iPhone Is Good! Back to You Bob for Traffic and Weather.
I get it. I do. The iPhone is nice. Really nice. It scrolls, it rolls, it slices, it dices. It even makes Julienne fries! It is glossy and sleek and you can touch it in the dark and not feel guilty. And if you own one, are thinking of owning one, or thinking of mugging someone who owns one, let me just say I am very happy for you. But can we please cut down on the iPhone stories? I keep seeing stories of record crowds at the various iPhone releases or hear thrilling accounts of how they can be used to do amazing things. And thats really great news and all, but we seem to be losing our focus a bit. Can I tell you a secret?
Apple makes computers too.
*GASP*
I know, it is kind of crazy. Computers you say?
O RLY?
YA RLY.
Nice computers too. In fact, they recently increased the speeds of both the MacBooks and the MacBook Pros. The iMac recently got an upgrade but the Mac Mini is stuck in limbo and the Mac Pro is still…there.
Speaking of the Mac Pro, am I the only one who thinks it is desperately waiting for an overhaul? The basic design is four and a half years old and there have been virtually no significant changes in that period. I am discounting the recent change of its internals because while that is a worthwhile change, I expect much more from Apple. I am quite disappointed if, in four years, the best they can do is squeeze in another disk dive and one or two more hard drives. Sorry, you can produce something as amazing as the iPhone and then complain that you can’t figure out how to make the Mac Pro any better. Try harder.
In fact, in addition to a structural redesign, when are we going to get the option of having a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive in our Mac Pro? Apple came down clearly on the side of Blu-Ray and that is the drive one might expect to eventually appear in their high end machines. However, since dual media drives are currently being made, I see no reason why Apple (and the rest of the industry) wouldn’t eventually move to that type. And while I understand that they are expensive, this is Apple’s highest end machine we are talking about here. After all, they’ve had the ability to edit in Hi-def for a while now, wouldn’t it be great if we could actually transfer all those wonderful movies to a disc of some type?
See where I’m going with this? Apple has devoted a lot of resources lately on the iPhone and on Leopard. These are commendable projects which definitely needed lots of work and attention and I am thrilled beyond imagining that things are going so well on both those fronts. However, the only news we seem to hear about Apple’s computer business lately (and there isn’t much news to begin with) has concerned their laptops. I get that they are doing great on that side of the house. Students everywhere seem quite impressed with Apple’s offerings and that has driven impressive sales. But what about the Mac Pro? Once again we see it left out.
I have long since given up hope that Apple will make a smaller, cheaper tower (a pipe dream if ever there was one) so any chance of improvements on that front must come in the form of a modified Mac Pro. When will that happen? Who knows. I have yet to hear even a rumor that the Mac Pro will get an upgrade. Oh, there are plenty of iPhone rumors. And of course iTablet rumors. And even a few laptop rumors. But nothing about the Mac Pro. I realize it isn’t the most popular Mac on the market, but it still has a devoted base of professionals who depend on it daily. Maybe it is finally time for Apple to invest a little on the pro side. One can only hope.
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Comments
You guys crack me up - computers, yeah right.
On a serious note - and this isn’t aimed at you James - whilst different opinions are good (we often see one contributor commenting on the story of another), articles like this… well, they don’t say anything.
It comes across as an internal memo; and certainly isn’t a “story” in any sense of the word.
I’m not going to do the “and I will be removing your so-called ‘blog’ from my RSS feeds” that a lot of people do about this point - but, seriously, what’s the point in this story?
Do you guys have either an editor or a sub-editor who views, tidys up and, occasionally, spikes stories?
In fact, in addition to a structural redesign, when are we going to get the option of having a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive in our Mac Pro?
James, “the year of HD” was sooooooo five years ago. So whatever happened to Apple being on the cutting edge regarding implementing technology in their computers, or does that only apply to getting rid of things like the floppy drive, not including them like the Blu-ray player/recorder - not even as a BTO option.
seriously, what’s the point in this story?
This is not a “story.” It’s an op-ed on a site that is mostly op-eds. That’s just the nature of the site. You can get Apple news anywhere. You come here for the unique voices and opinions of the writers of this site.
I sometimes get the impression that Apple looks at the traditional clone computer design, and does everything it can to avoid it.
Instead it wants a computer that people don’t realise is a computer. I’ve heard many times people look at an iMac and say “... and that’s the computer?”. Same goes for the MacMini. Most people probably don’t realise that the iPhone and AppleTV are also computers. Apple wants all in one designs that the user simply uses… seamlessly .... without realising that behind the scenes it has the same PC bits and pieces.
The iPod is another example of making a device look simple without users wondering what’s inside. MacBooks are a little different, still all in one but not breaking the mold (which I think Apple wants to break!).
Mac Pros don’t fit… but they have to be there for the graphics pros, and Apple has made it the best of the best. So I now agree that Apple won’t release a cut down tower… and I’m starting to wonder how (or if) they can break the mold on the tower concept. Since pros want expandability etc, the only thing I can think of is making that INCREDIBLY easy… then again, maybe Apple will just let the MacPro be its more clone-like computer.
A good article on Forbes I just saw, on computers losing their popularity as people move to different consumer devices that do what a computer does. Dovetails with my above theory that Apple is attempting to sell computers which don’t fit the mold of a “computer”.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/11/05/ap4299233.html?partner=alerts
“This is not a “story.” It’s an op-ed on a site that is mostly op-eds. That’s just the nature of the site. You can get Apple news anywhere. You come here for the unique voices and opinions of the writers of this site.”
No offence Beeb - oh, sod it, you’ll take offence anyway, so it doesn’t matter what I say.
An op-ed is simply an opinion piece, otherwise known as a “story”. It’s a wacky convention writers employ - using the word “story” to denote anything they’re writing at the time.
“Say, what story you working on?”
“I’m doing the op-ed.”
“Nice etc.”
As for the site being full of op-eds. Please do attempt to stop being an arse for just a few seconds. My point - which in typical style you glossed over to make your own - was that this site, in my humble opinion, needs some quality control in the form of an editor or sub-editor.
Unique voices are good. Submissions for their own sake are not. The quality control - again in my humble opinion - is lacking.
I do have to wonder if the headline of this article is going to bring readers who will disagree with the writer’s opinion.
oh, sod it, you’ll take offence anyway, so it doesn’t matter what I say.
Frankly, you’re the one who sounds offended, so maybe you should take your own advice. Oh, sod it. That’s not going to happen, is it.
What exactly is wrong with this piece that requires, in your not-so-humble opinion, quality control to come down like a hammer and prevent its publication? He’s expressing a Mac-related opinion in a funny and articulate way.
And James can tell you that I’m not exactly a fan of his opinions. But he makes some fairly decent points. What more do you want?
It is ironic, though, how you wrote an iPhone article asking people to stop writing iPhone articles.
Interested to read that I offered advice regarding offence. What advice was that precisely?
“Come down like a hammer and prevent its publication.”
Yeah, cause that’s what I said isn’t it.
Editing/sub-editing = “come down like a hammer”.
If you want to engage in intelligent disagreement, you have to read, absorb and react to the comments that people make. Not extrapollate them into distortion.
I want one simple thing: quality control. Too often stories/articles/pieces on this site could do with tightening-up. The points they make are lost in sloppy writing, which is a terrible waste. Not too much to ask I thought.
Interested to read that I offered advice regarding offence.
You are right. More like rank hypocrisy than advice per se. My bad.
The points they make are lost in sloppy writing, which is a terrible waste.
That wasn’t your original gripe. Your original gripe was that this article had no point at all, not that the point was lost in sloppy writing.
But he HAS a point. It’s quite plain and simple. Is your problem sloppy writing or lack of a point?
It is ironic, though, how you wrote an iPhone article asking people to stop writing iPhone articles.
It’s actually not an article about the iPhone, so if anything the article is mis-named. It’s an article about how Apple seems to be neglecting the Mac Pro line.
Sometimes I don’t know why I bother…
There really is no point in attempting anything resembling an adult discussion/argument with someone who changes their story, edits in their own head the things you’ve actually written, purposely mis-quotes or misinterprets and, if all else fails, makes things up.
I get more considered reasoning from my five year old daughter.
@hitchhiker,
I realize, as the author, my opinion is somewhat biased, but I’m going to have to agree with Beeb on this one.
In your first comment you complain that this “story” doesn’t “say anything”. Ok, that is your opinion and I thank you for it. However, when Beeb points out (fairly reasonably too) that if you were expecting a news “story” then you came to the wrong place, you get offended.
You next complain about the quality control, which is also a valid complaint. Ok, you don’t like the quality of my writing, I’m very sorry. But when Beeb asks just what is wrong with this piece, you now claim your problem is with the “sloppy writing”.
After that the debate kind of falls apart as such. However you never really said what you had a problem with.
In case you didn’t see, my article does have a point. Now, you can argue that you don’t agree with my point, that the point isn’t relevant or that it was written in a poor manner, but you can’t complain that this was a fluff piece about daisies and rainbows.
If you have a valid complaint I’m willing to listen, but so far all you’ve managed to do is make Beeb sound like the voice of reason.
I’m just saying. . .
With the greatest of respect James - what I said in my first comment was…
“It comes across as an internal memo; and certainly isn’t a “story” in any sense of the word.”
and
“Do you guys have either an editor or a sub-editor who views, tidys up and, occasionally, spikes stories?”
In short, I both asked “why?” and made comment about quality control. I repeat - in the same initial comment.
I didn’t get offended by Beeb’s comments regarding news, merely his assertion that, as I’d used the word “story”, that didn’t include so-called “op-ed” pieces. Maybe it’s a difference in the vernacular but, to me as a former journalist, they’re one and the same.
So I’ve never changed my opinion or attitude, I made TWO initial points, and have carried them through until now. And I maintain both of them. Sorry, nothing personal I assure you.
There’s some good writing on AM but far too much of it gets lost because it’s not well-written. To me, this piece was just one example. And, again, I apologise if you consider this statement rude.