Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple
Three stories I hope will go away in 2007
Soon 2006 will be but a memory in our collective. There were many highlights, and we'll be focusing on them soon enough, however I would like to take some time to point out a few stories that I hope I will no longer have to read about in 2007:
- The iPod phone, nee iPhone: This product hasn't been released, and there is a chance it will never be released, and I'm already sick of it. Will it have buttons, will it just be an iPod with wireless, will it run a light version of OS X? I'm sick of the speculation, and this will be the last I have to say about it until Apple announces it (or Macworld 2007 comes to a close, whichever happens first).
- Gimmicky Marketing: My Dream App, Mac App A Day, MacZot, and MacHeist all captured plenty of headlines this year. Some developers loved them, some developers hated them, and most Mac users were just happy to get cheap (or free) software. Let's just move on people, these sites are simple marketing tactics. There is nothing nefarious about them, nor is there anything particularly inventive about them. If you enjoy participating in them, continue to do them. If you dislike them with the red hot passion of a thousand suns, that's cool. Can everyone just please agree to stop chattering about them?
- Zune/Vista bashing: Microsoft bashing is something of a staple on the Mac web, but I tire of it. I have been using Vista as one of my primary OSes since Vista Enterprise became available, and you know what? I like it. Do I like it as much as OS X? No, but it is the best version of Windows I have ever used (a title previously held by Windows 2003). As for the Zune, I have yet to see one in person but I hope that it succeeds. Apple could use a strong rival in the MP3 player space, because competition fosters innovation. Let's face it, the iPod of today is pretty much the iPod of 2 years ago with a color screen and more storage. Let's see how Apple can crush the Zune with innovation.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
John Connuck said 9:06PM on 12-21-2006
I couldn't agree more.
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penfold said 9:28PM on 12-21-2006
um. What's "Windows 2003"?
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Sam said 9:47PM on 12-21-2006
You want to stop talking about the most exciting Apple rumor, the biggest Apple shareware promo ever, and Apple's arch rival and nemesis, Microsoft?
So what are we going to talk about now? ... Pudding ... pudding ...
It kinda sounds like maybe you'd like to be writing for a different blog? I mean, no offense or anything - but you're 'sposed to be a fanatic about the subject your blog is covering.... just sayin'
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Shaun said 9:47PM on 12-21-2006
Wise words. I'm so tired of hearing about My Dream App and all that jazz. It was interesting at first but jeez, shut up about it already.
As per comment #2: Win2k3 is the most recent version of the Windows Server OS.
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Geoff Pado said 9:51PM on 12-21-2006
You know what I don't want to hear? Whiny bloggers telling us what we should or should not talk about. If you don't like the conversation at hand, step out of it. No one's forcing you to read the stories you mention. If some of us want to blast anything and everything Ryu, that's our right. We're not dragging you into it, so don't demean those of us who want to blog our opinions on things we find important.
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Macskeeball said 9:52PM on 12-21-2006
This just in: Apple will be giving away an iPhone a day through a site called My Dream ZOTheist, but it will suck because it will run Vista and emulate the Zune.
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Sham The Sam said 9:52PM on 12-21-2006
Re penfold: Windows 2003 is a server OS. And a server is a really big computer which brings you food that you order when you are in a restaurant. Kinda like a waiter or waitress, but able to support more virtual clients.
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Free software fanboy said 10:15PM on 12-21-2006
Well, I agree with 1. But didn't the iPhone come out Monday? ;)
But I don't mind the free software. Sure, it's getting plenty of attention, but hey, that's advertising and marketing. And advertising pays my salary — and yours, too. And hey, there's nothing wrong with free goodies. (I'm not trying to fan the flames, just offering my two cents.
I mostly agree with #3. But, after all, Apple products have historically been better than Microsoft's. ;)
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Scott McNulty said 10:16PM on 12-21-2006
Sam, I don't find the concept of an Apple phone all that exciting, but that's just me. And you'll notice that I said I was going to stop talking about it until after Macworld.. hmm I wonder why that might be. :) As for Macheist and their ilk, I'm just done with it. More power to them, I just don't need to constantly read about how they are screwing developers, users, and Apple. And Microsoft isn't Apple's nemesis... they are the largest maker of Mac software (outside of Apple).
Oh, and I'm not a Mac fanatic since that implies that I can't see the good in anything other than Apple products. I am very, very fond of Apple but perfect they ain't.
Sham, thanks for clearing up the Windows 2003 thing. :)
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Chris said 10:23PM on 12-21-2006
Hear! Hear!
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Scott McNulty said 10:23PM on 12-21-2006
Geoff, take a deep breath and count to ten. Ahh, isn't that better?
Of course you can talk/blog about whatever you like, I was merely pointing out 3 stories that I think have been covered to death. Nothing more, nothing less. No demeaning, but thanks for being so level headed about disagreeing with me. :)
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Joel Heflin said 10:28PM on 12-21-2006
Ok, that is the final straw. TUAW has sunk so low, produced such worthless stories, that I will not be visiting this site on a regular basis. I will remove it from my google personalized homepage. My time is too valuable to waste on reading stories written by people who seem to know less about Apple than most of the readers.
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Aron T said 10:43PM on 12-21-2006
I hope we don't hear from any of those stories or from Joel Heflin!
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Arohi said 10:43PM on 12-21-2006
I dont find this article a "waste". Scott like everyone else has his own opinions about whats happening in the Mac community. Just because you feel different about something does not mean its junk.
Its like reading news in the papers. You like something you read more. You find something that doesnt interest you, you move on.. That does NOT mean the editors shouldn't write about it.
TUAW has always been bookmarked for me NOT because I get to read about which Mac was released today, but mainly because I get to read about different things from the point of view of different people and this is just one of those.
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Anonymous Coward said 11:06PM on 12-21-2006
i love this.
a post mentioning issues better not to be mention again.
wasn't it enough to mention them on a list? did you have to actually review the issues you don't want to see reviewed anymore? and don't you realise you're just opening the discussion all over again leaving comments on?
this is sooo much blog "karma whoring"!
and please, no one has given all those themes more coverage than TUAW. better than posting about them, just ask your fellow bloggers to keep them down for a while.
don't take us for stupid readers.
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Scott McNulty said 11:11PM on 12-21-2006
Anonymous Coward, if I didn't leave the comments on I wouldn't have had the pleasure of your erudite prose.
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mike said 11:29PM on 12-21-2006
Drop the 'Zune can keep Apple on its toes' bullshit... The iPod has shown MS the way, a whole 5 years worth of 'free advice' for MS to copy. There is little innovative about the Zune, and frankly, Apple has spent the last 5 years expanding the iPod ecosystem and functionality of the iPod without hurting the main functions. Furthermore, Apple has DELIBERATELY kept the same interface so all the accessories will still work. Including new features AND lowering the price at the same time AND working with countless partners to expand the iPod universe is nothing to sneer at.
If anyone is keeping Apple on its toes, it's Samsung and the like, not freaking MS.
PS. It's okay to bash Vista when you have a 5% marketshare.
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George said 11:40PM on 12-21-2006
I agree with you..but
The rumors about Iphone and the wireless ipod the only one who can stop them is Apple and everybody understand what do i mean..but then again another rumor-product will come out!
History is repeating...:)
Same for My nightmare App,Mac App an hour ,actually we might see more of them in 2007...like totaly free mac apps is waiting for you for the ridiculous amount of money of 20,07 $
buy them now and upgrade them later in Leopard for just 20 $ each..so 2007*20=4014 $...totally awesome idea!
As for the microsoft i have stop long time ago to bother..It is just a company who likes close
formats and they charge way too much for their software!
But i don't understand why a lot of people want the zune to succeed?
Competition to ipod=better ipod
but then again competition=only zune?
fact,zune is a gigabyte mp3 player
Also there are so many mp3 players way better than zune..
So why the zune ?
Maybe in 2007 we should stop talking about crap products generally..
no offense my dear Zune but you are not the only one!
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George said 11:47PM on 12-21-2006
for my previous post..forgot to mention...the market place should call..2007mac-apps and you buy 2007 apps in a bundle!
Phillip Ryu are you listen to me......?
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Mike said 11:49PM on 12-21-2006
Well said TUAW.
Shortcomings of many other blogs are bias and fanboy journalism. Us readers love macs, but hey, i use vista from time to time, it good.
Seeing beyond os x is healthy =)
This is great! Keep up the good blogging in 2007 =D
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