Study confirms: Some people are way too invested in their favorite brand

Thanks for sharing it.

I've avoided Apple products for years, because of the myths spread by many. Price, limited functionality, lack of software.

I bought my first Mac in 2006, a MacBook. It cost about the same as a comparable PC laptop, but still looks and feels a hell of a lot better than any laptop in the last 15 years. I run no Windows apps anymore, and only ran a few for the few Windows only devices I had, which have been replaced by my iPhone.

Today, my computing life is dramatically different -- No viruses. No malware. No time spent 'cleaning up' my system. No stupid popups interrupting my work. No forced updates. Not even a tenth the number of crashes (yes, Macs crash... hardware?). No more constant upgrading BS. No more reinstalling the OS. No more stupid devices that don't work when I plug them in. No more driver nightmares. No more waiting for my PC to boot up or shutdown. I never turn off my laptop. I close the lid and it ALWAYS returns in less than 3 seconds.

My Mac and my iPhone work like my car. I get in, turn the key, it takes me where I want to go. No fuss, no muss, and no stupid opening the hood for no reason.

What have I learned in all of this?

Tech myths are dangerous productivity killers -- If someone talks about technical superiority or tech specs, that person isn't concerned with productivity, but rather bragging rights. Enjoy the bragging. I'll enjoy using my devices to the full. I can't believe all the lies I've been influenced by over the years. And today the lies continue. I don't drive an unreliable car, why would I want an unreliable computer or device?

I feel pity for all those people with stacks and stacks of old tech in their garages and all the money people waste on devices that don't last. I was one. Never again!

It makes sense, apple is a modern day techno-religion, repleate with its miracles like multi-touch gestures and thousand of prophets heralding the end of product lines. You attack my religion you attack me. For alot of human existence religion, even culture in general, is just extreme branding. Now i'm not lowering religion to the level of branding (I studied theology in college) but the same psychology is obviously at work from what I see.

This is Apple's greatest asset and liability. No one seems to particularly like Microsoft. Consequently, my personal experience has been that reviews and critiques tend to be more objective and actually helpful.

On the other hand, it is very difficult to find solutions to complex problems of objective review with Apple. In my research and posts, good questions are regularly squelched by Fanboi answers like "why would you want to do that." There are many things about OS X and Apple's UI philosophy that are in the dark ages compared to other products, but Apple may not be feeling enough pressure to move forward, thanks to the Fanboi cult.

My issue with fanboys in general is that they seem to never give anything else a chance. They have this perception that the one brand they love is the only brand that can do anything right.

I totally understand people who use products, enjoy them, and over time begin to make their consumer choices part of their identity. I think it goes too far sometimes, but I get where it comes from. What I don't get are the opposite: The people who don't buy certain products -- people who in many cases have never bought certain products -- who develop an irrational hatred towards them and their users. That hate is coming from somewhere, I just don't know where.

". . . people with high "self-brand connections" were more likely to perceive personal psychological injury when their brand was attacked . . ."

Every Troll on the internet knows this little truth. That is why you will find Apple haters reading and commenting on an Apple blog - the Troll is really saying, "I hate you for no reason and want to lash out at you!" The product is inconsequential.

But they know that by criticizing an Apple product on an Apple blog, someone is going to get their feelings hurt and feel personally attacked and respond. The best defense against Trolls is to ignore them. People with low self-esteem really hate to be ignored!



PST (unrepentant Apple fanboy who doesn't care what you think of my computer, phone, car, dog or haircut ; )

Well, I do love Apple. Really. I get excited for the announcements and I read all the rumors and I even try to guess what they might do next. I have absolutely no problem admitting that I have brand affinity. When your emotions get involved you enjoy the products more. My computer is more than just a computer to me and you're not smarter than me for enjoying your products less. My superpower is the ability to enjoy the hell out of things. I love a few other brands: Coca-Cola, Nike, K-Swiss, Mercedes... But far and away, Apple is my favorite. Advertising isn't a dirty word and neither is emotion. I appreciate the artfulness and the same way that I'll pay more for food that fills me up, tastes great, and is presented well, I'll do the same for my products. Food can be more than fuel – it can be an experience. This can be said about any product or service if you'll just shamelessly indulge and enjoy yourself. The internet is full of people who are incredibly proud of being "discerning" and they'll go through incredible lengths to not let their emotions lead them to enjoying themselves. Eat your ice cream slowly and study the lines of your car. You'll feel like you got a great deal even when you spent a little more.

FACT!!!! I love the last part "As for Apple and its products, the second a single company comes out with a notebook better than a MacBook Pro or Air, and a phone better than an iPhone, and a tablet better than an iPad, and an operating system better than OS X, and customer service better than AppleCare, and integrates it all so tightly that from top to bottom there's no mistaking the quality of the products or the experience of using them, I will kick Apple to the curb without regret.

I mean, wouldn't you? ...No? Pfft, fanboy.

I enjoyed the article, but doesn't it bother you when almost all your tech products are essentially made top-to-bottom by the same company? There's that adage that "variety is the spice of life." However, it is nice when things work together. Interestingly the PS3 gets along with WMP on a Win7 computer like they are BFFs. Go figure.

I actually had a similar YLOD experience with my first and second iPods that put me off from the company. My first iPod got bricked by an iTunes update back in 2006 along with a few thousand others. Apple publicly ignored the problem an issued a fix about three months later--I had already started using my phone as my MP3 player. A few months after that the headphone jack broke. Enter shuffle #2. It lasted about a year, but one day when I pulled it out of my USB slot it literally broke in half. Two devices over three years isn't bad, but I was considerably disappointed--especially considering I replaced the shuffle with a similar model from Coby for $20 that is still running three years later.

That was the third/fourth time Apple really upset me...so like you've done with Sony--who also wronged me with shoddy manufacturing--I broke my professional ties.