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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Apple

Apple as "the world's most feminine brand"?

Fortune's Bridget Brennan has a bold statement: "Why doesn't Apple make remote controls? You ask: Why Apple? Because if any company could improve one of the world's most user-unfriendly electronic devices, it would be Apple. And then there's this: Apple just may be the world's most discreetly feminine brand." Oh man. We were with her right up until that last statement: remote controls are fairly user-unfriendly, and an Apple remote (other than, you know, the one already out there) would be a thing of beauty. But "the world's most discreetly feminine brand"? That opens up a whole can of nuts we probably don't want to open.

But what the heck, snakes be damned, let's open it up. Brennan says that women drive the economy, by influencing 80% of all purchases, and 61% of all consumer electronics products. And she says Apple is doing great, because in a market that's "dude-driven" (her words, obviously), they've brought elegance and style to their products. She says that Apple products don't need manuals, and that Apple's face-to-face customer service is excellent.

Which we mostly agree with (while even Apple fans have their issues with customer service, they do a relatively good job). But "feminine"? Do guys not like elegance and style in their products? Do they enjoy reading manuals, or using electronics that aren't user friendly? Apple is successful for these reasons, sure, but we don't quite see how that makes them "feminine." Brennan concludes by suggesting that "Apple's success [shows] when you make women happy, you make everybody happy." But we're pretty sure that, in Apple's case, it's actually the other way around.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Rumors, Apple, Mac mini

Apple to mini fans: "Be patient."

A distraught Mac mini fan (it wasn't me, though I would be distraught to hear that the mini was really, truly dead -- which it isn't yet) apparently called Apple to get the story on the little computer that could, and apparently was told to "be patient." If you believe AppleInsider's interview of an unnamed guy who claims to have spoken to an unspecified Apple representative who may have overheard some unclear plans for an unspoken time in the future, then the Mac mini may be getting a revamp soon.

Still, a little something (whatever it means) is better than nothing -- the mini hasn't seen an update or even been mentioned by Apple since last year. Part of me just kind of wants to leave it all alone -- maybe if Apple forgets they're even still selling the mini, they won't ever kill it. But I guess if an upgrade is coming, that's good news, too.

Tip of the Day

Want to drag a file to another folder and copy it instead of moving it? Press the Option key when you drag that file and it'll be duplicated rather than moved entirely.


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