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Archive for the ‘Apple Culture’ Category
Hey everyone…. RELAX!
Friday, April 12, 2013 / Apple Culture, Business, New Media, PowerMax Culture, Technology / 0 Comments
I sure wouldn’t want Apple CEO Tim Cook’s job. Imagine what it would be like sitting at your desk with a metaphorical bank of cameras wanting to take pictures of your every move, and 1,000 internet reporters trying to figure out how to get their hands on every one of your emails, and a bunch of spies rummaging through your garbage or Read More »
Shriek!!! Apple just made my “New” iPad Obsolete!
Thursday, October 25, 2012 / Apple Culture, iPad, PowerMax Culture, Technology / 0 Comments
I gotta tell ya, I get kind of annoyed when I hear the word “obsolete” used in conjunction with the introduction of an updated piece of technology. Read More »
Upgrading Technology Has Never Been So Easy
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 / Apple Culture, iPods, MacWorld, PowerMax Culture, Technology, Uncategorized / 0 Comments
So you want the latest Apple gadget, but aren’t sure you want to spend the money to upgrade? Well, PowerMax has been solving that problem for longer than many retailers have been in business. Indeed, the PowerMax Trade in Program is one of the signatures that made PowerMax what it is today. Read More »
Customizing Your New MacBook
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 / Apple Culture, MacWorld, PowerMax Culture, Uncategorized / 0 Comments
When you buy a New MacBook Pro 2012 or MacBook Air you will probably be pretty excited to make it your own. There are many ways to customize your new MacBook. Depending on if you are a student, business person, or parent you will have different needs to customize your new MacBook. Read More »
Lead, Follow or Pull up Your Pants
Friday, May 11, 2012 / Apple Culture, Business, Technology / 2 Comments
I remember reading a story about a father who was writing a response to a questionnaire from a university about the application of his daughter to their school. Read More »
The new iPad: The prognosticators almost had it right this time!
Friday, March 9, 2012 / Apple Culture, Business, New Media, Technology / 2 Comments
Ever since the internet became a forum for bloggers, prognosticators and technology seers, its airwaves have been filled with predictions about what Apple’s going to do next. For someone who has a small degree of access into the inner workings of Cupertino, it’s always been a little bemusing to watch, especially when I already know first-hand what is or isn’t going to happen, and I see them getting it all wrong. Read More »
CES 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 / Apple Culture, Business, New Media, PowerMax Culture, Technology / 0 Comments
I just returned from a visit to CES in Las Vegas. As I wandered the halls of this enormous show, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if it were turned into one big retail store. While one might say the internet is essentially that, there’s just no way for anyone to shop on the internet and see all this stuff. Read More »
On The Death of Steve Jobs
Friday, October 7, 2011 / Apple Culture, Business, New Media, PowerMax Culture / 6 Comments
Steve’s death may create more commentary than any business leader’s death in history. He was certainly an iconic figure, and unquestionably impacted most of our lives. For me, the question for each of us is what we choose to learn from his life and death. Read More »
Lion Updated; Credit Cards; iTunes Bug and more…
Thursday, August 18, 2011 / App Store, Apple Culture, Business, iTunes, OS, Software, Support, Technology / 1 Comment
10.7.1 is out
If you are one of the few who upgraded to Lion 10.7, Apple just issued the first, much-needed, update. It consists of the usual round of bug fixes and no visible changes. I installed it immediately, did the usual repair-permissions thing, and am using it now. Read More »
Final Cut Pro X – What was Apple thinking?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 / Adobe, App Store, Apple Culture, Software, Technology / 13 Comments
That’s a question a lot of video editing professionals are asking in regards to the latest edition of Final Cut Pro recently released by Apple. By completely re-thinking the idea as to how video editing is done and re-working Final Cut Pro from the ground up, Apple has managed to tick off or alienate a reasonably large percentage of the professional editing population. Read More »
Apple Issued New Security Update – 2011-003
Friday, June 3, 2011 / Apple Culture, OS, Security / 4 Comments
Yesterday Apple issued a new Security Update, 2011-003, to fix problems with the MacDefender malware that has been biting so many people. (This after two weeks of denying the problem existed.) Read More »
Innovation in America: An Endangered Species
Friday, December 3, 2010 / Apple Culture, Business, Microsoft / 8 Comments
If innovation were an animal, the government would’ve put it on the endangered species list by now. I have many opinions as to why this has happened, but then again, I have a lot of opinions about everything, including my opinions. Read More »
Second Guessing Apple
Thursday, November 11, 2010 / Apple Culture, Xserve / 4 Comments
If corporate rumor mongering, article-writing, blog-posting, second-guessing and the like could be collected into hill-sized piles, Apple’s pile might be the size of Mt. Everest… while the average of all the rest of the world’s companies might barely reach the height of a baseball pitching mound. Read More »
Apple TV 2.0 and an all new iPod lineup
Friday, September 3, 2010 / Apple Culture, iPods, iTunes / 0 Comments
Holy Cow, as Harry Caray used to say, Apple hit one out of the park with their September 1st music event. They took the #1 lineup of media devices in the world and basically changed them all again. While most companies would be happy to rest on their laurels, Apple seems to always have a knack for wanting to push us all into the next level… for better or worse. With these announcements, it seems for the better…
Our Apple Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Thinking Like the Intelligentsia and Love the iPad
Thursday, July 29, 2010 / Apple Culture, PowerMax Culture / 3 Comments
The idea for this article germinated as I once again struggled with our relatively new phone system. I say relatively new, because although we’ve had it in place for close to a year, I still have no real idea how to use it.
In fact, I would guess that most of our employees understand about 5% of the capabilities of the things. The phones feature LCD screens with menu options to infinity and beyond, and are graced with rows and rows of buttons, most of which remain unlabeled. And yet all the enticing features they offer to those willing to get a diploma in Business Phone 101 mostly go to waste because 95% of the time all we want to do is answer the damn phone. Read More »
A Dent In The Great Apple Universe
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 / Apple Culture, PowerMax Culture / 0 Comments
Many of you may have seen the news that Apple just passed Microsoft as the second-largest U.S. company, at least in terms of stock market capitalization. By that calculation, Apple only trails Exxon-Mobil in size and they are now the largest technology company in the world. Give ‘em a few more months, and maybe we’ll be pouring iPods and iPads into our gas tanks. Read More »
Flash Forward: a Microsoft, Adobe and Apple Software Smackdown
Thursday, April 29, 2010 / Adobe, Apple Culture, Flash, Microsoft / 5 Comments
As a regular user of various Microsoft, Adobe and Apple software products, I’ve been able to develop a bit of an opinion as to whether they better resemble a 1976 AMC Pacer or a 2010 Mercedes.
I’m no software techno-geek, but I’m not a mechanic either. Despite that deficiency, I still appreciate and understand the differences between the ride of a nice new Mercedes and a Pacer. (My Dad bought a Pacer way back when, by the way. At the time, it kind of looked cool, in a geeky sort of way, but he eventually got so frustrated by its mechanical problems that he cut out great big yellow cardboard lemons, detailed all the issues on each lemon, taped them in the windows, and parked the beast as close to the dealership as he could.
(Nothing ever came of all that, but I think he felt better.)
Read More »
The iPad- Your Opinion Is Worthless
Thursday, February 4, 2010 / Apple Culture / 17 Comments
I’ve been mulling over the iPad ever since it’s introduction. I’ve found that a week or two of mulling is almost always necessary after Apple announces a new product. I’ve been in the theater many times when Steve is giving a keynote, and nearly everyone walks out with stars in their eyes and wallets in their hands afterward. It’s only after some amount of contemplation that the real value of the product starts to sink in.
I swear Steve Jobs should be appointed Secretary of State of head of the UN or something… he could talk a leopard out of its spots… and it would walk away with earbuds stuck in its ears. Read More »
The iPad- Was I Blown Away?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 / Apple Culture / 10 Comments
In my last article I opined that Apple would either blow me away or cause me to go a little ho hum on the product.
We know now what it is… so did it blow me away? Again, I will emphasize that I’m only writing from a personal perspective here. After all, Apple does a terrific job of telling you what you want. I don’t really need to add to their very professional, slick messaging. But for me personally… the answer is “no.” Read More »
Take Two iTablets and Call Me In the Morning
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 / Apple Culture / 16 Comments
Once upon a time, long, long ago, before Al Gore invented the internets and people only knew what they were told by professional writers in things called magazines, Apple and Steve Jobs controlled their very own universe. They sat in Cupertino and dreamed up new and exciting ways for people to interact with electronic devices, then Steve could take the stage in San Francisco and absolutely blow everyone away with a new gadget, upgrade or computer that no one saw coming.
Steve has since mastered many other arts of marketing and showmanship, but that heretofore cornerstone to his act is a little bit like taking the liquor away from W.C. Fields.
It’s just not the same anymore. But, W.C. is dead, and a whole lot of younger people might not even know who he was, so one thing is true: things change. I’m not sure Apple will ever be able to spring a huge surprise on us ever again. Read More »
The Real Star of The Apple Updates – The 24″ LED Display
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
Uncharacteristically, early in the morning, Apple updated over half the Mac lineup. Most updates from Apple happen to just one product line at 10 AM on a given Tuesday morning. This time, Apple updated the Mac Pro, Mac mini, iMac, 15” MacBook Pro, Airport Extreme base station, and Time Capsule all at once… and before most of us had our coffee. Despite all these updates, the real star of today’s changes was barely mentioned, and that is the Apple 24” LED Cinema Display, now that it can attach to almost any new Mac. Read More »
The Internet As Water Cooler
Monday, January 5, 2009 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
I find it interesting to watch human behavior. We definitely have a way of thinking and acting collectively that seems to be somewhat different than what we might do all by ourselves.
Oh No! Apple’s Pulling Out of MacWorld!!!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
Apple just announced that the 2009 MacWorld is going to be its last MacWorld Expo. As a long-time veteran of this event (as well as many other trade shows), I figured I’d weigh in before I even read all the sky-is-falling articles that are sure to abound at the news of this “dramatic” news.
Here’s hoping the App Store teaches Apple a lesson…
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
From modest beginnings with just a few hundred applications when iTune “App Store” first opened for business in June 2008 to over 10,000 apps today, it’s clear that mini apps for your iPhone and iPod touch are a big hit.
New Mac Minis… When is the right time to buy a new Mac?
Monday, November 3, 2008 / Apple Culture / 1 Comment
When is the right time to buy a new Mac?
Anyone who has managed sales people in the technology field will understand and even laugh about what I’m going to say: A lot of knowledgeable technicians make absolutely the worst sales people, both from the owner’s and customer’s perspective.
Why I Thought of Apple While Hanging Christmas Lights
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
In some ways, Apple and Christmas make strange bedfellows. First of all, Christmas is a time of giving, and Apple’s culture is about as averse to philanthropy as Brittney Spears is to parenthood (hey, cheap shots to go all ‘round!).
However, while hanging Christmas lights on our house, it reminded me why Apple is successful (I tried to keep these stray thoughts limited to the times I wasn’t tilting one-legged on an overextended, shaky ladder while trying to reach that last hook).
Consumption Vs. Creation: Apple’s Changing Balance
Wednesday, June 27, 2007 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
Over the last six years, Apple has existed as a computer company that also makes consumer devices. Every year, Apple has become more divided between its device business and its computer business. The result is that Apple essentially exists as two different companies doing business under one name. One company makes products of media consumption, such as the iPod, iTunes, and Apple TV. The other, older side of Apple is a toolmaker for creative people.
The Macintosh and the software that comes from Apple are products used for creation. They’re used to make great new things or create a better understanding of the world in your mind. Macintosh computers, and the software that runs on them, are founded on user creativity. However, 2007 has been a year of growing the consumption company to greater prominence, and relegating the creative departments to the back of the bus. This has and will continue to have impact on those of us who love using the Mac.
When a Vote Costs a Buck
Friday, September 15, 2006 / Apple Culture, PowerMax Culture / 0 Comments
I often think of the dollars I spend as votes. I’m not sure everyone thinks of their expenses the same way, but I believe it’s a good consumer strategy.
Here is my thinking: when you spend your money at a particular establishment, you are basically “voting” for that business to stay around. You are telling them “I appreciate the service and/or price you are offering, so I am going to give you my dollars to help you stay in business so that I might use you again.”
Read More »
Will Windows on the Mac make or break the Mac OS’s future?
Tuesday, April 11, 2006 / Apple Culture, OS / 0 Comments
One of the most repeated quotes of Steve Jobs is: “It’s better to be a pirate than join the navy.” With Apple’s announcement that it’s going to facilitate installing Windows for Intel Mac owners, I can only wonder if Apple has “joined the navy.” This decision could potentially propel the Mac towards Dell-like sales, but could also wreak havoc in a growing Mac application market. The reality will most likely be somewhere in between, but not even Apple knows for sure what the outcome will be.
Apple Tries to Create Tranquility Out of “Universal” Confusion
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
With Apple’s introduction of Intel based Mac models, they also introduced a new icon for Mac users to look for when buying software. The “Universal Binary” icon indicates that software will run on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. The new icon has the suggestion of peace and order by impersonating the Chinese “Yin-Yang.” The reality of what this will mean is almost the complete opposite. This is because these first Intel Macs are the incentive for software makers to introduce versions of their applications that will run on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Even Apple is not ready for all its software to run on these new computers. Before running out today and buying one of the Intel Macs, you’ll have to consider what this will mean for you.
What does Apple’s announcement about the move to Intel processors mean?
Tuesday, December 20, 2005 / Apple Culture / 0 Comments
With Apple’s announcement that they will be switching from the IBM PowerPC chip to Intel at the Worldwide Developers Conference last week, many people have been wondering what impact this change will have on the Mac.
From our point of view, there is a lot of good news in regards to this announcement.
First of all, this move reinforces Apple’s commitment to remaining a market leader in all aspects of the Mac platform. It had become abundantly clear that IBM was not able to keep up with the performance increases users have come to demand. On laptops, for instance, Intel simply has much better technology when it comes to low-heat processors; IBM simply wasn’t able to produce the G5 chip in a form factor that would work in a portable computer.
