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Do you appreciate apple? Appreciate Steve Jobs?--- but think there is other exceptional technological life out there?

silverfox

Posts: 3178

Oct 15, 2011 1:09 PM GMT

Ok can we talk? That is, if there IS anyone out there like me....that doesn't necessarily think everything apple does everything perfect and doesn't stand in line for the opportunity to purchase a phone?

Is there anyone out there? LOL. Who knows maybe I am going to be a thread of one here.

Is there anything that you are doing, using with a computer or a phone that isn't apple based? Something that might work better than something driven by the apple regime?

For me, it is music. Though I like to look at the itunes chart to see what is out there....the day I started using rdio www.rdio.com was the last day I ever used my ipod. For about 10 bucks a month I can listen to anything I want as many times as I want anywhere I want. I just don't own the music and I no longer care to. I can make my own playlists, listen to my music on my phone, through my sound system, through my TV, and yes through my ipad and my macbook (as well as any other computer).

There are similar services out there like www.mog.com and www.spotify.com.

For me having my music "cloud based" is a better way to have my music with me and become exposed to music I would never have known about (there is a "social" component to these services as well), It literally changed the way I listen and use music.

How about you? Anything in particular that you do in this world that isn't apple based?

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Oct 15, 2011 2:01 PM GMT

ohioguy12

Posts: 2024

Oct 15, 2011 2:03 PM GMT

I'm with you

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Oct 15, 2011 2:43 PM GMT

I'm with you silver, I don't own anything Apple (as a matter of morals, of course)

I acknowledge apples products (had turned into, and were for recent years) some amazing products with some questionable 'ethics' behind them.

I mean, seriously, sell ONLY music that is specific to Apple products from the iStore? This was the biggest turn off for me. I could find the same music, often more, at amazon or elsewhere and I could download it in good ol' universal mp3 and play it on ANY "mp3 player".

I believe they eventually switched that over? But the fact that they even considered not selling music that doesn't play on other devices is a complete joke.

And oh my, don't get me started on Apple's music products. An mp3 Player that you can't pull songs OFF of? Only one-way transfers? what a JOKE. And you are expected/"required" to use iTunes to do it? What the hell happened to freedom of choice?

That said, Steve Jobs was a technical and visual mastermind and has brought many wonderful products to this world. His impact will last forever.

*Note: I know that most of the products can be hacked to do the things they weren't designed to do. Using that as an excuse for "oh but you CAN get music off an iPod!" is a complete joke. I can not only pull music on/off my creative products, I can use them as HDD space + use them in media player, winamp, windows explorer, various sundry downloads, etc, with NO hassle.

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Oct 15, 2011 2:45 PM GMT

Dammit silver, you got me all worked up and i've hardly been up 30 minutes

Time to go.. work off some frustrations >

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Oct 15, 2011 3:06 PM GMT

come on just think of this world without Apple...

They have vision and the best design team what can I say

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Oct 15, 2011 3:16 PM GMT

silverfox saidHow about you? Anything in particular that you do in this world that isn't apple based?

Nope, mostly not. I've been using Apple at home since 1983. But I was Windows Certified 10 years ago, and 2 days ago I went over to a woman's home to successfully resolve some Windows problems she had.

She gave me a bottle of Boodles gin in payment. YAY!!!! I'm drinking it right now, though admittedly a little early.

Ah, well, Sunday, and for once I think our social calendar is clear.

So it's not like I'm stubborn and a brand-slave, or part of a cult. But I can see what works well, and what doesn't.

Apple has brilliant integration of its software and its hardware. Nobody even comes close. And frankly, as a gay man, I love their esthetics. No computer on Earth, no device, looks better than what Apple puts out. It's like a work of art is sitting on your desk, or held in your hand.

These Apple guys just do it better. And I think it's the other team who are really the cultists, and the brand loyalists, for refusing to admit it, in the face of overwhelming evidence. Their envy simply oozes from every sentence they write.

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Oct 15, 2011 3:19 PM GMT

I'm on board. (TLDR to the OP.)

Apple has done a lot of great things, but they've had their share of flops too. I also hate being locked into their proprietary products. I have my music from iTunes, but that's as much as I'm willing to commit to them. They lagged behind for a long time. People forget that their amazing success was a relatively recent change.

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Oct 15, 2011 3:20 PM GMT

Shit_is_Fucked_Up_and_BS said...Oh, the iCloud is right around the corner. The Apple regime is your friend.
I do have a Vitamix that is not Apple, but that is about it.

Agree on the Vitamix 100% and all my cardio equipment, camcorder and cameras are not Apple. Some of the fitness related programs, such as from Suunto and a program for rowing competition only run on Windows. So I have a Windows 7 laptop just for those programs. Actually cheaper than getting Parallels or Fusions for the Mac then having to buy a full Windoes license. Also keeps all that Microsoft stuff off my Mac.

One thing, I have never been anti non-Mac products, such as Android. Competition makes everything better. The more Android offers, the more the iPhone will have and visa versa. Also fan of Google products in general, as well as Sony Playstation3 and Roku - fantastic device, and Amazon. Use Roku for Amazon instant video, and Netflix, though getting a bit tired of them. I do not have Apple TV, btw.

As for getting things the first day, I have been doing that because it lets me get the most value from equipment I sell. For example, I got an offer from Gazelle, several days before the 4S launch to sell my 4. If I waited to get the offer, the amount would decline because of everyone else selling their 4. Then the best way to ensure I get the 4S and get my 4 to them within the 30 day window is to buy online as soon as possible, which means getting the 4S on launch day.

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Oct 15, 2011 3:41 PM GMT

Yes...

But it's the only technology brand that hasen't even let me down unlike others that are a consistent source of elevated blood pressure and frustration...

Others may be cheaper, have more features for the same buck or might be available more readily but they always prove to be so deeply deeply disappointing.

Apple is just good at meeting my expectations... And I value that consistentancy most. It's my hyper analytical slightly OCD personality.

written on my IPad... In Starbucks...wearing my A&F hoodie and Nike sneakers...

No offence but this is a Gen X/ Gen Y thing you older guys weren't raised to have a 'relationship' and relationship like expectations from the products you consume....

It's not just apple... I spoke to countless people last week who felt betrayed completely and totally by their blackberrys

daveindenver

Posts: 411

Oct 15, 2011 3:45 PM GMT

ANDROID !

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Oct 15, 2011 5:11 PM GMT

First, a bit of history.

About 10 years ago, Steve Jobs, a musician, was watching the Napster craze affecting that industry and has this ability to convince people to do the right thing.

The iPod led to the iPhone because people love the convenience of online music. The music industry was eventually convinced that $0.99 a song was in their best interest as people grew to resent having to drive to a record store and try to find music (an entire album at a time) while listening to whatever drek the store employees wanted to listen to. And, they grew fond of not having to deal with "out of stock" or having to wait for a CD to be special ordered. Or having to explain to a white guy with dreadlocks, huge ear piercings, nose and lip rings, why I wanted BT's Somnambulist.

Hardware wise, the iPod didn't suck. Ultimately, iTunes paved the way.

I understand the problem of DRM not allowing you to play their music on other devices. It has to be a proprietary system or it won't be secure. It has to be secure or the content providers won't support streaming to your device. http://blog.netflix.com/2010/11/netflix-on-android.html

I do EDM from AudioJelly and Beatport, sometimes in raw, not MP3 format. But, I pay more than $2 a song for the privilege.

dancedancekj

Posts: 1761

Oct 15, 2011 5:25 PM GMT

Apple did a great thing by making technology accessible to the masses. Grandma can, in fact, listen to an iPod, use an iPhone, and a one year old can play with an iPad, since it is amazingly intuitive and the interface is just smooth.

That being said, I prefer non-apple stuff for the propriety reasons mentioned. It's cheaper, and I can usually fix them or upgrade them if I choose. I know my way around non-Mac computers from when I was an early age, and learned my computer skills from people who were in the computer stuff long before Jobs or Apple products became popular. Apple isn't the end all for anything, but it is very well suited for simple tasks.

I hate the personality cult and the intrinsic idea that Apple is superior to everything technology wise, and that there's somehow an identity with using an Apple product. Call me a technology hipster, but I bought an mp3 player before the iPod, a tablet PC before the iPad etc.

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Oct 15, 2011 5:31 PM GMT

Compare the MacIntosh architecture to its close cousin, the PC.

If you take one of each apart, you will see they use the same Intel CPU, probably the same NVidia graphics chip. It actually impacts us that Microsoft doesn't make computers and faces lawsuits unless they keep themselves open to supporting an infinite number of hardware permutations.

You can't take a hard drive out of a Dell and plug it into any other Dell model, or worse, any other brand of PC and expect it to not cry about missing software drivers.

The good news is Dell only has to design the motherboard and stick it in a big metal box. The bad news is this motherboard has to comfortably accommodate more than 5 different families of graphics chips from hundreds of manufacturers around the world that solder those parts onto circuit boards, write their own device driver software.

Worse, Microsoft software has to run on hardware that is slowed down or designed to meet certain price points and speed expectations so a manufacturer can serve a market segment (a.k.a WalMart).

Apple, on the other hand, their success and unwillingness to open their operating system to other computer manufacturers, is in a position to control both the hardware AND software. They test, verify, and design for only graphics cards that they design or specify.

A Mac Powerbook will have faster memory, faster hard drive, faster graphics than most of its peers in the Microsoft camp because they have no reason to use slower parts as long as those faster parts are in sufficient supply.

Unless, they're designing the Macbook Air and have to cope with a smaller battery.

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Oct 15, 2011 5:52 PM GMT

dancedancekj said
I hate the personality cult and the intrinsic idea that Apple is superior to everything technology wise, and that there's somehow an identity with using an Apple product. Call me a technology hipster, but I bought an mp3 player before the iPod, a tablet PC before the iPad etc.

I understand. But, Apple margins drive them to providing technically superior hardware and software and use their $40 Bln cash hord to buy large numbers of components at a discount or buy the manufacturer itself so it can avoid shortages.

Microsoft is learning that accommodating every browser plugin on the planet leaves their entire ecosystem vulnerable to spyware and other issues that impacts their customers. IE10 will be closed to plugins.

Microsoft is forced to assemble legal departments just to close down BotNets they and their plug-in partners helped create.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/27/microsoft_kelihos_botnet_takedown/

My former real estate agent would LOVE to be able to dump her PC and go MAC because she hates spending time with Geek Squad because of viruses she gets from other agents her AV doesn't block.

silverfox

Posts: 3178

Oct 15, 2011 5:53 PM GMT

Cobalt saidDammit silver, you got me all worked up and i've hardly been up 30 minutes

Time to go.. work off some frustrations >

Note from the Op:

Colbalt if you need any help getting those frustrations worked out you let me know. I don't know if you are frustrated with me, the thread, with apple...but it doesn't matter - whatever the reason I am here for you.

PS... though I believe that apple revolutionized the way music is downloaded- I am wondering if anyone else is using a music subscription cloud service like I am with Rdio. Is this not a better, cheaper, smarter way to purchase and listen to music? Those of you who don't know of this may not know what you are missing.

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Oct 15, 2011 5:53 PM GMT

I love Apple products, but I don't limit myself to them.

My iPod Touch was one of the best purchases I've ever made, and I think it's a fantastic music player with all the apps and extra features that other players don't have. The iPhone on the other hand, is not something I'd buy (yet?). For sending messages, I still prefer number keypads and the T9 dictionary which lets me type faster, more accurately, and without looking! Another thing is that I don't want my media and entertainment device to sap the battery of a tool I depend on for communication. The iPhone also doesn't have actual file storage. AND IT COSTS SO MUCH! I love my Nokia!

On one hand, I love my MacBook. It's an Air, and super small, light, and convenient. I usually hate trackpads on laptops, but the one on the MacBook is amazing! On the other hand, I love Windows. Never had any problems with Vista (why the big deal?), and can't wait for Windows 8!

Another thing that comes to mind is gaming. Apple doesn't have a console, and admit it. Gaming on iOS or an iMac/MacBook isn't as engaging as an Xbox.

So yes! Sign me up for this thread!

dancedancekj

Posts: 1761

Oct 15, 2011 5:59 PM GMT

RobertF64 said
dancedancekj said
I hate the personality cult and the intrinsic idea that Apple is superior to everything technology wise, and that there's somehow an identity with using an Apple product. Call me a technology hipster, but I bought an mp3 player before the iPod, a tablet PC before the iPad etc.

I understand. But, Apple margins drive them to providing technically superior hardware and software and use their $40 Bln cash hord to buy large numbers of components at a discount or buy the manufacturer itself so it can avoid shortages.

Microsoft is learning that accommodating every browser plugin on the planet leaves their entire ecosystem vulnerable to spyware and other issues that impacts their customers. IE10 will be closed to plugins.

Microsoft is forced to assemble legal departments just to close down BotNets they and their plug-in partners helped create.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/27/microsoft_kelihos_botnet_takedown/

My former real estate agent would LOVE to be able to dump her PC and go MAC because she hates spending time with Geek Squad because of viruses she gets from other agents her AV doesn't block.

Fair enough. Although maybe your former real estate agent should stop looking at so much porn

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Oct 15, 2011 6:05 PM GMT

I avoid mac products because I don't want to pay a 20-30% coolness tax
when there are plenty of pc products that do the same thing just as well.

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Oct 15, 2011 6:08 PM GMT

One more thing about Apple iPhone Vs Android.

One problem with an "Open" ecosystem is it is *wildly* difficult to build a consensus in the market to make things happen. I chose the iPod/iPhone family because I have access to/own other things that plug into the charging/sync connector at the bottom.

When I go to the gym, I choose a Precor treadmill with the iPod dock and the little tray thing under the video monitor.

http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplusgym/en_US/nikeplusgym

After the workout finishes, data is stored on my iPhone until I dock with iTunes. My workouts are synched up to the Nike+ website where my trainer and I can view this cloud service on the web. If I wanted to drive all my facebook friends to block my news feed, it would also share my runs there.

Other phone manufacturers are too busy poaching each others customers to be bothered with such things. I'm definitely a fan of these features.

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Oct 15, 2011 6:11 PM GMT

dancedancekj said
Fair enough. Although maybe your former real estate agent should stop looking at so much porn

That's what I said.

But, she's 62 and laughed it off. She spends hours of every day searching through the MLS system to find properties before they get shared with buyers who don't have agents. And, they're always swapping files with other agents and their computers.

In large southern coastal markets, not all real estate buyers (especially in today's economy) are living here.

And, far too many agents still share their computers with the rest of their family.

Anto

Posts: 2035

Oct 15, 2011 6:28 PM GMT

Microsoft is learning that accommodating every browser plugin on the planet leaves their entire ecosystem vulnerable to spyware and other issues that impacts their customers. IE10 will be closed to plugins.

IE10 is not closed to plugins.

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Oct 15, 2011 6:45 PM GMT

Anto saidMicrosoft is learning that accommodating every browser plugin on the planet leaves their entire ecosystem vulnerable to spyware and other issues that impacts their customers. IE10 will be closed to plugins.

IE10 is not closed to plugins.

Ok, but...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/15/no_plug_ins_on_windows_eight_browser/

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Oct 15, 2011 6:48 PM GMT

I love Steve Jobs as he's one of the people I look up to, just like Bill Gates and Ken Kutaragi. However, I don't use an iPod and any Apple products for that matter. I did say, however, if Apple makes an iPhone with QWERTY keyboard, I might consider it.

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Oct 15, 2011 6:55 PM GMT

silverfox said
Cobalt saidDammit silver, you got me all worked up and i've hardly been up 30 minutes

Time to go.. work off some frustrations >

Note from the Op:

Colbalt if you need any help getting those frustrations worked out you let me know. I don't know if you are frustrated with me, the thread, with apple...but it doesn't matter - whatever the reason I am here for you.

PS... though I believe that apple revolutionized the way music is downloaded- I am wondering if anyone else is using a music subscription cloud service like I am with Rdio. Is this not a better, cheaper, smarter way to purchase and listen to music? Those of you who don't know of this may not know what you are missing.

That's right. This is all your fault. And frustrations can last a long time you know.
<-Is not worthy

Also, I'm gonna have to have a look at Rdio.. i'm still not sold on any cloud-based music yet. Looking for a good'un

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Do you appreciate apple? Appreciate Steve Jobs?--- but think there is other exceptional technological life out there?