Dirty Money

Why Apple isn’t the only one dirty in the terrible workplace conditions at Foxconn. Continue reading

David Coldewey writes in his article Dirty Money:

Well, not all the cards. As I wrote once, the reason Apple does the things it does is to please us, the consumers. We demand a new iPhone every year that must be better and cheaper. We insist that a thousand dollars is too much for a state of the art computer. We want bigger TVs and external hard drives and slim cameras. And we, almost without exception, fail to care when our demand for more iPads drives Apple to double its orders, driving Foxconn to push more overtime, driving poorly-maintained ventilation systems to their maximum, driving a spark to ignite an aluminum-dust explosion. It’s not our problem, it’s Apple’s or it’s Foxconn’s or it’s China’s. Very reassuring.

One dreamer quoted in the NYT article says: “If they committed to building a conflict-free iPhone, it would transform technology.” Yes, and at the same time, it would transform Apple into a bankrupt company. A conflict free iPhone would cost far, far more and would in all likelihood not be as well-built. Apple knows this. The system we and they have in place works, unfortunately, at least for everyone but the workers coated in N-hexane. And at a twelve to a hundred thousand dollars a pop, they aren’t worth rocking the boat for, especially when you’ve got record profits coming in.

Just don’t forget that we’re in that boat too. Unlike many other companies whose profits come largely from ads, enterprise products, or components, the vast majority of what Apple makes comes straight out of a consumer’s pockets, more or less willingly. More than any other mega-corporation you and I deal with on a daily basis, we are fully in control of our contributions to this company. We’re part of this. Some would say the biggest part.

(Via TechCrunch » apple)

Take ‘Em to Church?

Gruber explains that profit is not to be sacrificed on the altar of market share. Continue reading →

Gruber explains that profit is not to be sacrificed on the altar of market share. Continue reading

Kinect Voice Not Commanding

The Kinect’s voice command is no Siri. Continue reading →

The Kinect’s voice command is no Siri. Continue reading

In Ways that Seem Inconsistent

Disturbing allegations of Apple connected with Digitude given Apple’s consistency. Continue reading

Apple may be using patent troll to do its legal dirty work:

It’s not clear just how complicit Apple is in Digitude’s business, but EFF staff attorney Julie Samuels told TechCrunch that if Apple was deliberately aiding Digitude’s patent trolling, “it would be horrifying.” And even if Apple were somehow coerced into settling with Digitude, Samuels doubts that “Apple didn’t have any other options.”

As we noted recently, Apple has a tendency to use its intellectual property in ways that seem inconsistent. For instance, an Opera developer claims that Apple has a pattern of using patents to slow down the W3C’s open standards process, while promoting open standards when it gives Apple leverage against its competitors. This situation with Digitude seems similar; Apple opposes the tactics of patent trolls when they come after iOS developers, but seems to support them if it aids its ongoing legal battle for dominance of the smartphone market.

(Via arstechnica.com)

Disturbing to say the least!

In Ways that Seem Inconsistent

Disturbing allegations of Apple connected with Digitude given Apple’s consistency. Continue reading →

Disturbing allegations of Apple connected with Digitude given Apple’s consistency. Continue reading

Dell drops Streak 7, backs out of Android tablets in US

Why can’t PC manufacturers release a credible iPad competitor? Continue reading

Dell drops Streak 7, backs out of Android tablets in US:

Like HP, Dell is believed to be putting most of its faith in Windows 8 tablets for the US market. It won’t have this option until mid-to-late 2012, however, and will essentially concede its share of mobile tablets for a year.

(Via MacNN | The Macintosh News Network)

Why can’t PC manufacturers release a credible iPad competitor?  Execution of course has been lacking by announcing tablets so early the market had moved on to more advanced tablets, but that begs a serious question: Why is Dell behind?

Dell drops Streak 7, backs out of Android tablets in US

Why can’t PC manufacturers release a credible iPad competitor? Continue reading

Dell drops Streak 7, backs out of Android tablets in US:

Like HP, Dell is believed to be putting most of its faith in Windows 8 tablets for the US market. It won’t have this option until mid-to-late 2012, however, and will essentially concede its share of mobile tablets for a year.

(Via MacNN | The Macintosh News Network)

Why can’t PC manufacturers release a credible iPad competitor?  Execution of course has been lacking by announcing tablets so early the market had moved on to more advanced tablets, but that begs a serious question: Why is Dell behind?

iPads and Humans

http://northtemple.com/2010/02/01/on-ipads-grandmas-and-gam

First my Dad. Next I’m sure my technophobe Aunt. I’m just waiting for her call after my Mom chats her up about the thing.

I’m now convinced about adjusting my parents accounts using Parental Controls. I’ve long been a tough love advocate with them figuring they should be exposed to what they have to deal with on a computer. When the inevitably stumble, be there with iChat to help.

But since it looks like Apple has a Second Coming of the Mac, I’ve had a change of heart. I’m going to start favoring the human side more like the author said and downgrade their accounts to SimpleFinder. Get them some of that iPad experience today.

Snitches Get Stitches

USB Standards Group: Okay for Apple’s iTunes to Block Palm Pre | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD:

“But the USB-IF didn’t quite see things that way. ‘In the view of the USB-IF, Palm’s allegation (if true) does not establish that Apple is using its Vendor ID (VID) contrary to the USB-IF’s policies,’ the group said. ‘Therefore, under present USB-IF policies, the USB-IF does not consider the alleged use, without more, to be ‘improper.’’
Ugly news for Palm, and it only gets worse–because the USB-IF goes on to suggest that Palm itself is violating its Membership Agreement by using Apple’s vendor ID number to disguise the Pre as an Apple device.”

(Via Digital Daily.)

Dumb.

Why 2009 is like 1984

Daring Fireball:

“Apple censored an English dictionary.
A dictionary. A reference book. For words contained in all reasonable dictionaries. For words contained in dictionaries that are used every day in elementary school libraries and classrooms.”

(Via Daring Fireball.)

This is completely shocking and disgusting from a company that I am a huge fan of.
The problem is there seems to be nothing that really can be done. Apple is in full control. Customers are oblivious to the problem. All they see is the censored dictionary. Developers have few levers on Apple. If they don’t play along, they have no alternatives. Apple control the entire game from start to finish. This is what happens when one party has too much control. It’s abused.
To be fair, this probably the product of a boneheaded approval process rather than some dystopian plot to control our minds, but still. I feel like it’s Fahrenheit 451 or 1984, pun intended.