TechGuy2's Profile

I think the Zune 4/8 GB takes the market that the new iPod Nano abandoned. I really think the new Nano's form is a step backwards (wide and short). It's a case where Apple abandoned a market it created. Microsoft can make bigger in-roads into the iPod market if it can take a bigger jump. It is frankly too conservative in its approach. There is always a 3rd generation (3 tries again?) to get it right.

"Will the Zune take over the iPod right now? Would Windows Mobile based phones squash the iPhone now? No way, the opportunity will come when Apple slips up and their user base becomes fed up with all the crippling and disabling of basic features and add-ons." One thing Apple is very good at is leap-frogging anything out there. Microsoft's mobile phone was available a long long time ago, yet Apple quickly surpassed it with the iPhone. Sometimes, MS is slow to recognize rapid changes in the marketplace and technology. Despite its resources, it couldn't take advantage of its work in touch screen PDAs and extend it to phones and portable music players. MS is always a step back. No matter what it does, it will always be behind. Certainly, Apple can stumble, but I'm less certain any other company can fill the gap. Apple is capable of bringing another product to outdo the competition. I continue to think Apple's closed systems are its biggest archilles' heel. Time for competitors to really widen the gap in this area.

Typo: I also don’t do scanning as frequently as I did in the past. It picks up ZERO VIRUS programs and some spyware (typically internet cookies), but nothing that I can call serious, damaging, or persistent.

You overstate the virus and spyware problem. Not because it doesn't happen, but it does not happen typically. No one I know is bugged by this problem. Everyone I know are running Windows successfully. This problem is repeated way too much to be taken seriously. I haven't encounted a virus since Windows 98. That's a long time ago. I do visit the Apple Stores, but there's no admission ticket or secret handshake. Apples make great products, but there's an important reason that I'm not biting. Apple's software is so intrusive (iTunes and Quicktime) that I turn them off. Apple's hardware is so closed that you can't change the batteries yourself in an iPod or change the memory, video card, or hard drive. You need to continue your series. How about "8 reasons Mac Users switch to Windows"? Yeah, it happened to me.

Why would Apple worry about cannibalization between the mini and the iMac? They are clearly two different products. The mini is a compact, small form computer. The iMac is an All-In-One computer. Both computers do not have powerful video cards. I wonder why Apple doesn't think customers deserve great video performance. I'm sure OSX is more efficient than Windows, but that's no excuse. Ultimately, the application demands better video performance. I buy computers to run my programs. Apple is doing a disservice by artificially restricting its hardware. Surely, a good operating system and a nice form are worthy reasons to buy Apple, but it leaves me wondering is this all I can expect from Apple. Microsoft Windows is FAR FAR from perfect, but it makes up for its difficiencies over time. You know, Windows Vista is a real problem, but don't think it's game over, if you know what I mean. Apple games? It isn't even in the cards.

How about the opposite of #1. It is too much knowledge of Apple's past deeds. I used to own an Apple Mac. In my college days back in the late 80s and early 90s, Apple was clearly the leader in computer technology. Macs were everywhere. PCs are not pervasive in college campuses. At work, there was a good presense of Macs. At least 50% of PCs were Macs. I used a Mac at work. I bought a Mac for myself. Unfortunately, Steve Jobs was ousted and Macs suffered. I also felt burned. I could only afford a Mac Classic in the $1,000 range. I realized I paid too much for an unpowered closed machine. I couldn't configure it much except paid for a technician to install memory. After two years of getting further and further behind, I realized it is a door stop. It is barely useful. Slow and painful to use. Since then in the mid 90s, I bought at least three PCs and each one costed less money. Of course, Apple declined and Windows went up. Now that Apple is back with Intel, I still haven't gone back. I am not confident with the all-in-ones like the iMacs. The time has come and gone. Apple needs an open computer. iMacs are a step back. However, this has always been Apple's business model. With the introduction of the iPhone, I am sure Apple will NEVER have user friendly systems. Apple is limited by its own restrictions on its customers. That's why I don't think Apple will make big in roads in Window's markets. In price comparisons as well, surely Apple is competitively priced, but you have to start at a higher price point. In the mid and high range, Apple shines. BTW, Apple is a monopoly as well and it behaves petulantly like Steve Jobs. Look in the mirror.