Monday, January 25, 2010

Obsessed anyone?

I have developed an obsession: Apple and the upcoming keynote. Are they or are they not? Is it or is it not?

I need to know what's going on, what they are producing, how I am going to be living my life vicariously through others. Please Mr Jobs, won't you tell me how?
Since no one tells me anything, I scan macrumors.com at least once a day, read fakesteve and go through the tech news of google.
And it seems I am not the only one, because last time I checked (admittedly a couple of days ago) the top 6 tech news of the day were Apple, Apple, Apple.
Please Mr Jobs, won't you tell us all how to be interfacing our lives with technology?
So yes I am slightly obsessed with this new product that seems to be a cloud of gossip and not one solid fact. But oh that cloud is so shiny and sparkly.
Tell me, are you obsessed? ;-)

1 comment:

Jon McLachlan said...

No, not really obsessed here. :)

The "narrative" on how "technology should interface with life" is cute way of looking at what it is that Apple really sells. Though, I don't think that it really captures "what" it is. One can pretty much find an equivalent non-apple produce for every apple produce that's sold, in terms of the raw technology driving it. So then, it begs the question, what makes a mac book better than a thinkpad or a iphone better than a zune or droid? I'd argue that it's less to do with the technology driving it, that there is nothing particularly superior, in terms of the raw technology itself. It is rather, the image. The club. The marking it as something "different." It is being the less popular "other" in the PC vs Mac dichotomy, which really isn't even a dichotomy in terms of the hardware anymore. It makes people feel special to be part of this little club. It feels good to be different. It is fashionable. As such, people are willing, and expect, to pay more for the products - and when they do, it only serves to corroborate this perceived difference, this perceived superiority. But in reality, the difference is just the software these devices run, which is no [technological] difference at all.

It's like the difference between the Prada brand and the generic Target brand (whatever it is). Of course there's a difference, but not in terms of functionality. They both "cover the body" with clothing, but when you buy something Prada, you're paying for a lot more than just the clothing.

No doubt, when Prada announces it's going to have a new line up at the ny fashion week or whatever, there are no doubt people who go crazy, and obsess over it. ;) Not that that's bad. Far from it. The first step to leading a happy life is knowing what you like. :)

then a few years later, the generic target brand steals the idea... lol...