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It’s Not the Myth, But the Fight Over the Man
Commentary. Bill Taylor’s June 23 Harvard Business post, “Decoding Steve Jobs: Trust the Art, Not the Artist,” is shit hitting the fan. Today, for some strange reason.
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All in the Family Pack
Commentary. Well, well, the Web is abuzz today with rumors that Microsoft may finally be prepping a Windows “Family Pack.” Some people preordering Windows 7 might feel gipped. Perhaps they should.
How Does ‘Incremental’ Define Apple?
Analysis. It’s the question to answer based on comments I received to yesterday’s post about Apple CEO Steve Job’s return from medical leave. Some commenters scolded me—OK, one said I should commit suicide—for the tone of the post. Many others asserted that Apple has always improved products incrementally.
A Personal Plea to Steve Jobs
Commentary with Clarification. I’m compelled to write a special introduction, hoping to make clear something that wasn’t in the original post, which follows in its entirety. In two other blog posts, I questioned whether Steve Jobs would return as full-time CEO. I was feeling hopeful that I might be wrong, and in the full-text below issued a personal plea for him to prove me wrong. I meant to express my hope he would recover quickly. What better to be wrong about?
Remembering iPhone Two Years Later
Commentary. Two years ago today, Apple launched the original iPhone. in June 2007, I described using Apple’s smartphone as “life changing.” Despite my grumpiness about iPhone battery life and 3G call quality, I stand by the description.
Microsoft’s Shadow Ecosystem
Analysis. There are many measures of success, and some are less desirable than others. Windows is the standard by which cybercriminals measure their wares—eh, malware. Their devotion to Windows is testament to Microsoft’s success. The company should just accept the feint praise for what it is.
Microsoft Channels 8 and 10 Join Analog TV
Commentary. S-o-o-o-o, US TV broadcasters aren’t alone pulling the plug on their analog channels. Microsoft is closing down channels 8 and 10 and folding some of their content into Channel 9. Someone at Microsoft thinks this is good marketing? It’s a great idea if the goal is for existing and potential customers to start switching channels.
Windows 7
Social Media Edition
Analysis: The most surprising thing about today’s Windows 7 pricing announcement isn’t the pricing, but how Microsoft directly delivered news about it. While Microsoft issued a press release, the most substantive information comes from the Windows Blog, which the release links to. For anyone still clinging to the fantasy that there is some magical separation between Microsoft public relations teams and its bloggers, wake up! There really is none.
Is There Anybody Hohm?
Analysis. I’ve got serious mixed reactions to Microsoft Hohm. The branding and marketing are quite clever, and that’s yet another welcome change. More fundamentally, Hohm is yet another example of Microsoft chasing Google’s tail. Maybe Microsoft should conserve some energy by taking a shorter path rather than tagging behind the weaving Google.
Apple Doesn’t Want Flash on iPhone
Analysis. Adobe Flash should have a place on all mobile handsets, and Adobe is planning to make version 10 available for smartphones. But not iPhone. Now why is that? I’m going to tell you.