I'm not on the road yet. I expect to be rolling in early December. I figure that since I started this TRAVEL blog and have a few viewers, I should post something even though I'm not travelling yet.My topic today is about all the intertwined Apple products and how genius Apple is to make all their products work so well with all their other products. Sadly, they made each "new" product all but extinct after just a short amount of time. If you don't have the latest, greatest "i"-thing, you are made to feel as if you're being left in the technological dust.
Apples marketing process is incredible. They have consumers eating out of their hands like little chicks. They've also convinced people that their products are so great and revolutionary that you should be waiting in line for hours in front of the store to get the newest Apple greatness.
I have owned an iphone 3g for 2+ years. With AT&T service, it's been a decent phone... nothing great but certainly adequate. I recently decided to upgrade my phone and started comparing new smartphones. I found the samsung infuse 4G refurb for $29 (with at&t 2 year contract) and was impressed with all its features. 4G, wifi hotspot, USB wifi, 8mp camera with LED flash, 1.3mp front facing camera (for video chat), 720p video, huge 4.3" screen and on and on. It's light years ahead of my iphone 3G.
I admit that I was a little nervous ditching the iphone because it was set up perfectly to my needs and has always been reliable. However, after just 2 days of minor frustrations and needing to watch a few youtube how-to videos on rooting, transferring contacts, etc... I now have my Samgsung Infuse set up perfectly and working great. It's offering me so much more than my iphone could. It was worth the effort.
I mentioned on another travel blog about ditching my iphone for this Samsung infuse. One of the responses was from someone who said they were sticking with their iphone because it worked so well with their ipad, ipod, Mac computer and their Apple TV.
That's a big bite out of the Apple! But then, that's what Apple is counting on. Consumers being so comfortably (and tightly) wrapped up in Apple products that the thought of switching brands makes them break out in a cold sweat.
I love the show South Park. They recently did an episode on how deeply Apple has entrenched itself into our lives. If you're offended by crude language, don't watch this. If you like a good laugh and don't mind many "F-bombs", check out the episode by clicking this link ---> SOUTH PARK
What do you guys think?
or ingenious
Hey Don, Didn't you promise to do a Blog post about your step lights installation ??
ReplyDeleteI love my NON-Apple Smartphone. I have an HTC Thunderbolt through Verizon.
ReplyDelete"Tightly wrapped up in Apple Products", indeed! Good post, Don. Do you think that some sociologists have studied the iShackle consumers? My own guess is that Apple doesn't really sell technology per se--it sells "cool". Each consumer has to decide on his own whether it's more important to be a smart, no-nonsense consumer than to be seen as cool.
ReplyDeleteSassie I will post that but I haven't felt much like laying under the RV lately. >;-)
ReplyDeleteBoonie I agree.
And welcome to Boonie, Jim and Garret!
Hey Don,
ReplyDeleteFinally making my way over here. I haven't had an Apple product since my Apple IIC like 25 years ago so I can't say much for their stuff of today, though I hear it's great.
In fact, I don't even own a smart phone, as I refuse to pay extra for the data plan. So I'm way behind the curve.
Have fun once you get us out on the road and keep us apprised of your adventures!
Maria
PS I loved that episode of Southpark! Wouldn't have understood it though had my daughter not clued me in about the centipede movie.
Maria, I've never seen the centipede movie.
ReplyDeleteI'll agree that the data plan prices seem too expensive but there is a lot you can do with a data plan and a smart phone.
It's really the perfect pairing for an RVer who uses the internet a lot and is on the go. That'll have to be a blog post topic some rainy day.
cya!
62 year old woman who would never change my Apple life. MacBook saved my life years ago when my PC continued to tell me I had performed illegal operations all the time. Continually crashed, etc. nmy husband, who worked with computer problems all day, did not want to come one and fix home computer problems. So I ditched it all and got a MacBook and have never looked back. I know just enough to be dangerous. Now on my second MacBook, and my husband got one when he retired, he was so impressed with mine. For someone like me, having my phone, iPad and computer all happy with each other is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteWill enjoy following your blog. My husband is a Mr. Fix it, also.n have not found much he can't repair. Didn't mean to go on and on
Hi Cathie, from what you said, it sounds like you had some major viruses or malware on your PC. That can happen by downloading something or clicking on a link that appears to be safe. There are many free programs out there to help a PC user get rid of these nasty things.
ReplyDeleteI'm not putting down apple products. My iphone always worked great.