The Apple Deception, Simplicity

Apple seems to be one of the most trending and common topics when it comes to Tech and business news. This is a truly incredible turnaround when you think back 10 short years ago. Apple was a computer company that simply seemed to be an alternative to Microsoft, but more expensive. Their user base was very small and hardly anyone could see the advantage of an apple computer over a Microsoft Computer.

Skip ahead 10 years later you have nearly every other software computer company scrambling to keep up with (or catch up with apple) many companies are shooting in the dark, trying to find their niche to stay competitive. Realizing Apple is leading the trail, business are creating copies everywhere rapidly hoping they will work, many of these shot up with the celebration of  a firework show come crashing down in the flames that sent them up.

So what is the distinctive feature that truly is giving Apple such a huge advantage? They are using the same basic hardware, those working for the company are just as smart as those who work for Microsoft or Google. Why is Apple doing so well?

Many attribute it Steve Jobs while although an incredible man well worth an essay or two later on, it comes down to a trend apple has seemed to carry on the past several years. That trend is simplicity.

That's it, Apple products simply work the way they are supposed to. I won't get into any technical details of whether the technology is really simple or not but to the user the product is simple and that draws a huge following.

Especially when you consider the alternatives. If you have a cheaper product but that product is often overladen with useless features to many complicated rules to follow, and often crashes. Would you be willing to at least look elsewhere?

Think of the majority of users out there how many of them care about the inner workings of there electronic devices? This is an interest group certainly, but what about the other 95 percent of people who want to use computers to run programs that will help them be more effective, play games, socialize with friends, and watch funny videos on the internet? They just want something that works! They want it to be easy to use, and they want it to work fast and that's all that is important to them!

Apple over the years has built a reputation of doing that, consistently they are turning out better and better products that work! They aren't having to do embarrassing fixes to a broken line of products (apple has had it's failures but I dare you to mention one without Googleing it) there product is simple! It works, not only that but it's aesthetically pleasing and as of the entry of the app store very personalized to each and every specific need.

I attended a lecture by a chief officer of Apple in 2009 and he showed two images, these are not the exact images but they will illustrate the point.

Look at all of those buttons

 Yes this remote has a lot of buttons, complicated, easy to break, the case covering the batteries could easily be broken I would expect. All those colors seem to only confuse me and I expect I'll never use more then half those buttons.

Simple isn't it?

As you can see this remote is much more simple it has a few buttons but using a well built program this remote can do everything the above remote can do, not to mention it looks nicer, and probably feels better in the hand and at least gives the appearance it will be harder to break.

This simple analogy I think shows very well what puts Apple ahead of the curve when it comes to competition. They have been planning, researching and developing for years thinking of every little detail they can, and then continuing to improve upon it.

Those companies lagging behind are trying to catch up, they are wanting to have the Apple profits but they haven't done the leg work, so to compete they look at what Apple has done through together a similar product hoping it works, and then don't get the results.

All in all I think a wonderful lesson is give people whats best for them. Never expect that the competition can't sneak past you.

Apple really isn't that deceiving ;) they simply know how to keep it simple.

It Was the Best of Times It was the Worst of Times

Today as we look around the world we hear of calamity, chaos, political upheaval, civil unrest, domestic violence, failing economies, corruption, dishonesty, and so many other things. In the news it seems we are undergoing a surge of negativity and despair that I have not seen in my lifetime. Yet the question I want to ask is are we really doing that bad?

As we take a step back and really look at "the bulk" of the situation that are world is in, is it really to much to accept that we are doing quite well? True it is an undeniable fact that we are in some very bad situations, but has that not been the problem of every generation of humanity since the days of the caveman to now? I have to say that in my opinion after doing much reading and research, humanity has never been doing better. Never before have we lived so richly as a society (speaking across the board) never before have we seen the advances of medicine, science and technology that we are seeing today. They are solving many of our critical problems and I believe will continue to do so as they arise.

People often fear the future, it's the greatest unknown to some, while others view it as a sure thing. Here is my take, I view it as a sure thing (because it has happened countless times in the past) that society will come to its senses and overcome it's faults into brighter dawns and better futures.

I can not help but think back to what many Whaleman (those who hunted whales) thought when it became illegal (in much of the world) surely many feared what would happen to whaling ports, boats, those who depended on that for their survival. Well looking back how many of us feel that was the wrong decision?

I'll keep this short I can easily go on and get farther off topic, but I want it well understood that we are in the best of times, it is up to us individually and collectively to make this

The nature of who we are as humanity is in opinion "to big to fail" we as a people refuse to succumb to defeat, that is why we are hear today, true we have had many failures, and made many many mistakes, yet we press on undeterred and hopeful of a brighter future.

Will the world encounter more heartache? Absolutely, will it continue to press on the better times? Yes, I believe we are in the best of times.

Introduction

I think a lot, not necessarily on the deep or somewhat meaningful level, but I do think. One thing I have been thinking recently is that it does not matter how smart you are if you are unable to communicate. So in order to improve my own communication I have a goal to write 500 words a week. Now I leave on a mission in two weeks so clearly I'm not going to get a lot of posts up before I leave. Well you got to start somewhere! So here I go, hopefully I can maintain this after my mission and remember that I even started it! This first post is going to be very random about several subjects that have been weighing upon my mind lately. If you happen to read this or any post please feel free to make any comments on your opinion on any matter I post, or any suggestions you have for me in my writing!

Education

One thing I have been thinking a lot about is school... Up until my first year of college I always believed that school was "to teach things" and although I still believe this is true for elementary education, and to some extent secondary education, education near the end of your secondary education and post "traditional" education is more orientated on learning to learn. Although it is true that you learn still (at least hopefully) I feel like my experience has been more "a sample of the ice cream" (think Baskin Robbins) with the real goal to leave you wanting to decide to get the whole cone. I have learned personally that I can teach myself far better then I ever learn in any classroom experience. This could be for a variety of reasons... Maybe I just pick stuff I'm interested in, but then again why am I interested in what I am interested in? Why not some other subject? Why is physics death to some people, and an almost love affair for others? I personally believe a lot of this is up to the teacher. In my opinion a true teacher's calling is to not see how much info they can cram into their students head for a semester. But how much love for a subject they can implant into their student. If I have a great Chemistry teacher, I'm going to want to learn more about Chemistry and same with all the subjects. It is true that some students will be more naturally adapt at some subjects then others, but most of this isn't necissarly "brain power" its more about work ethic. Edison once said, "There is no substitute for hard work." Another reason I might learn better on my own could be because I have to work harder. My 9th grade english Teacher had a sign of a big baby spoon with pictures of a baby face in the spoon and a line that said, "No Spoon Feeding!" Clearly when you have to work for something you will learn it "better" it's often dificult to ask a teacher in the middle of a lecture of 40 kids or more a question. Especially when you feel that question might be "dumb" or off the topic. When ever I personally have a question about something I'm learning on my own, I'm usually at home or near a computer. And since the all knowing google and wikepedia is just a few clicks away, I can easily answer my own questions. Often times teacher's cringe when a student uses wikepedia as a source. I think this is a rather archaic view and silly to be honest. I do believe that when using the internet as a source it is up to the reasearcher to confirm the facts themselves, but for the most part Wikepedia just keeps getting better and more and more libraries of info are becoming available online the internet just keeps getting better and better. Besides who ever said that everything printed in a book or news article is true ;)

Well hopefully my future posts will be more ogranized and though out. They may be rather varying as far as subject material, and really I don't give a darn if anyone reads what I write, I just am trying to improve my writing!