Think Different: Steve Jobs on Marketing

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From Jason Kottke:

One of the first things that Steve Jobs did after taking over as Apple's interim CEO in 1997 is to get Apple back on track with their branding. In this short presentation from '97, Jobs talks about branding & Apple's core values and introduces the Think Different campaign.

That might be one of the best five minute explanations of good branding out there. The campaign was very successful in rehabilitating Apple's image with the press and public.

What's interesting is how the iPad and iPhone advertisements focus almost entirely on the product. Apple no longer has to infer that their products are the best by showing you pictures of Albert Einstein and Amelia Earhart...they just show you the products and you know. But I don't see Jobs doing a "fake it 'til you make it" branding presentation anytime soon. :)

Just How Bad Is Flash On Android? This Bad.

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Ian Betteridge:

What does this demonstrate? Simply that the idea that Apple could simply magically put Flash on the iPad (which runs a processor in the same class as the Nexus One) is fantasy. Ignoring the broader reasons for Apple wanting to keep Flash off its platform, it’s clear that Flash is simply too processor-intensive to work properly on mobile-class processors as currently specified.

Go watch for yourself.

Facetime Adoption

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Marco Arment wrote an interesting post about the adoption of FaceTime by iOS users over time:

We, the long-time iPhone owners, won’t be the first ones to use FaceTime regularly.

But the next generation of iPhone owners will.

FaceTime is the sort of technology that we “old” people will promptly forget that we can do, and then be shocked when we learn that young people are doing it en masse.

What I Carry

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A blog post from Patrick Rhone is soliciting others to submit pictures of what they carry in their pockets on a daily basis. The idea started from Dave Caolo which was prompted by a tweet from Patrick. Patrick responded to Dave's post and solicited others to do so as well. These types of things interest me as well, so here's mine:




Before I got my iPhone I would have my Blackberry (work), iPod Classic, wallet & keys. That was 2008 & prior. Over the years my keychain has shrunk as well. Our most recent move in June allowed me to shed a security fob which was needed at my old apartment. My new apartment key has a fob included in it (that weird circular thing on my keychain - yes, that is both a key & fob).

MS Office for Mac 2011 Shipping in October

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Microsoft announced today that Office 2011 for Mac would ship in October of this year. The release of Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 will be simultaneous across 100 countries at the end of October. Two versions will be available, Office for Mac Home and Student 2011 and Office for Mac Home and Business 2011.

Starting today, if customers purchase Office 2008 for Mac, they will be able to upgrade to Office 2011 when it is available at no additional cost through the Microsoft Office for Mac Technology Guarantee Program.

The following editions will be available.

  • Microsoft Office for Mac Home and Student 2011 includes Word for Mac, PowerPoint for Mac, Excel for Mac and Messenger for Mac, and it will retail starting at $119.
  • Available in two editions — a single install for $119 (U.S. ERP) and a Family Pack for $149 (U.S. ERP) with three installs for families with more than one Mac in their household.
  • Microsoft Office for Mac Home and Business 2011 includes Word for Mac, PowerPoint for Mac, Excel for Mac, Outlook for Mac and Messenger for Mac, and it will retail starting at $199 (U.S. ERP).
  • It also will be available in two editions — a single install for $199 (U.S. ERP) and a Multi-Pack for $279 (U.S. ERP) with two installs for a user with two machines.
  • Microsoft Office for Mac Academic 2011 includes Word for Mac, PowerPoint for Mac, Excel for Mac, Outlook for Mac and Messenger for Mac, and it will retail at authorized academic stores and Microsoft for $99 (U.S. ERP).

Sensationalist Headlines Swarm Apple Blogs

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From Apple Insider:

Every week Apple doesn't act on iPhone 4 antenna could cost $200M

A new analysis has found that resolving the much publicized iPhone 4 antenna issues could cost Apple up to $900 million, and each additional week that Apple takes to resolve the issue could add another $200 million as sales increase.

And every hour that goes by for the next few weeks increases the likelihood that an analyst will pull some outlandish number out of their ass. These are the same analysts that consistently, incorrectly, make predictions about Apple's financial or sales figures. When they do get these predictions wrong, all of the Mac/Apple Tech Blogs poke fun at them. Yet, those same writers (who presumably all have Alzheimers) are so eager to hold up this bullshit as actual news. Pathetic.