Falling Out of Love With Apple
As time goes by it seems that I am slowly falling out of love with Apple products. Even though I still feel like they make the best products on the market, I can't get past their increasing grasp or lock-down on their products. I understand that most of that is what contributes to how stable their operating systems are, but I can't help but wonder how much a trade-off people are willing to continue making just for the sake of stability. I think I am at the end of my rope now.
How are you served by a product that is stable, yet ties your hands behind your back in several aspects whether working or at play? It seems to me that lately most of Apple's ventures are more towards getting you to purchase more and more from them. Their products are slowly becoming less and less of a tool for you and more of a sales revenue stream for Apple instead. At the same time that we expect to get some revolutionary products from them like the iPad, instead, they release some little toy that has its hands tied behind its own back. Yet just another device to consume their apps, video, or music. When did Apple begin to change from a computer company to just being a bridge to its iTunes store? It was probably while I was praising them when I was in love.
Don't misunderstand me, I truly do believe that Apple computers and the OS X operating system is by far the best available. Windows 7 for me closed the gap a lot and I am primarily on that OS now. To me, they have lost their way or perhaps are trying to do too many things at once. Just look at the AppleTV and what a great product that would be if you removed its limitations that Apple placed on it just to make sure you are consuming from the iTunes store instead of using it to it's full dreamed potential.
I do know a few things for certain, I have run into no problems with my HP i7 beast of a computer running Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit and because of this, I can't say I am missing using a Macintosh full-time. I do also know that once my AT&T contract expires I will not be using an iPhone. The smartphone competition has heated up, yes it's because of Apple. I have them to thank for finally creating a cell phone that was easy to use. It got other companies off their rears and created competition. The competition will always inspire others to do better. Monopolies are the ones that do the least they can get away with, just to get by. The HTC Droid Incredible is looking like a great phone. Although I still love my iPhone 3Gs, I want more and I think it's time we start seeing others. It's not me, it's you Apple.