Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth • Hacker News Board

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#51

Post by stcredzero » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 5:52 PM UTC

jonhohle wrote: post #41

stcredzero wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is a sign that they're running scared a lot more than they're letting on. It's only a matter of time before the iPad style tablet becomes commoditized. Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. The same thing will happen to tablets. In a way, they are subject to the same forces that…

> Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. Who are these companies? Seriously. Have you used an Apple product side by side with a non Apple equivalent? Does any company come close to the build quality or original design of Apple? If other companies are almost catching up, it still means they ar…

Who are these companies? Seriously. Have you used an Apple product side by side with a non Apple equivalent? Does any company come close to the build quality or original design of Apple?

"Close" is a very subjective term. I like the looks of my coworker's phones sometimes. I haven't played with one for very long. I really love the design of my iPhone 4. Nothing else is as good from a tactile perspective, I'll grant you that.

If other companies are almost catching up, it still means they are behind, and, worse, just riding on Apple's success without much idea of why they are successful.

Or they have something of an idea, but they can't execute.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#52

Post by Tycho » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 5:54 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #49

Tycho wrote: post #22

Somebody rebutted the points in one of the comments: none of the dual-core are really shipping over 100 000 a month (threshold for volume considering iPad ships 1,000,000 per month); Samsung admitted miscalculating their end-sales; iPad 2 has some intense minitiarisation, which as with other 'features/improvements' doesn't come free; Apple bore the entire cost of developing the OS themselves; Kindles, Nooks etc. aren…

[deleted]

are there really millions of Galaxy Tab users? Anyway, I don't think it's that 'devious' of a lie considering the iPad 2 will simply replace the iPad line, which sells 1 million per month, and will probably do more with the new device. It's not technically true just yet, but it almost certainly will be in a month's time. It would be different if the iPad 2 was a whole new product line.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#53

Post by kmfrk » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 5:59 PM UTC

coderdude wrote: post #21

spooneybarger wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity

How much stupidity do you think is involved when billions of dollars are on the line?

I'm sure Microsoft has the answer to that question. Or at least the experience.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#54

Post by corin_ » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:01 PM UTC

Bud wrote: post #50

It's a bit hard to take CNN seriously as a tech commentator, frankly. They published this today: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/03/03/missing.fr... I've rarely seen a tech article that was less useful or more silly.

Not sure why you chose to justify criticising CNN with a single article that was written by a guest, who happens to actually work for Mashable.

I don't read CNN regularly so I won't argue for or against CNN's tech coverage, but if you want to argue against it you should try a little harder.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#55

Post by kgermino » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:02 PM UTC

jonhohle wrote: post #41

stcredzero wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is a sign that they're running scared a lot more than they're letting on. It's only a matter of time before the iPad style tablet becomes commoditized. Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. The same thing will happen to tablets. In a way, they are subject to the same forces that…

> Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. Who are these companies? Seriously. Have you used an Apple product side by side with a non Apple equivalent? Does any company come close to the build quality or original design of Apple? If other companies are almost catching up, it still means they ar…

I can't speak for design, I know most people think that Thinkpads look ugly, however regarding build quality I own a Thinkpad T500 I bought 2 years ago and I have:

+Dropped it way more times than I can count, usually while closed and turned off but also while it was running, and while it was open (both running and not).

+Totally stood on it, putting my full weight on the closed lid many times.

+Left it running in my closed backpack for almost an hour (twice).

+Used it indoors and out during drizzle, snow, the height of summer and the low of winter, I even used it on a beach once.

And through all of the above I never had any problems. The only issue I have ever had was when I was carrying it about 6 ft. off the ground while open and running (brilliant I know) and I dropped it onto a tile-on-concrete floor. That time the hard drive crashed but everything was perfectly fine.

I don't know what kind of build quality Apple computers have but I'm going to guess that it can't be that much better.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#56

Post by egor83 » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:04 PM UTC

rbarooah wrote: post #48

egor83 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The claim about 90% market share. Price comparison, while not outright wrong, is still stretching the truth a bit. "Smooth/small" thing too.

I don't see how the 90% market share statement is wrong unless you include boxes sitting in warehouses or returned products as 'sold'. What's wrong with the price comparison? I agree that the smooth/small thing was underhanded, although let's not forget that that statement was made as Samsung admitted that they hadn't actually sold 2m devices as they had previously claimed.

1) I don't see how the 90% market share statement is wrong

From the article: Apple sold 14.8 mln iPads. Samsung sold 2 mln Tabs. Do you imply that these figures are not correct? If so, please provide better data.

But if we use these figures, Apple has 14.8 / (14.8 + 2) ~ 88% market share, and a claim about "> 90%" is outright wrong.

Please note that no other competitors were included in this count.

2) What's wrong with the price comparison?

"Jobs compared the most expensive Android tablet -- the XOOM --against the iPad. ... The XOOM's are simply better. It has (expandable) 32GB of storage built in and 3G built in ... XOOM has a much better, bigger 720P+ screen ... Then, add far superior cameras (w/flash), stereo speakers (iPad 2 has one), 4G and a micro-USB/SD Card reader", plus (possibly) more RAM.

One pays more for XOOM, but one gets more (EDIT - in terms of components. I'm not saying XOOMs have better design/software/etc) as well. Jobs compares prices for devices with different specs.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#57

Post by irons » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:04 PM UTC

stcredzero wrote: post #32

darthg0d wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This has been happening for quite some time. One of the earnings call last year was more of Android-bashing than a talk about Apple's successes. EDIT: I believe it was Steve doing the talk back then too.

I think this is a sign that they're running scared a lot more than they're letting on. It's only a matter of time before the iPad style tablet becomes commoditized. Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. The same thing will happen to tablets. In a way, they are subject to the same forces that…

It's only a matter of time before the iPad style tablet becomes commoditized. Quite a few years ago, Apple was one of the design leaders in the laptop space, then others caught up, more or less. The same thing happened in the smartphone space. The same thing will happen to tablets.

For sure! Oh, wait, I meant PlaysForSure.

I wish I thought you were right, because I think it would be much better for Apple in the long term to have credible competition. I see none, and pretty clearly Apple sees none, or their subscription-revenue plan wouldn't have seen the light of day.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#58

Post by ascendant » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:06 PM UTC

martythemaniak wrote: post #36

rbarooah wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that it seems negative and I'd rather he didn't do it, but I can see why he does. There are plenty of even less accurate commentators who are prepared to make analyses of the situation that are unfavorable to Apple. Most people don't take the time to critically analyze the 'news' they hear and are actually influenced by this stuff. Apple needs to at least state their viewpoint so that it is out there alongsid…

Is it so hard for you fanboys to say something like "Lying is wrong and he shouldn't have done it" and just leave it at that? No bullshit, no qualifications, no Gruber-style excuses, just a simple condemnation of someone doing something wrong.

Not everyone is a fanboy. Some people just have different opinions. Also, did Steve Jobs come to your house and kick your dog or something? Calm down.

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#59

Post by brudgers » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:06 PM UTC

Kylekramer wrote: post #2

Lot of nitpicks and to be expected framing/number fudging by Steve, but straight up misquoting the Samsung rep was very odd. That had been widely corrected, so either Apple did not research their presentation (unlikely) or just knowingly lied (yuck).

>"just knowingly lied"

In their response to Gillis's lawsuit regarding failure of the iPhone 3G to perform as advertised - in part Apple's defense was:

  "Plaintiff's claims, and those of the purported class,
   are barred by the fact that the alleged deceptive
   statements were such that no reasonable person in
   Plaintiff's position could have reasonably relied on or
   misunderstood Apple's statements as claims of fact,"

http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/files/apples_ans...

Re: Steve Jobs' reality distortion takes its toll on truth

#60

Post by coderdude » Thu, Mar 03, 2011, 6:09 PM UTC

kmfrk wrote: post #53

coderdude wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much stupidity do you think is involved when billions of dollars are on the line?

I'm sure Microsoft has the answer to that question. Or at least the experience.

A cheap jab at Microsoft with no citations that doesn't even follow the conversation, in an Apple thread no less. I'm shocked.