So Long Steve Jobs. So what?

Personally, I can’t understand the Apple hype. I know people who use Macs and swear by them. In fact, they would probably fight you to the death to defend them. I’m not saying they are bad, or good for that matter, just they are what they are. I have reasons that I don’t prefer Macs but that would take at least another entry. Maybe a book.

With Steve Jobs retiring I am curious as to where the Apple fan boys stand. I know where one fan boy stands and his opinion is that without Jobs, Apple is finished. I always knew he was an Apple fan but I never knew the Steve Jobs fan boy that I have seen in the last couple of days.

I think that Apple will probably survive just on their name and momentum. Also, as long as they follow the formula they have made successful so far -- that is: find a technology that someone else has. It doesn’t necessarily have to be foundering but that helps. Find a way to slap a touch interface on it then throw the Apple logo on there and add the letter ‘i‘ to the name for good measure. Turn loose the fan boys to gush over it, rinse and then repeat for the next iteration.

To put the formula to the test, we will use the example of Tablet PCs. In 2001, uncle Bill (that’s Gates of Microsoft) decided he wanted everyone to be able to use their computers by writing on them with a pen. Microsoft called this "pen computing." Using the stylus, nee pen, you would open programs, move items around and you could write and draw right on the computer screen. Not the same "do everything with your fingers" interface that is in wide use now, but it was the forerunner of that.

The problem was the expense of the touch screen became the overarching factor that ruled the price of the Tablet. They were underpowered and over priced and they had their problems. There were some good ones out there and they worked really well for certain applications such as warehouse management and for physicians. But they never quite caught on with most users.

Enter Jobs. I can only imagine the conversation:

“I bet you can’t outdo Microsoft on something.”
“How much?”
“$2-million.”
“Ha. You’ve got it. Let’s see, what is Microsoft lagging on?”
“Let me see. Ah they can’t seem to sell any Tablet PCs.”
“Oh! Even better, one of Bill’s pet projects. Let’s get to it. This will probably drive him nuts!”

Before you know it, along comes the iPad. Still underpowered, still overpriced, but somehow people are drooling all over themselves to buy one. I know people who have bought one in a vain attempt to replace their MacBook Air.

The fan boys slavered over it and declared it to be the greatest thing since the iMac. People were falling over themselves to get one. Me, I was uninterested. I like my 17” Multimedia Gaming Laptop with a Blu-ray player. With the addition of a downloadable Kindle app for my laptop I don’t even need it as an overpriced e-reader.

But the same formula has played out with the iPod and the iPhone. They didn’t come up with the technology, just a better way to market it. And marketing is one thing they do well. I’m sure Apple has nothing to worry about. At least until their current slate of projects have run their course.