Tag Archives: Apple

Dirty Tricks and Copy Cats

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Can You Copy Technology?

Well it’s true that if someone copies what you’re doing they clearly think it’s cool. That’s all very well and good but the problem is, when people are creating new technical gadgets, they don’t want their ideas being ripped off. And it seems that that is exactly what is happening. In addition, it just doesn’t look good and most people usually want the original anyway even if the copy is cheaper. For example, when it comes to Apple products, very few people want what is bound to be a second rate imitation of the original; they want the real deal.

So what do you need to avoid when trying to get the best technology? What should you be looking out for? And, perhaps more importantly, is there ever a case when a rip-off is actually a good deal? There were some dirty tricks played by some mobile phone companies following the debut of the flip phone in 2004 by Motorola RAZR which wasn’t really very fair as those particular companies had status within the mobile phone industry that earned them brownie points amongst potential customers.

Apple’s Position?

It’s not news that Apple has had a lot of copies on the market, perhaps the most recent one being the ViewSonic Android Tablet, off of its iPad. But the question that needs to be asked is, is Apple always Little Miss Innocent vis-à-vis original designs? Perhaps not. P88 manufacturer Shenzen Great Loong Brother Company is complaining that iPad is a spin-off of that. If you look at the P88 though it actually appears more like a big iPhone than an iPad. Manufactured in China, the company’s president Xiaolong Wu said quite blatantly, that if the iPad is marketed there, “we won’t have any choice but to report them [since] it will certainly affect our sales.”

The bottom line is it’s often a bit of a chicken and egg situation in the sense that it’s not so easy to tell which came first. People interested in technology and gadgets are often looking for two things: a great gadget and pretty top notch marketing and brand name to sell the product. Copy cat or dirty tricks aren’t so important to the average Joe in the street looking for a new game or higher performing gadget.

Microsoft Beats Apple But Doesn’t Tweet So Good

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While Microsoft just hit the 10,000 apps milestone with their Windows Phone 7 Marketplace quicker than any other competing store, it might not yet be quite time to celebrate.  Apple took 4.7 months to hit this number while Microsoft only took 4.5 month.  This has to be good news.

Gates Overtaking Jobs?

But perhaps it might be a little too soon for Microsoft to be celebrating.  The company made a possible recent mistake with the mixed response it received from the marketing tweet it put  out following Japan’s tsunami in an effort to raise funds for the country’s victims.  The idea was that followers would “retweet a message, with every retweet meaning that an extra $1 would be donated by Microsoft, up to $100,000.”

Gates Needn’t Break Out the Champagne Yet

So even though this week did see some good news for Microsoft, it has to be taken in perspective.   Even with its fast milestone achievement, other markets still have way more apps (Android at 200,000 and Apple at 300,000).  But still, good news is good news and there is cause for recognition of their milestone.  As long as Microsoft is careful with its marketing, the products should be able to speak for themselves and any charity the company chooses to give to might not want to use the events from Japan as part of the package. The message for Mr. Gates is thus clear:  let your products do the marketing for themselves.

iPhone Apps Do it Again: This Time in Japan

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During the craziness of the catastrophe to hit Japan last week, how were people trapped about to stay in touch? What was the best piece of technology that linked people to loved ones? A 25-year-old woman from Tokyo who was traveling by train to the airport, spoke about how she managed to tell people she was okay, despite the fact that there was no cellphone network available for voice calls.

3G Saves the Day While Blackberry Is Fruitless

It was the 3G Data Network and a bunch of iPhone apps that came to the rescue. The Blackberry on the other hand, was incapable of sending and receiving messages at all. The iPhone worked, so long as you could keep charging it; it provided consistently good reception. As well, Viber was the only method out of all the networks for getting calls through (Skype was unavailable for many hours).

iPad 2 Figures: Not Surprising

Perhaps given all this it’s not all that surprising that when the iPad 2 was unveiled just over 2 weeks ago, it immediately sold out “within hours” of its launch. It is thinner and more powerful than the first model; has a camera in the front and back to enable video conferencing with photos and videos and is the same price as the first one. Even though this is really just a slight upgrade from the first, customers kept on coming, with one lady selling her spot in the line for $900 to a businessman who just didn’t have time to wait in line from 5 am and had to have the new iPad before his business trip!

Jobs Always on the Job

If Apple creator Steve Jobs just keeps getting it right and his communication tools are even helping in situations such as Japan’s catastrophe, then it makes sense that his products will keep gaining in popularity. Just make sure you reserve your spot in line early for any new Apple launches in the future; you never know, it could be more than just a great gadget; it may be your rescue tool out of a crisis.

Crunchy New Apple?

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There’s new and then there’s new.  If something is new but doesn’t offer anything particularly original, is it really considered new?  Well, Apple marketers seem to be able to convince their groupies that it is.  Last week the company released the second version of the iPad but to all those who aren’t obsessed with every single breath the Apple takes, the bottom line is, it’s not really offering much new.  Yes, the gadget is thinner (and lighter) than its original one and faster too but if you’re not someone who needs the additional camera it comes with (and why would you?) you may as well save a few bucks and continue enjoying your “old” one. 


True it has a self-cleaner to counter any smudge marks and a cover that turns the iPad off when you lay it on top.  But if you can live without that, let your “old” iPad remain the apple of your eye.