Posts Tagged ‘Apple’

The Amazing Apple

Comment

January 25th, 2012

Apple sold 37 million iPhones and 15.4 million iPads in its first quarter, ended Dec. 31.

Apple is truly an amazing story of our own times. A man, Steve Jobs, had a vision. So what, you say, we all have visions. But Steve Jobs had something that few of us have, the sheer tenacity, dedication and will to make his vision happen. He saw a new kind of communication device, a device that would put you in communication with the entire planet or that would enable you to talk to your kids while you were communicating with the rest of the world.

The first quarter’s results

Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone and iPod sales more than doubled from a year ago, far surpassing analyst expectations. "We would attribute it to just a breathtaking customer reception of the iPhone 4S," said Apple CEO Tim Cook on a conference call. Apple’s first-quarter profit more than doubled to $13.1 billion, from $6 billion a year ago. Sales surged 73% to $46.3 billion from $26.7 billion for the same period. The results blew past Wall Street expectations for the company. Apple shares jumped almost 8% in after-hours trading, to $453.16. As to the good old Mac computer, Apple’s Mac sales didn’t disappoint. The computer maker sold 5.2 million Macs in the quarter compared with 4.1 million a year ago. Apple projected $32.5 billion in revenue for its second quarter, slightly ahead of Thomson Reuters’ forecast.

The ‘I want’ gadget for all ages

I am a senior, well in my ‘golden years’. I use a computer with old software, because it suits me and I know where to find everything after years and years of use. I tried a new computer and couldn’t cope with the advances. One day about a year ago I saw someone in a coffee shop using something I had never seen before. “It’s the latest thing,” he explained patiently. “It’s called an iPad.” I sat and watched him surfing around the world, looking at new headlines in far-off countries and watching his stocks on stock exchange sites in real time. I knew in an instant that this was not for me. I was wrong. It didn’t take more than 6 months for me to walk into a store and buy one. Today I don’t know how I managed without it. I am eyeing an iPhone as well, after years of swearing that my first generation steam-operated cell phone is all I need. If my 5 year old grandson can handle one why can’t I? That’s what Steve Jobs did for the world he lived in and for future worlds, he made devices for everyone

Apple is No. 1

It was reported Tuesday that Apple became the No. 1 semiconductor customer in 2011. Demand for Apple’s iPads and iPhones boosted its use of chips 34% from a year ago, catapulting it over Samsung and Hewlett-Packard, according to the researcher. Verizon (VZ) reported on Tuesday that the company activated 4.3 million iPhones in its fourth quarter.

Tags: Apple, iPad, iPhone, Steve Jobs
Posted in Business, Economy, Employment, Finance, Personal / Internet, Technology | No Comments »

My Grandchildren and Apple

Comment

October 9th, 2011

We have become a no-talk family

Steve Jobs didn’t hit a home run every time, but he got more men on base than most CEOs, and that made all the difference. He certainly succeeded with my family. The children and grandchildren were over for dinner on Sunday and after the usual greeting and kiss, each of them hauled his personal Apple piece out of his pocket and retreated into the instrument. Conversation ceased.

Apple instruments

Three grandsons are post school and waiting to go to college. They are all in search of jobs while they wait for the year to begin. All 3, as far as I could see, had iPads in their hands and when I did manage to squeeze a question in, I asked what they were so busy with. They replied that they are combing the Internet looking for jobs. Two younger grandchildren were busy with iPods, both bought with their own earnings, they assured me. It seems that they both have great reputations as baby sitters and waiters down at the beach cafe. They were playing games that made my mind boggle.

Oh that iPhone

I’m seriously thinking of trading in my old steam-driven first generation mobile phone for one of these iPhones, the latest model 4S. My main problems is that knowing Steve Jobs and the legacy he left at Apple, my 4S model will be made obsolete by Model 5 as I leave the store. Three grandchildren were busy with their iPhones as we sat and talked after dinner. When I asked what they were doing, I got a couple of smothered answers and an explanation from a parent, “they’re probably playing games against each other!” And that’s exactly what they were doing.

Apple stock

Apple’s stock is up an astonishing 7,000% since Jobs returned from an exile in 1997, much of the success came from steady, patient work, not brilliant flashes of inspiration. But it was also combined with understanding what people want, that people always want the latest, and most important of all, a fine understanding of “the next step”. When the iPod landed in his lap Jobs was quick to seize on it and refine it over years, turning a mere gadget into a lifestyle.

The Apps

I had to ask 3 times what an “App” is and I finally had it explained to me. These iPod and iPads are partly ‘empty shells’ into which you can add all sorts of Apps, meaning software programs like games, calculators, books, newspapers and magazines, There is a huge selection of Apps. Some are free and for others, and here is Steve Jobs’ genius, you have to pay. Not large amounts, but you have to pay a few dollars for a game or the right to read the New York Times on your iPhone. Of course if a few million iPad or iPod users buy an App for $2.99 you would be talking about $9 million. And if that happens a couple of times a day or week, well… Apple will be laughing. The whole concept is sheer genius.

Tags: Apple, Apps, ipads, iphones, iPods, Steve Jobs
Posted in Business, Economy, Employment, Finance, Money, Personal / Internet, Technology | No Comments »

Next Month Is Laptop Replacement Time and I Don’t Know What to Buy

Comment

April 21st, 2011

In a world of tablets a laptop is almost a stranger
I am a writer and my best friend is my laptop. I use a tablet too, but for writing in places like coffee shops, only a laptop will do. I find that I have to change my laptop every 2 years to stay up with the technology, and it’s always in the Merry Month of May.

Tablets
While tablets are important, they don’t fully replace laptops, at least not yet. There remains huge value in the portable, clamshell-shaped computer with a physical keyboard, lots of ports, plenty of storage and more horsepower than tablets offer. So, here is WSJ’s Walt Mossberg’s annual spring laptop buyers’ guide, a basic cheat sheet to the most important factors in the shopping process.

Apple
Apple will soon roll out a new Macintosh operating system, called Lion, which displays programs as if they were tablet apps, and it already has an iPad-like app store for the Mac. Microsoft is working on a version of Windows, likely to appear next year, which fuses tablet and PC concepts. This software will run on some current computers, but new hardware, more tailored to these systems, will be coming.

Tablets vs. Laptops
Laptops still win for intensive work like creating long documents, or doing anything that requires precision and benefits from a physical keyboard. They also are more compatible with printers and external disks. If you can’t wait, or don’t want a tablet, you’ll find relatively little has changed in laptop-land in the past six months or so. Here’s a rundown of what you should look for in a laptop.

Windows vs. Mac
As always, capable Windows 7 laptops cost less and offer much more variety than Mac laptops. The latter start at $999, while a few basic, full-size Windows machines can be had for $300. Decently equipped Windows models are in the $500-to-$800 range. Apple refuses to make tiny netbooks, leaving that dwindling category to the Windows guys. But Apple laptops combine sleekness, durability and strong battery life with well-regarded customer service. Macs can run Windows, at extra cost, if you need to use a program that is Windows-only, and they come with better built-in software. Finally, Mac users generally needn’t worry about malicious software, since it’s nearly all designed to run on Windows.

Memory
I recommend 4 gigabytes of memory, or RAM, on a new Windows computer, though a Mac will perform well on 2 gigabytes, unless you’re designing complex graphics. A new Windows machine should be labeled “64-bit” for best performance.

Processors
The newest, and most advertised, chips in consumer laptops are Intel’s i3, i5, and i7 Core models. But a PC with chips from rival AMD, which usually cost less, or older Intel dual-core chips, will do fine for most users.

Hard Disks
A 320 gigabyte hard disk should be the minimum on most PCs, though 250 gigabytes are fine for many average users. Solid-state disks, which lack moving parts and use flash memory, are costlier but faster and use less power. However, they usually have less capacity. As more data are stored online, huge amounts of local storage will be less crucial.

Tags: Apple, Computers, iPad, Laptops, Tablets, Windows
Posted in Economy, Employment, Finance, Personal / Internet | No Comments »