AAPL.O

There's really no better way to kick off the new digs:

AAPL vs. DELL -- Dec 2002 - Dec 2007

If I were Michael Dell, I'd sell the company and give the money back to the shareholders.

But if you drag the slider to include the 80s the picture changes quite dramatically.

That's OK -- we're gaining fast! The other ship's Scotty is screaming Jesus while we are calming tapping our fingers.

It's all about schadenfreude at this point.

It's not just about schadenfreude (but somehow I suspect that TSO might have special products in the pipeline with just that code name -- maybe some targeted at Dell, others at Motorola, and maybe one or two with a great big wet kiss for Adobe & Microsoft...)

Apple has a TON of cash, and they have a real good memory. That cash is such a large pile that, like IBM & GE, they have to think of ways to be prudent about managing that horde. The bad news is that TSO can only ignore the advice of economists for so long before even his boardroom has to face the music. Unlike other behemoths Apple can't legitimately gin up some leasing operation or other way to waste its cash while customer throw wads of money big at their operational budget. They'll either have to buy something or give the cash back. TSO hates to give cash back.

That leaves purchases. SHORT list: Media Company, Chip Maker, Network Provider.

Buy Warner Records (market cap $1B) and free the artists.

that would be sweet--rather see them buy NBC

Yeah, that'd be fun right now, but NBC Universal has a much bigger market cap and two owners, Vivendi and GE. Anyway, buying a content company seems like a fool's game. It'd be boring, but the money is better spent on nailing down large supplies of components like RAM as they've been doing. The flash-RAM subnote is going to be a category killer in price because Apple will be able to get way better prices on a still pricey component.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2007 12:42PM by johnny k.

Do you really think Apple will come out with a traditional keyboard-n-screen subnotebook? I think they might try to work in an iPhone style tablet for the wireless home.

It seems pretty clear to me that the future of mobile computing looks more like a scaled-up iPod Touch/iPhone than a scaled-down MacBook Pro. The only question is how long will it be before the new machines appear. I predict MWSF 2009, rather than 2008 though.

I agree, subnotebooks are not a direction that will make sense going forward.
My work axe is now a detestable HP/Compaq nc4200. It has the standard subnotebook "leave the optical drive in a dock or tote it along with its own power wart & USB". Hideous.
I don't think the little beast any thinner than my wife's MBP and though it may be wee bit lighter it has a fugly little screen that barely eeks by with 1024X768. YUCK! Effin Lenovo knows that 1400x1050 is what people want (and if you can't see it go to Walgreens and spend the $4 on the half glasses)



TSO knows that the iPhone screen was/is kinda "off the shelf" -- the next versions will almost certainly have greater pixel density and better addressability is inevitable. Odds are they won't be alone in having better displays.

Input is a whole other issue, and Apple's patents on multitouch should give them ample differentiation.

The "jihad" will come from adherents to the RIM/Kindling crappy ass keypads vs the on-screen keyboard, and just as TSO doesn't let pointy sticks or visible double buttons under the touchpad, you can pretty much be sure that whatever size screen that the next Apple ubiquitous connected device (UCD) it'll be ALL screen and better than the iPhone/iPad touch in real world use.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2007 05:22AM by stan adams.

I don't get that picture. Micro Steel? +125? usually they are like +1.25 (note the POINT). And what is that steel mesh?/for?

What a journey.

Apple's placed one of the more effective web ads I've seen at nyt.com this morning.

The animated TV spot is pretty cool, too.

had to go find browser without add-blocks, but very funny and well done.

FLL - can you look off to the side? You're staring at me. :)

What a journey.

Your Zipper is down.

[made me look]

What a journey.

Fast Company has an issue dedicated to Apple.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/

December 07 -- 5 articles.