Apple = Microsoft, Google = Apple

[snorkel]

Maybe Google is separate and only tangentially related, but the first part is true. I dislike that there is clearly much more effort being put into projects like iPad (which, to its credit, could eventually be awesome) and iOS and their whole mobile ad network scheme than, for instance, developing their original hardware and software. There was a time when Apple was continuously developing  specialized/unique/premium hardware that stood out from competition (Apple II / early Mac era), now the latest CPUs make it into the lineup months after they debut; OS X is on a good pace (Snow Leopard is a really, really good OS for 24/7 use), but I fear for how they decide to do OS 11 (my guess is merging os x and iOS and making some stupid new concept of a desktop/app launcher)

I know this is fairly obvious -- it seems clear that everything since Jobs returned has been geared toward the Apple Computer to Apple shift, and a lot of things that made Apple good have been fading from relevance (their pro media software could be much more developed, safari is quickly losing to Chrome, their shit like MobileMe and Appstore isn't really effective, and the product quality has decreased significantly in the (bugs everywhere).

I think they're going to continue to capitalize on trends (macbook air for netbooks, ipad for tablets, iphone and ipod when they came out), but I hope other parties succeed in Apple's wake of discontent (Appstore blasted mobile apps into mainstream existence but I foresee Android coming out on top, maybe not for gaming and such but for better support from 'real' developers not the people making shitty iphone games)

I really hate how they setup iphone/ipad as just a screen of apps, with the implication that you choose these specific tasks to carry around, instead of a desktop-style UI with access to the system and A FUCKING TERMINAL. Mail and Safari (90% of my use) are nice but why wouldn't all the advanced features of the OS X apps be included? Attempting to use any of the apps heavily crashes them regularly (especially Safari). the 3G chips are shit at least in the 3Gs (mine is dead and they get poor reception). The fact that a jailbroken iphone has access to more useful shit (plus official apps) than an appstore-only one speaks for itself, Apple has a better platform to steer mobile app development and content delivery than anyone else, but they insist on their stupid closed systems that just end up damaging the product, like disallowing the google voice app, GPS shit, etc  

I didn't realize I could articulate that much. thoughts on apple's present and future?