IS APPLE ON THE ROPES?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE ON THE ROPES?      

#Apple #Samsung #Android #Fragmentation #JellyBean #Cyanogenmod

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! I am so happy to say that we, in London, UK, are blessed with another day of wonderful weather! I hope the weather is equally as wonderful where you are!

Thank you so much for reading my last article on the differences between Apple and Samsung. I can see how much you have enjoyed it from the amount of readership recorded! It has been said that the article was biased towards Samsung but my argument is this: Samsung is the company that has produced the most innovation regarding mobile technology. I have acknowledged that fact and if that makes me biased then I am biased. I was very complimentary of what Apple have achieved but it is not down to me that they are hell bent on marring their wonderful achievements with their ‘feel sorry for us, the originator of the iPhone which now looks prehistoric compared to the competition’ adverts. It’s not down to me that they are not good sports when it comes to acknowledging what the competition has achieved. I wish that would change but I can’t do anything about it. So, I ask...

IS APPLE ON THE ROPES?
The reason why I am asking is because things do not appear to be going Apple’s way at the moment what with the loss of the eBook price fixing case. It looks like Apple has changed the world again – they have made eBooks more expensive. Wonderful!

Apple has lost some patent cases and won some against Samsung and others. They’ve recently dropped the suit over Amazon calling its app store, ‘App Store’. But it’s getting to a point whereby Apple comes off worse if they win (because what they are arguing over is so petty) and when they lose you get to see the grotesque face beneath the mask of smug coolness.

What makes Apple behave like a spoiled over privileged child? Do you ever ask yourself that?

DELUSIONAL?  
There’s is no doubt in my mind that Steve Jobs was not only very intelligent, driven, charismatic and a tyrant when it comes to willing his vision into being. Who isn’t like that when one has a gifted mind that can potentially change the world? Jobs reminds me of Captain Ahab with Android / Samsung as Moby Dick. Or David Cronenberg’s Seth Brundle who became genetically spliced with the genes of a fly; the “telepod” a metaphor for the iPhone that he is spliced with at the end of the movie.

We’ve seen how Jobs practically and singlehandedly take down Adobe by refusing Flash for the purpose of control over the App Store. Security issues was just a smokescreen to prevent talented developers from creating Flash based apps that could provide a revenue stream for Adobe. I did think that Adobe would have put up more of a fight on behalf of their once beloved Flash.

It became clear as to how delusional Jobs was not just because he was once pushed out of his own company but for wanting to go “thermonuclear” on Android and prepared to waste billions in taking down the most used mobile operating system on the planet. I am sure that had Jobs lived he would have been pushed out of the company again simply because he would have wasted so much time and energy into suing Google out of business for Android instead of coming up with more innovations / reinventions, iLetoff the digital kettle that senses when you might need a coffee or tea through transmitting your stress levels from the iPhone. Clever, huh?

PARTISAN
Apple is like one of those newfangled cult religions... The Church of Apple and the Spirit of Technology... I am a jealous God so therefore do not buy from the competition or thou shalt not buy from other Gods.

That’s how Apple comes across: only they can do technology! They inspire division rather than unity and I firmly believe that technology should unite us all. But like Jobs, Tim Cook comes as a false prophet.

“More people view the web on the iPhone and iOS devices than the other guys (meaning Android mainly and Windows, BlackBerry is secondary)...”

I am paraphrasing here, but when I heard those words uttered at this year’s WWDC I couldn’t believe it; Android is the most popular operating system in the world and people aren’t accessing the web from their devices? C’mon, who is he trying to fool? It has recently been reported that Samsung has taken over the iPhone for devices surfing the web. But common sense tells you that already.

“Just look at the situation here...” Or words to that effect describing the fragmentation of Android

Doesn’t Cook understand that Jelly Bean is quickly overcoming issues of fragmentation simply due to the fact that when consumers upgrade to the latest handsets they’ll get Jelly Bean, Android 4.2.2? Now Jelly Bean is the most widely used version of Android.

It is also brilliant that some handsets have been able to install the latest version due to rooting and developers such as Cyanogenmod.

Cook is finding himself eating Jelly Beans! Lol!

I guess this could be another reason to delay Key Lime Pie; Google wants to get every manufacturer up to speed with the latest version of Android before moving on. I do think that Google ought to standardize budget handsets so that manufacturers can stop using Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich on their devices.

INNOVATION
There’s that word again, “innovation”.

Let me tell you right now: This article is not intended to hurt Fanboys and / or Fangirls. It’s about looking at the mentality behind Apple. It’s about acknowledging Android has brought about a consistent and most amazing innovations in mobile devices in comparison to the iPhone’s half an inch.

My Adorable Apple Friend defends Apple for the sake of it. I put to her this question: When a new movie is released and you want to see it would you prefer to see it on the TV screen or the cinema? “The cinema.” She answers. So, the big screen is better than the small screen? She can’t answer. And before you can say, “battery drain” I say, spare battery.

Apple can no longer claim “thinnest phone in the world”.  So, it seems like they are on the ropes. While technically the iPad has been surpassed by the Samsung Nexus 10, Android has yet to produce a convincing argument for expensive tablets. Don’t get me wrong, I love high end Android tablet but I don’t like the high price that comes with it. They (Android) are taking a lot of time in surpassing the iPad standard when it comes to decent apps; they are getting there. But at the same time I think the Nexus 7 is a great little half-way tablet. I am looking forward to seeing what the second generation Nexus 7 brings us. For me personally, I think the iPad is too costly. But I cannot and do not wish to take anything away from the great design and apps available for it.

If you love Apple and their iOS devices that’s great! Good for you. I am not interested in iOS vs. Android in the negative sense. I enjoy how Apple and Google strive to make their respective operating system the best.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD
Apart from the likes of the NSA catching terrorists, rapists, paedophiles, murderers, etc from snooping on mobile phone communications, I would like for Apple to come off its high horse and mingle with technology lovers and start looking at ways to share the wealth of knowledge.

Google bailed Apple out with their maps app. Google are making it possible for developers to develop games that can be played regardless of operating system. They also give iOS users an alternative browser in Chrome but iPhone users can’t make it their default browser.

It would be nice for Apple and the consumer to encourage app development for Android, Windows and BlackBerry users. I would love to be able to push Apple in that direction instead of being a bad sport.

Stranger things have been known to happen. Lol! Here’s to technological unity!

Let me know what you think!

Take good care!

Please enjoy the video below! Feel free to leave some comments and subscribe!

Thank you for watching and reading!

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SHE’S AN iPHONE / MAC, I’M AN ANDROID / PC

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT:
MY ADORABLE FRIEND & ME: SHE’S AN iPHONE / MAC, I’M AN ANDROID / PC (KINDA RELUCTANTLY).

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! I don’t know if you have read my blog that wonders if ‘Apple Brainwashes their users’, have you? I am now convinced that most Apple product users have been brainwashed... Yes, my Adorable Friend has started her mini-Apple campaign on me... Hee hee...

...iOS 7
Yes, my Adorable Friend and I had a little chat over the weekend via the Viber app... Sadly, we hardly find time to talk these days... She’s busy with her new business venture and I with my reviews, blogs, etc. But as always towards the end of our conversation she teased me about getting an iPhone and a Mac. She has just gotten wind of the forthcoming iOS 7 operating system and she was telling me how wonderful it is and how it is better than Android and that I should stop “deluding” myself. Lol! The she swiftly moves on to the subject of me getting a Mac... Lol!

I had to point out to my Adorable Friend that a lot of the “new” features such as multitasking, quick access to settings and advanced notifications have been enjoyed by Android users for at least a couple of years! Of course there is no comeback to the assertion of this fact. My Adorable Friend claims to “love” technology and admits to being a Star Trek fan yet she, like a lot of Apple users, does not seem to look beyond Apple where the love of technology is concerned. She should know more about what’s going on with other technologies.

As you know I LOVE technology big time and while I can’t profess to know every detail, trends, etc I do try to keep an eye and ear open to see what’s happening across the board... I can’t deny that there are times when I find it hard to keep up or understand certain concepts, but I do try. If anything my enthusiasm for all things tech opens up my mind a little more than the average person.

If you are a power Android user there’s no point in me going over the same things that you already know. This article is not necessarily aimed at the Android know-it-all-dork-geek.

WHY PC OVER MAC?
Despite the fact that I hate Microsoft for the inconsistencies in their Windows operating system I prefer a PC to a Mac any day of the week! When I see past my hate of Microsoft I do realize that they have a tougher time in that there are so many darn components for the Windows operating system to contend with... Ex amount of graphics cards, sound cards (even though sound is upon the motherboard these days), CPUs and what have you! I can see that it is not always easy to maintain a consistent support throughout. Not to mention the various bits of software that can cause a system shut down – oddly enough these instances came from Windows XP Pro and Internet Explorer 8! And do not get me started on these bloody service packs... Grrrrrrrrrr! The old adage that you get what you pay for rings true always! With a PC I have noticed that the more you spend on it the lesser the chance of something going irretrievably wrong! But that chance is there nonetheless!

I have two PCs... One I use for all manner of graphics / web design and general office duties and another for making music – not that I have time to make music lately! Lol! The design PC is pretty cheap and the darn thing can never perform an automatic upgrade for some reason I have yet to figure out. The music PC is able to auto upgrade but bloody constantly to the point where it’s around two to three or even four times a day! Jeez, gimmie a break! It’s annoying; why can’t the upgrades be performed one time? At least it is able to upgrade without reverting the changes. Small mercy!

The amount of money you can spend on a good Mac you’d be, probably, better off investing into a decent PC! If you have just joined me I will tell you briefly that I looked into buying a Mac once upon a time... I visited the Mac section of PC World and I tell you, I wanted to punch the Mac salesman out! Lol! I am not violent! Honest! Throughout his pitch one word came up too many times to count and that world was, “professional” (and the variant, “pro”). I’m standing there wondering if this guy thinks that the more he says “pro” or “professional” the more likely I am going to buy a Mac. I am looking at him thinking, “$@%£#*# idiot!”

HACKINTOSH?
Now this is where I think that these computer geeks have nothing else better to do... Some people would actually build the perfect PC just to run the Mac operating system on it. It is a complete waste of time in my humble opinion because once you have the perfect PC components you are then able to run the Adobe suite of software with ease! Most people who use a Mac tend to use Adobe stuff. I guess the only good thing about going to all that effort to build a Hackintosh is that one can complete the challenge. It’s like that guy who did a tightrope walk over a stretch of Grand Canyon without the aid of a safety net; what was the point? Well, no doubt everyone has a sense of what an achievement is but if I was going to achieve anything in the computer world I would love to put together a PC that runs on Android. That would be a worthwhile achievement. I still think the desktop has its place and Microsoft has squandered opportunities. Why, Microsoft? Why? I am considering Ubuntu. Funnily enough my brother has installed Ubuntu on his laptop after being fed up with Windows and a couple of years ago my brother was not very computer literate. Well done!

Look up on how to build a Hackintosh; you might find it amusing... All those wonderful components...

CHOICE
The main reason why I stick with the PC – for now – is that there is a vast range of choice when it comes to software. Just go into a store such as PC World and you’ll see that PC easily outnumbers what is available on the Mac.

When I was considering the Mac I was impressed by the iWork suite of software that came as part of a Mac mini. I was interested in web design and music making. Garageband looked really enticing and it reminded me a little of Magix music making software.

In the end, as you know, I stuck with the PC! For a couple of months now my Adorable Friend wishes to create her own website for her business, she owns a Mac and for all her one woman Mac campaign she is unable to create such as site. I told her that if she had a PC or a PC emulator then she could use a great range of excellent WYSIWYG web design software that can deliver professional results. I am tempted to pack up one of my PCs and go over to Sweden and get her site done; but time doesn’t permit. She now has a WordPress site which isn’t a bad compromise; it is what it is... ...a compromise... So much for the Mac as a creative tool... Of course, a person with some graphic design skills and experience with web design software for the Mac should have no problem in creating a site. 

The point is that the Mac is supposed to be easy enough for anyone to use at an entry level. My Adorable Friend claims that she can hack Facebook accounts and jailbreak (root) her iPhone but she can’t do any graphical design work let alone build a site. Well, I started out the opposite direction: I was largely self-taught as a graphic / web designer. Taught myself how to build a PC from scratch – it wasn’t as easy as it is now.  And I eventually learned a little about rooting my Android handsets. I would say “hack” my handsets to sound more clued up; however, it is not the case. I am still learning. The next stage of my technical evolution is to learn how to program... I will probably start by learning how to create apps for Android. How? At this moment in time I have not much of a clue!

As much as I have had some problems with Windows I do appreciate the great range of software available to me... From expensive Adobe software to inexpensive equivalents; oooh, not forgetting the amount of freeware! When it comes to music... My goodness... There are so many freebies out there for the PC owner in the name of music making: digital audio workstations, virtual synthesizers and effects... WOW!!!! Just take a look on the Synapse Circuit website for some freely available resources.

COMING ROUND...
I guess the more I think of the Samsung ATIV Q the more it makes sense... A dual boot Android and Windows 8 tablet... Hmmmm... I am just thinking of the amount of music making software I have amassed over the years...Sheesh! I’d be happy to replace my antiquated PCs... I think I’m starting a PC museum. If I told you how many PCs I have owned over the years and how many I have lying around doing absolutely nothing you’d probably wonder about the state of my mind. But seriously, I used to love tinkering with them... Taking them apart, swapping out components, etc. You have to love messing around with technology... You do get to learn quite a lot from it. The only thing I didn’t learn was that I should’ve gotten rid of the darn things earlier! Lol!

For all my frustrations it is truly a wonderful thing to be able to put together your own PC!

WINDOWS OPSYS UPGRADES: ASSISTANT
What many Mac folk don’t understand is how complex it is for Windows users to upgrade to the latest operating system. As discussed earlier, there are so many component incompatibles to consider that it’s a pain. There is the ‘Assistant’ software that scans to see if a PC / laptop can take on the upgrade.

Mac owners are lucky in one sense that Apple keeps a tight rein on their computer builds. Another thing that has been so annoying is that Windows operating system upgrades have been so bloody expensive! I think that the recent trends in smartphone and tablet technology have had a critical impact on the cost of Windows operating system upgrades. There may be some life in Windows yet! C’mon, Microsoft! Get your act together!

HYPNOTIC?
Check out this edited video below and tell me if Apple fans aren’t being hypnotized / brainwashed...

Let me also leave you with the rants of an iPhone fan... The following is real... 

"Android is a cheap knockoff.

Always has been and always will be.

If Apple borrows something, well that's just too bad -- that's the price you pay for being so "free" and "open". You know, those 'qualities' the robots are always bragging about.

And Apple will do it better anyway.

Leave your dirty 'droids at the door.

No one here wants to hear about them..."

This was in response to an article I posted in an Apple community to find out what they thought of the recent WWDC.

What do you reckon?

Thank you for reading! 

Take good care!

Please enjoy the video below! Feel free to leave some comments and subscribe!

Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com