It was February 1981. Nearly half of the Apple II engineering team at Apple Computer had been fired the previous day, and now the company's CEO, Steve Jobs, was peering over the wall of programmer Andy Hertzfeld's cubicle.
So if you’re on the search to get yourself the best laptop or a computer and wondering whether to buy a Mac or Windows PC, the short answer is Mac. Apple has enjoyed a long time of secure. And all that power really travels. IPad is incredibly thin and so light you can carry it with you everywhere. And it has up to 10 hours of battery life to keep you going all day. 1 Stay connected on the go with fast Wi‑Fi and up to Gigabit‑class LTE. 2 You can even print, project, and send files wirelessly.
Hertzfeld was typing code for Apple II's operating system when Jobs rounded the corner, yanked the computer's power cord out of the socket and carted the machine -- with Hertzfeld in tow -- from the corporate campus to a small office overlooking a Texaco station in Cupertino, Calif.
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Hertzfeld wasn't fired; he was promoted.
He would spend his days authoring code for Apple's new Macintosh project [source: Hertzfeld]. The team had only a few months to create a new operating system that would be faster and more efficient -- and become the predecessor of today's iMacs.
The abrupt reassignment and truncated schedule were a workplace phenomenon Apple employees knew as a 'reality distortion field.' This Star Trek term was used to describe Jobs' ability to convince nearly anyone to do nearly anything -- and deliver it according to an unrealistic timetable [source: Hertzfeld].
Regardless of whether Jobs really could bend the time-space continuum, his drive and personality helped Apple Computers change the way people use technology. It was one of the first companies to transform the computer from an imperceptible mass of vacuum tubes stationed primarily at universities and government offices to a manageable-sized machine for ordinary people.
Why Are Apple Macs So Good Luck
Today, Apple is as relevant as ever, thanks to new releases of Apple operating systems, software and hardware, and related products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
Apple products are vertically integrated; the company makes its own hardware, software and accessories, and delivers the product whole to the consumer [source: Dalakov]. Instead of making decisions about what components and software to use and then manually installing them, Mac users can simply power up their computers and use them right out of the box. And if they have a problem with any component -- from keyboard to hard drive -- there's a single point of contact at Apple's customer service.
By contrast, PCs have hardware and software components made by multiple outside vendors. Users may need to communicate with several vendors to diagnose and fix a PC problem. However, being able to pick and choose components also makes PCs easier to customize than Macs in terms of both cost and capabilities [source: Nutter].
Vlc media player macbook mac. The ability to migrate information between Macs and PCs can be challenging because of each system's inherent differences. Macs are considered a 'closed' system because their components -- software, hardware, operating systems -- are not compatible with non-Macs [source: Chaffin]. However, non-Apple-developed apps, accessories and even operating systems are becoming increasingly Mac-accessible.
Macs have a reputation for being more expensive than PCs, but feature-by-feature breakdowns have shown that show the fees are quite comparable. Building a laptop with similar features as a MacBook Pro, for example, may cost as much or more [source: Finnie]. Principle figma.
For some Mac fans, however, price is not the point. It may be the lingering effects of reality distortion, but Apple's managed to create a computer with a virtual federation of loyal fans.
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Sources
- Apple.com. 'OS X Lion.' (Aug. 13, 2011) http://www.apple.com/macosx/whats-new/features.html
- Chaffin, Bryan. 'Apple's Closed System Doomed to Fail.' June 27, 2011. Mac Observer. http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/death_knell_56_apples_closed_system_doomed_to_die/
- Dalakov, Georgi. 'Apple Macintosh.' (Aug. 13, 2011) http://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Personal/Macintosh.html
- Dummies.com. 'Why Mac Users Feels a Mac is Better than a Windows PC.' (Aug. 13, 2011) http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-mac-users-feel-a-mac-is-better-than-a-windows-.html
- Elmer-DeWitt. 'Apple Reports Earnings Today. Five Numbers to Watch.' July 19, 2011. CNN Money. http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/07/19/apple-reports-earnings-today-five-numbers-to-watch/
- Finnie, Scot. 'Mac vs. PC Cost Analysis: How Does It All Add Up?' June 8, 2007. (Aug. 13, 2011) Computer World. http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9023959/Mac_vs._PC_cost_analysis_How_does_it_all_add_up_
- Hertzfeld, Andy. 'Black Wednesday.' (Aug. 13, 2011) Folklore.org. http://folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Black_Wednesday.txt&characters=Andy%20Hertzfeld&sortOrder=Sort%20Date&detail=medium
- Hertzfeld, Andy. 'Reality Distortion Field.' (Aug. 17, 2011) Folklore.org. http://folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Reality_Distortion_Field.txt
- Nutter, Mark. 'Fiver Reasons Why Developers are Switching to Mac.' Smashing Magazine. April 26, 2009. (Aug. 13, 2011) http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/04/26/five-reasons-why-designers-are-switching-to-mac/
- Vader, Darren. 'Biography: Steve Jobs.' (Aug. 13, 2011) TheAppleMuseum.org. http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=49
There’s no doubt that Apple is the number one tech company in the world right now. With a reputation as the trend-setter in the industry, Apple’s always been at the forefront of innovation. A huge reason for their success lies in the complete ecosystem of products that Apple users immerse themselves into once they’re exposed to its wonders. No one does it like Apple when it comes to creating a self-reliant and self-sufficient ecosystem where users aren’t just able to seamlessly work within, but also benefit from it.
A few years ago, if you’d told me I’d be as surrounded by Apple products as I currently am, I would’ve probably scoffed at you. While I’ve never been a person who’s held back in getting the good things in life, Apple for me has always seemed a luxury that you don’t really need. However, I can safely say that once you dip your feet into the ecosystem, it’s difficult to say no to the rest of the family.
What Makes the Apple Ecosystem Work?
Apple products are a joy to use independently, but it’s when you bring them all together that the magic really happens. Because, yeah, the iPhone’s pretty damn amazing on its own, but when you throw the Apple Watch and the AirPods into the mix? The perks just can’t be compared to using other substitutes for the same services.
Key Components
- iCould
Google Drive and OneDrive might have the market cornered for collaborative work, but nothing beats iCloud when it comes to individual utility. Yes, you’ll have to pay to really enjoy the benefits of seamless back-up and storage, but iCloud is pretty great even without that.
One of my favourite uses of iCloud is syncing my files and notes between my Apple devices. Being a writer means that I get inspiration at any time of the day or night when I may or may not have my usual devices with me. It’s the best thing ever to be able to make a note on my Mac during work when inspiration strikes, then continue the thought on my iPhone while I’m commuting without having to go through any effort at all. Then, of course, there’s the amazing iCloud keychain, which helps forgetful humans like me go through their day without much frustration.
- AirDrop
Why Mac Is Best
Ask anyone who’s even moderately aware of the tech scene about what Apple does better than Android, and it’s wireless sharing. Sure, Bluetooth’s cool and all, and yeah, apps like ShareIt might be popular among Android users, but there’s really no going back once you experience AirDrop.
Whether it’s images, files, links, and even heavy media like videos that would take you ages to transfer between devices, AirDrop makes all of that a matter of seconds. I’ve personally shared 4K videos between my Mac and iPhone as easily as if I had my iPhone plugged in. Besides, it’s really the best way to preserve the quality of your media during the transfer. So I’m just going to go ahead and give full points to AirDrop for ease of use and convenience. Activedock.
- Continuity
After AirDop, this might possibly be the best thing that has happened to the Apple ecosystem. This function makes working between devices almost magical with how seamless it is. As the name suggests, Continuity helps you maintain the flow of work between your Apple devices and use them together in a way that would be super complicated (and require multiple third-party apps) on other devices.
One of the best examples of this is the Universal Clipboard feature, which lets you copy something on one Apple device and paste it on another—an absolute timesaver that makes me feel well-spoiled. Other features include Handoff, Instant Hotspot, and phone calling and text messages when connected to the same network.
- The Devices
I’d honestly say that even without all the features I listed above, Apple’s ecosystem would still remain the strongest in the space. For one, the range of products itself is so diverse that there’s no need to leave the ecosystem—everything you need is right there.
Want a phone? You have the iPhone. A laptop? Get a MacBook. Can’t afford the Pro? There’s the MacBook Air. Want something more portable? The iPad’s what you need. Need a heavy-duty desktop? An iMac is the best there is. An MP3 player? The iPod was made for this. And then there’s the Apple Watch, the Apple TV, the AirPods… you get it. What’s even more unique is how all these individual units interact with each other, being independent and interdependent at the same time.
- The Services
It doesn’t end at the devices. Apple is stepping more and more into the world of services as well. The App Store and iTunes had already been miles ahead of Play Store and other competitors, and with iBooks, Podcasts, Apple Music, and now Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, Apple seems to be preparing the whole package of services for its users.
Though I’ll admit these still have miles to go before they can be used in isolation without the use of other services, there’s no denying the fact that Apple seems to have some ambitious plans in the online services sector as well.
Why Apple’s Ecosystem Beats All Others
Why Are Macs So Weak
Besides how well-integrated these key components of the Apple family of products are, there’s one thing that puts Apple above all its competitors. It’s the fact that they control their hardware and software both, a feat that no other tech brand has achieved. This gives them the freedom to tinker with their products as much as they want and control different aspects of their devices in a way that makes the inter-dependence of their gadgets much more seamless. They decide what to add or remove from the hardware and how to supplement that through the software to not just improve user experience in the ecosystem, but also convince more users to immerse themselves into it.
Take the AirPods, for example. The headphone jack might have been a controversial removal from the iPhone, but Apple still went ahead with it to make the AirPods an important part of the ecosystem by the time of its release. Despite the fact that everyone and their mother came at Apple for this decision, it’s fast become the new normal and other brands are only now catching up.
Now I can’t imagine having to go back to wired headphones at all. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen mine since I bought my new iPhone—who even knows where they are?
What makes Apple remain at the top is that they’re always willing to take the risk to mess around with their products in an effort to create something better. And I think that’s something that makes Apple users tend to stick to Apple; because even while there might be bumps along the way, we know that at the end it’s better to stick around and see what they have in store.
Are you fully immersed yet or are you just testing the waters? And what do you think about the other so-called “ecosystems”? Share your thoughts below!