TheMacAdvocate

You’ve all heard of the strategy of being a “loss leader” in a market; but M$ is looking to perpetuate its title of “loss follower” in its consumer product offerings.   Witness Microsoft’s latest flotilla of capital destined to do dance of the porcelin swirl: the Zune HD. Hey. That design almost doesn’t look half bad. Wait [...]

According to the Charlotte Observer, Apple and the state of North Carolina are negotiating a whopper of a tax break should Apple decide to locate a massive server farm there.  Of particular interest to me was this quote: “Though the Apple site is initially expected to employ fewer than 100 full-time workers, legislators said the [...]

Advertising Age is claiming that “Microsoft (is) Winning in Value Perception”, citing a BrandIndex daily survey of 5,000 people asked “whether they believe they get a get good value for their money” as related to Microsoft and Apple offerings.  The survey, which according to the BrandIndex chart included with the article, rates value on a scale [...]

Scott Moritz is one of Jim Cramer’s merry band of stock manipulators over at TheStreet.com.   Either that or he’s really‚ really bad at his job – especially when it comes to Apple. I actually think sound investment advice would be “Do the opposite of what this toolbox says”. Scott’s latest gem, available in both [...]

Apple does not respond to market trends by introducing “me too” entries. If there is something of value to be extracted from a market, Apple takes it and packages it into products that have a more intuitive UI, a better industrial design and consequently higher margins. When MP3 music players were first introduced, Apple didn’t [...]

Every time Apple reports earnings‚ every analyst on the Cupertino beat weighs in with their idea for how Steve should spend his now $30 billion pile of cash.  Most suggest acquisitions of some kind.  The ideas range from the unimaginative to the straight-up retarded (unless someone could explain how you print money with Twitter).  Because [...]

Apple is a company that brings out the worst in some people.  Whether they be fanboy-bashers or CEOs of bloated software juggernauts, there’s something about Steve’s condescending little smirk that drives people absolutely batshit.  I get it.  I really do.  For most of these individuals, the knowledge that I work with a superior OS is [...]

Microsoft revealed the 3rd ad in its “Bargain Hunter” series and in the great tradition of awesome cinematic 3rd installments, this commercial delivers. Meet Sheila.  Sheila is an artist, a filmmaker.  She needs to find a performance machine;  “…something that’s going to be able to cut video” (notice the ‘term of art’ usage).  She has [...]