She's going to have to learn to relax in front of crowds if she is going to do product release presentations for Apple.
When has Apple's retail chief ever done product presentations?
It was not necessary when Steve Jobs was alive, but many people have bemoaned Tim Cook's presentation skills and suggested that Apple needs someone new to be their face at keynotes. Maybe my post would have been better placed if I had referenced Ahrendts' Tedx talk about which several posters seemed impressed. I don't think Apple would require a precedent of a retail SVP having done product demos previously, if they felt they had hired a new one whose passion was infectious enough to make her the best person for the job. My comment was only that she sounded very tense. She kept clearing her throat and her voice sounded like her breathing was very shallow. These shortcomings can be overcome with coaching and I would like to see her do it.
She's going to have to learn to relax in front of crowds if she is going to do product release presentations for Apple.
When has Apple's retail chief ever done product presentations?
It was not necessary when Steve Jobs was alive, but many people have bemoaned Tim Cook's presentation skills and suggested that Apple needs someone new to be their face at keynotes. Maybe my post would have been better placed if I had referenced Ahrendts' Tedx talk about which several posters seemed impressed. I don't think Apple would require a precedent of a retail SVP having done product demos previously, if they felt they had hired a new one whose passion was infectious enough to make her the best person for the job. My comment was only that she sounded very tense. She kept clearing her throat and her voice sounded like her breathing was very shallow. These shortcomings can be overcome with coaching and I would like to see her do it.
Watch this, she seems perfectly fine in front of a camera
Burberry is sadly known for being the clothing provider for chavs - the uneducated (and proud of it) noisy, in your face, downmarket but high spending, brand-obsessed, Samsung-loving, irritating, low life much despised in the UK. Sure, Burberry sell to a restricted range of unprofitable top-end upmarket people too, but I hope no check patterns enter the Apple design system...
I'm not saying she's a bad hire, and her stewardship was in place at the time markets moved towards her products and she managed that effectively - but again, she seems to excite Tim Cook in the same way as John Browett did: profit centric. I would argue that Apple doesn't need more profit, it needs more soul; everything recently seems to be slightly behind where it could be just to maximise the revenues. Samsung may be the dirtiest, nastiest copyists out there, but I can understand why their products appeal to some people (I know, I have to go and wash my mouth out with soap now!) Apple just hasn't launched anything really exciting for ages. iOS7 is worrying, while the iP5S is basically an iP5 with a fingerprint sensor. The original iPhone was loaded with new, wonderful features. That magic has been lost it seems, and now they are chasing chavs? I hope not!
What are you talking about? Do you know anything about Burberry? No, you don't. When you do, come back here again.
Well, if you have to ask I guess you might never get it.
Perhaps it'll help you if I say they need more people who think like Steve Jobs thought, and fewer who think how Tim Cook thinks if they are to return to launching products that touch people's souls.
Who's the visionary at Apple these days? A series of excellent specialists need a visionary to guide them or they'll have the most organised expedition that never left base. At the moment Phil Schiller seems to be driving product specs, launching each new iPhone with just a single headline grabbing feature (classical marketing theory of maximising profits) while Tim Cook is driving the supply chain very well because he looks at the details, but seems not to see the big picture; Jony Ive is great at making things look pretty but isn't always the most practical if iOS7 is a guide, while the customer service is not as it used to be due to moving away from people to a computer operated call forwarding system which drives me potty as I remember when I could get through to a real person without having to wait for 3 to 4 minutes of computer messages and choices first.
It's all become very focussed on profits when Apple already are the world's most profitable company; is that all the Apple ethos has become? Where is the zen thinking? Where is the combination of art with science? Where is the science fiction coming to life in your hand?
Well, if you can't explain, you don't have it.
I damn well want Apple to care about profits. You can bet Steve Jobs cared about profits. Otherwise Apple would not have the margins it did under his watch.
Your framing of 'profits' and 'soul' as as substitutes is simply sophistry.
She's going to have to learn to relax in front of crowds if she is going to do product release presentations for Apple.
When has Apple's retail chief ever done product presentations?
It was not necessary when Steve Jobs was alive, but many people have bemoaned Tim Cook's presentation skills and suggested that Apple needs someone new to be their face at keynotes. Maybe my post would have been better placed if I had referenced Ahrendts' Tedx talk about which several posters seemed impressed. I don't think Apple would require a precedent of a retail SVP having done product demos previously, if they felt they had hired a new one whose passion was infectious enough to make her the best person for the job. My comment was only that she sounded very tense. She kept clearing her throat and her voice sounded like her breathing was very shallow. These shortcomings can be overcome with coaching and I would like to see her do it.
Yes, she did seem uncomfortable and a bit over rehearsed. Her attempt at humor (something about laughing when she sees a picture of her dad) was confused and fell flat.
That said, her material was well organized and clearly presented. I can identify being around someone who just exudes energy... It's tangible. A few times in my life, I have experienced being "on" for a short while -- giving a talk or a preso -- when you're nailing it -- and you know you're nailing it. There is no way to describe the energy of that feeling.
I was particularly intrigued when she relegated "technology" to the "connection" (the not-so-dumb pipe, if you will) as part of interaction... The important part of interaction is the content -- and the content is you!
This tells me that she understands the role of tech in our lives -- and can help counteract tech's improper use -- one of the saddest videos I've seen:
[VIDEO]
Public speaking can be an acquired skill. I am sure she has the ability, and is up to the challenge!
An important part of many Apple events is the presentation of news about Apple retail and online stores. I suspect we will be seeing quite a lot of Angela Ahrendts!
Do you really think jobs designed everything and took no input?
Steve Jobs was renowned for his fussiness, his desire for perfection and his requirement that deadlines were met. SJ was also into minimalistic design and surroundings. I have no proof, but I am sure the iPad is copied from an idea on Star Trek, as is the iPhone, Siri (although not from Apple) and other devices. He saw what he wanted to make, and forced others to help him make it. TC on the other hand seems to work in a more consensual way, following other people's ideas rather than dictating his own.
Since TC has been in charge we have seen deadlines moved, Keynotes with few products as if the ones planed to be launched then were not ready and unlike SJ, TC didn't insist folk work all night to get things done. Now, I think TC is a great COO, and possibly one of the best in the world. I also think Ahrendt is a good manager. But the former is not a visionary like SJ was, and Ahrendt is soon to be tested on that one, but even if she is, she won't be CEO of Apple.
Steve Jobs was renowned for his fussiness, his desire for perfection and his requirement that deadlines were met. SJ was also into minimalistic design and surroundings. I have no proof, but I am sure the iPad is copied from an idea on Star Trek, as is the iPhone, Siri (although not from Apple) and other devices. He saw what he wanted to make, and forced others to help him make it. TC on the other hand seems to work in a more consensual way, following other people's ideas rather than dictating his own.
Since TC has been in charge we have seen deadlines moved, Keynotes with few products as if the ones planed to be launched then were not ready and unlike SJ, TC didn't insist folk work all night to get things done. Now, I think TC is a great COO, and possibly one of the best in the world. I also think Ahrendt is a good manager. But the former is not a visionary like SJ was, and Ahrendt is soon to be tested on that one, but even if she is, she won't be CEO of Apple.
Which deadlines moved? What products weren't ready for keynotes? What items were planned but not released?
You know what, don't answer. It would be just lies and stupid analysis.
You are right about one thing: you have no proof of anything.
Steve Jobs was renowned for his fussiness, his desire for perfection and his requirement that deadlines were met. SJ was also into minimalistic design and surroundings. I have no proof, but I am sure the iPad is copied from an idea on Star Trek, as is the iPhone, Siri (although not from Apple) and other devices. He saw what he wanted to make, and forced others to help him make it. TC on the other hand seems to work in a more consensual way, following other people's ideas rather than dictating his own.
Since TC has been in charge we have seen deadlines moved, Keynotes with few products as if the ones planed to be launched then were not ready and unlike SJ, TC didn't insist folk work all night to get things done. Now, I think TC is a great COO, and possibly one of the best in the world. I also think Ahrendt is a good manager. But the former is not a visionary like SJ was, and Ahrendt is soon to be tested on that one, but even if she is, she won't be CEO of Apple.
That sounds all well in good except for in reality, products were delayed under Steve Jobs, shipments of products had delays due to supply constraints and there are a number of high profile products that were not of high quality that were released under his watch that he subsequently apologized for. There are even a multiple, hilarious Youtube videos of bloopers during Steve Jobs presentations when something he was showing off would have issues mid-presentation. Basically everything that Tim Cook gets bashed for happened under Steve Jobs as well. But in trying to bash Tim Cook these negatives get completely glossed over and Steve Jobs is deified instead.
There are even a multiple, hilarious Youtube videos of bloopers during Steve Jobs presentations when something he was showing off would have issues mid-presentation.
That video was so stupid; the person reating it did not have a single bit of understanding of him, nor IT. Two things stood out for me:
1) "gotta hit the checkbox" - which was great humor in and on itself, hardly a blooper, and
2) (list of supported things, NTLM being one) "whatever that is" - humor in its finest. The audience got it, they laughed, yet the blooper video creator thought it was a blooper. Really?
That video was so stupid; the person reating it did not have a single bit of understanding of him, nor IT. Two things stood out for me:
1) "gotta hit the checkbox" - which was great humor in and on itself, hardly a blooper, and
2) (list of supported things, NTLM being one) "whatever that is" - humor in its finest. The audience got it, they laughed, yet the blooper video creator thought it was a blooper. Really?
1) That was just one of a few different videos out there. There are definitely better ones.
2) The point was just that under Steve Jobs there were plenty of mistakes and blunders made. And as you mention, when something did go wrong during a presentation he just played them up for humorous effect for the audience.
Basically, reality does not match the white-washed, deified version of his life that is peddled by the Tim Cook critics such as the person I responded to. One only has to search through past articles of this site to see that.
I never understood the hire of Browett. It was also criticized, as his work experience didn't involve customer experience, but rather selling cheaper items at poorly led stores. He had problems from the very beginning.
But this is a great hire. Angela is a very respected leader, and has done a seriously positive job wherever she's been. She's been responsible for turning Burberry, a very old and staid company, whose raincoats I've been buying for over thirty years, into a fashionable company appealing to younger people as well. It's no longer your gradfather's clothing store. Well, that is, it is, but it's also their grandchildren's store as well. An amazing accomplishment!
And Burberry does now have less expensive items that it only manufactured and carried before, but not cheap items. An advantage here is that Burberry is much more like what Apple is in that it makes all it's own products. It's not a willi nilli random mess of third party junk.
I totally agree. Totally different yet very similar, a good choice for sure. Jony and Angela better not get together and design a beige, checkered iMac though ... Then again ... Apple are thinking wearables aren't they!
p.s. Apple should fix auto correct to know Jony isn't Jonny!
Yes, she did seem uncomfortable and a bit over rehearsed. Her attempt at humor (something about laughing when she sees a picture of her dad) was confused and fell flat.
That said, her material was well organized and clearly presented. I can identify being around someone who just exudes energy... It's tangible. A few times in my life, I have experienced being "on" for a short while -- giving a talk or a preso -- when you're nailing it -- and you know you're nailing it. There is no way to describe the energy of that feeling.
I was particularly intrigued when she relegated "technology" to the "connection" (the not-so-dumb pipe, if you will) as part of interaction... The important part of interaction is the content -- and the content is you!
This tells me that she understands the role of tech in our lives -- and can help counteract tech's improper use -- one of the saddest videos I've seen:
[VIDEO]
Public speaking can be an acquired skill. I am sure she has the ability, and is up to the challenge!
An important part of many Apple events is the presentation of news about Apple retail and online stores. I suspect we will be seeing quite a lot of Angela Ahrendts!
Brilliantly made video and very funny. I was at a Bryan Adams concert recently and could hardly see as a moron in the row in front held up a large Scamsung with its screen brightness on maximum the entire concert. Yes, many take it too far but that isn't the fault of the technology.
I have to say I recall taking my wife's little sister out on a car trip to see the country side around where we had moved to (she was visiting). She was about 13 at the time. She spent the whole trip with her nose glued in a book, a book on learning Italian I recall. I was furious because she simply would not look out of the window at the scenery, castles and villages we passed by. She later moved to Italy and has a fabulous life and can speak the language. I now wonder whose priorities were correct.
Comments
It was not necessary when Steve Jobs was alive, but many people have bemoaned Tim Cook's presentation skills and suggested that Apple needs someone new to be their face at keynotes. Maybe my post would have been better placed if I had referenced Ahrendts' Tedx talk about which several posters seemed impressed. I don't think Apple would require a precedent of a retail SVP having done product demos previously, if they felt they had hired a new one whose passion was infectious enough to make her the best person for the job. My comment was only that she sounded very tense. She kept clearing her throat and her voice sounded like her breathing was very shallow. These shortcomings can be overcome with coaching and I would like to see her do it.
Watch this, she seems perfectly fine in front of a camera
[VIDEO]
What are you talking about? Do you know anything about Burberry? No, you don't. When you do, come back here again.
Err.... what TF does that mean?
Well, if you have to ask I guess you might never get it.
Perhaps it'll help you if I say they need more people who think like Steve Jobs thought, and fewer who think how Tim Cook thinks if they are to return to launching products that touch people's souls.
Who's the visionary at Apple these days? A series of excellent specialists need a visionary to guide them or they'll have the most organised expedition that never left base. At the moment Phil Schiller seems to be driving product specs, launching each new iPhone with just a single headline grabbing feature (classical marketing theory of maximising profits) while Tim Cook is driving the supply chain very well because he looks at the details, but seems not to see the big picture; Jony Ive is great at making things look pretty but isn't always the most practical if iOS7 is a guide, while the customer service is not as it used to be due to moving away from people to a computer operated call forwarding system which drives me potty as I remember when I could get through to a real person without having to wait for 3 to 4 minutes of computer messages and choices first.
It's all become very focussed on profits when Apple already are the world's most profitable company; is that all the Apple ethos has become? Where is the zen thinking? Where is the combination of art with science? Where is the science fiction coming to life in your hand?
Well, if you can't explain, you don't have it.
I damn well want Apple to care about profits. You can bet Steve Jobs cared about profits. Otherwise Apple would not have the margins it did under his watch.
Your framing of 'profits' and 'soul' as as substitutes is simply sophistry.
I used to work in the automotive industry, and they pulled a lot of their best talent from fashion.
Yes, she did seem uncomfortable and a bit over rehearsed. Her attempt at humor (something about laughing when she sees a picture of her dad) was confused and fell flat.
That said, her material was well organized and clearly presented. I can identify being around someone who just exudes energy... It's tangible. A few times in my life, I have experienced being "on" for a short while -- giving a talk or a preso -- when you're nailing it -- and you know you're nailing it. There is no way to describe the energy of that feeling.
I was particularly intrigued when she relegated "technology" to the "connection" (the not-so-dumb pipe, if you will) as part of interaction... The important part of interaction is the content -- and the content is you!
This tells me that she understands the role of tech in our lives -- and can help counteract tech's improper use -- one of the saddest videos I've seen:
[VIDEO]
Public speaking can be an acquired skill. I am sure she has the ability, and is up to the challenge!
An important part of many Apple events is the presentation of news about Apple retail and online stores. I suspect we will be seeing quite a lot of Angela Ahrendts!
Do you really think jobs designed everything and took no input?
Steve Jobs was renowned for his fussiness, his desire for perfection and his requirement that deadlines were met. SJ was also into minimalistic design and surroundings. I have no proof, but I am sure the iPad is copied from an idea on Star Trek, as is the iPhone, Siri (although not from Apple) and other devices. He saw what he wanted to make, and forced others to help him make it. TC on the other hand seems to work in a more consensual way, following other people's ideas rather than dictating his own.
Since TC has been in charge we have seen deadlines moved, Keynotes with few products as if the ones planed to be launched then were not ready and unlike SJ, TC didn't insist folk work all night to get things done. Now, I think TC is a great COO, and possibly one of the best in the world. I also think Ahrendt is a good manager. But the former is not a visionary like SJ was, and Ahrendt is soon to be tested on that one, but even if she is, she won't be CEO of Apple.
Which deadlines moved? What products weren't ready for keynotes? What items were planned but not released?
You know what, don't answer. It would be just lies and stupid analysis.
You are right about one thing: you have no proof of anything.
…deadlines moved…
Citation needed.
Identical to Steve Jobs’ keynotes; your point is what here?
Citation needed.
Yes, but it will not silence Rev. Al...
Steve Jobs was renowned for his fussiness, his desire for perfection and his requirement that deadlines were met. SJ was also into minimalistic design and surroundings. I have no proof, but I am sure the iPad is copied from an idea on Star Trek, as is the iPhone, Siri (although not from Apple) and other devices. He saw what he wanted to make, and forced others to help him make it. TC on the other hand seems to work in a more consensual way, following other people's ideas rather than dictating his own.
Since TC has been in charge we have seen deadlines moved, Keynotes with few products as if the ones planed to be launched then were not ready and unlike SJ, TC didn't insist folk work all night to get things done. Now, I think TC is a great COO, and possibly one of the best in the world. I also think Ahrendt is a good manager. But the former is not a visionary like SJ was, and Ahrendt is soon to be tested on that one, but even if she is, she won't be CEO of Apple.
That sounds all well in good except for in reality, products were delayed under Steve Jobs, shipments of products had delays due to supply constraints and there are a number of high profile products that were not of high quality that were released under his watch that he subsequently apologized for. There are even a multiple, hilarious Youtube videos of bloopers during Steve Jobs presentations when something he was showing off would have issues mid-presentation. Basically everything that Tim Cook gets bashed for happened under Steve Jobs as well. But in trying to bash Tim Cook these negatives get completely glossed over and Steve Jobs is deified instead.
That video was so stupid; the person reating it did not have a single bit of understanding of him, nor IT. Two things stood out for me:
1) "gotta hit the checkbox" - which was great humor in and on itself, hardly a blooper, and
2) (list of supported things, NTLM being one) "whatever that is" - humor in its finest. The audience got it, they laughed, yet the blooper video creator thought it was a blooper. Really?
That video was so stupid; the person reating it did not have a single bit of understanding of him, nor IT. Two things stood out for me:
1) "gotta hit the checkbox" - which was great humor in and on itself, hardly a blooper, and
2) (list of supported things, NTLM being one) "whatever that is" - humor in its finest. The audience got it, they laughed, yet the blooper video creator thought it was a blooper. Really?
1) That was just one of a few different videos out there. There are definitely better ones.
2) The point was just that under Steve Jobs there were plenty of mistakes and blunders made. And as you mention, when something did go wrong during a presentation he just played them up for humorous effect for the audience.
Basically, reality does not match the white-washed, deified version of his life that is peddled by the Tim Cook critics such as the person I responded to. One only has to search through past articles of this site to see that.
Oh, mildly related.
It’s Steve Jobs Day.
I totally agree. Totally different yet very similar, a good choice for sure. Jony and Angela better not get together and design a beige, checkered iMac though ... Then again ... Apple are thinking wearables aren't they!
p.s. Apple should fix auto correct to know Jony isn't Jonny!
Brilliantly made video and very funny. I was at a Bryan Adams concert recently and could hardly see as a moron in the row in front held up a large Scamsung with its screen brightness on maximum the entire concert. Yes, many take it too far but that isn't the fault of the technology.
I have to say I recall taking my wife's little sister out on a car trip to see the country side around where we had moved to (she was visiting). She was about 13 at the time. She spent the whole trip with her nose glued in a book, a book on learning Italian I recall. I was furious because she simply would not look out of the window at the scenery, castles and villages we passed by. She later moved to Italy and has a fabulous life and can speak the language. I now wonder whose priorities were correct.