Why Apple, Inc. is keeping the identity of many of its 23 recent acquisitions a secret

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  • Reply 221 of 265
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I see Apple just posted 7 new designer positions for the Human Interface Group. At the time Scott Forstall was fired the WSJ reported that the HIG was made up of around ~20 employees. Within the last 6-12 months Apple must've hired at least that many people to this group. So either that team is really beefing up and working on really cool shit or existing employees are dropping like flys.
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  • Reply 222 of 265
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    duplicate
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  • Reply 223 of 265
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Danox View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    Fine, but other than acquiring other companies for their technology, innovation is simply building a a better mouse trap and Google has done that in spades.


     

    They haven't done anything except sell vaporware.


    They have a few decent products:

     

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    Which are the vaporware?

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  • Reply 224 of 265
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    Ah, changing your tune a bit now aren't you? Rather than boot times your wanting to change it to claim wake from sleep times. image



    Don't blame you. FWIW wake from sleep just took about two seconds. Hardly slow.



    EDIT: Just closed the lid, left it for about 30 seconds or so and tried it again. Yup, about two seconds. For practical purposes I'd consider that instant. That's close to the least important feature to me too.



    To be clear it's not a device for everyone. Absolutely has it's limits. For a casual user doing a lot of web-browsing, checking email, perhaps a student writing a few term papers and doing research or homework I think it would handle it with aplomb. Plan to do more than basic photo-editing or graphic design? Set your sights a little higher.

    The point is, you never need to boot an iPhone or iPad. ItstheInternet has already suggested that it can be wise to boot a Chromebook to save battery, which makes it 20 seconds slower. If you're prepared to risk the battery running out, then it's two seconds slower plus the time it takes to find somewhere to sit and to open the lid.

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  • Reply 225 of 265
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,731member
    solipsismx wrote: »

    But all that's irrelevant when it comes to using the system. What's important is how it runs when it's up and running. I'd like to see some tests that cover some real world usage between competing platforms.

    There's several comparison tests around. One of the first ones posted at TUAW, a site I consider generally unbiased. (Correct me please if they are not). It's pretty old but I didn't really look to see if there was another one at least as detailed but more recent.
    http://www.tuaw.com/2012/11/23/tuaw-smackdown-google-chromebook-vs-apple-ipad-macbook-air/
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  • Reply 226 of 265
    macart wrote: »
    No you GooGoos can walk around with your Goofy glasses and think your changing the world! I just strongly disagree!!!

    I will say it sloooowwwlllyy!
    Your in an APPLE forum if your looking for a Googull hug or for me to agree Goofy is just as good as Apple, your probably in the wrong spot!

    You keep driving your pinto OS & hardware, I will keep driving my Ferrari!
    Take your insults & ad homenim attacks and just leave. Please.
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  • Reply 227 of 265
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

     
     Two seconds isn't bad but the new MBPs feel like it's instant.


    One second, two seconds, is anyone really keeping track? A MBP is 10x more expensive and offers 100x more productivity potential, depending on what productivity means to you. Personally, I would never buy a Chromebook because I need a Mac.

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  • Reply 228 of 265
    macartmacart Posts: 78member
    Take your insults & ad homenim attacks and just leave. Please.

    Mind your own business please! Nothing to see here, move along!
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  • Reply 229 of 265
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mstone wrote: »
    One second, two seconds, is anyone really keeping track? A MBP is 10x more expensive and offers 100x more productivity potential, depending on what productivity means to you. Personally, I would never buy a Chromebook because I need a Mac.

    Since they're not in the same usage categories it's not an issue but if my MBP started taking a couple seconds to wake or 20 seconds to boot up I'd know.
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  • Reply 230 of 265
    macartmacart Posts: 78member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Since they're not in the same usage categories it's not an issue but if my MBP started taking a couple seconds to wake or 20 seconds to boot up I'd know.
    Ad homimens, calling [@]mstone[/@] and me Gogull TROLLS, and now you're upset that others on commenting on a public forum. Unbelievable.

    Lol! Not upset about nothing but you guys can't let it go obviously touched a nerve! Lol! I see your working in packs now! Lol!

    I have better things to do. So go lick each other's wounds or whatever! I'm frankly bored with you!

    Cheers!
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  • Reply 231 of 265
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    Since they're not in the same usage categories it's not an issue but if my MBP started taking a couple seconds to wake or 20 seconds to boot up I'd know.

     

    I just tested my Retina MBP and it is almost instant from sleep, maybe one second max. Then I tested cold boot - 12.3 seconds as close as I could measure with the timer on my iPhone when the log in screen appeared, then another 3 seconds after login for the desktop to completely display. So yeah, it is pretty fast but more importantly, as you mentioned, it is what you do with it once it it is running that is important. That is why I always use a mouse whenever possible because fumbling around with the touch pad will rob seconds from your productivity with virtually every single action unless you are just swiping through iPhoto galleries..

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  • Reply 232 of 265
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mstone wrote: »
    I just tested my Retina MBP and it is almost instant from sleep, maybe one second max. Then I tested cold boot - 12.3 seconds as close as I could measure with the timer on my iPhone when the log in screen appeared, then another 3 seconds after login for the desktop to completely display. So yeah, it is pretty fast but more importantly, as you mentioned, it is what you do with it once it it is running that is important. That is why I always use a mouse whenever possible because fumbling around with the touch pad will rob seconds from your productivity with virtually every single action unless you are just swiping through iPhoto galleries..

    I hate having to use a mouse. It feels like I'm trying to write with my left-hand (doable but slow and clunky). Apple's trackpad is simply brilliant for me.
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  • Reply 233 of 265
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    I hate having to use a mouse. It feels like I'm trying to write with my left-hand (doable but slow and clunky). Apple's trackpad is simply brilliant for me.

    I guess it depends on what you are used to. Personally, I think a precision pointing device is really important. Selecting text, dragging and dropping, right clicking option menus, controlling scroll bars, etc. is extremely frustrating for me with the touch pad. Of course I'm not using an Apple mouse. That would be torture.

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  • Reply 234 of 265
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    mstone wrote: »
    I guess it depends on what you are used to. Personally, I think a precision pointing device is really important. Selecting text, dragging and dropping, right clicking option menus, controlling scroll bars, etc. is extremely frustrating for me with the touch pad. Of course I'm not using an Apple mouse. That would be torture.

    When I bought my iMac I opted for the Magic Trackpad. The way I feel about the mouse is the way you feel about the trackpad. It just seems so slow to have to move your hand and even your arm to do anything. I much prefer the quick and natural fingering of the trackpad. Much easier for me to bring my hand down a little to use the trackpad than moving my hand way off to the side to find a peripheral that may not be exactly where I expect it, but the trackpad is static.
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  • Reply 235 of 265
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    They have a few decent products:

     

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    Which are the vaporware?

     


    Those are all real products. But they are all "me too" products or services.

    Wow, I didn't realize just how lame google was in regards to innovation until I read your list.

    thank you for making it all crystal clear.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chipsy View Post





    Are you actually denying that Google is an innovative company? Google and Apple are both innovative companies in their own right and to state that Apple is the only "company that actually delivers true, useful, tangible advancements as opposed to these PR factories" is just pure nonsense. And Apple is one giant PR factory (among the largest out there) when they release something. At this moment in time it can be argued that Google is actually the more innovative company of the two with Apple sticking to their already established products and gradually evolving while Google is thinking out of the box.

    You are correct, Google are an innovative company. They do offer some competing products in online services. They know all too well how to sell their services users - to their actual customers - as good as anyone else. But they only have what they have in the mobile OS space because of Apples original design with iOS. Google has nothing to do with putting todays "version" of the smartphone in anyones hands. They are a "me too" and "don't forget me" company that in a desperate act of imitation followed Apples lead (or copying the interface) into the current mobile computing device category. I don't blame them completely, it's human nature to try and cheat and steal to make up for ones deficiencies.

    And because of these reasons, and lessons learned from the past, you can see why Apple is very secretive about their future products/plans. 

     

    edited for spelling

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  • Reply 236 of 265
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RogueDogRandy View Post

     
    Those are all real products. But they are all "me too" products or services.


    I find it comical how when waxing poetic about Apple, the disciples boast how Apple isn't ever first into the market with a music player, phone, tablet, etc but once they decide to enter the market they show everyone one else how to do it better, however, whenever they describe Google it is always "me too" copy, not innovative. Google releases products that also redefined and re-imagine what others have done before and they have certainly disrupted the industry in nearly everything I listed, in addition to a lot more. I just didn't want to make the list too overwhelming. Some rabid Apple fans give rational Apple fans a bad name because they live by a double standard. The same thing that is perfection for Apple is a dishonorable embarrassment for Google. i think thou protests too much.  If you did not feel so threatened by Google you wouldn't make such totally unsupported allegations. Furthermore no one has yet to prove that Google sells personal information. It is an urban myth. I'm not saying they don't gather it, just that they don't sell it.

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  • Reply 237 of 265
    envirogenvirog Posts: 188member
    Couldn't agree more!
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  • Reply 238 of 265
    SpamSandwichspamsandwich Posts: 33,407member
    chipsy wrote: »
    If that response was meant for me how about these: Project Ara, Project Loon, Google's Glucose Lens,...

    It's been noted that diabetics cannot have anything in their eyes as there are adverse medical side effects. So much for innovation if one fails to understand the problems.
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  • Reply 239 of 265
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member

    This thread is sad that people are defending channel distribution numbers with consumer end sales and calling Chromebook a success. It's an unmitigated failure.

     

    http://www.techworld.com.au/article/535607/chromebooks_one_per_cent_market_share_-_tough_road_enterprise/

     

    Quote:


    About 2.5 million Chromebooks were sold globally in 2013, or about one per cent of the entire PC market, according to market research firm IDC. But most of those sales were driven by consumers, not by enterprise users.

     

    The Chromebook, introduced in 2011, is still an outlier for most businesses, even as it becomes an alternative for consumers and schools. By 2017, IDC expects the Chromebook to reach about 6 million shipments, or more than 2% of the PC market.

     

    But how much progress has the Chromebook made into the enterprise? "Beyond education, it's probably virtually zero," said IDC analyst Loren Loverde.

     

    There were 314.6 million PCs shipped in 2013.

     


     

    Problem with this entire four statements. 2.5 Million is not 1% of the entire PC Market. If that were true that means out of 314.6 million PCs* shipped only 250 million were sold and thus 64.6 million were rotting on shelves.



    By 2017 if 6 million represents more than 2% of the PC market than that means  the PC market would be < 250.4 million by 2017, down from 314.6 million in 2013, or a > 25% drop in PCs shipped, all not due to a declining computing market but an exploding tablet market that has ballooned computing sales to 500 million units estimated by 2015.

     

    However you slice it, shipped vs. sold, projections vs. sales, fictional share vs. actual share, Chromebook is not a winner.

     

    Apple sells more iPads per month than Chromebook vendors sells all year. On top of that, the average price of sale for the iPad is greater.

     

    In short, Chromebooks are an unmitigated, subsidized flop.

     

    * Gartner claims 316 million versus IDC

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  • Reply 240 of 265
    droidftwdroidftw Posts: 1,009member

    Amazon's Top 100 Best Selling laptops:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/electronics/565108

     

    Amazon's Top 100 Rated laptops:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/top-rated/electronics/565108

     

    As much as some here want to call the Chromebook a failure it appears that the rest of the world disagrees with those select few AI forum members.

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