GeorgeBMac

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GeorgeBMac
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  • Why was iPhone X so successful at $999 despite a mountain of false reporting?

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    I think that both this article and the analysts missed some important points:
    This article states that the X is not the first or only $1,000 phone.  That's true -- I paid close to that (with Apple Care and tax) for my 6+.  But, it is the first iPhone where $1,000 was the STARTING point, the low end price.

    Conversely the analysts focus on the X as being "THE" new iPhone.   They missed the point that Apple greatly expanded the newer marketing strategy they've been dabbling their toes in:   Market a high end device at a premium price while offering lower end and/or older technology at "consumer" prices.

    So yes, the X is a premium device at a premium price and, as such, it WILL have a more limited market share.   But, Apple has covered that in every increment all the way down to the SE.  Specifically, Apple's base prices for its phones are:
    X   $999
    8   $699
    7   $549
    6S $449
    SE $349

    That's a 300% spread in the price range.   The X costs (nearly) 3 times that of the SE.

    It seems (to me) that, IF there was any hesitancy to go for the X it was less due to its actual price than the $300/43% leap from the 8 because, while the 8 lacks some of the bells and whistles it sports the same power train and, for many, makes for a better buy.  So any lack of sales of the X were made up for by the 8 (or lower).

    So, all in all, any analyst who focuses on a single iPhone model is presenting a flawed analysis because Apple has left that single iPhone marketing strategy in the dust.  You now have to look at the entire line-up.  Looking at iPhone X sales is no more accurate than looking at SE sales.
    muthuk_vanalingamperpetual3perpetual3rogifan_newSEJUABiteaDayracerhomie3applesnorangeswatto_cobra

  • Editorial: An ad-free, premium social network... from Apple

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    LOL...

    I see the right-wingers are getting a bit defensive over the FakeNews and Alternative Facts their belief system is founded on...   20 years of FoxNews will do that to your brain...
    greenmeenieSoliration alWhyGeeapple jockeyrepressthisdsdMacsplosionpscooter63staigard

  • New 30% U.S. tax on solar cells threatens jobs, Apple's renewable energy efforts

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    We fought this battle back in the 70's & 80's trying to protect American Steel...  Now the Mon river is lined with beautiful trees instead of ugly steel mills...   Well, there are a few ghettos along the way:   Homestead, Braddock, McKeesport, Dravosburg, Clairiton....  Globalization & free trade did not kill those mills, it was a response to their death after they were killed by foreign competition -- and it was a key part in rejuvenating a failing economy.

    Protectionism didn't work then.   It won't work now no matter how loud we chant USA!  USA!  USA!...

    mdriftmeyerchiatmayviclauyycdysamoriaredgeminipaMacProanton zuykovchaickajeffharris

  • Our biggest gripes with Apple's 2018 iPad

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    photoeditor said:
    Some of these things are value-engineering, but the non-laminated display in my view is a bad mistake by Apple, heavily affecting the ergonomics with pencil, touch and even viewing for not much benefit in profit. There was a time when 10 or 15 percent profit margins were regarded as exceptional and when Apple is trying to push things north of 50 with certain items they're really pushing their luck. When you consider what they're going up against in the education market it's kind of short-sighted.
    No, not at all...
    A cracked glass is far cheaper to replace in a non-laminated display.  And, since they're designed for use by kids in schools, that is an important feature, not a "bad mistake".   Quite the opposite actually.
    muthuk_vanalingammwhiteandrewj5790Alex1NRayz2016deepinsider1983randominternetpersonbrucemcStrangeDays

  • Apple investigating automatic blood pressure monitoring technology

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    king editor the grate said:
    How can the watch's sensors measure blood pressure? Surely some constricting cuff has to be involved?
    That is how peripheral blood pressure is monitored now.   But for "real" pressure you need centrally measured -- which does not involve a cuff -- but generally involves an ICU.   (So it IS possible).

    One method might be to measure the dilation of arteries during blood flow.  But that would be tricky because it can be affected in the short term by both diet and exercise:   vigorous aerobic exercise releases factors and hormones that cause both vessel dilation and constriction (depending on the vessel) while the Sausage Bisquit that follows causes constricted dilation during systole.
    king editor the grateGG1airnerd

  • Editorial: An ad-free, premium social network... from Apple

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    tallest skil said:
    Stop trying to blame everything you dont like in life on imagined boogeymen.
    That’s how liberals operate. Spam’s pretty far therefrom.
    ...the right-wingers... ...FakeNews and Alternative Facts their belief system is founded on...
    Do you want to go, little man? Because we will fucking rumble so hard that you’ll physically tear up as you type, “I’m not going to reply to you anymore,” in a vain effort to salvage the nonexistent dignity of your worldview. Don’t type it again.
    FoxNews
    Fox isn’t right wing and it isn’t 2002 anymore. That canard will get you nowhere. Try harder.
    Originally Republicans had gone so far right that they called honest reporting and moderates all "Liberals".   Now, they have gone so far over the edge that they're saying Fox News is not a right wing propaganda site?   That's hilarious!   No, actually that level of delusion is kind of sad.   Sort of another "alternative fact".   But then, as I said:   their whole belief system is based on Alternative Facts....   SAD! --- because they're getting so defensive about it...  
    boredumbapple jockeystaigardpscooter63roundaboutnowronnsingularitydsdSpamSandwich

  • Apple bought back a record $23.5B of AAPL shares in Q1 as Wall Street peddled "full panic ...

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    In the years following the Great Recession Apple and many other companies were borrowing money (at super cheap rates) in order to funnel it out to shareholders as stock buybacks and dividends --which is obviously not a sustainable business model.  But it kept the stock market in a 10 year bull market -- the largest period of sustained growth in its history (Well, actually, the 2nd longest).

    But, now that the Fed is raising rates, that mechanism is no longer viable.   So, rather than letting the stock market crash to its fundamental value, they thought up a new ponzi scheme:  The federal government borrows the money, funnels the proceeds to corporations and the corporations funnel it out to their stock holders via share buybacks and dividends.  Essentially, the U.S. government borrows the money from China and gives it to stock holders...

    Like all scams, it's a brilliant scheme that works really, really well.   Until it doesn't.
    mystigofrankiestourqueschwabsauce

  • The Apple versus Microsoft hardware double-standard rears up again with the latest Surface...

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    AI seems to forget that Microsoft is not a hardware company.   When they sell hardware it's mostly to exploit and demonstrate their software.

    And, with that, Microsoft left Apple in the dust.
    Nearly a decade ago they developed an OS that works either in touch-screen mode or touchpad mode.   And, since then they have proceeded to refine and perfect it. 

    Meanwhile, Apple is stuck back a decade or two ago where you still need to buy and carry two devices:  One for touch-screen and one for touchpad mode.

    The Windows OS provides freedom to the user:  he can use touch-screen when that works best then switch to touchpad when that works best.

    Apple is lagging behind.
    I can hear Steve now:   "This is crap!   Fix it!"
    ...  And, I am sure that they will.  Apple has always hated it when Microsoft made them look bad.

    williamlondonphilboogiemuthuk_vanalingam

  • Apple Watch users 34 percent more active when exercises tracked, says insurer

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    There's really two sides to this story:
    Yes, the Apple Watch certainly encourages consistent activity and exercise.   It's really very good at that.

    But, another aspect is that it enables healthcare providers, insurers, researchers and employers to get an accurate, objective and timely view into what you are doing (or not doing!)...   While that information could obviously be misused, it also offers a potential revolution in healthcare -- shifting from a passive disease management model ("Take this pill ....") to one supporting and training people to live healthy lifestyles.

    We spend $3 Trillion a year on health care.  And, it's estimated that 75% of that goes to treat chronic diseases -- 75%  of which could have been prevented or delayed with a healthy lifestyle.   Basically that means that about half our $3 Trillion a year goes to treat coach potatoes sitting around eating pizza.
    lostkiwijony0

  • Microsoft and MasterCard working on universal online identification standard

    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac
    If its online it can be hacked & stolen -- and identity theft is a growth industry.

    Why would I trust Microsoft with my ID?
    Actually, that's one of the big reasons why I stick to Apple products -- security and privacy.  They're not invulnerable, but they're better than the rest.   Far better.
    macseekerlkruppjbdragonravnorodommuthuk_vanalingamradarthekatwilliamlondontbornotbadmonk