farmboy

robin huber said:

Soli said:

Did no one check out the other images? It definitely creates a magical space. If you think that Christmas is about multi-colored flashing lights and plastic statues of Santa Claus and reindeer then you're missing the point.

Agree. I am a retired theatre set designer and I find much to appreciate. Whether you are Christian or not, the Christmas symbolic message and its pagan antecedents are harbingers of hope in a period of darkness. A small tree, warmly lit, overshadowed by a cold dark forest, is apt. Especially in these times. 

I guess I don't understand the "cold dark forest" comments. But then again I live out in the north country on a farm, and traipsing in the snowy woods at night is a pleasure, not scary at all. It's not cold and not dark (with snow reflecting moonlight), especially if you're riding a horse. Maybe it's just urban dwellers who see it as a negative. I think the display looks nice.

wizard69 said:

The problem was that Democrats back in the time when Obama first got elected had all sorts of promises about turning around the country. Those promises have been shown to be garbage and that the party was in fact controlled by power brokers that had no interests in the condition of the average American. Basically the Democrats demonstrated that they are in fact worst than the republicans when it comes to the best interests of Americans.

Sure...and the fact that for eight years Republicans have basically refused to act like adults and govern didn't have anything to do with it. Maybe now they can pass another bill to overturn Obamacare for the 50th time, and shut down the government yet again--that was about the extent of their governing. Very helpful.

lkrupp said:

Uh, err, Daniel, the election is over. Your stump speech is a day late and a dollar short. Sore loser still fapping the fud, Daniel? Even Hillary said we need to at least give him a chance. I’m waiting to see how many celebrities actually move out of the U.S. like they swore they would do if The Donald won. Streisand, Amy Schumer, Notorious RBG, Whoopi Goldberg, Alec Baldwin, Cher, Miley Cyrus. Anybody see the For Sale signs yet?

I am still waiting for Trump bobo Ted (not so great on guitar after all) Nugent to leave the country as he absolutely swore he would if Obama was re-elected.

matrix077 said:

farmboy said:

Just a question: does anyone here feel that Schiller has his finger on the pulse of the computer/tech world?

For my part, the answer is no. Microsoft is everywhere with commercials that say "You can't do that on a Mac" and "My Mac doesn't do that". Apple's response (direct or indirect) is nowhere to be found. Is this because Schiller can't think of a response, or because the products that might counter such ads or create their own buzz don't exist? I think the Touch Bar is a significant advance in user interface, and I don't know if the Surface is going to be crap or the Next Big Thing, but right now it's all anyone is talking about. Why would you cede this battlefield to a deep pocket competitor?

Based on the Apple executive interviews everyone is commenting on, the recent Apple approach of "we just took years and years polishing and polishing this pebble until it glowed" is Band on the Titanic Redux. And bad things tend to happen when you bring marketing and advertising all in house. Maybe we can get another Bokeh photo feature ad for iPhone (ask around yourself...most people seeing those ads have no idea what the ad was about), or another "shot on iPhone" ad. I know the "shooting in the rain at night on a skateboard" ad was, uh, riveting.

I qualify as one of the oldest Apple fanboys (1985 and a crap ton of Macs ever since), but this boat needs a new crew. Maybe the Admiral can stay on board, maybe not.

I'm not sure why people who claimed this always end up looking the most stupid around but they do. I mean, Apple respond to Microsoft? WTH? They did that when Microsoft is king, not now.

Also glad that this user is showing his head is firmly in his ass with comment about "Bokeh" (Portrait) shot on iPhone, while everyone else out there is loving it. Even my ex-girlfried who only use Galaxy phone is thinking about buying iPhone (the price is only one thing that hold her back). Oh and yes, "Shot on iPhone" campaign is such a failure, isn't it? When we have an idiot like this, no wonder legitimate concerns get washed up in a trolling sea.

Get back to me when you have some experience selling products and have matured past name-calling (pick one). If you bothered to read on, I said you have to maintain a presence in the market, which Apple has seemed reluctant to do in spite of lagging sales across their Mac and Macbook lines. When MS was promoting the hell out of Surface this summer for back-to-school, where was Apple--nowhere, in a market they used to own by a massive margin. As far as "Apple respond to Microsoft" this isn't 2006 and although MS still has no taste but they have a ton of money and are serious about taking Apple on. The Shot on iPhone was wonderful, award-winning even...about two years ago. As far as bokeh, I would challenge you to show how "everyone else..is loving it", much less is aware of it. Did you hear the oohs and aahs at the iphone keynote when Phil introduced it? Me neither. It's a cute little effect, not much of a reason to buy a phone.

nolamacguy said:

farmboy said:

Just a question: does anyone here feel that Schiller has his finger on the pulse of the computer/tech world?

For my part, the answer is no. Microsoft is everywhere with commercials that say "You can't do that on a Mac" and "My Mac doesn't do that". Apple's response (direct or indirect) is nowhere to be found. Is this because Schiller can't think of a response, or because the products that might counter such ads or create their own buzz don't exist? I think the Touch Bar is a significant advance in user interface, and I don't know if the Surface is going to be crap or the Next Big Thing, but right now it's all anyone is talking about. Why would you cede this battlefield to a deep pocket competitor?

Based on the Apple executive interviews everyone is commenting on, the recent Apple approach of "we just took years and years polishing and polishing this pebble until it glowed" is Band on the Titanic Redux. And bad things tend to happen when you bring marketing and advertising all in house. Maybe we can get another Bokeh photo feature ad for iPhone (ask around yourself...most people seeing those ads have no idea what the ad was about), or another "shot on iPhone" ad. I know the "shooting in the rain at night on a skateboard" ad was, uh, riveting.

I qualify as one of the oldest Apple fanboys (1985 and a crap ton of Macs ever since), but this boat needs a new crew. Maybe the Admiral can stay on board, maybe not.

(hey pro tip -- "I've been an Apple Fan since xxx..." is basically a troll trope these days. you get no street red with that, especially with so few posts/history here)

as for Microsoft's ads:

1) theyre comparing touch/drawing functionality to a Mac when they should be comparing it to iPad. they also dont call attention to their lousy OS, battery life, etc etc. it's a cherry-picking ad.

2) when you're the market leader as Apple is, you dont run ads responding to your challengers. only challengers call out market leaders. 

Another Pro Tip: Truth is Truth. Got my first Apple //c in July, 1985 in a warehouse sale in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Have purchased more than 40 in the interim, and all of them but one Mac II still work in case you're curious. My short life here on AI is a result lurking for years and being on MacRumors since 2003, and a couple other beloved sites now extinct. Left because of trolls. I appreciate your positivity toward Apple products, and up until a year or so ago I was right there with you. But I have to call it the way I see it. I'm still an Apple guy, but these recent releases have done nothing to advance the cause. It's been a series of unforced errors.

Of course the Microsoft ads are selective and misleading; that doesn't mean they're not occupying the public's imagination, as you must be aware from the comments here on AI. When you offer nothing to counter that mindshare for almost a year now, you're going to lose. Consumers are not techies---they assume it's all true. And please understand, that new Surface device is a hideous, erector set industrial design, but it's something no one else has. Why not run iPad Pro ads? Pencil, Office apps, etc. Do something to show you still have a pulse.

Of course you don't ever have to respond tit for tat to a competitor; but in a world where Apple sales are shrinking, you have to be much more productive and visible than they have been. It's not like they can't afford it.