larz2112

Am I the only person on earth who couldn't care less about the color or finish on the backside of my iPhone? I always get the black or space grey because it seriously doesn't matter to me. 

You can justify this any way you want, but in my opinion this is a A-hole move on Apple’s part. Once I buy a computer it is mine and I should be able to do whatever I want with it as long as I understand the consequences. If I want to modify it by adding a larger hard drive or get it fixed by a non-authorized dealer at a fraction of the cost, I should be able to do that with MY computer, understanding that I will void the warranty and put my precious data at risk of getting corrupted or stolen by the boogie man.

What Apple is doing is trying to lock down a revenue stream by making it impossible to modify or repair your computer without Apple making some money off of the deal.

I’ve been using Macs for almost 30 years, and I have modified and repaired quite a few. The boogie man never showed up and corrupted or stole my data, not once. 

But it now seems that Apple has benevolently decreed that I am too much of a danger to myself to modify or repair my computer without their involvement, for my own good of course.

Give me a break!

melgross said:

larz2112 said:

melgross said:

larz2112 said:

My 82-year-old father is going to LOVE hearing that his premium may go up unless he buys a device that he doesn't understand and remembers to earn enough "Vitality Points"  every month. To him, a watch tells time, period. He's had a smart phone for 2-3 years that he never uses because he forgets how to use it and due to his poor eyesight, the tiny screen is very difficult for him to read. I can just see the hours of conversation I will soon be having with my father.

DAD: "A what?" ME: "They are called "Vitality Points" dad." DAD: "I don't understand. What is that?" ME: "They are points that you earn for exercising." DAD: "Points for what?" ME: "Well, in your case the points will reduce your premium." DAD: "So now I have to keep track of points?!" ME: "No, the Apple Watch will keep track of your points." DAD: "What? How is a watch going to do that?"  etc., etc., for hours.

Thank you John Hancock.

It’s a discount for getting one, and using it. New policies will be required to get one.

Yes, I understand that. What is your point? According to the article, ALL policies will be coverted to Vitality policies in 2019. My father will have no choice. And reductions in premiums are available if you execise (read between the lines: we will be raising the premiums for those who don't choose to exercise). 

"All current John Hancock policies will convert to Vitality policies in 2019.  Policy holders can reduce their premiums and also earn gift cards and other product rewards, if they exercise regularly, as shown by their wearable device. This model of "interactive life insurance" was first offered by John Hancock in 2015, and will now apply to all of the company's life insurance policies. "

This means at some point my father will get wind that his policy is changing and will ask me to explain, which will take hours, and he will probably never completely understand what it is all about. Then he will call John Hancock himself and waste hours on the phone peppering them with questions and trying to get them to clearly explain the details of the new "Vitality policy" to him. All of this will generate a lot of addtional anxiety and stress for my 82-year-old father. Again, thank you John Hancock.

So, get him to do some excercise, then the premiums will be the same. You know, when there are changeovers, some people will always be caught in the cracks. It’s too bad for them, but the concept is for the long term, so for those that are unhappy now, many more will benefit from. That’s what matters.

in using the watch, there isn’t much you have to do. Heart rate is automatic. You can easily set it up for him.

melgross said:

larz2112 said:

melgross said:

larz2112 said:

My 82-year-old father is going to LOVE hearing that his premium may go up unless he buys a device that he doesn't understand and remembers to earn enough "Vitality Points"  every month. To him, a watch tells time, period. He's had a smart phone for 2-3 years that he never uses because he forgets how to use it and due to his poor eyesight, the tiny screen is very difficult for him to read. I can just see the hours of conversation I will soon be having with my father.

DAD: "A what?" ME: "They are called "Vitality Points" dad." DAD: "I don't understand. What is that?" ME: "They are points that you earn for exercising." DAD: "Points for what?" ME: "Well, in your case the points will reduce your premium." DAD: "So now I have to keep track of points?!" ME: "No, the Apple Watch will keep track of your points." DAD: "What? How is a watch going to do that?"  etc., etc., for hours.

Thank you John Hancock.

It’s a discount for getting one, and using it. New policies will be required to get one.

Yes, I understand that. What is your point? According to the article, ALL policies will be coverted to Vitality policies in 2019. My father will have no choice. And reductions in premiums are available if you execise (read between the lines: we will be raising the premiums for those who don't choose to exercise). 

"All current John Hancock policies will convert to Vitality policies in 2019.  Policy holders can reduce their premiums and also earn gift cards and other product rewards, if they exercise regularly, as shown by their wearable device. This model of "interactive life insurance" was first offered by John Hancock in 2015, and will now apply to all of the company's life insurance policies. "

This means at some point my father will get wind that his policy is changing and will ask me to explain, which will take hours, and he will probably never completely understand what it is all about. Then he will call John Hancock himself and waste hours on the phone peppering them with questions and trying to get them to clearly explain the details of the new "Vitality policy" to him. All of this will generate a lot of addtional anxiety and stress for my 82-year-old father. Again, thank you John Hancock.

So, get him to do some excercise, then the premiums will be the same. You know, when there are changeovers, some people will always be caught in the cracks. It’s too bad for them, but the concept is for the long term, so for those that are unhappy now, many more will benefit from. That’s what matters.

in using the watch, there isn’t much you have to do. Heart rate is automatic. You can easily set it up for him.

My original point is obvious lost on you, and I will have to expend more time and energy to explain it to you than should be necessary, as I often have to do with my 82-year-old father (which was my original point). My father does physical therapy three times a week and goes for walks outside of his assisted living facility several times a week. The exercise part of the equation is not the problem. The problem is trying to explain a new policy to my dad, and also a new tech gadget that he will not understand. And my dad is the type of person who used to read the user manual from cover to cover before using anything before his eyesight got very bad. Also, as is the case with many elderly people, a change and/or disruption to what my dad is used to doing to a BIG deal and causes him stress and anxiety. In this case, undue stress and anxiety.

Luckily StrangeDays posted: "The AI headline is wrong. They aren’t requiring it, they’re requiring all new policies have the Vitality program as an option for discounted premiums. major error. NPR reported it correctly. Clicking the source link also cites that it’s the program that is being added, not the requirement to use it. "

This will make things much less stressful on my father and save me hours of explaining. Thanks for the info StrangeDays!

My 82-year-old father is going to LOVE hearing that his premium may go up unless he buys a device that he doesn't understand and remembers to earn enough "Vitality Points"  every month. To him, a watch tells time, period. He's had a smart phone for 2-3 years that he never uses because he forgets how to use it and due to his poor eyesight, the tiny screen is very difficult for him to read. I can just see the hours of conversation I will soon be having with my father.

DAD: "A what?" ME: "They are called "Vitality Points" dad." DAD: "I don't understand. What is that?" ME: "They are points that you earn for exercising." DAD: "Points for what?" ME: "Well, in your case the points will reduce your premium." DAD: "So now I have to keep track of points?!" ME: "No, the Apple Watch will keep track of your points." DAD: "What? How is a watch going to do that?"  etc., etc., for hours.

Thank you John Hancock.

fastasleep said:

latafairam said:

StrangeDays said:

inplainview said:

Trying so hard to be excited. It’s just not “magical” anymore. Loads of meh...

This kind of whining is predictable. Every year the smartphone grows more and more mature as a product category. The initial growth spurts are in the rear-view mirror, my friend. If you're deriving your personal happiness on surprises from tools like smartphones, you're in for a lifetime of disappointment. The more important questions are -- does this tool perform the jobs-to-be-done I have for it? Do I like it better than the alternatives?

"Magical" is in your mind.

Whining? I don't see the guy as whining, he's just stating he is not impressed.

They’re literally still presenting the iPhone, it’s not even finished yet — just covering the cameras now. It’s whining, and preemptive whining at that. 

And then more whining from multiple people about the initial whining. Would anyone like some gouda or brie?