After 20+ years working in the Tech Industry, I’m a believer…[not what you think]

I love German sports/GT cars and classic lines of American muscle cars.  Many do.  In particular, the Porsche 911 remains timeless and continues to be iteratively refined through the years.  Few cars handle the way a Porsche 911 does, and that’s why they’re priced accordingly.  It wasn’t always that way though.    Porsche has made periodic overhauls of chassis, engine, suspensions, etc., but you won’t see major changes in the basic shape of the 911.  Why?  Because you don’t mess with a classic!  You don’t mess with what people are passionate about.  And you don’t mess with what is (and continues to be) a golden goose.  Sadly, few I can only think of one American auto manufacturer that has followed this philosophy--albeit to a lesser degree of perfection.  What company?  Ford.

I love what Ford has done with the Mustang—GT, Boss, & Shelby.  Revived classic style, power output in both V-6 and a multitude of V-8 versions, and even a track weapon in form of the Boss all highlight the comeback in popularity of the ‘Stang.  But does anyone actually remember the Ford Probe?  Those of you that do are likely trying to forget it.  That car that was supposed to replace the Mustang back in 1989.  Briefly, the Probe was a complete overhaul of what Ford marketing people thought a Pony car should be.  It wasn’t rear wheel drive.  It wasn’t powerful.  And as cars go, it wasn’t even sexy to look at.  In fact, when Mustang fans got wind of Ford’s intent to replace the Mustang with the Probe, they raised such a stink that Ford had to capitulate.  It was too late to pull the plug on the Probe, and it went on to be one of Ford’s worst selling cars of all time.  Ford tried (unsuccessfully) to mess with a classic. 

In fairness, Ford is getting lots of things right these days.  In addition to the Mustang, the Focus, Explorer, and Escape are all good looking vehicles that offer great consumer value.  Still, someone in Ford’s marketing team has convinced their executive team that consumers want Microsoft Sync as a “feature” in their cars.  Huh?  As entertainment in a vehicle goes, having to learn how to speak to car does not fall into a category I would call, “entertaining.”  I see this more as Microsoft’s way of telling us how stupid we all are.  Because for years, Microsoft time and again has expressed that they know better than the rest of us how things should work.  Somehow speaking into your dashboard is a more “intelligent” way to increase the volume than simply rotating a rheostat knob clockwise, right?    And just contemplate the humor in getting the blue screen of death the next time you change your radio station.  And how’s that Zune player doing against the Apple iPod?  But I digress…

Kidding aside, this is the same Microsoft that will be desperately trying to convince people to buy Windows 8 soon {*Note to self:  Sell Microsoft stock now.}.  Let’s briefly go down memory lane of the operating systems that superseded Microsoft DOS, shall we?

      ·         Windows 1.0
      ·         Windows 2.0 
      ·         Windows 3.0/3.1
      ·         Windows for Workgroups 3.11
      ·         Windows NT/NT 3.5/NT 4.0
      ·         Windows 95/98/Me
      ·         Windows 2000
      ·         Windows XP
      ·         Windows Vista/7 

Since Microsoft’s release of Windows NT in 1995, consumers have been duped into successively buying/upgrading without getting the refinement that should come with an operating system that is essentially seventeen years old.  Sure, Windows outlasted IBM’s OS/2 and all the admittedly geeky permutations of Linux that consumers were never going to snuggle up to en masse, but it’s my contention that this “old dog” of an operating system no longer has any new tricks it can learn.  With each iteration, Windows was supposed to get better.  So the question you have to ask yourself is, “Are you better off now with Windows than you were four years ago?"  Has Windows gotten better?  The 911 sure has.  The Mustang?  Even with its live rear axle, without question it has.  Windows?  It’s Marginal. 

With Windows Vista/7, consumers finally received more control over security features.  Is it faster?  Not to the degree that it’s distinguishable for what most consumers use it for.  Is it at least better looking?  I suppose if you like the Aero zoom effect that originally came with Vista, yes, but that blatant rip-off from the Mac OS has been around for years.  Fast forward to 2009 when Windows XP rolled off the assembly line, and compared to Windows 7, the latter did not bring anything substantially new to the table.   Now here comes Microsoft again, looking to sell the public more “lipstick on a pig” with Windows 8.  Windows 8 is geared toward tablets and touch screens.  Is it too little too late?

Windows 8 represents a major change to the user interface that will likely add to overhead load on existing hardware.   For a detailed preview, click here.  With Windows 8, Microsoft is suggesting that they were wrong, and that the makers of the iOS and droid interfaces were right.  Instead of innovating, Microsoft is (in military terms) “bringing up the rear.”  There are no killer features being introduced with this latest Windows iteration.  No sonar backup avoidance.  No self-parking feature.  No massaging leather luxury seats with cooling fans.  There IS a feature that allows you to boot to a different OS.  The software developer in me says, “It’s about damn time!” but the consumer in me says, “Why the hell would I ever want to do that?”  You don’t see Ford instrument panels asking you if you’d like to see the Chevy or Chrysler instrument cluster superimposed on your dashboard, do you? 

So what’s a consumer to do?  To upgrade or not upgrade?  That is the question.   When friends and family ask me, I tell them with conviction, “My next computer will be an Apple.  No question.”  I’ve been convinced over the years that you really do get what you pay for as it applies to Apple devices.  Here's why: 

 My family is home to six iPod devices—including iPod G3/G4, Nano, Shuffle, and Touch—an Apple TV device, two iPads, and an “ancient” PowerPC G4.  The latter is a laptop device that’s over 10 years old that my younger son still uses for homework.  Other than a memory chip upgrade a few years back, it’s original.  It's bulletproof and still runs like a top--applications run fast enough for him and provides fast Internet access.  The OS upgrades itself without nagging me, and without affecting performance.  Why does that Redmond company find this so hard?  The excellence doesn't end with computing hardare.  Consumer devices from Cupertino (Apple HQ) are equally impressive.

After being notified of an issue with the battery in my old, first generation nano (that incidentally had a cracked screen, but still worked), Apple shipped me a brand new one.  For free.   The Apple TV device streams videos from Netflix and is capable of accessing pictures, music, and video rentals/purchases from my laptop.  The iPads also stream video direct to the AppleTV device with (literally) the touch of a single button.  Best of all, Apple has commoditized software (via the iTunes Store) that used to cost me hundreds of dollars each, and I get to install and run it on multiple devices at no extra cost.  Take that, Microsoft!  I’m totally impressed with the Apple eco-system, and I understand why consumers who purchase their products are so passionate about these devices.  That loyalty stems from the fact that Apple takes care of its customers.  Period.

Now all this having been said, I’m no Apple zealot and I’m not going to advocate that you camp out for the next iThing iteration. And I concede that Microsoft products still have a rightfully earned position in the enterprise, but I have to tip my cap to the folks at Apple.  They get it.  Are Apple devices more expensive?  Absolutely. But you get more than just the product.  When you buy Apple, you’re buying into the tangibles, too:  interoperability, ease of use, durability, and elegant design.  Do you get what you pay for?  With Apple, I'd say you get that and then some.

'Nough Said,

+THINKR