BBEmployee
Apr 8, 02:42 PM
I'm a current employee at Best Buy and thought I'd offer my two cents on a few issues.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
CristobalHuet
Mar 28, 02:34 PM
If you don't want the free publicity, then don't submit your app to the Mac App Store.
Of course, all the haters will cry foul.
Couldn't have put it better myself
Of course, all the haters will cry foul.
Couldn't have put it better myself
alexhasfun28
Apr 15, 06:40 PM
This would actually look nice, if it was curved. Not in an ugly box/ mini MacBook form. But then again, aluminum does screw up the 3G frequency. Unless it was a better type of aluminum, or mate type of cover. & slimmer (:
:apple: iPhone HDS, this Summer of 2010.
:apple: iPhone HDS, this Summer of 2010.
LightSpeed1
Mar 25, 12:07 AM
Happy Belated Birthday OS X.
JaSuS
Sep 29, 11:08 AM
So THAT'S what this house is! No wonder why there were no windows diagrammed in the blueprints!
In that case, the only thing a robber needs to do to get into the iHouse is jailbreak the security system :D
LOL........I love this thread!
:D Jailbreak the iHouse:cool:
In that case, the only thing a robber needs to do to get into the iHouse is jailbreak the security system :D
LOL........I love this thread!
:D Jailbreak the iHouse:cool:
.jpg "Labels: heart, love")
SockRolid
Apr 15, 01:13 PM
Obviously fake. Look at the slanted iPhone writing on the bottom photo. Horrible photoshop skills
Yes, the photoshopper got the perspective and angle wrong on text in the 3rd shot. Also, the volume switch hole shading is obviously off.
All that, plus the graininess of the image is exactly what you would get when you apply the "noise" filter in photoshop. Not what you would get from the natural low-light graininess of either high speed color film or digital cameras.
I'm not a photoshop pro, but I've photoshopped tons of color slides and digital images and all 3 of the images look fake to me. Having said that, as much as I love my '08 iPhone 3G, I think it's time for either a mostly-aluminum or zirconium dioxide redesign in 2010.
Apple has apparently patented some kind of zirconium dioxide manufacturing process for electronics enclosures. It's strong material, won't scratch, and is radio-transparent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zirconium_dioxide
Yes, the photoshopper got the perspective and angle wrong on text in the 3rd shot. Also, the volume switch hole shading is obviously off.
All that, plus the graininess of the image is exactly what you would get when you apply the "noise" filter in photoshop. Not what you would get from the natural low-light graininess of either high speed color film or digital cameras.
I'm not a photoshop pro, but I've photoshopped tons of color slides and digital images and all 3 of the images look fake to me. Having said that, as much as I love my '08 iPhone 3G, I think it's time for either a mostly-aluminum or zirconium dioxide redesign in 2010.
Apple has apparently patented some kind of zirconium dioxide manufacturing process for electronics enclosures. It's strong material, won't scratch, and is radio-transparent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zirconium_dioxide
macenforcer
Oct 10, 10:49 PM
The wireless will be used to buy music right from itunes. I can't wait.
bruinsrme
Apr 27, 05:28 PM
Would sexual harassment claims rise if we had unisex bathrooms.
Oh no.
talking to a friend at the shared open area locker room.
at some point I said something to the affect, she started really working it and it eventually got hard.
Nice trip to HR.
Subject matter; an expoy based resin.
I can't imagine the accusations that would take place with a unisex bathroom in the united states. Lawyers would take up residence out side of the bathrooms along with a whole new array of tv commercials
Oh no.
talking to a friend at the shared open area locker room.
at some point I said something to the affect, she started really working it and it eventually got hard.
Nice trip to HR.
Subject matter; an expoy based resin.
I can't imagine the accusations that would take place with a unisex bathroom in the united states. Lawyers would take up residence out side of the bathrooms along with a whole new array of tv commercials
arn
Apr 27, 03:19 AM
fwiw, here's some data from this news thread: http://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/26/android-jumps-past-ios-in-overall-u-s-smartphone-usage/
The top rated posts:
Macman1993
13 hours ago at 12:07 pm
Some will be bothered about IOS not being the most dominant. I personally don't care, I just want the best mobile OS.
Rating: 15 Positives / 2 Negatives
brendu
13 hours ago at 12:12 pm
One interesting thing to note. Apple held 25% of recent acquirers with 2 phone models. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. They are also on only 2 carriers, and have only been with Verizon for part of the time leading up to the march survey. Android however is on dozens of handsets and all four US carriers. I would say apple is doing amazingly well when you consider those specifics. I am not worried about iOS not having a larger chunk of the market, I am blown away that it has 25%.
Rating: 12 Positives / 0 Negatives
komodrone
13 hours ago at 12:39 pm
"...in total penetration" THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID. yeah I signed up for an account just to post this.
Rating: 10 Positives / 0 Negatives
Eddyisgreat
13 hours ago at 12:15 pm
If the iPhone were buy one get two free as well then I bet those numbers would be different :D
Rating: 9 Positives / 1 Negatives
VanMac
13 hours ago at 12:09 pm
Competition is good :) Keeps Apple on their toes Don't need another MS Monopoly.......
Rating: 12 Positives / 4 Negatives
Slix
13 hours ago at 12:14 pm
iPhones are still better.
Rating: 12 Positives / 5 Negatives
supmango
13 hours ago at 12:12 pm
I really hope that Apple sees trends like this and realizes it's time to change their game plan. No more once a year phones. Time to kick the innovation level up a few notches. Time for over the air OS updates, over the air app installs, wireless syncing and everything else Android has offered for some time now.
iOS does over the air app installs. Other than that, yes I agree that Apple needs to do those things. Oh, and I use Android because it's the only option on my carrier (its the least repulsive option anyway). But it sucks, and doesn't seem to be getting any better. I think the only reason it is seeing growth like it is is because of cheap hardware, and, as in my case, being the only real option on certain networks.
Rating: 6 Positives / 0 Negatives
Millah
2 hours ago at 11:13 pm
inevitable as android devices are available everywhere and in every price segment. remember, half of all American workers earn $505 or less per week.
The funny thing is, almost every single Android owner I know are people who could care less about "smartphones," really don't know much about technology, and only bought one because it was very cheap or free when they upgraded, and they were told that it could "run apps like the iPhone." These are people who had cheap free phones before they upgraded. And realistically, the majority of people are like that. But when we compare the industry profit percentages, it paints a much different picture. Which goes to show that market share is irrelevant especially in the cell phone business where cheap free phones are dominant. Its going to be interesting when Apple tries to go after this segment. I'm sure they'll come up with something clever.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
Michael Scrip
12 hours ago at 01:13 pm
Deceptive Report... Let's not forget, Apple iOS encompasses more then just iPhones. If you included the iPad and iPod Touch which both run Apple iOS then Apple's market share is still ahead of Android.
It's not *that" deceptive... they did include "US smartphone usage" in the headline. Here's why... Apple's smartphone is called "the iPhone" And then you've got "Android" which is a tons of phones from many manufacturers. When comparing smartphone numbers... it's the iPhone vs. many Android phones. You're right... if you wanna have a platform battle... iOS vs Android... you'd have to include iPods and iPads. But this is a comparison of phones...
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
righttime
13 hours ago at 12:27 pm
Wow. A platform that is available on all four major carriers and has dozens of phones, passed the iPhone (which *just* became available on its second carrier) in overall usage. So I guess Google should be patting themselves on the back for this historic achievement.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
There isn't a huge amount of activity, but take it for what it's worth. Also, I think this was before we fixed the IE issue. It should work in IE now.
arn
The top rated posts:
Macman1993
13 hours ago at 12:07 pm
Some will be bothered about IOS not being the most dominant. I personally don't care, I just want the best mobile OS.
Rating: 15 Positives / 2 Negatives
brendu
13 hours ago at 12:12 pm
One interesting thing to note. Apple held 25% of recent acquirers with 2 phone models. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. They are also on only 2 carriers, and have only been with Verizon for part of the time leading up to the march survey. Android however is on dozens of handsets and all four US carriers. I would say apple is doing amazingly well when you consider those specifics. I am not worried about iOS not having a larger chunk of the market, I am blown away that it has 25%.
Rating: 12 Positives / 0 Negatives
komodrone
13 hours ago at 12:39 pm
"...in total penetration" THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID. yeah I signed up for an account just to post this.
Rating: 10 Positives / 0 Negatives
Eddyisgreat
13 hours ago at 12:15 pm
If the iPhone were buy one get two free as well then I bet those numbers would be different :D
Rating: 9 Positives / 1 Negatives
VanMac
13 hours ago at 12:09 pm
Competition is good :) Keeps Apple on their toes Don't need another MS Monopoly.......
Rating: 12 Positives / 4 Negatives
Slix
13 hours ago at 12:14 pm
iPhones are still better.
Rating: 12 Positives / 5 Negatives
supmango
13 hours ago at 12:12 pm
I really hope that Apple sees trends like this and realizes it's time to change their game plan. No more once a year phones. Time to kick the innovation level up a few notches. Time for over the air OS updates, over the air app installs, wireless syncing and everything else Android has offered for some time now.
iOS does over the air app installs. Other than that, yes I agree that Apple needs to do those things. Oh, and I use Android because it's the only option on my carrier (its the least repulsive option anyway). But it sucks, and doesn't seem to be getting any better. I think the only reason it is seeing growth like it is is because of cheap hardware, and, as in my case, being the only real option on certain networks.
Rating: 6 Positives / 0 Negatives
Millah
2 hours ago at 11:13 pm
inevitable as android devices are available everywhere and in every price segment. remember, half of all American workers earn $505 or less per week.
The funny thing is, almost every single Android owner I know are people who could care less about "smartphones," really don't know much about technology, and only bought one because it was very cheap or free when they upgraded, and they were told that it could "run apps like the iPhone." These are people who had cheap free phones before they upgraded. And realistically, the majority of people are like that. But when we compare the industry profit percentages, it paints a much different picture. Which goes to show that market share is irrelevant especially in the cell phone business where cheap free phones are dominant. Its going to be interesting when Apple tries to go after this segment. I'm sure they'll come up with something clever.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
Michael Scrip
12 hours ago at 01:13 pm
Deceptive Report... Let's not forget, Apple iOS encompasses more then just iPhones. If you included the iPad and iPod Touch which both run Apple iOS then Apple's market share is still ahead of Android.
It's not *that" deceptive... they did include "US smartphone usage" in the headline. Here's why... Apple's smartphone is called "the iPhone" And then you've got "Android" which is a tons of phones from many manufacturers. When comparing smartphone numbers... it's the iPhone vs. many Android phones. You're right... if you wanna have a platform battle... iOS vs Android... you'd have to include iPods and iPads. But this is a comparison of phones...
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
righttime
13 hours ago at 12:27 pm
Wow. A platform that is available on all four major carriers and has dozens of phones, passed the iPhone (which *just* became available on its second carrier) in overall usage. So I guess Google should be patting themselves on the back for this historic achievement.
Rating: 5 Positives / 0 Negatives
There isn't a huge amount of activity, but take it for what it's worth. Also, I think this was before we fixed the IE issue. It should work in IE now.
arn
iSee
Nov 16, 01:51 PM
Hey, there's nothing wrong with Apple using AMD processors, as long as it's a good product.
I mean, suppose AMD comes out with something 50% faster than a CD2 for half the price? Why wouldn't we want to get us some of that?
I don't follow the processor wars, but:
If Intel's got the best processor, I want Apple to be using that.
If AMD's got the best processor, then I want Apple to use that.
If Intel's got the best laptop processor and AMD the best workstation processor, then I want Apple to use both!
I mean, suppose AMD comes out with something 50% faster than a CD2 for half the price? Why wouldn't we want to get us some of that?
I don't follow the processor wars, but:
If Intel's got the best processor, I want Apple to be using that.
If AMD's got the best processor, then I want Apple to use that.
If Intel's got the best laptop processor and AMD the best workstation processor, then I want Apple to use both!
synth3tik
Jan 10, 05:17 PM
Thats something that should stay at the hackers convention. not CES and most definitely not MWSF.
Illuminated
Apr 6, 10:38 AM
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216007_10150209228878000_584022999_8405019_1450762_n.jpg
Picked it up at Wawa...it's delicious!!
Picked it up at Wawa...it's delicious!!
citizenzen
May 4, 09:02 PM
Sure, and I could easily find stats for deaths caused by automobiles and speeding.
While I'm with you on the speeding, let's take a look at deaths caused by automobiles.
44,128 [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
So for every 4 people that die due to motor vehicles, 3 die due to firearms.
Did you know that?
It's especially frightening when you consider the utility motor vehicles bring to our lives. They not only get us to work, they deliver our goods across the country. Motor vehicles are an integral part of our everyday lives. They get us to the grocery store, the soccer field and haul massive amounts of material across the nation.
Guns, if stored properly, sit locked away in a cabinet, rarely seeing the light of day.
Yet they kill nearly as many people as all motor vehicles.
Is that insane?
Yeah. That's what I've been trying to tell you.
While I'm with you on the speeding, let's take a look at deaths caused by automobiles.
44,128 [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
So for every 4 people that die due to motor vehicles, 3 die due to firearms.
Did you know that?
It's especially frightening when you consider the utility motor vehicles bring to our lives. They not only get us to work, they deliver our goods across the country. Motor vehicles are an integral part of our everyday lives. They get us to the grocery store, the soccer field and haul massive amounts of material across the nation.
Guns, if stored properly, sit locked away in a cabinet, rarely seeing the light of day.
Yet they kill nearly as many people as all motor vehicles.
Is that insane?
Yeah. That's what I've been trying to tell you.
relativist
Apr 9, 05:25 PM
I checked next weeks circular on slickdeals.net and no mention of iPad2. I'm starting to think it would be better to buy it anywhere else. From what I remember it took about 2-3 months at most after the iPad 1 was announced that it became readily available.
Yvan256
Aug 1, 01:11 PM
"the songs can only be played on Apple's iPod"
I'm really tired of hearing this. First of all, people are not forced to buy from the iTMS, CDs still exist.
Second, the songs can be played on a Mac computer with iTunes, a Windows computer with iTunes, iPods. They can also be burned to an audio CD which can be played on millions of devices.
How is that "iPod-only"?! :confused:
I'm really tired of hearing this. First of all, people are not forced to buy from the iTMS, CDs still exist.
Second, the songs can be played on a Mac computer with iTunes, a Windows computer with iTunes, iPods. They can also be burned to an audio CD which can be played on millions of devices.
How is that "iPod-only"?! :confused:
phytonix
Sep 25, 06:30 PM
I think lightroom is even slower?
esp when you do adjustment to photos like hue etc.
on my iMac, Aperture can render instantly, while lightroom obviously has pause. I know that's because aperture use graphic card, but why can't lightroom?
esp when you do adjustment to photos like hue etc.
on my iMac, Aperture can render instantly, while lightroom obviously has pause. I know that's because aperture use graphic card, but why can't lightroom?
NDA74
Jan 12, 09:01 PM
Anyone who leaps to a conclusion over this is foolish and shooting themselves in the foot. Print media is dead in its current form so you'll never see events banning people just because they have an online presence.
No, you will not. But what you will see are event planners being much more selective about who they credential, until the only media you see at events are the same big media companies that have always been there, except now they're online instead of in print. Same monopolies, different medium.
No, you will not. But what you will see are event planners being much more selective about who they credential, until the only media you see at events are the same big media companies that have always been there, except now they're online instead of in print. Same monopolies, different medium.
CaoCao
Apr 15, 07:27 PM
From the article ...
After passage in the Democratic-controlled Assembly and singing by Gov. Jerry Brown, both of which seem likely, California would become the first state to make curricula include notable gay Americans along with the contributions of women and various ethnic groups.
Shaun Travers, a San Diego activist, told San Diego 6: "It's very important that we represent all of California and that includes the LGBT community. Our people and our history."
But opponents said the move would add non-essential material to already-short instruction time.
Hmmm ... they don't seem to share that same concern when it comes to teaching Creationism in science class. :rolleyes:
Honestly, there isn't enough time, we are rushing through WWII to know it before the CST. I also don't remember people pushing creationism in California
After passage in the Democratic-controlled Assembly and singing by Gov. Jerry Brown, both of which seem likely, California would become the first state to make curricula include notable gay Americans along with the contributions of women and various ethnic groups.
Shaun Travers, a San Diego activist, told San Diego 6: "It's very important that we represent all of California and that includes the LGBT community. Our people and our history."
But opponents said the move would add non-essential material to already-short instruction time.
Hmmm ... they don't seem to share that same concern when it comes to teaching Creationism in science class. :rolleyes:
Honestly, there isn't enough time, we are rushing through WWII to know it before the CST. I also don't remember people pushing creationism in California
hayduke
Sep 12, 12:50 AM
A long time ago I remember reading that Jobs said that people didn't really want to download movies or even own movies. The only movies worth owning (according to Jobs) were children's movies because they typically watch them hundreds of times. The average adult, on the other hand, might watch his favorite movie a dozen times. I think this idea, whether or not it can be tracked back to Jobs, is spot on. I've bought a few DVDs and most people I know have bought a few, but nobody I know buys as many movies as they do music (even if you compare total duration, rather then #).
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's movie store is simply the only way to get Disney/Pixar content and they're happy to stash the revenue from those sales in their pocket. They'll sell enough to make it worth the investment and if it goes really well and the demand grows (or Amazon appears to do well), then they just open the doors and make other studio's movies available. I bet this is more of an Apple control issue than a movie studio control issue. Apple is proven when it comes to DRM (like it or not).
I guess we'll see...
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's movie store is simply the only way to get Disney/Pixar content and they're happy to stash the revenue from those sales in their pocket. They'll sell enough to make it worth the investment and if it goes really well and the demand grows (or Amazon appears to do well), then they just open the doors and make other studio's movies available. I bet this is more of an Apple control issue than a movie studio control issue. Apple is proven when it comes to DRM (like it or not).
I guess we'll see...
9secondadidas
Mar 24, 03:56 PM
Here's to 10 more!
yg17
Apr 21, 12:26 PM
Sorry, this idea is horrible. People are going to downrate posts because they disagree with someone's opinion, not because it's a bad post.
I can easily see the fanboys downrating anyone who mentions Microsoft, Android or any of Apple's competitors in a positive light.
I can easily see the fanboys downrating anyone who mentions Microsoft, Android or any of Apple's competitors in a positive light.
CaoCao
Apr 17, 02:25 PM
I doubt Lee missed your point; maybe your point is just undefendable. For example, explain how you can prove that adding a bit of content about modern history will somehow force something else out of the curriculum. That there are a finite amount of class hours isn't good enough.
As we march through history, we have to condense more and more of it into a class. It wasn't that long ago that we added the space program to our description of modern history. Then JFK. MLK. Civil rights. Space shuttles. John Hinckley Jr. Fall of communism. Berlin Wall. Iraq. 9/11. Tsunamis. Egypt. What did these things take the place of or force out of the curriculum?
Incidentally, when I came through school many years ago, it was mentioned that Einstein was a Jew. It's not irrelevant - it's part of his story and part of who he was. In my classes, it wasn't swept under the rug, but neither was it mentioned "first" nor did it make me want to convert to Judaism. Adding a facet to our understanding of a person in history is not promotion.
You really don't get that it's not promotion. There is a big swath of gray area between promotion and concealment. The GLBT struggle for equality is part of our culture whether you are involved in it or not. It should be entered into the records.
Adding those decreased time for other things, ideally World History and American History would be 1.5 years. JFK gets summarized as the first Catholic to get elected to president, led the disastrous Bay of Pigs and then got shot, ignoring the Peace Corps and the Space Program. John Hinckley Jr. isn't in the textbooks at all, IIRC he tried to kill Reagan and there was something about Jodi Foster
No one is saying it is, except for you. Nothing is being placed above anything else. There is no order of importance.
I'd prefer he be remembered for both, as they were both part of him. It's important for gay kids, like other kids, to know there are people just like them who have done great things. They're called role models. Why that bothers you is beyond me.
Yes indeed. But why we differ is puzzling to me.
There is a finite amount of time, the more ways you slice it the smaller the pieces get
So a gay should see Turing and strive to be as good a mathematician as Turing? Why shouldn't they strive to be the best mathematician there is?
Everybody stop doing stuff.
History's all full now.
Or we can make more time for history
I don't think you understand the thrust of this law. It's not about creating a separate class on gay rights, it's about incorporating gay people into existing history lessons. You mention Oppenheimer. Unless, I'm mistaken, the fact that he was a jew is mentioned in most history books. The same with Einstein. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a pretty big deal, as were the US internment camps for Japanese-Americans during WWII. The Act and the camps are pretty self-explanatory. They were directed at a specific ethnic group of people. Gay accomplishments and persecution has mostly been swept under the rug.
Harvey Milk wasn't shot because he was gay, he was shot because he defeated a very disturbed man in an election. But, the fact that he was gay is pretty important.
The story of America is a story of minorities.
So the Pink Triangles of the Holocaust are irrelevant?
Wow, I don't know what to say. People of distinction aren't simply born that way, one's upbringing and the time in which they came of age play an enormous role. Any number of American industrialists were driven by adverse events during their formative years. Those events are almost always touched on. Being gay for most of human history has been pretty difficult. To not touch on that is really stupid and shows a bias that when it comes to history, should not be shown.
In American studies we didn't even mention the Manhattan Project, we didn't cover discrimination against the Chinese, we spent five minutes on the morality of Japanese Internment camps, but we didn't go why they interned them.
Harvey Milk wasn't shot because he beat Dan White in an election, Dan White resigned the position of supervisor because he felt the salary wasn't enough, but within a couple days he wanted his job back, he blamed Milk for not letting him have his job back and White jumped off the deep end.
The Holocaust was summarized as the Nazis were evil, they gassed, burned and worked to death lots of Jews, the Nazis were bad m'kay?
They're not in the records?
Come on, guy. Does it really matter if somebody were gay? I thought people of a liberal mindset are supposed to be "colorblind" or what have you, yet all of a sudden their sexuality, which has nothing to do with their achievements, should be made an important part of history?
How hypocritical.
If you set out the best negro x you have already flunked the matriculation exam for the entrance to the university of integration.
You do realize that homosexuality is not new and in fact was prevalent throughout ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. It wasn't until Christianity took root and became prevalent that homosexuality was looked down upon. You can thank religion for that (Leviticus 18:22). So in fact, for most of human history homosexuality was seen as no different from heterosexuality.
Bisexuality was not uncommon, pure homosexuality was still rare and being penetrated was looked down upon because you weren't being the man in the relationship
As we march through history, we have to condense more and more of it into a class. It wasn't that long ago that we added the space program to our description of modern history. Then JFK. MLK. Civil rights. Space shuttles. John Hinckley Jr. Fall of communism. Berlin Wall. Iraq. 9/11. Tsunamis. Egypt. What did these things take the place of or force out of the curriculum?
Incidentally, when I came through school many years ago, it was mentioned that Einstein was a Jew. It's not irrelevant - it's part of his story and part of who he was. In my classes, it wasn't swept under the rug, but neither was it mentioned "first" nor did it make me want to convert to Judaism. Adding a facet to our understanding of a person in history is not promotion.
You really don't get that it's not promotion. There is a big swath of gray area between promotion and concealment. The GLBT struggle for equality is part of our culture whether you are involved in it or not. It should be entered into the records.
Adding those decreased time for other things, ideally World History and American History would be 1.5 years. JFK gets summarized as the first Catholic to get elected to president, led the disastrous Bay of Pigs and then got shot, ignoring the Peace Corps and the Space Program. John Hinckley Jr. isn't in the textbooks at all, IIRC he tried to kill Reagan and there was something about Jodi Foster
No one is saying it is, except for you. Nothing is being placed above anything else. There is no order of importance.
I'd prefer he be remembered for both, as they were both part of him. It's important for gay kids, like other kids, to know there are people just like them who have done great things. They're called role models. Why that bothers you is beyond me.
Yes indeed. But why we differ is puzzling to me.
There is a finite amount of time, the more ways you slice it the smaller the pieces get
So a gay should see Turing and strive to be as good a mathematician as Turing? Why shouldn't they strive to be the best mathematician there is?
Everybody stop doing stuff.
History's all full now.
Or we can make more time for history
I don't think you understand the thrust of this law. It's not about creating a separate class on gay rights, it's about incorporating gay people into existing history lessons. You mention Oppenheimer. Unless, I'm mistaken, the fact that he was a jew is mentioned in most history books. The same with Einstein. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a pretty big deal, as were the US internment camps for Japanese-Americans during WWII. The Act and the camps are pretty self-explanatory. They were directed at a specific ethnic group of people. Gay accomplishments and persecution has mostly been swept under the rug.
Harvey Milk wasn't shot because he was gay, he was shot because he defeated a very disturbed man in an election. But, the fact that he was gay is pretty important.
The story of America is a story of minorities.
So the Pink Triangles of the Holocaust are irrelevant?
Wow, I don't know what to say. People of distinction aren't simply born that way, one's upbringing and the time in which they came of age play an enormous role. Any number of American industrialists were driven by adverse events during their formative years. Those events are almost always touched on. Being gay for most of human history has been pretty difficult. To not touch on that is really stupid and shows a bias that when it comes to history, should not be shown.
In American studies we didn't even mention the Manhattan Project, we didn't cover discrimination against the Chinese, we spent five minutes on the morality of Japanese Internment camps, but we didn't go why they interned them.
Harvey Milk wasn't shot because he beat Dan White in an election, Dan White resigned the position of supervisor because he felt the salary wasn't enough, but within a couple days he wanted his job back, he blamed Milk for not letting him have his job back and White jumped off the deep end.
The Holocaust was summarized as the Nazis were evil, they gassed, burned and worked to death lots of Jews, the Nazis were bad m'kay?
They're not in the records?
Come on, guy. Does it really matter if somebody were gay? I thought people of a liberal mindset are supposed to be "colorblind" or what have you, yet all of a sudden their sexuality, which has nothing to do with their achievements, should be made an important part of history?
How hypocritical.
If you set out the best negro x you have already flunked the matriculation exam for the entrance to the university of integration.
You do realize that homosexuality is not new and in fact was prevalent throughout ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. It wasn't until Christianity took root and became prevalent that homosexuality was looked down upon. You can thank religion for that (Leviticus 18:22). So in fact, for most of human history homosexuality was seen as no different from heterosexuality.
Bisexuality was not uncommon, pure homosexuality was still rare and being penetrated was looked down upon because you weren't being the man in the relationship
longofest
Oct 10, 05:22 PM
6g?
Nope... we're thinking this will be a totally different iPod product, separate from the normal iPod or the nano or the shuffle.
Nope... we're thinking this will be a totally different iPod product, separate from the normal iPod or the nano or the shuffle.
Azathoth
May 4, 03:16 AM
This might be a little off topic but the following comment:
"One of the main promotional points of Android as its popularity has soared has been the unregulated nature of the app marketplaces for the platform."
reminded me that I have some degree of comfort that Apple screens apps so that I don't inadvertently download something which is actually a virus, steals passwords and other personal information, or does something else nasty.
Perhaps I am unduly comforted and there is some iTunes fine print that says they don't check for that sort of stuff. Otherwise I would have thought Apple could have used the "safety" aspect in it's marketing, and created some fear for Andriod users around they really know what they are getting.
In that way iTunes aspp store is sort of a big condom for your iPhone - pure protection.
Apple don't look at the source code. One could make a trojan app that sends contacts information back to base after a certain date.
"One of the main promotional points of Android as its popularity has soared has been the unregulated nature of the app marketplaces for the platform."
reminded me that I have some degree of comfort that Apple screens apps so that I don't inadvertently download something which is actually a virus, steals passwords and other personal information, or does something else nasty.
Perhaps I am unduly comforted and there is some iTunes fine print that says they don't check for that sort of stuff. Otherwise I would have thought Apple could have used the "safety" aspect in it's marketing, and created some fear for Andriod users around they really know what they are getting.
In that way iTunes aspp store is sort of a big condom for your iPhone - pure protection.
Apple don't look at the source code. One could make a trojan app that sends contacts information back to base after a certain date.
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