macopolis

My Prediction for Today’s Apple Event

I wasn’t able to complete my epic Tablet piece before this morning (which was to be fashioned around the original title and graphic above), so I’ll make this short & sweet. Here’s what I expect to see:

Tablet

This will be the device that finally bridges the gap between print and online media. My bet is on a device without an “i” in its name (I’d love to see it called Canvas, but I somehow doubt that’s the name). It will run a new version of OS X, something between Mac and iPhone. It will be multi-touch. It will be positioned as a revolutionary media consumption and creation device, and will essentially do for print media what the iPod did for music. I expect the price to be around $800.

iLife / iWork ‘10

In addition to updated versions of the current suite of applications, there will be a digital painting and/or drawing application that will have a version for the Tablet device to take advantage of the multi-touch interface.

iPhone 3.2

Despite rumors to the contrary, I don’t think iPhone 4.0 will launch here. I’d expect an update to bring it up to speed to whatever the new products bring.

Mac OS X 10.6.3, iTunes 9.1 / QuickTime X 10.1

Bug fixes and updates to incorporate new features prompted by the Tablet.

January 27, 2010, 9:35am   Comments

In late 2007, I was homebound for a couple of weeks after a minor knee surgery. One of the things I did to occupy my time was contribute to WikiAnswers, an online community of people asking and answering all sorts of questions. I decided to contribute to the Mac, iPod, and iPhone topics. After my return to work, I didn’t have much time for that anymore, and I was working for Apple anyhow, so I didn’t really spend a whole lot of time there afterwards.

Every now and again, I’ll go back to view the unanswered (or incorrectly answered) questions. Today, I ran across the question in the title above. I rephrased the question, and I kinda liked my answer to the question, so I just wanted to share it here.

NOTE: The question below links to the WikiAnswers article, but I’ve included the entire answer here, because…well, who knows how long it’ll stay unaltered on the Wiki site!

(Damn wikis.)

Who took the bite from the apple on the Apple computer logo?

One of the deep mysteries to me is our logo, the symbol of lust and knowledge, bitten into, all crossed with the colors of the rainbow in the wrong order. You couldn’t dream a more appropriate logo: lust, knowledge, hope and anarchy.

- Jean-Louis Gasée, former CTO of Apple Computer

The Apple logo is one of the most recognizable icons in the world.

To look at the symbolism of the logo, it seems to represents the Forbidden Fruit from the Garden of Eden mythos in the Book of Genesis in Judeo/Christian scripture: Adam and Eve were banished from paradise for disobeying God’s command that they not eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Many equate the apple to the forbidden fruit, probably because the apple still retains its distinct shape, color, and integrity of form even after a bite is taken from it: it remains recognizable, even in silhouette, as an apple.

In one simple graphic, the Apple logo manages to personify lust for knowledge, temptation, and rebellion.

So, to answer the question…

Who took the bite from the Apple?

Metaphorically speaking, Mankind did, thanks to Eve (and Adam).

Who took the bite from the Apple logo?

Anyone who buys in to the Apple philosophy by purchasing an Apple product.

January 23, 2010, 10:28am   Comments