Gene Steinberg Quotations

No doubt that portends an upcoming price reduction or processor enhancement for the original model, but it does seem strange right now.

Some people are so devoted to products from Apple Computer that they forget it's just a company, not your friend. So it may do things to protect its stockholders and ensure its profitability that won't match your expectations. To generalize the concept: Take the price of a new product. You may regard it as too expensive, lacking the features that you want. But Apple's financial and product people consider the costs of manufacturing, the profits they require to cover manufacturing and R&D expenses, including paychecks for the thousands of people who depend on the company for their livelihood, and produce a figure that satisfies their needs, even if you'd rather play $100 less. As for that feature you want, marketing may feel that the right number customers won't pay extra for it, that you might find it in a third party utility, and that, as they say, is that.

Before I get to the point, let me say that I'm encouraged that Apple has managed its transition to Intel processors so rapidly. So far, the number of glitches with the new hardware appears to be small, fundamental compatibility is good, and the number of Universal applications continues to increase rapidly. Apple's own product guide lists over 1,000.

I can predict what some of you are reading this week: the story of two college dropouts who found fame and fortune building personal computers for the masses, how the company had its ups and downs and was declared about to die on many occasions. Finally, in an unexpected turn of events, the company conquers another field entirely, that of portable music players.