To put things into perspective, perhaps the biggest complaint many critics level against Microsoft is the fact that most everything they build leans heavily on proprietary technologies. For other companies to use those technologies, such as being able to link with Exchange servers, a license must be obtained, and money must change hands. Yes, there […]

Folks, it’s not as if there were too many surprises at Apple’s music event. I could say, in retrospect, that the thing happened on my birthday, and that Apple is aware of that information, but that would be the height of egomania. The fact is that the event happened at a time convenient for Apple […]

So, in no particular order, Steve Jobs returned to the stage thanking the person whose untimely death gave him a second chance at life. Predictably, there was a new iTunes release, version 9, with simpler, smarter navigation, “genius mixes,” and the ability to copy songs among your home computers. While the iPod retains 73.8% of […]

It’s very easy to tell a company what you want them to build and what features to include. Apple gets huge numbers of wish lists from you and me — and then goes off and does its own thing anyway. Actually, despite what some might claim, Apple really and truly does listen to its customers, […]