Tag Archive: Best Of
How Sony lost its way, starting with software
Nov. 11, ‘11: Growing up as a gadget nerd in the 1990s, there was no brand as exciting as Sony. Yes, Apple made great computers, and that’s what we used. But almost everything else, I wanted from Sony. Now, 20 years later, it’s … Continue reading →
The rise and decline of Sony: A 20-year view
Nov. 9, ‘11: Sony lost $350 million last quarter on more than $20 billion of sales, and warned last week that full-year losses would total more than $1 billion — its fourth straight year of losses. Sony blamed last quarter’s sales decline on … Continue reading →
The Apple-fication of everything
Oct. 25, ‘11: One of the best things about Steve Jobs’ return to Apple — which will live on and benefit society long after Jobs’ death — is how he basically spent the last 14 years teaching thousands of Apple employees to have … Continue reading →
Apple’s future, as predicted 15 years ago
Oct. 20, ‘11: Trying to make predictions about the technology industry more than a few years out is a crapshoot. Things change, things stay the same, design breakthroughs mess up everyone’s plans, good products fail, and seemingly lame ideas prosper. Five years ago, … Continue reading →
Commerce as content, shopping through art
Oct. 11, ‘11: While I was researching e-commerce sites for a project a couple of months ago, I signed up for a bunch of email newsletters from flash sales and group buying sites. Many of them contained lame deals or were ugly or … Continue reading →
Overanalyzing Apple’s product cycles: Why the iPhone 4S shouldn’t surprise you
Oct. 6, ‘11: The ridiculous outrage around Apple’s iPhone 4S seems to have been quieted by Steve Jobs’ death. But for the sake of closure, I’ll be clear: There never should have been any shock around the iPhone 4S to begin with. Apple … Continue reading →
If you’re disappointed by the iPhone 4S, you’re nuts
Oct. 4, ‘11: Cue the whiners. Apple didn’t announce an iPhone 5 today, just an updated version of the iPhone 4, called the iPhone 4S. Apple stock is down a bit in a flat market. Many are claiming to be disappointed. But here’s the … Continue reading →
Moneyball for tech startups
Sep. 23, ‘11: Moneyball, the film based on Michael Lewis’s excellent book about the business of baseball, opens this weekend. If you haven’t read the book or seen the trailer, the basic idea is: Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane — played in … Continue reading →
10 new industries Apple could go into (but probably won’t)
Sep. 6, ‘11: Many speculate that Apple will eventually start making TVs: It’s a not-too-crazy extension of several Apple products, including the Apple TV software platform, the big-screen iMac, and the iTunes app and media stores. Apple doesn’t frequently enter new markets, but … Continue reading →
Apple: The next chapter
Aug. 29, ‘11: Tim Cook’s promotion to CEO comes at an interesting time for Apple. First, the company continues to refocus itself around iOS, its platform for the future. And second, it continues to grow at an amazing pace. These two factors create … Continue reading →
