There's Something in the Air: A Tale of Two Apples

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.

January 15th. The Moscone Centre in San Francisco. Steve Jobs delivers the MacWorld keynote address 200 days after iPhone went on sale.

And commits one of the most horrendously offensive two-fingered salutes to early adopters in history. Second only to the infamous iPhone price cut. But this act was not against iPhone users.

No, it was against uses of iPhone's little brother. iPod Touch. Apple unveiled OS X Mobile 1.1.3, announcing it as a free upgrade for iPhone users. For them it adds Web Clips, customisable home screens, Lyrics and more. For iPod Touch it adds these things as well as Notes, Weather, Stocks, Mail and Maps. Apps included on iPhone, but dropped for iPod Touch.

What's the problem? They want existing users to pay $20 or £12.99 for the privilege. New buyers get the new software free.

That's not cool Apple. Not fucking cool. I'd just about let you away with charging for the apps, but charging for the 1.1.3? That's low. Very fucking low.

Don't expect a penny out of me for it.

And at that same conference, Steve Jobs look the wraps off the (Unfortunately named) MacBook Air.

Despite it's craptastic name, MacBook Air is quite simply amazing. It's thin and light. It has a MultiTouch trackpad. It looks gorgeous.

It's a little pricey. It must be said. But it's awesome. More details are here, but don't think the MacBook Ar excuses the iPod Touch 1.1.3 bullshit Apple. It doesn't.

I'll get a MacBook Air, and I'm sure I'll love it. I will not pay money for an update to add features others get free because they waited and which should have been there from day one.

It was a shit announcement, it was a great announcement.

It was Apple before releasing a product, it was Apple after releasing a product.

It was consumer electronics Apple, it was Apple Computer Inc.

Jens Out