Polarizing

I don't think there is a subject that polarizes people more than Apple Inc. I thought maybe evolution vs creationism but lets be honest, it isn't. Then I thought maybe Nickleback was more polarizing but lets be honest it isn't.

The release of the iPhone 5 last Friday renewed the fever on both sides of the debate. Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I now have an iPhone 5 and I got it on the day it went on sale. However, I reserved it with my wireless carrier and went after work to pick it up. It was about an hour from when I arrived at the store until I was leaving with my shiny new iPhone. This is not a review of the new iPhone 5. You can read that on any tech blog and mainstream news site. I will say I like it and it is very fast however, that's not why Apple is so successful.

It's well known that Steve Jobs wanted to make a computer that didn't just work well, it also looked good. He put a lot of emphasis on style. It helps but that's not necessarily why they have gone from a few weeks from bankruptcy to the most valuable company in the world.

A lot of people seem to say its because the devices and computers just work. That's a part of it. Microsoft put out a lot of substandard versions of their operating system. They put out versions that they admit should have never been released. You can strip it down and only use parts of Windows. If you don't want to use it you can turn it off for some or all on your network. However, having various manufacturers make the hardware, there has to be a level of flexibility that may reduce a level of effectiveness. Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software, they can drill down to the 1s and 0s and make it work.

One of the better arguments I have recently read is Apple sells you the ecosystem. They control the hardware and the software and the content. Then they make it work together seamlessly. That has to be part of it. I use my devices and computer to do things. I don't sit and try to get them to work together, I sit and use them to do things. This helps sell products but it isn't the whole thing.

All of the above are parts of why Apple is so successful but there is something else. It feels right when you touch there devices. It sounds a bit weird but its true and Apple knows it. The iPhone and iPod feels right in your hand. Maybe even more important is the MacBook Pro, is ergonomically friendly in 2 key ways. First, and probably foremost is the keyboard. I have typed on a lot of different laptops over the years. Most of the keyboards are terrible. you can't feel where your fingers are on the keys or on the keyboard making touch typing nearly impossible. However, at least for me, typing on a macBook Pro keyboard is just as easy as a keyboard for a desktop. Secondly, Apple has made the touchpad useful and effective. A lot of people hate using touch pads. I am one of them except for the touchpad on my MacBook Pro. Because you can use multiple fingers to do different things and you can set it to have to click it like a mouse button, it is useful and not annoying. If your hands accidentally brush the touchpad while typing it won't make the cursor jump to a new spot and mess up your document.

Now I said Apple knows that touching their products helps sell them. It's obvious when you think about how the Apple Store is set up. When you are there you can touch and use any product. They are connected to the internet and fully functional. You can use it and see how you interact with the product. It's not like there is one or two of each product to try, there are counters and tables full of devices and you are welcome to pick up, touch, hold and play with as much as you want. There isn't a Samsung Store in every city and the Sony Store is not nearly as interactive. Apple knows how to make you discover their products.

Some people don't like Apple products. They feel they are overpriced or the consumers are simply following the crowd. There may be some of that but I like how they work and I find them easy to use and get the job done. Let's be honest, it never hurts to look good either.