Tag

Angela Ahrendts

Technology

October 23, 2013

How Apple Makes the Mac Pro

Apple has elevated a relatively low-precision/low-tolerance process (deep draw stamping) used to make my dog’s water bowl and toilet brush canister into the creation of an aerospace grade piece of desktop jewelry.

So, there is a lot of talk about from yesterdays October Special Event by Apple. An unexpected iPad Air, the long awaited iPad mini with Retina display, updated MacBook Pros and the one I was most interested in, the radically new Mac Pro. I absolutely loved seeing their “how it’s made” video. It is a must watch. And for further in-depth analysis on how its assembled, check out the atomic delights link above. Brilliant.

OS X 10.9 Mavericks: The Ars Technica Review

There are many great improvements in the latest operating system upgrade from Apple. And it’s free! The major benefits are in power and memory management with even more security. Additional updates to the iWork and iLife suite are all free as the new Maps app.

Apple clearly realizes this, as it continues to pour resources into Safari in release after release. Safari 7 is a standard-bearer for many of the flagshiptechnologies in Mavericks, and its focus on stability, security, and energy-saving is a microcosm of the whole OS. I came very close to switching to Chrome as my default Web browser during the reign of Safari 6. Safari 7 has pulled me firmly back into the Apple camp.

To me, the entire system feels snappier. My MacBook Pro only gets better over time with these amazing software updates. I cannot say the same for any PC that I owned.

Angela Ahrendts: This is the entry into the brand

“I grew up in a physical world, and I speak English. The next generation is growing up in a digital world, and they speak social.”

Apple’s new SVP of retail and online stores defintely has the vision and attitude that the folks an Apple want in their culture. I would have hired her as well.

And before you think this it all good news Tuesday…

Hey Apple, where’s your 4K Thunderbolt display?

But at this point, Apple hasn’t even hinted at a 4K monitor, and the company’s even using a picture of Sharp’s 4K beast, the PN-K321 on its site. Apple’s last Thunderbolt display announcements were way back in 2011. The last non-Thunderbolt Cinema Displays were released in 2010.

In other words, they’re overdue for an update. And a 4K display to go along with the Mac Pro’s 4K-friendliness sounds like a perfect reason to do that.

Maybe it’s still because of pricing. That 4K Sharp display is about $4K USD (pun intended). So, one can imagine how much an Apple branded one will cost. I bet we will see one before this time next year. However, I hope its a non-glossy one. It better be.

2013/10/23
1169
Inspirational

October 15, 2013

Apple hires Angela Ahrendts as new retail chief

“She cares deeply about people and embraces our view that our most important resource and our soul is our people. She believes in enriching the lives of others and she is wicked smart. Angela has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record. She led Burberry through a period of phenomenal growth with a focus on brand, culture, core values and the power of positive energy.” – Tim Cook

I’m actually really glad that Apple finally found a good person to take over the role of Senior Vice President of Retail & Online Stores. I’ve seen Angela’s TED talk on “human energy” and I believe that she is an excellent pick. She is the current CEO of Burberry and I’ve been noticing that Apple has been hiring from great places like Nike and Yves Saint Laurent. I wish her the best in her new duties.

Apple’s hire of Ahrendts shows its future is in lifestyle , not tech

By hiring Ahrendts, Cook and his team are signaling their desire to keep Apple just as fresh and upmarket as Burberry.

Overall this is a fantastic analysis of what Ahrendts brings to the table. However, the title of the article makes it sound like Apple isn’t interested in the technological aspect of the industry. I must strongly disagree. Ahrendts is known to be very serious about technology. We must remember what Steve Jobs said: “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing.” This is exactly what the Burberry CEO offers. She is a exceptional balance between the humanities and tech. This is what separates Apple from Google, Microsoft and the rest.

GoBaddy buys Media Temple

Part of the reason for this, GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving says, is because of Media Temple’s existing size and position in the market. It has 125,000 customers for its premium website management services, and it hosts over 1.5 million websites, with some 88 percent classified as being for “advanced web and IT services”.

I’m waiting for the riots to start.

BlackBerry breaks silence in open letter

The ad also boasts about apps that will allow Android and iPhone owners to use BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging, noting that the six million people who have signed up for notices about those apps “speaks to the tremendous opportunity we have to expand BBM beyond BlackBerry smartphones to make it the world’s largest mobile social network.” Absent, however, is any reference to how the release of the apps was abruptly stopped last month because of technical problems.

Is this enough? BlackBerry touts 6 million iOS and Android users are eager to install the BBM app. So where in the world is it guys? You need to deliver ASAP.

2013/10/15
1089
Close