Apple's softer side emerges under CEO Cook

I wonder how Apple will tie Forstall to itself, and not let him be disputed by Samsung, MS and other companies that dream of having him in their ranks. Funny thing is that the very hard fans, and Apple haters all along, may have a touch of Apple in their devices soon.

I am happy to see more flexibility with Apple also. The iPad mini is maybe an example of this and a catch-up to Samsung (Android). When you are confident you can be flexible it seems.

A welcome change of direction for one of the greediest corporations on Earth.

Cooks' charity is also a refreshing change, after Steve Jobs' money hoarding that included having his own illegitimate daughter raised on welfare (paid for by US taxpayers, thanks, Steve, you greedy b*stard).

I didn't know that about his daughter? I that is true, with the BILLIONS he had, that's a very crappy and messed up thing to do.

@bass4funk It sure is. From Wiki: "Jobs's first child, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, was born in 1978, the daughter of his longtime partner Chris Ann Brennan, a Bay Area painter. For two years, she raised their daughter on welfare while Jobs denied paternity by claiming he was sterile."

Another contrast between Steve Jobs and Tim Cook is their CEO pay. Tim Cook is now the highest paid CEO in America at $95 million while Steve Job's salary was $1 per year.

That's because he had stock options.

Jefflee - Steve Jobs denial of paternity had nothing to do with money, but was the reaction of a young man not ready for fatherhood. Still not a good excuse but not as purely evil as you would like to imagine.

Good start to see Apple bring one of its factories back from communist china. If they bring them all back I may even one day buy an Apple product.

I am happy to see more flexibility with Apple also. The iPad mini is maybe an example of this and a catch-up to Samsung (Android). When you are confident you can be flexible it seems

Huh? When you are confident, you don't care waht others do and you continue doing your own thing. This is clearly an example of Apple worrying about their future and having to play catch up.

@hoserfella

That's a nice excuse. And the charity question? I'm waiting for your explanation as to why Jobs thumbed his nose at giving small portions of his money to charitable causes. To quote the NY Times: "There is no public record of Mr. Jobs giving money to charity."

Maybe he also wasn't "ready" for charity? or perhaps he thought that him becoming a billionaire would serve humanity in a better way?

@hoserfella

Steve Jobs denial of paternity had nothing to do with money, but was the reaction of a young man not ready for fatherhood. Still not a good excuse but not as purely evil as you would like to imagine.

Even if that might be true, what's his excuse after if he was worth billions of dollars? Why he didn't do anything for her later in his life, his dad, I understand, but his daughter. It seems like history was repeating itself, with Jobs. I'm sorry, no matter what you say, it's a total illogical excuse. When he was young, maybe, but later in life.... I'm a big fan of Jobs as a genius and Entrepreneur, but as a father and socialite, he's on the bottom of the pond.

Korlacan Khanthavilay 05:26PM JST Huh? When you are confident, you don't care waht others do and you continue doing your own thing. This is clearly an example of Apple worrying about their future and having to play catch up.

William Blake said "exuberance is beauty" and the ultimate example of exuberance is nature. =A great company can make great products that last (have meaning) forever and are natural to humans (art). This is something that most companies have forgotten but must relearn. Many companies only think of themselves as commodity companies (lowest price) --> but then what are your really building? Future?

=Do you really only want to live in a house that was the cheapest to build? Surround yourself with only the cheapest (throw-away) products that have no meaning or value. I believe in electronics that this period throw-away is moving out and things must be built to last 5-10-20+ years. Sure there is pressure to throw it away after 1-2yrs (phones), but do people really want to keep relearning/rebuying?

The post typed from an (intel) iMac Core Duo 32bit (2006). = 6yrs+ old and still running. Now the app store demands 64bit for many of the apps. The newer stuff will all be 64bit so I must finally make a decision on replacing/upgrading. Maybe a MacMini 64bit.

@JeffLee

I'm waiting for your explanation as to why Jobs thumbed his nose at giving small portions of his money to charitable causes.

How do you know he didn't? Just because it's not on the books doesn't mean it didn't happen. But I guess any chance to badmouth the guy makes speculations worthwhile, right?

@badsey3

I have no idea how that post was relevant to my own.

Anyways, I'll play along.

Electronics last as long as the user wants to keep it. I've got multiple Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad systems. My main desktop rig is a Core 2 Quad system and I've kept it for a long time. Simply upgrading bits and pieces of it. Majority of the computer is at least 6 years old. The raid controller is 7 years old. The Core 2 Quad is about 2 years old. As I slowly upgrade the system, the old parts are put into my other system. Then those other parts, I will build a new computer out of and give that to my parents. I easily get a decade use out of my computer parts, if not more.

Consumers that chuck out their electronics after a couple years are stupid. There's always a use. I've gone through 3 cellphones in the past 3 years. 1st one was stolen. 2nd one, I replaced with my current 3rd one. I used the 2nd one as my alarm clock and internet tablet (it was a 5" Dell Streak). I kept it next to my bed.

iMac Core Duo 32-bit? It's 6 years old, but why do you need to replace/upgrade it? All Core 2 Duos are 32/64 bit capable. Simple install 64-bit OSX. Use it for another 6 years.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/32252/32--or-64-bit-kernel-startup-mode-selector http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/

OSX Mountain Lion needs the 64bit chip and 64 bit Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI).

http://www.everymac.com/mac-answers/snow-leopard-mac-os-x-faq/mac-os-x-snow-leopard-64-bit-macs-64-bit-efi-boot-in-64-bit-mode.html listing of 32/64 bit chips and 32/64 bit Efi's

@tairitsuiken

How do you know he didn't?

Because his official biographer said Jobs thought charity was a waste of time, that's how I know.

Jobs thought selling his own expensive products in developing countries would help those countries, and was loathe to give anybody anything. Funny, I've been to quite a few developing countries, and hardly ever see Apple products. All you see are Wintel and Android.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-10-11/news/34365188_1_walter-isaacson-isaacson-s-steve-jobs-apple-products

I keep forgetting that the old iMacs were using laptop processors. The Intel Core Duo was never in desktop form. Only when the Core 2 Duo came out, did we get desktop versions. Which are all 32/64 bit capable.

I guess even the iMacs using the Core 2 Duos, they were stuck with 32-bit EFIs. Ahhh...the benefits of EFI instead of a regular BIOS.

Moving the production to US will not just help the economy and create more jobs but it will also reinforce the branding of Apple products. It will bring back the undisputed Made in USA mark that consumers see as brand superiority. This will then help Apple boost its market sales by re-establishing its reputation by offering top products Made in USA. http://www.aljoufilaw.com/ar/

I don't think anyone sees "Made in the USA" as being brand superiority. I definitely don't think American built cars are better than an import car.

It will bring back the undisputed Made in USA mark that consumers see as brand superiority.

I might have concurred. Eighty years ago.

I don't think anyone sees "Made in the USA" as being brand superiority.

Three words: Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker.

Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker isn't seen as being superior, cause they are "Made in the USA." They are seen as superior, because of how they are built. They come up with a set of standards and stick to it. The company can be Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc. If other guitar companies were all about high quality standards, people would buy them too.

FYI, some Fenders are made in Mexico. There have also being some Japanese made Fenders. Their highest quality guitars are US built, while their cheaper guitars are built elsewhere.

http://www.edroman.com/rants.htm Ed Roman talked about guitar quality alot. In my view you really need to play said instrument itself to determine quality. Also materials age over time (wood being a composite) changing tone quality -best example being Stradivarius. Music shops that don't allow you to play an instrument before purchase -you should walk out and go somewhere else.

Best Stratocaster tone I have seen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcpiD0ZwBUw (1:42)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESDvdKmma8A (prelude)

That is an electrified Memphis/Delta style in appreciation/tribute to Jimi Hendrix's "Little WIng" -amazing considering the weather conditions.

They are seen as superior, because of how they are built.

The ones made in the USA fetch the highest prices of all because they are highest in demand worldwide.

Those guitars were invented and designed by Americans back in the early 50s, and to this day the original designs have never been surpassed in technical terms and popularity, and they continue to roll out of American factories and end up in the hands of very serious, very discriminating professionals.

As for your "brand superiority," it doesn't get any better than that.

Yes, but those same designs were created in Japanese factories back in the day (the Fender ones). They were almost exact duplicates. It's quality, because of quality. Not where it's manufacturered. If you setup shop in China and have them make quality guitars, as long as they put forth a set standard for the creation of the product.

I mean, how many people here praise Apple products for quality, when they're all produced outside of the US. Sometimes, produced in the US can come out worse. Like Kia/Hyundai. The ones in S.Korea last. The ones we were creating in the US, broke a lot. It wasn't until they fixed their quality control, did the cars become better. I still wouldn't buy a Kia or Hyundai, but that's due to the car being a decade behind in design (minus the Hyundai Genesis).

"I still wouldn't buy a Kia or Hyundai

The quality has improved for Hyundai and specifically Kia dramatically. They are on par quality-wise with their competition and price-wise are close (if not cheaper) also. 10yr/100,000 mile powertrain warranty (tops for this industry) https://www.hyundaiusa.com/images/assurance/best_warranty/bw_chart_v2.png

Accolades abound: KIA 1.6L GDI (2012 Wards 10 best engines) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kia-motors-new-16-liter-gasoline-direct-injection-engine-named-to-wards-2012-10-best-engines-list-135501993.html

The only engine that gets me more excited is the Ford 1.0L EcoBoost. Expect this on Ward's 2013 list and the 2.0L EcoBoost was on the list.