Acting out of character

WHATEVER

Apple is peerless when it comes to creating products, perhaps better still at marketing those products. Elegantly clad, eminently functional, sleek enough, shiny enough, and always just plain “cool” enough to make me overlook the fact that my MacBook just runs too damn hot to rest on my lap. It doesn’t matter that my iPod’s battery/hard-drive isn’t really built to last; by the time it dies they will have released something I want more. (When it comes to digital music players Apple’s only competition is itself.) End this codependent relationship? Never, the “Jobsian” notion of creating the consumer-electronics equivalent of an ecosystem just works too well. This week Apple seems to have bet the farm on this model, and expanded its digital ecosystem with its first foray into the living-room (iTV) while simultaneously redefining the mobile phone. Apple dropped the “Computer” from its name to underscore the transition away from being just a PC maker, AAPL is up over $10 and marketing groups are reporting that 75% of Cingular sales-people report customers inquiring about the new mobile device 6 months before it’s released. Oddly enough, after years of development, rumored personal involvement by Steve himself, and so much hype, I wonder what they’re going to call it. You know that new mobile iThingy.