it essentially bricked itself when all the apps updated one morning. … A day or two later resulted in a workaround, and apparently this has been fixed
I’m not sure what the issue is there then? It’s happens. Just the other day, Windows 8.1 update was pulled because it bricked a bunch of computers and tablets. This has been a problem for at least over a decade where all the major software/hardware companies decided to make consumers unaware, unpaid beta testers.
That’s why I don’t update anything until all the trigger-happy masses have updated and worked it over first. I let others be the unpaid beta testers, then I’ll use the more incremental updates.
an update to a single generation of software that happens every 12-18 months negating previous hardware spells a planned program to cause people to buy more hardware.
I’m not sure it’s diabolical as much as it’s just the “give and take” we see from the difficulties of providing legacy hardware support. Of course, just like any other major corporation, I wouldn’t put it past Apple to dick over consumers for profit, that’s for sure. So, I dunno.
Apple is a hardware company that runs a little software division on the side to get you to buy more hardware.
On many levels for sure, but if the software and services weren’t compelling it would destroy Apple. I love the quality, durability, functionality and practicality of my little, square iPod Shuffle hardware, but the ease of use with iTunes and the shuffle’s voice interface, etc. is extremely compelling to me as well.
I have a rather expensive Creative Zen audio/video player and its software interfaces are a joke compared to Apple’s stuff. I bought the Zen for extremely cheap because if was mislabeled as broken at a thrift store (score!). I was excited once I got it home and got it working, but now I’m going to sell it for a profit and exchange it for a superior Apple product because I want a better interface. The Zen’s hardware quality seems “ok” (although I’ve noticed some dead pixels already) and it’s cool that it accepts external flash memory storage, but they just can’t compete with Apple’s innovation and ingenuity when it comes to the entire package. The overall experience is subpar and I find myself fidgeting with it, fighting with it and wasting time that I don’t with my Apple products.
I find that scenario happens a lot. That said, despite Apple’s advantages, when it comes to tablets and smartphones I prefer Android because the price is vastly lower and that’s too compelling. Especially considering I break tablets a lot being in my backpack along on hikes, mountain biking, etc. It’s not a matter of if I’m going to destroy my little tablet, it’s a matter of when.
