Any guess for how long until Apple is credited with the invention of the wrist-watch, as with the mouse, the GUI, the portable mp3 player, and the touchscreen slate?
In all my years as an Apple user, I’ve yet to encounter an Apple user who believes Apple invented these things. Actually, all I I’ve encountered were people who thought the mouse and mp3 were invented in America.
Brings back memories of the Timex watch that would sync with your Outlook calendar. Wanted one but never owned one. Guess it picked up the information via flashes from the computer screen. This was back when there were only scsi cables.
From what I understand the mouse was developed by Xerox in CA. Never patented, and was just given to Apple and Microsoft.
No, Douglas Engelbart’s mouse prototype predates Xerox. But when he presented his prototype in 1968, Telefunken already had their Rollkugel (a reverse mouse, but a mouse nonetheless) as a fully developed accessory to their TR-440 computer.
The trackball was certainly an ingenious and critical invention, but it wasn’t a mouse.
The mental image of that original bowling-ball trackball flipped over and shoved around on a desk is awesome though.
Edit: I stand corrected: http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/input-output/14/350/1794
http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/input-output/14/350
Where’s the part in the timeline where the NSA has full and complete access to all the data transmitted to and from the iWatch? Or is that simply “a given”?
Any guess for how long until Apple is credited with the invention of the wrist-watch, as with the mouse, the GUI, the portable mp3 player, and the touchscreen slate?
How about giving credit for innovation where credit is due? Is that ok? The mouse, for example:
Nobody thinks Apple invented the Mp3 player. I owned mp3 players until Apple innovated them and they sucked badly (and I tried many). Apple made the mp3 player far more practical and ubiquitous. To deny them credit for that is to deny reality.
They basically did the same with the iPad as well. If you want to focus angst on a copycat, look at the shitty Microsoft Zune, the failed Windows 8 and the Microsoft surface fail.
Ironically, Microsoft has been much more historically innovative in mice and keyboards than Apple ever was. Microsoft Natural mouse and keyboard, for example. Compared to the widely reviled “puck” iMac mouse, the critically panned mighty mouse, etc. Apple just does very little with mice and keyboards, and often does it wrong.
Windows 8 is quite innovative in the Frankenstein way of merging the tablet and PC, rather than having two distinct apps and ecosystems ala OSX and iOS. It was definitely rushed out unfinished though, we’ll see how far Windows 8.1 goes to address this.
iPad 3 was (and is, the iPad 4 is 2x faster) amazing, such a breakthrough device. I never thought I’d see near print quality displays in a $500 device. Hell, we still don’t have it on desktops and the vast, vast majority of laptops.
Apple was great at design. Their best skill of all was the critical “advantage of second-to-market” in that they wait until the technology is ready, marry all the best features, smooth out the design, then introduce the first really delightful product in a specific niche.
Serial was definitely around but a 9 or 25 pin D connector may not have been appropriate on a watch. I would be interested to see if the wireless connection through the monitor would work on a modern liquid crystal display.
Ironically, Microsoft has been much more historically innovative in mice and keyboards than Apple ever was.
Hmmm, maybe in the past (I’ve often used third party mice and I liked my Mac keyboards, but I dunno)… but nowadays I’ll take a modern MacBook Pro trackpad with gestures over a Microsoft Natural Mouse any day or any other mouse/trackpad for the PC market. They really, really suck compared. I’m huge on ergonomics (don’t even get me started on gestures) and I’ve never gotten any RSI injuries over many years of usage of Mac keyboards.
And, my MacBook Pro keyboard destroys any other I’ve ever used on any PC or laptop. Have you used one? I was skeptical when I first got it and now it feels like molasses to use most PC keyboards compared.
As far as mice go, I’ve mostly used third party mice in the past so I don’t have much experience with Apple’s. I know I don’t like the shape of the newer touch mice or whatever. There’s not enough arch to be ergonomic for me.
“puck”
Yeah, most people I think hated that puck mouse. Bad Apple. Yeah, I don’t know what it is with Apple and mice. They often really suck.
Windows 8 is quite innovative in the Frankenstein way of merging the tablet and PC
I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I think Windows 8 is a clunky pile of shit and I’m in the majority on this opinion. Windows 8 is a failure (see my link in previous post). I much prefer Windows 7 or better yet, Mac OS X. Unfortunately, while Windows 8.1 brings back some of the Windows 7 functionality (so it’s better), it’s not enough and it’s now very close to RTM, I think. But, welp, here’s to hoping Windows 8.2 doesn’t suck or Microsoft regains its sanity and restores even more Windows 7 functionality at the last minute.
It was definitely rushed out unfinished though
I guess so, but for whatever the reason, it’s a pile of shit overall. Windows 7 was the right direction for laptops and desktops. Windows 8 doesn’t belong on most of them unless they have a touch screen and even then Windows 8 is clunky on them overall.
rather than having two distinct apps and ecosystems ala OSX and iOS
They’ve merged that more and more since Mountain Lion to make OS X more symbiotic with iOS. But, thank God, Apple is seated in reality and doesn’t merge them in ways they shouldn’t for a laptop/desktop. That said, I would love to see some sort of iPad in the future that can run Mac OS X with a thin keyboard along with iOS at the same time like Apple did with the Classic Environment in an abstraction layer (run both at the same time).
I was pleasantly surprised when Microsoft released Windows 7, but my mouth dropped when I got Windows 8. It actually shocked me how far backwards they went from 7. And, with the horrible reception to Windows 8, I was proven right down the road as well.
Oh yeah PC trackpads are absolute shit. That’s one stealth reason why touch laptops are so important. Also, browsing the web by touching is extremely natural. Way way more natural than mouse or trackpad.
I use mechanical keyboards, so … no. On laptops, sure, best of whatever you can get kind of deal.
Erm, don’t break your arm slapping yourself on the back quite yet, you might be getting a bit ahead of yourself. The future is 100% tablets (and phablets), laptops are all but dead, no matter how fancily they are CNC machined from blocks of aluminum.
Win8 was an attempt to get ahead of this tablet trend rather than trail it. Unfortunately, it was released too early and needs refinement, but no time like the present to get on with the refining, I suppose… 8.1 is a big step forward and a free update for everyone in October. If MSFT can keep up the pace of improvement, they should be OK. Their biggest enemy is themselves, in terms of not being able to turn the battleship fast enough.
Hah, I’ve had a few of these Databanks.
Still got one in a drawer somewhere…
The problem with collecting such watches is the bastard multitude of cell sizes.
Erm, don’t break your arm slapping yourself on the back quite yet, you might be getting a bit ahead of yourself. The future is 100% tablets (and phablets)
Nope. You should really look at that link in my post. Windows 8 was a failure. Some like Motley Fool simply called it a “train wreck”. I was right.
Of course, I agree this is the beginning of the post-PC era in many respects and like many others I saw that coming many years ago, but Windows 8 wasn’t the route to go in that regard. While tablets are outselling laptops, laptops certainly aren’t gone yet by any stretch.
Obviously Android and iOS took the better route and handed Microsoft its ass. Apple’s Mountain Lion & iOS combo is better suited for our current reality than Windows 8 is by a long stretch.
8.1 is a big step forward
I don’t think so. It’s certainly better than 8.0, but it’s not a huge improvement. Microsoft’s arrogance is going to continue to push its customers to the limits. Will 8.1 help the situation a bit? Probably. In a profound way? Doubtfully. Like I said, maybe 8.2 or a last ditch effort on 8.1 before it’s released, but as it stands now… not great.
Only a matter of time. Tablets are cheaper, simpler, and easier to use. Remember how the laptop killed off desktops? Tablets are doing that now to laptops.
Well, that was fast—less than three years after Apple jump-started a barely existent consumer tablet market, research firm NPD is betting that tablets will out-ship laptops for the first time this year.
I remember quite a bit of angst about the iOS-ization of OSX. That’ll continue, too… same kind of “you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!” hand-wringing over Windows 8.
Only a matter of time. Tablets are cheaper, simpler, and easier to use. Remember how the laptop killed off desktops? Tablets are doing that now to laptops.
Laptops have hardly “killed” desktops. No doubt sales of laptops surpassed desktops some years ago, but desktops aren’t dead by a long shot, they just have slower sales.
But, it’s funny you mentioned that. Because many experts are also blaming the Windows 8 failure for the more recent slowdown in desktop sales:
But, once again, laptops aren’t gone and they aren’t going anywhere soon. You’re not factoring in that many people that are buying tablets also own laptops (and continue to use them along with tablets). Also, keep in mind that tablets will soon get saturated in the market and the sales growth rate will slow down. Laptops are here and will be here for many years to come.
I remember quite a bit of angst about the iOS-ization of OSX. That’ll continue, too…
I think there was much more fear by Apple users that Apple was going to try and take control away from power users and dumb down OS X in a foolhardy attempt to make it more like iOS.
Mountain Lion and Mavericks (I’m running that latest developer preview right now on another Mac) have more than allayed most of those fears since the App Store has been and continues to remain optional on the Mac. Most of the iOS integration has been simply to make your Mac sync better with other devices (which is a very welcome addition).
Microsoft, on the other hand, went in the direction of trying to turn its Windows 8 OS into a touchscreen toy and has payed dearly for this mistake.
Like I said, I’m running Mavericks as we speak and none of that nonsense is to be found. Some of us got work to do on our tablets and laptops. Microsoft is apparently having to learn that the hard way.
deal with it
I don’t have to, that’s why I do most of my work on a Mac. 
And some general usability stuff. I’m on in Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks and Mavericks is by far my favorite. Cleaner apps, better iCloud integration, etc.
People who use just the Apps from the store are somewhat safer and I can still do all the gritty stuff on the command line, when I wish to so so.
Wow, I had no idea, either, although I know the mp3 is German. Well, I think it’s German! lol
