I am an Apple fanboy in every sense of the word. Whether it be reading Apple rumor blogs, watching Apple’s latest TV ad, ogling the latest Macs in the Apple store, or saving up to buy the newest iPod. My soul moves in time with Apple. But it hasn’t always been like this.
There was a time that I didn’t like Apple at all. I liked my PC and I didn’t understand why someone would choose a more expensive and less capable computer. The Macintoshes I had used were slow, incompatible, and confusing. I didn’t believe Apple could change.
When iPods became all the rage I didn’t understand why people bought them instead of the alternatives. The same was true for Apple computers. It seemed to me that people only liked iPods and Macs because they were unaware of better option.
Then, someone gave me an iPod as a gift and it changed my perspective. The whole experience was different from that of any other Mp3 player. The iPod’s packaging was both visually pleasing and simple. There were no flyers for other products or superfluous cables; it just had the bare essentials.
When I first turned it on I was surprised at how simple everything was. The most important features were not hidden by clutter and all the menus were logically organized. I just pressed play and had high quality video in the palm of my hand. Everything just worked.
It seemed every part of the device worked for the betterment of the whole. Apple wasn’t just jamming as many features as possible into their product. They were trying to make a product that works for their customer.
My experience with the iPod brought me into the world of Apple. Brought in by the iPod’s “halo” effect, my fascination grew to a point where I was constantly reading about their products online.
Then I saw my first Steve Jobs keynote speech. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. On each side of the massive stage stood towering aluminum obelisks with bright white apples embedded in them. The audience burst into screaming and applause as the casually dressed mastermind walked onto stage. As he pulled the sheet off of a gleaming MacBook Pro, the crowd cheered in awe. Back home, I was getting my first peek of the laptop that I would lust over for the next few years.
If someone asked me why I am an Apple fanboy, I’d probably list off a bunch of reasons why a Mac is better than a PC, but there is one that stands out. I know that when I receive their product, there will be a device that is easy to use and will work for a long time. I know that it will just work.
Image: Fey lla
Hi Rob – I’m a recent convert to the cult of Apple, and my story is pretty similar to yours. It started with the gift of an iPod Mini (which I still have and still use in a sound dock). I liked my mini, but I still wouldn’t have traded my PC for a Mac.
Then, a little while later, i got an iPod Nano as a gift (don’t know which gen, the one that looks square-ish – I still haves that too, and use it in my car plugged into the auxiliary jack). I liked the Nano even better, but I still wasn’t trading my PC for a Mac, but I was starting to take a closer look at a company whose outstanding vision in my mind was the Apple IIe’s and Mac Classics that we had at my elementary school.
Then, I made my first Apple purchase myself – I bought the Nike+ iPod sensor for tracking running. The idea was so cool, and the execution so damn pretty, that I just had to have it. I started considering buy a Mac, but they were so damn expensive.
A little whlie later, I got an iPod Touch as a gift (see a trend? I must be tough to shop for…). The Touch made me start lusting for an iPhone. Only my existing cell phone contract prevented me from going that route.
Finally, after hearing me talk about Apples and Macs so much, my tech-savvy father bought the new MacBook Pro. A PC power user for years, and a man who still fondly remembers the Amiga as the “first true graphic-based OS,” he raved about the new purchase. I went over for dinner one night, ended up spending two hours playing with his MBP. A month later, I finally bit the bullet, and bought my own (using the excuse that my 6 year-old laptop that I use only for downloading video and playing it on my TV was dying).
One month later, and I still marvel at this little computer. Was it expensive? Yes. Does it do anything my PCs didn’t do? No. But damn is it pretty, and damn if it doesn’t “just work.” I remember wanting to call someone up the night I booted up the MBP for the first time, and had it ready to go in under five minutes to share the marvel with them. Of course, it was 1 am, so I didn’t, but no PC ever made me want to call someone up in wonder.
Like you, Rob, I used to be a skeptic, and actually scoffed at people who hopped on the bandwagon, but now I’m a devout member of the cult (as can be seen by my rather extensive comment – apologies).
What does it say about the state of an industry, when people are willing to pay significantly more for a product whose main quality is that, “it just works?”
I agree 100%. There is nothing better than an iPod or iPhone. Steve Jobs is a genius.
Hi Rob – I'm a recent convert to the cult of Apple, and my story is pretty similar to yours. It started with the gift of an iPod Mini (which I still have and still use in a sound dock). I liked my mini, but I still wouldn't have traded my PC for a Mac.
Then, a little while later, i got an iPod Nano as a gift (don't know which gen, the one that looks square-ish – I still haves that too, and use it in my car plugged into the auxiliary jack). I liked the Nano even better, but I still wasn't trading my PC for a Mac, but I was starting to take a closer look at a company whose outstanding vision in my mind was the Apple IIe's and Mac Classics that we had at my elementary school.
Then, I made my first Apple purchase myself – I bought the Nike+ iPod sensor for tracking running. The idea was so cool, and the execution so damn pretty, that I just had to have it. I started considering buy a Mac, but they were so damn expensive.
A little whlie later, I got an iPod Touch as a gift (see a trend? I must be tough to shop for…). The Touch made me start lusting for an iPhone. Only my existing cell phone contract prevented me from going that route.
Finally, after hearing me talk about Apples and Macs so much, my tech-savvy father bought the new MacBook Pro. A PC power user for years, and a man who still fondly remembers the Amiga as the “first true graphic-based OS,” he raved about the new purchase. I went over for dinner one night, ended up spending two hours playing with his MBP. A month later, I finally bit the bullet, and bought my own (using the excuse that my 6 year-old laptop that I use only for downloading video and playing it on my TV was dying).
One month later, and I still marvel at this little computer. Was it expensive? Yes. Does it do anything my PCs didn't do? No. But damn is it pretty, and damn if it doesn't “just work.” I remember wanting to call someone up the night I booted up the MBP for the first time, and had it ready to go in under five minutes to share the marvel with them. Of course, it was 1 am, so I didn't, but no PC ever made me want to call someone up in wonder.
Like you, Rob, I used to be a skeptic, and actually scoffed at people who hopped on the bandwagon, but now I'm a devout member of the cult (as can be seen by my rather extensive comment – apologies).
What does it say about the state of an industry, when people are willing to pay significantly more for a product whose main quality is that, “it just works?”