While catching up with various online acquaintances earlier this evening I came across a friend’s post on Twitter about the Apple “Magic Mouse”. How do Apple do it? Where do they find the people who think outside the box - who carry on refining the products we thought we were happy with - who make us realise that, no, we are not the sharpest tools in the box.
I saw an interesting interview a while back, with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates (the leaders of Apple and Microsoft, respectively) talking about each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Gates remarked that he wished he had Job’s sense of style. Microsoft might make the best general purpose office software, but Apple have consistently over the last 10 years built hardware (and software with OSX) that has changed the game for everybody else.
Apple has become a brand associated with innovation, quality, and style. Where others follow, Apple lead - they told us we no longer needed the floppy drive with the original iMac - they also told us we didn’t need an optical drive any more with the MacBook Air. Their record and reputation means they can charge a premium for their products, but also means that the best in their field aspire to work there. Such global brands are rare - FA Porsche and Pininfarina spring to mind.
How can I possibly buy one of these mice to accompany my battered and weary Macbook? It would feel like pushing silver cuff links through the scruffy cuffs of a well worn sweater.
Look at that mouse though… it has multi-touch too!
Damn you Apple.