Phil Hawthorne's Blog

I’ve always been pretty sus on advertising, and always take everything that’s offered with a grain of salt. After all, the purpose of advertising has one aim, to take the money out of my pocket, and put it into the advertisers.

Caption reads: Forget that ethics shit, let's make some money

In the past couple of years, in Australia at least, we’ve seen the introduction of multi-buy specials in our supermarkets. Buy in bulk, and save. Well at least that’s what we’re supposed to think. Everyday we’re bombarded with marketing and special promotions. From the latest specials at the supermarket, to the latest and greatest vehicle technology. But how dumb do companies really think we are?

One thing I’ve come to learn recently, is that information is power. And this is especially true for marketing and advertising. It’s amazing how in this digital age, how free we are to give out our personal interests, what we buy, where we go, all for free to advertisers.

I think a lot of people are naive, or plainly just don’t care. But perhaps if they knew how much a company or advertiser knows about you, they’d be scared. Facebook, something which almost anyone online now uses, is a massive marketing engine. People hear how much money Facebook is worth, but I honestly don’t think people make the connection as to why Facebook is worth so much. Most people would say it’s because everyone uses it. Others would say it’s because the people who created it are smart, and not everyone can create Facebook (true – but not the reason). The fact is Facebook is worth billions if not trillions of dollars because of the information and access to the people that use it (you and me), and the ability for advertisers to market to the people they exactly want to. (continue reading…)

Apple came back from the brink of fiscal disaster with the iPod, and has been a marketing powerhouse with its newer products ever since. Technology players have tried desperatly to keep up with Apple’s growth and market share, and seem to be banking on 3D technology being the next ‘big thing’.

The definition of Sexy! Now you can be a nerd for watching TV on the couch

There’s no doubt about how fast technology is moving. Our mobile phones have replaced buttons with larger touch screens. The T9 predictive text has been replaced with full QWERTY keyboards with Microsoft Word style spell checking capabilites. Virtually every phone sold today has a x mega pixel camera built right into it. There’s definetly no denying that mobile phones have come a long way, and I would personally have to say this is all thanks to Apple and their iPhone.

Apple have been a marketing powerhouse since the release of their iPod music player in 2001. With the company facing fiscal disaster, the iPod saved the company. The companies revolutionizing technology, coupled with the marketing brains and spin, has kept Apple afloat, and one of the technology leaders it is today.

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Australians awaiting the launch of Samsung’s new 10.1 inch tablet may be forced to wait, as Apple this week launched legal action to prevent the sale of the iPad2 killer in Australia.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs targetting Samsung's new 10.1 inch tablet, for being better than his iPad2

It’s no secret I love my iPhone. But I am very, very quickly beginning to hate the company that makes it. I’m going overseas in a couple of months, and have been looking for a tablet to buy to take with me. I don’t want to lug a laptop around with me, and a tablet seems like such a better alternative for skyping and watching videos.

The iPad has undoubtedly started the tablet race, and the iPad2 was a great improvement on the first model. But like everything, there must be competition.

I’ve been turned off Apple products recently. Not because of the quality of the products, not at all. I’ve been really turned off by what the company has become. It’s an ugly, jelous, controlling corporation, that has nothing except its own self preservation and profits in mind.

When the iPhone came out, Apple sold themselves as the underdog. They created a smartphone, that was cheap enough for the general consumer to get their hands on. When the iPhone 4 and Facetime was annouced, they talked about Facetime being an open protocol that virtually any device will be able to communicate with. 10 months on, and still only Apple products support this “open” protocol. Sorry to tell you Steve, but Facetime wasn’t anything new in 2010. I had a phone in 2007 that could video call, and I didn’t need to be on WiFi to do it. Perhaps someone should sue you for trademark infringement?

I’ve already mentioned it, but perhaps Google has a case to sue Apple, for its complete rip off of the Android notifications system.

Maybe it’s the fact that if you want to create an app for the iPhone, or any iOS device, you need to own a Mac. Oh, and you have to pay US$99 a year just for the access to the SDK. Now we’re paying for the use of the Apple brand.

Infact you know what it is. It’s Apple’s arrogance that is what really puts me off. They force you to pay a fee, and use their computers to develop for their devices, then they slug you 30% off your revenue in the App Store. You have to use iTunes with your iOS device. No choice charlie. They don’t like you jailbreaking and installing your third-party applications on your iPhone, even threatening that doing so will void your warranty and destroy your device, but have the nerve to completly rip ideas from jailbreakers, and market them as Apple’s own creations and ideas. Multitasking, MMS, copy-and-paste were all on the iPhone before Apple decided to put them in. Hell, Apple even argued that a phone doesn’t need MMS, and copy-and-paste would be too complicated.

But I digress. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the Samsung 10.1 inch tablet, which recently launched in the USA. Not to be confused with the bulkier, and discontinued 10.1v which was available exclusivly on the Vodafone network, this new tablet is a serious threat to the iPad2. Apart from being an open-based system, using Android, this tablet is lighter and thinner than the iPad2. It will support Flash like most Android devices, and if you like to customise a device just the way you want to, then Android is for you. The tablet was due for an Australian release in on 11 August 2011, but Apple has filed an injuction with the Australian Federal Court. claiming the tablet breaches patents for its iPad.

The Tablet that has Apple scared

Samsung has agreed not to sell the device in Australia until the results of the August 29 hearing. Samsung has also given Apple access to three of the Australian model tablets, saying that the specifications of the Australian model differ from the US model, and hence there should be no issue with the US model stock being put on hold because of IP infringement.

Apple has become too big for their own boots. Restricting our use of their devices, access to the iOS platform, and charging for almost every part of having to own and use an iOS device. From the good and underdog guys that released an affordable smartphone, the company has turned into big bad brother, and is doing anything it can to stop competition ruin its empire.

Android all the way! Apple, you’ve lost another customer thanks to your arrogance! My next phone will undoubetdly be an Android device. Where I’ll be free to use my phone as a USB hard-drive, watch AVI videos, download and choose my own SMS alert tones, and not have to be threatened about changing the operating system of the device I PAID FOR.