I used to think that technology could help education. I’ve probably spearheaded giving away more computer equipment to schools than anybody else on the planet. But I’ve had to come to the inevitable conclusion that the problem is not one that technology can hope to solve. What’s wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology. No amount of technology will make a dent. It’s a political problem.
An open letter to my boss, Steve Jobs
Dear Steve,
I’m writing to let you know that I’m leaving Apple. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it appears that readers have found out that you’re paying me to write positive articles about your company. I can’t hide it anymore. It’s not good for my credibility.
I mean, how could people not realize that I’m in your pocket when I write articles about how you set records in share price, iPhone sales, iPad sales, revenue and profit? You couldn’t possibly set all those records at once! I can’t believe you even suggested that. That idea was dumber than the Newton.
When I first brought up the possibility that people were on to us, you suggested I throw in a few unfavorable articles, just for show. Well, even though I wrote stories with the titles, “Mobile Web apps escape Apple’s iron grip,” “Taking down the Apple and Google smartphone duopoly” and “What’s the bug up Apple’s @$$?,” none of those articles threw them off.
Not even my story criticizing Apple’s decision to pull the Xserve without warning, or the fact that I said the move was indicative of your losing strategy in the enterprise space, could do anything to assuage their fears that I was cashing Apple checks.
You thought by saying Apple’s surpassing of Microsoft in tech market share was overstated might disguise the fact that you hired me. Nope. Saying Apple is a new hacker bulls-eye? Uh-uh. Calling you out for a bogus answer to iPhone 4 antenna problems? No way. Calling iPhone problems “an annual tradition?” No sir. Expressing concern about Apple’s supply constraints? No.
So I think it’s best to part ways. I’ll miss those big fat checks rolling in.
But it’s cool. Google has made me an offer I can’t refuse.
Best,
One of the highlights of my time at Laptop Mag was when I wrote a post that caused scores of people to accuse me of having an Apple bias. My co-workers all laughed, stating these folks clearly did not know me. But beyond that, I find it curious that this accusation gets thrown around a WHOLE LOT. If I write a favorable review of a Dell notebook or a Samsung tablet, I don’t get people saying I must be on their payroll. Interesting the attitudes around Apple in this regard.
Anyway, good thing David is resigning. That means more money for me when I write my biased reviews. whoopie!
Every day, I feel a little worse that I didn’t stand in line for two days to pick up a phone that I paid hundreds of dollars for just so I could be called a moron by the CEO of the company and then given a $30 rubber band free of charge.
Apple. Think Different.
How the iPhone 4 story has gone so far...
- Gizmodo: check out this prototype iphone we "found".
- Steve Jobs: that's not an iPhone *dials police*.
- Sometime later....
- Steve Jobs: masses, listen to me, this is the best phone ever, again.
- Consumers: gimme gimme.
- Steve Jobs: wooo done it again.
- Consumers: wait..... If I hold my phone like this *claws at phone* it drops all the signal.
- Steve Jobs: there is nothing wrong with it.
- Consumers: seriously, this is broken.
- Steve Jobs: no it's a software problem, thats why when you touch the "hardware", it stops working.
- Consumers: bollocks, fix it!
- Steve Jobs: hold it differently!
- Consumers: no!
- Steve Jobs: okay, fine, free cases and refunds for everyone...but it still isn't broken.
