Verecom Web Design Blog

Apple’s product line between the iPhone and the MacBook less one thing, and it is not a Netbook, but a iPad which is on the hands of Steve Jobs.

iPad appearance, as predicted, like a an enlarged version of iPod Touch, supports multi-touch, storage capacity from 16G to 64G. 0.5-inch thick body, 1.5 pounds, plus 9.7-inch IPS screen; as about the power issues, it claims to have 10 hours for normal use, and stand-by to a month. Most of the hardware does not seem too much surprise us, but it is worth mentioning that Apple’s own 1GHz A4 processor, its performance should be part of the expectations.

In the software part, iPhone’s App can be used on top of the iPad the, Apple also unveiled the iBooks Store, Steve Jobs even claimed to use Amazon as a sample to develop its own online shopping mall. The game entertainment is another big highlight, Electronic Arts (EA) has sent (Travis Boatman) to express the new racing game for ipad, and the direction and motion-sensing games (such as baseball) will be the next new trend.

In addition, Apple will also unveil the iPad dedicated iWork software: Keynote, Numbers, Pages and it is only 9.99 U.S. dollars each, that is very attractive!

As we are most concerned about the price, the cheapest 16G model(supports Wi-Fi) is 499 U.S. dollars. For the model that supports both Wi-Fi and 3G costs 629 U.S. dollars. Top of the 64G models (Wi-Fi +3 G), is 829 U.S. dollars, compared to the original forecast of 1000 U.S. dollars, it is cheaper than we expected.

Edited By Henry Lu

Apple has launched the latest version of Safari 4 beta, the industry claimed that the implementation speed of JavaScript commands is 4.2 times faster than Safari 3, and its JavaScript and HTML page loading performance is far better than Microsoft’s IE 7 and Mozilla FireFox 3.

Apple said, Safari 4 contains the world’s most advanced browser technology, including new Nitro JavaScript engine, the implementation of JavaScript is 30 times faster than IE 7, 3 times faster than Firefox 3; Safari displays HTML pages 3 times faster than both IE 7 and Firefox 3.

Apple Safari 4 also joined with all the software that has Cover Flow interface, which allows users to recall browsing history like reading the album cover. According to Net Applications statistics, Safari currently has about 8% market share, still falls behind Microsoft IE and Firefox.

The new beta version of Safari is available for download in Apple’s web site. Mac users need Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.6 and the latest Apple security updates, or Intel Mac pair up with Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11, or Mac with G3 and above. For Microsoft users, there has to be Microsoft Windows XP SP 2 or Vista.

Edited By Dan Li

According to the statistics report from January this year, the market share of Window dropped about 2%, and Linux increased 0.2%, however, the market share of Apple Mac increased by 1.3%, together with 0.2% increasing on its iPhone product.

The report form marketing searching company, Net Application, says it is the first time the market share of Window dropped below 90%. On November this year, its market share is 89.62%. The Linux is not the main cause for this, the rapid growing of Apple Mac and iPhone is the Window’s main threat. The Statistics report from Net Application is done by the website’s visiting rate of Operation system, which includes the mobile phone, game console and any device with the OS and can go online. The market share of Microsoft Windows was always above 90% before November this year, and is even above 95% during year 2004/2005. But this year Microsoft loses its share slowly.

Microsoft’s marketing manager admitted that in many countries, Apple Mac is becoming more popular and hence its market share increased rapidly. In Japan and US, Mac becomes quite accepted for many computer users, Unlike Australia, where Window is still the mainstream for people. And many Australia Mac users are the certain professional type people like graphic designer and editor which are quite small group compare with Window’s.

Edited By Henry Lu

With 10 million dollars, Microsoft hired Famous Comedy star, Jerry Seinfeld, teamed with Bill Gates to Promoted two global ads on September. Later on, against previous ads from Apple, Microsoft released its I am PC series as a strike-back.

Marketing Company Crispin Porter + Bogusky, run this advertising Campaign. In first series ads, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates play as two people shopping for shoes and home stay with a family but never mentioned a word to Window or Vista. Later on the second series of ads, “I am PC” as the reply for Apple’s “I am Mac” campaign, focus on the PC users and try to change their negative impression toward PC and deliver the message “I use PC, and I am fun”.

Bill Gates / Jerry Seinfeld  Series 1

Series 2 — Click here

I am PC Series 1

I am PC Series 2 and 3

Can these Advertising Campaign change the Microsoft’s image?

From the view point of experts, these Campaign are not successful viral marketing, because their topics are not related to the Window products, and however, they focus too much on this Comedy Star. And most people have difficulty to understand this commercial. For the “I am PC” series, Microsoft tried to promote its already number 1 window Operation System, which made people feel funny and say: “Microsoft is afraid of Apple too much” The experts from IT industry said, Microsoft should produce adverting Campaign which focus more on their products, or try to focus current bugs of apple’s MobileMe and Iphone’, which are the apple’s weak points. This way may have better result. And Window developers should improve the Vista and design a better user-friendly Interface. A Good Advertising Campaign is not a cure for Vista.>

Apple takes a Jab at Microsoft Ads

Apple has come out with a clever retorts in response to Bill Gates / Jerry Seinfeld series.

This is one pokes fun at Microsoft for spending too much money at advertising instead of fixing window’s problems;

In the second one talk about that Microsoft not mentioning any of their product names in the adverts at all;

Edited By Henry Lu