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Opinion: Why I love Apple products, and am just a tiny bit embarrassed to be seen using them

I love my Apple products. I’ve used Macs since day one. My desk right now has on it my MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Air, Thunderbolt Display and iPhone. Oh, and an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad, of course.

My friends are convinced that I’m incapable of leaving the house without my iPad, and I have to confess that the evidence is on their side. My car has an iPhone dock so I can listen to music and podcasts. If I’m on a plane, train or tube, it’s a near-certainty that I’ll be using my iPad or listening to music on my iPhone – or both.

I love Apple hardware design. Sleek, minimalistic, beautiful. There aren’t that many other really attractive laptops out there, and most of the ones that are have essentially copied Apple’s designs … 

I love OS X and iOS. Not everything about them, of course: there are glitches and anoyances, and iOS in particular is showing its age a little with the lack of live data on the homescreen, but both Just Work. Windows 8 is pretty good, but just the other day helping a friend update her CV on her Windows laptop, I was reminded of just how many nice touches I take for granted in OS X.

I love the seamlessness of iCloud. Again, we all know it’s not perfect, but it’s still incredibly impressive that syncing is now something that happens, rather than something I have to do. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I can pick up any of my iDevices, and the same, up-to-the-minute information will be on each.

I also really like Apple as a company. The reason the products are so good is precisely because Apple has strong values around quality, attention to detail and refusal to compromise. I love the fact that Apple concentrates on doing a small number of things very well, and doesn’t do what most companies in its position would do and slap an Apple logo on everything from baseball caps to cars.

I love the fact that Apple supports its technology with real people. Admittedly not everyone lives within easy reach of an Apple Store, but for those who do, anyone can wander in, ask the dumbest question and get individual help, free of charge. Compare that to attempting to get help with a Windows laptop or Android phone, and there is just no comparison.

So why, then, would I feel even a tiny bit embarrassed to be seen using them? Three reasons …

I was in a certain well-known coffee store the other day, and I paused from what I was writing to look around. The first thing I noticed was that almost every single customer was using an electronic device, busily immersed in a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Second, out of around 30 devices in use, I think only three or four of them didn’t have an Apple logo. In central London, at least, it seems the default choice.

Perhaps I’m being snobbish, but I can remember when spotting someone else using a Mac was almost an event. We were the unusual ones, the ones who had given the matter more thought, and were prepared to step out of the mainstream and buy something that was, honestly, at the time, a bit eccentric. People would ask you why.

But hey, I can live with being one of the masses (for a certain demographic value of masses, anyway). The second reason is the fashionista thing.

Apple has a lot of discerning customers. People who are perfectly well aware of the alternatives, know full well how the prices of competitor products compare and have made a choice to pay a premium price for a superior product. The type of people you’d find reading 9to5Mac, in fact.

But even I have to agree with my Apple-ribbing friends that there are those … other type of Apple customers. The sheeples, as they are unkindly dubbed. The type of people who buy Apple because it’s expensive and fashionable, and because they have no clue what else is out there.

Perhaps worse than the fashionista, though, are the third reason: the fanbois.

Don’t misunderstand me: I don’t use the term to describe people who love Apple products. I’m one of those. By fanbois, I mean those who are so utterly fanatical about it that they will scream and shout and stamp their feet if anyone so much as dares to level the slightest hint of criticism at Apple, or to say anything even vaguely complimentary about Windows or Android.

I’d rather not be mistaken for a fashionista (though perhaps my dress sense saves me there). I would most definitely not like to be mistaken for a fanboi. It was in that coffee shop when I realised I might, to the casual observer, have given that impression. The wifi was hopeless, so when I needed to google something, I pushed aside my MacBook Air, and got out my iPad Air to do the search. At which point, with perfect timing, someone called me – on my iPhone. I did feel just a twinge of embarrassment about sitting at a coffee shop table simultaneously using three pieces of Apple technology.

I supposed I should just have been grateful I couldn’t yet be wearing an iWatch …

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Comments

  1. Ka Na Sai - 10 years ago

    ‘On, and an Apple Bluetooth keyboard and Magic Trackpad, of course’, you mean ‘Oh’?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Thanks :-)

    • Alex I'Anson - 10 years ago

      I own a Macbook Pro and an iPhone 5S.

      I don’t feel too bad when I have them both on display. Like if i’m at college and using my Mac whilst my phone is sitting next to it just incase it goes off.

      Three devices though? That i’m not too sure. To me, I just wouldn’t of taken the iPad. It would look like you’re a bit of an Apple addict. Like you need to go home and get your Apple fix.

      Although, that’s just the self conscious side of me. The rational side of me is wondering why i’m spending my time worrying or just thinking about how random people see me. So what if you had 3 devices, does that really matter, and does it really matter that much to someone else to think badly of you?

  2. Dickson Pak - 10 years ago

    If you’re a true Apple fan, you won’t feel embarrassed seen using one.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Well, I hope you got the tongue-in-cheek tone … But I don’t actually see myself as a ‘fan,’ rather as someone who appreciates the products for what they are.

  3. Ka Na Sai - 10 years ago

    Oh, and isn’t it fanboys instead of fanbois?

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      I forget who first turned it into fanbois, but the term seems to have stuck :-)

      • Kris404 - 10 years ago

        It may have been Avril Lavigne.

    • Tony C (@Muadibe10) - 10 years ago

      I think fanbois is considered a trendy term.

      • Derek Currie - 10 years ago

        “Fanbois” is actually meant as strictly an insult, which is why I deliberately use it to describe myself. (Look up the, ahem, connotation of ‘bois’ for details). As a very long term Apple user, expert and fanatic, nothing is so constant as the HATE from the non-Apple fanatics. Check out Mac Observer’s ‘Apple Death Knell Counter’, which lists predictions of Apple HATE dating back to 1995. That’s just a small taste of the abuse mindlessly thrown at Apple fanatics. I for one could not be happier to be the object of hatred from so many lost and clueless people. Bring it on. I use the best gear I can get my hands on, whether you like it or not. Deal with it.

      • Ilko Sarafski - 10 years ago

        @Derek – a badass! :)

  4. Vipal Desai (@vipsd87) - 10 years ago

    Totally agree with you!

  5. MiKey (@ExWoW) - 10 years ago

    Great article!
    I really had to laugh at the end :D
    Everything you wrote is just true. I’d sign everything you said^^

  6. 007pandas - 10 years ago

    Really great article, I;m also fast becoming an Apple owner enthusiast, with the iPhone-5, iPad-2, soon to be upgraded to the new Air model, and soon purchases of Mac Air and iMac and of course apple TV.

  7. Charlie Robinson - 10 years ago

    Using Apple products is like choosing a brand of tools, you use what works best for you. It doesn’t matter what others think.

  8. Jason Edwards - 10 years ago

    No reason to feel that way. I use MBP, an iPad Air and an iPhone 5s. I usually just carry the iPad and iPhone. I refuse to use the Android and Windows gadgets by company provides me. Not because I am a snob or fanboy. And I surely did not buy them because of the Apple logo (both my iPhone and iPad have covers on them that cover that little logo). I use them because for me they really do just work. And they work so well together. I know I can pickup any device and continue working were I left off with no issues. My data is always sync’ed and ready to go. And knock on wood my Apple devices have been rock solid. Back in the day I loved to tinker. I use build my computers and dig deep into Windows. Today I just want to use a device. I depend on them and need them to work when I do. With Apple I get all that.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Yes, I’ve become much more ‘Just give me tech that works’ these days

    • Oliver Stamm - 10 years ago

      I completely agree! Since I bought my first Mac back in 2007 I realized almost immediately that I’ll never switch back to Windows. Back them in my company I was an orphan and my colleagues accused me that I just bought it because of the logo. My response was always, that the Mac just works! Same is true with iPad, iPhone and todays Macs. I’m so happy, I never had a single problem with all my Apple and I had/have plenty. I’m glad to have reliable tech that helps in my business and personal life.

  9. PMZanetti - 10 years ago

    You’re basically describing the different kinds of people and personalities….this is how it relates to Apple, but you’ll find that those people have similar problems with the rest of their lives as well. Obsessive fanbois have far more than just Apple going on in their lives that they can smother and obsess over.

    Just be happy to be one of the sane. The people who choose Apple because it is undoubtedly the best brand for many products, because of the thought and consideration that goes in to them….we have to make that conscious decision first, before there can be the parade of followers who just do because they saw others do.

    Trust me, I see the clueless with their iPhones out there….they didn’t buy it because they wanted it, or needed it, they bought it because external factors pressured them into getting it. You’ve them too. They hold their phone at arms length, starring intently at the screen as they lean away from it, with their finger hovering motionless above the display, unsure of what to do (or why, for that matter).

  10. And just to pile-on… Minimalist. It’s just minimalist. Google even changes “minimalistic” to “minimalist” when you hit enter. and “minimalistic” is showing up as misspelled in this comment. Sorry, pet peeve of mine.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      The OED says both are valid. I think I tend to use minimalist as a verb and minimalistic as a noun.

      • 1the2real3drsox - 10 years ago

        To minimalist ? Surely Minimalist is a noun (I am a Minimalist). Minimalistic is an adjective (he buys Minimalistic equipment).

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        Adjective, even. :-) A minimalist approach, resulting in a minimalistic product.

    • thejuanald - 10 years ago

      This is the best thing about Apple products, in my opinion.

  11. jpintobooks - 10 years ago

    Love to be a Fanboy. Enjoy quality and good thinks if I can afford and dread cheap Samsung copies type of plastic comercial stuff..

  12. Tony C (@Muadibe10) - 10 years ago

    Why be embarrassed that you chose computing devices that work for you? I’m sure most of us don’t get embarrassed about the car we drive just because someone else driving the same car is an a*hole.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Heh, my car probably also falls into that category …

    • nicequal (@nicequal) - 10 years ago

      I think you’re on to something. At the time when I bought my first MBP (after a pile of iMacs), it already felt like it put you in a fishbowl. The product was great, functionally, but it was also elegant and identifiable in a way that made people look at you in a certain way – it still feels uncomfortable to use it in public.

      Part of this is living with inequality sucks even when you’re privileged enough to have an Apple device or two. Another part is that mix of functionality and elegance (the shininess) – it’s uneasy. I’d prefer my tools to be invisible. It’s the reason I’m attracted to the 5C for all its flaws. For the life of me I can’t figure out why my phone has to be elegant. It’s great when it has some scratches and nicks… as long as it continues working, but it feels perverse to let that happen to an iPhone 5S.

      I recognize that having an expensive thing look precious is a sort of truth in design (you want to look after it, not destroy it), but ‘shiny metal’ is over soon, I hope.

      I also hope Apple continues to find ways to make good things cheaper.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        I do have to confess to doing my best not to scratch my MacBooks and iPad. I care less about my phone. And my Nikon D3, that cost more than any of them, is very definitely a tool, and I don’t mind scratches at all. But that’s because it doesn’t look beautiful …

      • John Francini - 10 years ago

        I really don’t understand the people who complain about elegant, fancy products — “You should buy an el-cheapo HTC or Samsung phone/tablet/whatever!!!” As if there’s no room in computing for high-quality, well-built products. Nobody goes on hate-jihads over BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes car owners. What makes computing and personal devices different?

        And as for being a fanboy — guilty as charged. Been using Macs since 1987. Will continue to use Apple gear as long as they maintain those quintessential properties of design, functionality, and style.

  13. great article! i’m in the exact same position as you. but i’m not buying apple products because its cool or something but because the just work (like you said). its really complicated to discuss apple with an android-user without being labeld as “blind apple fanboy” :)

  14. Classic hipster crap, Lovejoy. “My favourite band is awesome, but now that everyone likes them I’m embarrassed to be a fan.” A greater sentiment of idiocy there never was.

    It’s a shame someone in the food chain didn’t stop you before you published this. You’re embarrassing yourself. If you had any kind of clue about technology you’d understand that ubiquity is the most desirable thing that could ever happen to the technology you enjoy. Ubiquity means compatibility. Imagine being an iMessage user in a non-Apple world. Seriously, you should be very embarrassed that IMAGE is the reason you’d rather be on the technology fringe.

    If that’s what you want, buy a Blackberry. You can use that while listening to vinyl and sipping something unpalatable that only you insist is cool.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us

      • You’re welcome. If I thought it gave you a moment’s pause I’d actually feel it had been worth my time both reading and commenting. Unfortunately I’m not optimistic.

        You guys have a great platform here. It’s a shame it’s being used to highlight the worst possible aspect of tech culture. Apple has a massive opportunity to become people’s default choice for many things, and I’m quite dismayed that die-hard customers are sending them the message that it’s somehow undesirable.

        Sadly, it’s not just you.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        I think you may have missed the fact that I was poking fun at myself. :-)

      • No point back-pedaling now. You’re poking fun at yourself because you actually *do* feel that twinge. Otherwise, there’s no reason to bring it up, it’s not really a unique or nor an amusing anecdote. It’s just something short-sighted people feel when it becomes clear to them that a good purchasing decision no longer elevates them from the masses.

        All jokes are 90% truth, which presumably is why you felt it necessary to headline it.

      • silas681 - 10 years ago

        Милорад Ивовић (@ivovic)

        WOW!

        two words……………..ANGER MANAGEMENT!

        As a Lovejoy Fanbois I feel the need to lambast your ridiculous overreaction to an opinion piece that probably expresses how a large number of us feel……………

        Those who have been buying Apple products for a long time might (rather selfishly), miss the feeling of exclusivity that Apple products USED to convey. But hey…………we will still get software updates for the foreseeable future. Better than the nineties when that was in question.

        Take a Chill Pill!

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        Yes, that’s indeed the key thing: we’re going to be able to continue using the products we love for many years to come

    • nicequal (@nicequal) - 10 years ago

      You’ve got a point about the ubiquity. I just hope that Apple’s design evolves to fit even better into that position of ubiquity. It must be an exciting design challenge how to do that, without losing the Apple-ness, because Apple’s products are still often a bit more expensive up-front.

  15. Travis Bronson - 10 years ago

    “..anyone can wander in, ask the dumbest question and get individual help, free of charge”.

    This is what I love. Last week my iPhone 5 stopped charging. Walked in and a kind Apple employee dug a dime-sized pile of lint out of my lightning port… Embarrassing as heck but immensely helpful!

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Heh, I’m sure we all have our equivalent stories :-)

      • Dale Schmidt - 10 years ago

        We all do? What is your equivalent story?

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        I promise you, if I were to list my technology-related embarrassments, we’d be here for some time. Like the USB key that I spent several minutes searching for before realising it was still plugged into my MacBook …

  16. krikaoli - 10 years ago

    Excelent article! I feel the same!

  17. Sarath Jaladanki - 10 years ago

    Nice way of putting an article to avoid hurting other’s feelings ;)

    I use a Macbook Pro + iPad Mini. Because the Mini is a truly ‘mini’, it always stays in my hand with different cases matching the situation. Due to this, I avoided buying an iPhone (another iOS device, naah!). Ofcourse, I still love the beauty of iPhone.

    My phone is dumbed down to a Nokia feature phone (non-smart) with alphanumeric keypad which does 3 things very nicely: Calling + SMSing + Throwing :D

    The strategy is, the Sony Ericsson dual-ear bluetooth headset !

    Summing up, phone stays always in my pocket – iPad in my hand – Macbook in my home – Bluetooth headset wrapped around me which switches from phone to iPad instantly

    iWatch, sure, we will put that too somewhere on the body ! :)

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Interesting on the featurephone. Honestly, I could almost do the same thing as you as I use my iPad for almost everything app-wise, but it does get a lot of use as an iPod.

      • Sarath Jaladanki - 10 years ago

        Yes, but the screen size really is a matter to me. I do not want to access webpages or e-mails or play a game or use Evernote/OneNote on a 4″ inch screen or a 10″ inches screen. 8″ inches is just fine.

        Ofcourse, if iPad have the calling feature, then its a “One device to rule them all” but lets face it, iPhone – iPad – iPad Mini – iPod Touch are all different divisions making money & they would neither try to merge it nor defy the purpose of each device !

  18. Howie Isaacks - 10 years ago

    It’s your life. They’re your property. Use your Apple devices any way you want and anywhere you want. If others get pissy rude or jealous, screw ’em. There’s nothing wrong with having all of these devices with you at the same time. They all have their designed use.

  19. I was up for a computer refresh at work in December. After debating for the 6 months leading up, I decided to go with a MacBook Pro after 20 years of PC laptops. I have to say, this is by far the finest machine I’ve owned – and the best upgrade I’ve had in years. Simple things, like I can just close the cover and go to a meeting – and when I get there, I open the computer and it’s ready to go – that NEVER worked on my Windows laptops. It’s not embarrassing to be a huge fan of the kind of quality that makes me more productive.

  20. hisdudenessman - 10 years ago

    A common mistake people who are NOT fans of Apple make is that the “mass appeal” aspect of Apple is due to people wanting to be “fashionable” or that be perceived they have money. Back here in reality, Apple has a huge following among the not so tech savvy because THAT IS WHAT STEVE JOBS POINT ALL ALONG. Apple’s long held tradition has been to create tech that anyone could use. Tech that could be used with only a few minutes of familiarization and without the need to pull out a manual. In other words, “it just works”. This is what has created the intense loyalty to Apple that others dub as being sheep. This is why no other company enjoys the success Apple has had, man.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Indeed – especially things like Time Machine. Prior to that, only techies did automated backups.

  21. themis333 - 10 years ago

    Reblogged this on Taste of Apple and commented:
    This is an insightful look into some feelings about using an Apple product, now that Apple is a massively popular brand. Personally, I am a very proud Apple user – however, I can see some criticisms that people level against them. While no company is perfect, I find that Apple is as close as perfect gets when it comes to meeting my needs as a user. I agree with him, that Apple’s beliefs and goals for making the best products differentiate them from other companies. While they don’t always hit their intended target, they always try and usually meet that standard, if not exceed it. For me, this is what makes it worthwhile being an Apple user.

  22. jlword - 10 years ago

    Good article.😊

  23. Great article! Thank you. I’m a rather vocal Apple fan, but somehow people always seem to conflate that positive attitude towards the brand with a negative attitude towards other brands! Like I automatically hate windows or android because of it.

    I also get the not wanting to be part of the big crowd, but when it comes down to it, I’d never switch because of that. I just pause a second and think:”well, at least I remember the PowerPC period”. God, without looking like one, I completely sound like a hipster :p

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Thanks, Steve. And yes, we can absolutely appreciate both. In addition to my iPhone, I have a Nexus phone. That was bought for work purposes (there are times when I need to be able to run Android apps), and while I prefer my iPhone, I still consider the Nexus an extremely good phone.

  24. Andy Hong - 10 years ago

    I used to love Apple products, but ever since great old Steve passed away, most of the products I see are only incremental evolution from the previous iteration. I don’t see any creativeness in both software and hardware. As Apple fanboys are known, they can be real snobbish and super ignorant. I just embrace whatever that fits my lifestyle and so far Windows and Android works far better for me than anything. The argument had been forever regarding an open vs close ecosystem. To the ones that are truly technological minded, I believe an open system is the way to go. People root for choices instead of being limited. I would’ve stick with iPhones were it not Android revolutionizing the whole ecosystem. I love how I’ve the option to tweak even the tiniest of things which isn’t possible on the iOS. As for the Mac OS X, I think it’s easy to use, but not necessary for everyone. The way they design the Macs are for you to upgrade the whole thing every 2-3 cycles whereas the PC, one can just swap out the parts where they think it’s outdated. There’s no contest on the level of customization. But as I said, this is not for everyone and for those who don’t bothered and like Apple to baby their way into every tiny bit of details, Mac would be the choice. For me, being an avid Mac and first 2 gen of iPhone user, I’d already move on back to PCs and Android. Don’t get me wrong, I still look forward to the day that Apple can finally daze me with something truly revolutionary. For now though, it’s not happening under the leadership of the late Tim Cook…

    • rettun1 - 10 years ago

      Macs last a lot longer than 2-3 years. Macs I’ve seen have gotten around 5-6 of use, at least, without slowing down.

      And you have a point, though the jobs argument is tiresome. Was the iPhone 3G revolutionary? The 3GS? Lol the bulk of the iMacs released under Steve? The bulk of the iPods? You can’t hit a grand slam without loading up the bases first. People complained then, and they complain now. Only now they have a new face to point at.

      Apple gets their products 90% right the first time, then make them incrementally better over time. Better they play it safe then have radical change and lose vision.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      People tend to look back at the Steve Jobs days with rose-tinted glasses. He was probably the best marketing person ever, but he didn’t launch new product categories annually. The iPod was launched in 2001. We had to wait six years for the iPhone, and another three years for the iPad. Cook needs to launch a new product category this year for sue, but he’s pretty much promised to do so.

      • truth42 - 10 years ago

        I agree: Cook needs to launch a product this year. But he should do it for the market, not for ‘sue’, however hot she may be.

  25. Frank Quickmix Hassas - 10 years ago

    Great :)

  26. alexanderbeauvais - 10 years ago

    Great article. The joke in my family used to be that my dad was part computer. I caught him one day in his office working on three computers at the same time. Now, I find myself using my iPad, iPhone, and Mac mini simultaneously.

    PS Can’t wait for the iWatch.

  27. alanaudio - 10 years ago

    Like you I have a range of Apple products and I have used Macs since the late 1980’s. The reason is perfectly simple. They have never let me down, they are easy to operate and they all work smoothly together. Why would I risk screwing up by using anything else ?

    Certain people try to suggest that Apple only got where it is now by selling to loyal fans, but there is no way on earth that there could be hundreds of millions of unthinking, loyal fans. The more plausible explanation is that there are hundreds of millions of satisfied customers and satisfied customers keep coming back.

    If being seen to be individual is important to some people, then Apple is not the brand for them. They’ll need to find a more obscure brand to prop up their illusion of individuality.

  28. khashayar1jan - 10 years ago

    I feel the same way but it has another reason!
    I live in Iran and here it’s like when you said seeing a Macbook is an event and I don’t like it when other people are noticing my RMBP! Maybe there is something wrong with me because I have the best laptop in the world and I’m embarrassed ( and a little afraid ) to use it in public! I’ve never seen anyone using an iPad in my university! There are other tablets but not iPad. My friends in university don’t even know I have an iPad Air!

    I think another reason I’m embarrassed to use my Apple devices is because they are expensive in here ( I know they are expensive in everywhere but they are a lot more harder to get for people here, considering their salary,) and a lot of my friends want Apple products but they don’t even have the money to buy 11″ Macbook Air!
    Every time I see an Apple product in someone’s hand, I feel happy because this mean that these products are becoming less “event”. Hopefully a lot of people here have iPhones, specially 5S but unfortunately most of them are the type, as you say “buy Apple because it’s expensive and fashionable”!

    I really was surprised when I read this article. I was expecting you say it’s embarrassing because people consider you an Apple geek ( I don’t know if it’s the right word ).

    Sorry for the long post, I tried my best to keep it short :D

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Well, that too, but I have a lot of geek friends. :-) As for length, I too am accused of that, and cite Pascal in my defence: “I have made this letter longer than usual, because I lack the time to make it short” — Blaise Pascal, ‘Letters Provinciales’ (1657)

  29. Mani Gutau - 10 years ago

    Thank you for reminding us we’re not the only ”embarrassed” Apple followers. Indeed, everything changed after iPhone was released, at least here in Bucharest we were just a small group of people using Apple products. To see a Macbook in a public space was rare and unusual, now is rare and unusual to not see on in a public space. And the army of fashionista & fanbois is getting bigger day by day. But I would like to keep this feeling of ”embarrassment” as long as possible, and to extend it to other great brands I decided to follow. Just because I can see my 60+ years old mother, smiling while she is exploring the internet on her iPad. She never had a computer in her whole life. Just because I am fascinated how my 2years old son controls my apple products, like he was prepared in advance for our technological household. Just because it feels funny to see my wife ( she was never interested/attracted by technology) using airplay or video mirroring, in the same easy & smooth way she is handling her Kitchenaid. Bottom line, guess it’s quite hard to find a premium brand with only premium customers these days. Funny the way it is, people are still surprised to hear Esperanza Spalding, Fink or Dave Matthews Band coming out from my BMW sound system. Guess this is what will happen with Apple also. People will say ”another rich uneducated fashionista”.
    But as long as I am smiling behind my wheel, knowing that I chose that brand for the amazing blend of art & technology, I am willing to feel embarrassed as long as possible. Just like you :)

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      iPads have been incredible in that regard. Elderly and technophobes using them the moment they get them, without anyone having to show them how.

  30. Daniel _ - 10 years ago

    It’s not a bad thing to like Apple. Everybody has a favorite band, hockey club, football club etc. Me as a IT guy/IT project manager have additionally a favorite IT company. I have Mac mini, iPhone, iPad mini and Airport Extreme and I’m happy with my stuff. I wouldn’t change at any price.

    As I’m young, I had a Apple-related tattoo done. It’s 25 cm long “Think Different.” text over my lower leg. Tattoos of favorite things are common so why not my favorite Apple? Yes, it was a little bit akward while I was visiting faculty of informatics where not everybody likes Apple, especially in IT and especially in non-US country. I could glimps many of those “haha Apple sheep” looks but I ignored. Am I the sheep? Definitely not. Somebody is heavy metal lover, somebody food lover and somebody Apple lover. It’s that simple.

  31. I, too, have a small arsenal of Apple products in my immediate family (4 MBP’s, 1 MB Air, 4 iPhone 5’s, 1 iPhone 4S, Apple TV, iPad, 2TB Time Capsule, Magic Mouse, wireless keyboard), and am neither crowing nor cowering about the facts. I have been extremely happy with their performance, and with the exception of my daughter’s 2012 MBP (dead HD, dead display, and transfer cable replaced…some at my cost), all have been paragons of reliability. The oldest of the MBP’s is my 2011 and it still feels/performs like new. I love my Apple tech, and will never return to the world of Windows (except for my wife’s occasional foray into it thru Boot Camp as she has a lot of time/money tied up in Windows design software that she relies upon). Don’t apologize for your choices…if they work well for you, as mine do, be happy and keep on going.

  32. Ryan DeRocco - 10 years ago

    Great article. I came to the Apple side of things around the end of the iPhone 3GS, and now once a year, take the day that the iPhone is released, dubbed “iPhone day” (how original, right?), off from work. I also use a MacBook Pro, and a 4G ipad Mini 2.

    My only issue is screen size. I have been complaining about the iPhone screen size since before it was cool to do so. (Being 6’4″ may have something to do with me thinking it’s too small.) It’s finally forced me to drop my iPhone 5S, and make the evil switch. For 2 weeks I’ve been using the Nexus 5.

    It’s a shock that I like it, it truly is. It’s a helluva phone though. However, as long as the rumors are true, the second the larger iPhone 6 comes out, I’ll be there getting one. I check 9to5 every day, waiting for more spy shots of the iPhone 6. So keep up the good work please! I don’t want to have to be a trader for too long….

  33. So true… I remember when I switched to Mac, I used to sit and stare at the screen for a while wondering what was missing. The work I used to do on the Windows PC took so much longer and so many additional programs and downloads and drivers and updates and upgrades not to mention processing time that it seemed strange to do the same so much faster and easier on the Mac.
    Still true… Many years later and yet nothing is seamless on the Windows PC. Truly embarrassing, though, is to be seen using a Windows PC.

  34. George Magdaleno - 10 years ago

    As the primary IT person for my family, Macs, iPad and iPhones allow me to keep the questions focused on “how,” rather than “why.” About the only time I have to intervene is when Apple send down a new update and my Mom’s device if full or the Apple TV is on the wrong input. Long story short, Apple products just work. Minimal intervention necessary.

  35. robertvarga79 - 10 years ago

    I never could be embarrassed for the best choice

  36. I don’t know anyone who bought an Apple product because it was “fashionable” or because it was “expensive” …

    … despite the fact this seems like I’m disagreeing with you, it echoes your last sentence… I don’t think wearable tech will be nearly as big an industry as people expect… because wearables, like the so called iWatch, need to be driven by fashion. People really won’t buy expensive things to “wear” just because they can be useful in some way, they need to be fashionable, and I just don’t see Apple products as being fashionable. Useable? Yes. Useful? Yes. Well designed? Mostly. Fashionable? No.

    Also, wearables…. like all electronic gadgets, will need economy of scale. Fashion is often about niches and sub-groups, who won’t give manufactures the sales volume.

  37. I don’t mind being called an Apple fanboi or fashionista. I’ve become an Apple Lover the day I changed my major to Graphic Design when it was still Mac OS 8 and back then I was still a newbie but not anymore, I am now Mac Savvy.

    I have turn my work place to Mac environment and our church as well. It is so easy when all of your devices talk to one another with just WIFI… My family and relatives are all iPhone users (except for the ones who don’t listen to me)… my two year old son has iPad 4, my wife and I, my mom and my dad are all iPhone 5s users. I have a Mac Pro at home and sold my slightly older Mac Pro to my work place and it’s the one I’m using right now.

    My friends, co-workers and colleagues all became iPhone and iPad users because of me. Not to pat myself in the back for Apple converts is because I was able to convincingly tell them that Apple is much superior product even though is a bit expensive but in the long run you pay less because of the re-sale value and how it’s well-engineered, and has a sleeker and simpler design but gorgeous.

    So, Mr. Lovejoy – I feel ya… I love my APPLE PRODUCTS…

    ps. I actually wish I work at an Apple Store.

  38. Ilko Sarafski - 10 years ago

    You know, Ben, you are talking about downtown London. But London is rich city with quite wealthy people. I am from Sofia, Bulgaria (even if I am in Ljubljana, Slovenia currently) and you have, you just have no idea what is to open a MBP in public. It’s either or , or of course . Right now I would say that 70-80% of the iPhone owners are the 2nd type of people in your review. They have no idea what iPhone/Apple is, but they buy one just to show off and to be cool. I was right there, when a
    guy said (in utterly slang/village/rude language): Give me one ajfon.
    The seller: Sir, may I ask you what are you going to use it for?
    The other guy: Fuck if I know, for green and red buttons.

    And yes, some times I also feel a little bit of embarrassment when I pull off my iPad 2 (not even an Air you know).

    So I really know what are you talking about. :)

  39. jlword - 10 years ago

    Good article. I am definitely a tech head and unlike most commenters here I am not an Apple fan. That is not to say that I can’t appreciate some of the things I feel Apple does well, such as the synergy between its hardware and software as well as the aesthetics of their devices. I like the cylinder shape of the latest mac. I do prefer Windows Products and one thing I like about Microsoft’s OS (both Windows Phone and Windows 8.1) is that what Mr Lovejoy acknowledges is missing from the iPhone. That being data or information on the home screen. It feels very outdated to have a current OS, present what is effectively a “dumb screen” that presents no information beyond static icons. I have a feeling that at some point Apple may change that and is likely experimenting with ways to implement it while maintaining the familiarity of iOS. But live tiles and to a lesser degree widgets to me are a representation of the “future” being realized in the present with live data being presented from and center on a device that is always with you. Now it is highly likely that Apple may forgo the route of presenting life info on thier start screen and relegate the facility of accessible data to an iWatch. For that however to be ubiquitous the iwatch would have to be affordable for the masses of the iPhone toting crowd. With the iPhone already commanding a premium price the addition of a premium costing accessory may prevent many being able to take advantage of quickly viewable information if it is not part of the phone itself.

  40. Vincent Conroy - 10 years ago

    Recently bought my first MacBook, and I love it, but all my tech friends feel that I’ve betrayed them for the “Cult of Steve Jobs”. I have my MacBook, iPad (4th gen), and iPhone 5s. I love them all, but am constantly ribbed for being a “fanboi”. I’m not. I don’t think Apple is “perfect”, but I do believe I’ve made a good choice. Yes, it can be embarrassing when my friends are all using Androids and I pull out my “antiquated” iOS, but it works great for me, and at the end of the day, that’s what matters.

  41. Ilko Sarafski - 10 years ago

    What happened to my post!??! Some part (in the middle?!?) of it it’s not there… damn, really, what happened!?? Ben, did u delete something? So, so strange…

  42. K - 10 years ago

    My sentiments exactly. I bought my first Macbook Pro in 2006 after owning a couple of iPods and enjoying their ease of use. However, there’s one aspect to your article where I no longer sympathize. How do you find space at your local coffee shop to sit down? So many people use coffee shops as their office for hours on end. They’re no longer the quiet relaxing place I enjoyed many years ago.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      I don’t mind people using them as offices to work on their laptops (and indeed often do this myself), it’s when they get used as meeting rooms for business planning, sales and (on more than one occasion that I’ve witnessed) job interviews … !

  43. tylerhackbart - 10 years ago

    I totally agree with this. I remember when I first bought my Mac and it was around when the silver Macbook Pros came out and no one had one. And I can’t not go a day without seeing a handful.

  44. Jeremie M. | LYMF (@lymf) - 10 years ago

    Definitely agreeing with you. Have been using Apple products since I was a kid (thank you dad). I did however tried other products and for testing purpose with my work own tablets and phones of different brands, but I just never use them for anything else than their purpose: testing…
    Yes as you say, the Macs are a beautiful piece of art. And having to be on my laptop 10+ hours a day, I’d rather pay a little extra for a computer that I love to look at, and I love to touch… (the glass trackpad of the macbook serie is just such a sensorial experience!). This is what I like about Apple’s products. And the fact that they just work. Seamlessly. For a long time (I’ve recycled 2006 iMacs and MacBooks that that still running (better than a lot of more recent Windows cheaper computers).

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      My view exactly: I use my MacBook Pro especially for many hours a day, so definitely worth the premium for that to be a pleasant experience.

  45. Chris Renaldi - 10 years ago

    embrace quality!

    look into a mirror – you are an original and you just love what works and works well – love that! and don’t ever care about how your seen by others! WHAT EVER THEY THINK OF YOU IS PROBABLY WRONG! go in peace Apple enthusiast and be glad there still are companies that care about simply quality…

  46. lagax - 10 years ago

    Totally agree with you. To the Second Point: Apple isn’t Perfect, it is far away from that, the Point is that they are trying to be the most perfect they can, so that’s why I choose apple products. They don’t try, they set something and then it’s set. The problem is, for me, though, that they seem to have come out of their way of how to make products: ‘Make it and don’t look around you!’ Especially, right now with these rumors around the iPhone 6 with a 5+”-Display, maybe ‘don’t look at Samsung’. For me, I love the 16:9 aspect ratio, I love 4″, I’m a smartphone enthusiast and Apple wouldn’t change the size of the display if they wouldn’t look around, for a good reason: I’m sure a lot of people, too, like this 4″-Display! Maybe you can go up to 4.6″ or something but above 5″ it’s just not a phone anymore, It’s a phablet… And I don’t like these.

    And even though he said Tim Cook shouldn’t have thought of what he would have done, here they should look at what Steve would have done. He wouldn’t have highered the display-size two times in 2 years… I think.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      I too like a small phone – my iPad does the heavy lifting where apps are concerned – but I have to admit to being outnumbered …

      • lagax - 10 years ago

        Sadly we are, but I still hope for Apple to make a 5-” Display(as an option, at least), that’d be OK, at least.

  47. sardonick - 10 years ago

    Although I’m unimpressed and a bit miffed on ios7 and Mavericks, I have to say “ditto” to this post. My personal opinions on the updated UI’s and issues I’ve had aside, I still want my Apple products. I don’t know how long this interest will last, but I’m still hanging on because I’ve not seen anything that makes me “wow” as much as this overpriced lemming fluff. Lead me to the edge of the cliff, I’ll jump myself. :)

  48. thejuanald - 10 years ago

    “By fanbois, I mean those who are so utterly fanatical about it that they will scream and shout and stamp their feet if anyone so much as dares to level the slightest hint of criticism at Apple, or to say anything even vaguely complimentary about Windows or Android.”

    You describe the entirety of the 9to5Mac commentating communit here, and, especially tallestskil and PMZanetti.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Fortunately not

      • thejuanald - 10 years ago

        You can’t deny that there’s a very vocal group that comes out anytime there is an article here that doesn’t say the sweetest things about Apple.

      • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

        Oh, there absolutely is, but it’s the fact that they are so vocal that disguises what a tiny minority they are.

    • rettun1 - 10 years ago

      What’s it called when somebody makes generalities about a group of people, giving them a sense of pride and superiority? Don’t let a couple guys taint your view of an entire community.

      • thejuanald - 10 years ago

        Okay, that’s true, but every time there is an article that doesn’t praise Apple, people come out in droves to disregard the article, the author, and the source. It’s not everyone, but, let’s say, there’s a very vocal group.

  49. shaia8 (@shaia8) - 10 years ago

    “… I can remember when spotting someone else using a Mac was almost an event. We were the unusual ones, the ones who had given the matter more thought, and were prepared to step out of the mainstream and buy something that was, honestly, at the time, a bit eccentric. People would ask you why.”

    I can too Ben.

    Fun article.

  50. Mojo R. - 10 years ago

    I can totally relate to this article, it describes me too. I like things and don’t mind paying more for things of high quality. I also like my Land Rover but I am sometimes embarrassed to show up at places in it. I also like my Rolex by sometimes I’m embarrassed when someone notices it. I like nice high quality things for me, not to get noticed.

  51. I can totally relate to this. I consider myself pretty much a power user as I don’t know anyone personally that gets as much out of their Apple products as I do. That said I have friends who own iPhones and barely have enough apps to fill two pages sand folders. They use them to talk, text and Facebook for the most part. In fact I would say 80% of the time when I look at someones iPhone screen I see Facebook and I find that so pathetic. I get the same feeling of embarrassment fearing I’d be lumped into that same group.

  52. Rob Bellomy - 10 years ago

    Terrific article! People in Dallas also treat Apple products like a status symbol, and if you have the 13.3″ (like I do) then you’re driving the bottom of the line Mercedes or BMW – the most you could afford – never mind the fact that this (now two year old) MBP runs circles around the competition and still performs like it did the day I bought it. I, too, am in the category where I would not be deemed fashionista, with my worn dickies, skated Vans and faded t-shirt (though that is kind of hipster-ish, with the exception that my clothes look like this because I wore them out – I didn’t buy them this way).

    I really like the Mac for work. I work in finance and this machine is so much more capable than any Windows-based PC or laptop I’ve used. I don’t run bootcamp. I don’t run Parallels or any other VM-ware. I occasionally use 2xRDP Client when I need to access an ActiveX website, but even that may be a thing of the past with the emulators coming to market (or if our developer brings his application to the 21st century and ditches ActiveX).

    I was a latecomer to the world of Apple – had a difficult time justifying buying a MBP when I have a desktop PC provided by my employer and a Windows-based laptop that “worked” (term used loosely). The company won me over completely with the iPhone – I envisioned endless possibilities for use in business, and could see my business development officers using this device (and now the iPad) in the field, getting more done easily and conveniently. Now with the 128GB iPad Air… I’m thinking about trading my MBP and going strictly tablet… Maybe my wife will want this machine since it runs circles around her non-touch screen Windows 8 machine… (Windows 8 is nice with a touch screen, but without the touchscreen, it is terrible and so far, Samsung has been UNABLE to match Apple’s trackpad even though the gestures on my wife’s Samsung are almost identical to Apple’s.)

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Your ‘entry-level’ comment reminded me of when a friend bought an A-Class Mercedes as they wanted a compact urban car, and the dealer referred to it as an entry-level Merc …

  53. Makarand Phatak - 10 years ago

    Nice article again Ben. I am surely one of them now :)
    Before using Apple products I used to hate Apple mainly because of some “creepy” things they do with their products. One example: when the initial iPhone came out, it was an amazing product without standard 3.5 mm audio jack. Now people were forced to use the “adapter” to use any headphones with it.
    Now it does not bother me any more after I started using their products and yeah “Mac works” surely better than any Windows PCs..

    • thedingohasmybaby - 10 years ago

      Your memory cheats you. The original iPhone had a standard 3.5mm jack. it was slightly recessed so that headphones with large plugs wouldn’t fit but wasn’t a problem for the majority and wasn’t deliberately proprietary. It was primarily another fun wedge issue for the bloggers.

      • Makarand Phatak - 10 years ago

        Yeah you are right, thanks for correcting me. I was remembering something like that..

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Thanks, Makarand. I did grumble slightly about Apple replacing the 30-pin cable with another non-standard one, rather than adopt micro-USB, until I discovered how clever Lightning cables are.

  54. Alessandro Zotta - 10 years ago

    I like this post

  55. Jonathan Jett-Parmer - 10 years ago

    Interesting, I am one of the irrational Apple haters out there, forced to use an iPhone because my firm will not support a Windows based phone, despite their superior speed and capability. Nonetheless, it’s about fit. If Apple products fit you, then rock on, daddio. If one size fit all, we’d all be using one device. Thankfully, innovation continues. Who knows what the dominant device will be in ten years – or even 5! Just ask RIM

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Indeed, Apple looks utterly unassailable today, but as you say, RIM did too in the corporate smartphone market, and Microsoft before it … Competition promotes innovation, so I’m all in favour.

  56. thedingohasmybaby - 10 years ago

    I’m in 100% agreement. In a month or two I’ll hit a decade of Apple usage because I think its products are better than the alternatives. But I could rattle off issues with Apple products and the company culture for hours if I needed to. I’d consider it worth a debate if someone said something unfair but not an argument. I would never queue up for a product launch and am not generally all that bothered about having the latest device.

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      Indeed – I love all the things I listed about Apple products, and could come up with a lot more, but I don’t think either the company or the products are perfect, and I don’t have an issue with people preferring other products.

    • Kris404 - 10 years ago

      I do queue up at launch day on occasion. Mostly because it’s just fun hanging out with a bunch of total strangers who all love Apple products.

      One time it was with Jason Bateman for iPhone 4 launch I think (until he was ushered in early)

      You should try it sometime and not be ashamed of onlookers.

  57. DrM47145  (@DrM47145) - 10 years ago

    Yup! Been there, done that.
    Good article, Ben. It’s true, more and more you see people using heavy Apple products (like Macbooks) who you can tell they use them because it’s fashion, not because they really liked the experience. Those are the ones that even though they hold a $1000+ Mac, they still have troubles doing the most basic things.
    Then there are the ones using light Apple products, like iPhones or iPads. Still, some are just helpless. They use an iPhone for what they could use a dumb-phone. Or, they have no idea and no chance to use it at its full potential. When you show them some basic thing, they just stare…
    So yes, before, you almost felt like winking to another Mac user, now, you can’t really tell what they are.
    Still, it doesn’t bother me. I know why I use them, and it has nothing to do with pretending.
    Good article.
    And i liked this quote “The type of people you’d find reading 9to5Mac, in fact.”. Nice touch! Worth a bonus! Haha!

  58. shm1ck83 - 10 years ago

    Great read, I can relate to most of your comments.

    I adore all my Apple products as they look, feel and are built for quality. I don’t have another friend that owns an iMac as their computer but all use iPhones and iPads, I sometime see them as just jumping on the bandwagon as they don’t utilise the full functionability of the devices, I try to help but they make me feel uncomfortable as they look to say why would I need that. They don’t realise what happens behind the scenes to make it ‘just work’.

    Also I feel awkward buying a new iMac and walking through the shopping center (3 out of 4 Apple Stores are not a standalone). People looking at you going omg look at him!

    Most people don’t purchase iMacs because they say they don’t need one, so they will purchase a Windows based computer, then wonder why in 12 months why it is slow and out of date and have to purchase another just to keep up.

  59. Gary Frost - 10 years ago

    My Moroccan friends opened a coffee bakery about a year ago and my observation is that the more Apple devices you see the better the shop will do. I suppose that has nothing to do with all of their home backed goods, sandwiches on croissants that come out of the oven every day at 7;15 a. Outstanding drinks, and Moroccan Brownies. Nothing at all with success, just the Macs. Or maybe Apple owners have more refined taste?

  60. Jared (@jaredp_) - 10 years ago

    I’m sorry, but the Apple Store is the worst part of the Apple experience. Every single person I’ve met who works there are a complete douchbag.

    I had to get a motherboard replaced in a laptop a few years back, and I basically had to tell the genius how to do his job – for someone who has been classified a genius (gets to wear a blue t-shirt), his lack of technical knowledge was well below par.

    I’ve been using Apple products since the early 90s – my next phone and PC purchase won’t be an Apple.

  61. Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

    I think at this point I have to admit defeat in my attempt to reply to all the comments, but I am reading them all and appreciate the input. :-)

  62. Chris Aukerman - 10 years ago

    At least I now know what I’m called (fanbois) :)

  63. Yes, Apple products are ubiquitous. And many people buy them because they think it’s cool, but, if that causes you embarrassment while you use an Apple product, then maybe you are one of the customers who use Apple products to prop up your own self-worth. I have people tell me everyday that they are thankful they switched from a PC, or an Android device (I’ll give you a hint: I get paid to talk to these customers). They may have had the flimsiest of reasons for switching, but they now appreciate build quality, the design, the UI and the support they receive. None of them are embarrassed and you shouldn’t be either.

  64. Gl Remote - 10 years ago

    A whole industry has grown up around the short battery life of the Iphone. At a recent retreat, I was amused by the Iphone charge cords in the lobby. The Samsung commercial used the shortcoming in it’s ads. “Hey people, get off the floor.

  65. Sherman Langer - 10 years ago

    I remember – it was about two years ago – when I got completely fed up with the part-time job of trying to keep my Lenovo PCs working. I went to the local Apple store and talked with one of the knowledgeable sales guys about my options with Apple. Then I bought a MacBook Air and added it to our Apple collection of my wife’s Mac, her iPhone, and her iPad, all under one condition: I told the Apple sales guy that if I ever came into the store raving about how lucky I was to have converted to Apple, that he would smack me upside the head. He said he would give me two weeks to change my mind. He was right. Great Company. Great support. Great design. Great stores and most of all, everything works. We’ve now added an iPhone and a Mini for me.

    Thanks, Apple. Just thanks.

  66. Clint (@ClintAustin26) - 10 years ago

    Gotta say, Ben, your opinion pieces do seem to inspire debate (such as your “why I’m keeping my 4s” article). I didn’t read through all these comments so if this was already posted, well, whatever. IMO you kind of missed a point from the other side of this feeling of yours. Anybody who would consider you a “fashionista” or “fanboi” because of your use of several Apple devices is probably doing it from their own biased anti-Apple viewpoint and their own “fanboi-ism” or “hipster” doucheyness. You shouldn’t give any thought or credence to being judged by people who are actually guilty of being what you are perceiving yourself to possibly being judged as because, you know, screw them. The only power they have to make you feel that way is the power you give them.

  67. Great article! I thought about this a few months ago myself.

    I had been a PC user for a long time and switched over to Mac in 2011. Windows 8, my experience with my iPad 2, the design/quality of Apple products and desire to have better integration and access to my data between all devices lead me to switch. And really, it was Windows 8.

    The last few years in the San Francisco Bay Area, I think being seen with a Macbook gains you entry into the Cool Kids Club. And being a true Franciscan, I’m against that attitude. But, there are ways you can tell when someone uses a Mac because it works for them rather than for a status symbol. But I’ll keep that to myself :-P

  68. Oflife - 10 years ago

    You, like me, may like them for specific reasons, but a month ago, I bought a fully loaded MacBook Pro 15″ Retina 1TB SSD etc. a) As documented on Apple forums, the Bluetooth interferes with the WiFi, making WiFi unusable so having to use Ethernet cable and adapter. (No fix available!) b) USB 3.0 ports are flawed (see forums!) and so the excellent Canon LIDE 210 scanner that worked so well on my MacBook Air 13″ 2011 edition is ‘disconnected’ from my MacBook Pro every time the laptop goes to sleep, meaning, I have to remove the USB cable from the MacBook and re-insert every time I want to use the scanner if the MacBook has been to sleep. (IE, constantly!) Many hours on Apple support line has lead to no solution to these issues. It gets worse, I bought an Airport Express two days ago. a) The audio is delayed, so when you hit Play or Pause in iTunes, there is a delay before the music starts or stops. b) You can only connect a printer to the USB port, so wireless scanning is not possible. Why??? It’s USB port, so should accept ANY USB device!

    These serious problems make my machine a nuisance and for £2800, should not occur.

    But wait, there is more! Adobe Premier Pro, which I own through my Adobe CC subscription will not run on my new £2800 MacBook Pro that I specifically purchased to make videos! And I don’t want to just use Final Cut Pro X. No amount of work with Apple or Adobe support will get it working either.

    There are countless other major flaws in Apple products, from the time consuming effort required to re-organise the icons on your iOS device after you buy a new one and re-sync your account, to lack of licensing of Lightning connector so you cannot charge an Apple device with a charger for say, an Android phone. Lightning is better conceived than microUSB, yet Apple were too greedy to license it so inconveniencing people like me, so we dropped iOS and now use Android so we can cross charge all our gadgets, Samsung EX2F camera and Sony Tablet Z included!

  69. Yip Waikeong (@wky21) - 10 years ago

    Fashionable on Apple devices are due to all Apple device’s software are always up to date, so you know you’re always at the edge in software technology. So that you know you can never be left out. And like enthusiast drivers loving their Italian sport car experience every time they’re on the driver seat, “Excitement” while driving them. Performance, Design, Experience etc… are incomparable by other machines.

  70. Roman Furtuna - 10 years ago

    Actually I feel some sort of embarrassment when using i devices in the public too. Not because I am ashamed of Apple or something, but because I know that many people just do not like Apple and they disagree with them for the unknown reason, and some may think that you are some sort of rich person and they won’t tank to you. And then, just take a look at when you get your MacBook out in a library or at a caffe, at how people react, how so many look at you with jealousy. But when I see someone getting out a plastic laptop out of their bag, I just continue my business. Honestly sometimes I feel a star for being an Apple fan, because it’s a rarity. There are some that like their phones only, maybe their Macs, but rare that go with Apple all the way. So the author is just right in his statement about embarrassment.

    Using both platforms Windows and Mac, I can with reason say that I hate Microsoft because I see how unfair they are to the costumers. People just do not realize that. It’s like a fight between lie and truth. They do not see the true innovation, true quality, true costumer service and the rest amazingness that Apple as tech company has to offer.

    For the people who do not like Apple: You will hate Apple products until the moment you get one, after that you will question yourself how could you live without them.

  71. scottbruneau - 10 years ago

    This article was very well written and a joy to read. Gave me a good laugh at the end. A love of company and products explained very rationally and with a slightly self effacing humor to it. I can truly relate to much in this piece. Thanks Ben!

  72. Tom D - 10 years ago

    Great article, I was also a “just works” guy who thought Apple could do no wrong. Then came the iPad 3 that was discontinued 7 months later, and when my 2011 MBP logic board crapped out recently ($328.00 ty very much) I was really bumming. That made me remember the three iPhone 5’s that needed to go back because of defects before getting a keeper. Oh and the time my Apple 2 was bricked by an update….I really do love Apple products and their eco system, but am a bit jaded these days……Hope this is not typical with most people!!

  73. Rüdiger Mullins - 10 years ago

    I never consider my self “embarrassed” to use anything from Apple. I think the people who should be “embarrassed” to be seen using something, would be a person using one of those other products that just copied the Apple design (using inferior material of course). Apple may not have the Google motto of “don’t be evil” (which they dropped coincidently), but they live up to the spirit. Apple supports workers, LGBT, women’s and minority rights. They build products that “just work”, and do it beautifully.

    Like any consumer, I weigh the cost vs. benefit vs. usage, and so far, I have never seen an Apple product not win the comparison.

    Proud owner of iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, Airport Extremes, a house full of Apple TVs, and future iWatch :)

  74. rrobinson1216 - 10 years ago

    Good Article, Ben, but I will say that the first reason absolutely screams ‘I’m a hipster.’ ;) But anyway…it’s interesting to see how opinions of Apple have changed over the years. My own opinion is probably heavily biased, being a former employee. I currently use a 15″ MBP that I got used for a killer deal, but I use a Moto X for a phone and a Roku 3 for my media connection to my TV(Apple TV still fails to have a Plex app…sigh). Once I do get a tablet, though, it will probably be an iPad Mini retina.

    My ‘fanboyism’ if you will, when I started at the company, was heavy…I mean hell, I stood in line for the original iPad, which is part of how they remembered me for my interview which I still think partly landed me the job. On top of that, I stood in line for the iPad 2, iPhone 4S, 5, and 5S as an employee! (The launch of the 4 was insane and I worked 16 hours that day, so no line for me). I still love tech in general though, and I knew what could improve and I knew WHY other people bought other tech, which came in handy a lot. I had 50+ phones over the past few years, ranging from iOS to Android to WP7 and 8, etc…I love using Craigslist. :)

    But after a while, the love faded. Not for the products, or for their design (Jony Ive is my freakin hero), but because the retail employee environment at the Genius Bar at my store (and this goes to a LOT of stores across the nation) was one of being overworked, underpaid, and under-appreciated. Another thing you don’t see being on the other side of the store is that many, MANY Apple employees are like me, but to an extreme, and hate even on coworkers if they aren’t bowing before Apple and carrying all Apple products (but sometimes can’t tell you why you should buy an Apple product over another…)

    Off on a tangent a bit, but it still kind of applies – I wasn’t ever really embarrassed to carry the product, but it’s interesting how different opinions can change based off of different events.

  75. Love Harris - 10 years ago

    Ben, this is hilarious. I thought I was the only one. I mean, I love Apple and their products. I admit their faults, and praise their competitors for things they do well, too. But just like you, I get the feeling everyone’s watching and talking about me assuming I’m a mindless ‘iSheep’ (patent pending – lol) when I type on my retina MacBook Pro, pull out my (LTE) iPad mini to do a quick internet search, and reply to a quick text on my iPhone. I feel so Apple-y. But I love it. No other platform gives me the compatibility, ease-of-use, and clean design Apple products do. Makesme wonder what the world would be like without Apple. What I’d be using. *shivers* couldn’t imagine. Lol.

  76. LOL this was a cute/funny article. But I don’t get why you’d be embarrassed. Thats how it is with me in public lol But i take pride in my ability to select tech of superior quality. I too have used mac since they came out in 1984 up until now :-)

    • Sergio Mayorga - 7 years ago

      “my ability to select tech of superior quality”? That gives a good hint at your overall level of life accomplishments.

  77. Luis Lopes - 10 years ago

    Almost every Apple new costumer feels the same way.

    The fact stronger than every argument is that, even if Apple products were ugly, i`d still buy them!!
    OSx is way better than any other Operative System in the market !

  78. Mark Demarsico - 10 years ago

    yea this was a good one, and i would prob feel the same as you in that coffee shop. but really it shows how you understand whats going on in tech now a days. your going to be the most connected and synced when all of your devices are in the same ecosystem, it sucks because the average joe isn’t going to know that. Also you kinda make it sound like you liked being that guy that didn’t want to use that device or brand that everyone else was using, i use to be the same way with the iPod and mini disk players lol, but now that every one basically has a iPhone you get to use proprietary features iOS offers more often…

  79. Air Burt - 10 years ago

    If someone walked into my house and saw all the Apple products I have, they’d think I’m a fanboi. Apple products just work for me and do exactly what I need.

    Btw: Mac Mini, 15″ MacBook Pro, 6th-gen 160GB iPod Classic, 3rd-gen iPad, iPhone 5, 4th- & 5th-gen AirPort Extreme, 2 AirPort Expresses, Apple TV and a table I made out of a sheet of glass and 2 old Mac Pro towers!

  80. Len Williams - 10 years ago

    Unfortunately Ben, you seem to be supporting and making a strong case FOR all the stereotypical slurs aimed at Apple users by Apple haters over the last 20 years. I disagree strongly with your opinion and discomfort at the possibility that someone might think you were “one of those types of Apple users”. Who cares what they think. You’ve fallen prey to the black PR campaign that’s been waged against Apple to make us out to be air-headed, tragically hip imbeciles who buy Apple products only to look cool.

    While Apple’s popularity in the iPhone/iPad department is undeniable, the vast majority of people I know still use Windows and Android devices. Not only that, this category of ignorant Apple fanboy/fanboi is, as far as my own experience is concerned, an entirely fictional entity. Not once have I ever met an Apple user who has fit the description of the type that buys Apple products simply to “be fashionable” or “because it’s expensive”.

    I admit that the possibility exists that there are indeed vapid and empty-headed Apple users, just as there are vapid and empty-headed Windows/Android users — but these same people will be as vapid and empty-headed about everything else in their lives, because that’s where they live.

    I have personally never met the type of show-off, know-nothing Apple user that fanbois are advertised to be. My experience has taught me completely the opposite, that Apple users tend as a group to be intelligent, well-educated people who know exactly what they’re buying and why. Maybe I just have a higher quality of friends and acquaintances, but I don’t really think so.

    Apple, in the eyes of haters, can NEVER do anything right. If products don’t sell well, they say “See, no one buys them”. If products sell by the boat load, they say “Oh you’re only buying it to follow the crowd.”

    I’m sorry you feel uncomfortable and even slightly apologetic about being an Apple user. Personally I don’t give a rat’s behind about what Apple haters may think about the devices I use. Technology and brand loyalty are a personal choices. We’re never going to change their minds, and being embarrassed about your devices is simply wasted effort.

    My advice: FLAUNT your Apple products. Revel in their beauty, durability, functionality and ease of use. Take pride that you love your products and made smart decisions. Remember that intelligent and rational people embrace the idea of tolerance and personal choice. Disregard the barbs and invitations to introvert.

    Don’t knuckle under to the knuckleheads. iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac your way contentedly through life — or make a personal choice and move to Windows and Android so you don’t feel so embarrassed.

  81. arnold a. (@arnolda2a) - 10 years ago

    haha awesome article! i totally can relate to everything you say in there! and god! those fashionista sure do get on my nerves… i believe that if you buy a certain product, you should know why you want it and what it can do!

  82. Amanda Derr - 10 years ago

    As a graphic designer I’ve had to use Apple computers as far back as when they looked like a 1952 Philco. Today I work in sculpture and have to confess to a secret pleasure going down to the local coffee shop and modeling a piece of clay while everyone else is immersed in their various electronica. Talk about looks. Clay; the new Apple.

  83. Hugh Massengill - 10 years ago

    Well, this Apple fan must compliment you on the artistry of this article…and here I am talking about the images and text, which look gorgeous on my 15″ retina Macbook Pro.
    Hugh Massengill, Eugene

  84. None of your arguments actually explain why you feel a tiny bit embarrassed to be seen using Apple products. If you, as a perfectly normal user of Apple products, can so easily tell all these stereotypes apart from the “real” normal users (given that your actual problem is that you could be mistaken for any of them), why can’t you rest assured that others will realise you’re the real deal also?

    I’m not sure your article actually serve up your point. I could even stretch as far as claiming the opposite. You’ve put yourself above all other Apple users, and by that also making yourself part of one of the stereotypes you despise: The “real” Apple user, which of course always sits above those you mentioned (possibly below those who were “real Mac users before it was cool”.).

    My rant has now become a mess, much like your article, and all those hundreds of identical articles out there over the last couple of years.

  85. Jonathan Belina - 10 years ago

    So you’re a hipster

  86. I know what you mean about the “fanbois.” I used to be one. But back in the mid-90’s you HAD to be, if you were going to be an Apple user. The whole world was on Windows 95, and Apple was putting out overpriced beige boxes with an OS that was really showing its age. Only idiots like me could stay the course, frothing at the mouth and damning Microsoft with every other breath. A Darwinian process winnowed out the non-fanbois. Once Apple got its act together, after Jobs returned, I could start to relax. Now that their market share is solid and their future assured, Apple can be just a choice for me, rather than a religion.

  87. I understand this embarrassment – I live in “fully-Android” environment. When I bought my first iPhone 2 years ago my friends and colleagues were really surprised, I can’t forget their astonished faces and silent comments like “Oh, you bought an iPhone? Why?”. They weren’t surprised though when somebody bought Samsung or HTC or any other Android device. In fact in those cases they acted like they hadn’t notice that somebody changed phone.
    So I think when someone buys Apple device then he should be prepared for comments and attention.

  88. Rob Homewood - 10 years ago

    You know I’ve been considering getting a mac as I’m a game developer and I want to be able to publish to iOS. The more I think about it and let myself get into the idea of it and the infrastructure, the happier I feel about it. Traditionally I think there has been a lot of hate towards the whole ‘Apple’ thing but I think that’s just the antithesis of the ‘Fanboi’ and is just typical of the types that comment hatred on youtube etc..

    Quite frankly I don’t think there is much out there on the market that can quite meet Apple’s products in terms of design. Well their computers anyways. I’m personally not so fond of their tablets and phones but I’ve really searched quite hard and its pretty difficult to find a laptop that can meet their attention to design.

    The hardware on both the 15″ and 13″ mbp is just incredible. especially the 15″ I think. The thing that a lot of ‘gamers’ get pissed off about is specs and it’s not difficult to see why. The technical specs on it’s core components are just simply not at all in line with their pricing. period. Graphics card power is not anywhere near an equivalently priced pc. Nor is the processor or the speed of the ram.. or the hard drive.

    But try to find something in the price range of the mbp that is designed as well (I’m mostly not talking about aesthetics here) at the same price and you will struggle. The Razor Blade looks really nice.. but they just literally copied the mac.. literally.

    The X-1 Carbon is probably the only thing I’ve found that comes close. but that’s only if you don’t take into account the software…

    I don’t think most people who own macs appreciate them tho. I’ve just finished my course at uni (in Virginia) and walking around the student center most people had macs. I really don’t think most of them appreciated or used them to their fullest. its just what ‘you’re supposed to have’ for many people.. I think that’s sad. Maybe that’s just me though. It just seems like although Apple is the ‘superior’ product, its no longer the ‘premium’ product.

    Actually something I’ve been thinking for a while is that surely there is room in the market for a new ‘premium’ laptop. Like if you wanna buy a laptop you spend $500 and you get enough for most need. If you’re in a business then maybe you spend $800 and get something a little better. If you’re a gamer then you spend $1500 on an Asus or MSI rig. And then you buy a mac ranging from $1000 – $2500 if you can afford it/need it for logic/ios dev/finalcut.

    But what then? what happens if you want to drop $15,000 on a laptop? (I can’t even afford a 13″ mbp atm so I’m not talking about myself here hehe) What can you get? A gold plated macbook air… :( I disapprove.

    Seriously, what is there? Like why is there no strata of ULTRA high end laptops? Maybe there is and I just haven’t found it yet? What about military grade laptops (I’m assuming their aesthetics won’t be as good).

    What about a battery that lasts a week and fits into a mb air/ super thin? What about a graphics card that’s cooled using some crazy thing and is clocked at crazy levels with stupid amounts of ram?

    I just think it’s incredible that the absolute high end is within grasp of typical consumers.. that’s not how the automobile industry is?

    I’m just ranting now so I apologize. If anyone can correct me on this issue, please do I’m really interested to know what else is out there?

  89. varera (@real_varera) - 10 years ago

    read that twice, still could not get the point about being embarrassed. is it only me? what is he trying to say?

  90. ralph diaz (@ocralph714) - 10 years ago

    Great article!! I at times feel the exact same way when I am sitting in coffee shops!!

  91. Kevin A (@kevinsky) - 10 years ago

    Oddly enough, it’s the lunatic Android fanboys I encounter almost daily on the internet that make me want to hide my Android phone in my pocket most of the time. They’re so… angry…

    I try to hide behind a statement like “just so you know, I’m typing this on a Samsung when I say that they’re both good platforms and they both have their strengths and weaknesses, and I think your raving attacks on people who choose a different phone than you is pretty unreasonable, and also, you’re insulting my wife” But its no good. Call them on their madness and they go even madder, and not even my effing ginormous Note 3 can shield me from their bile.

    Don’t worry, I’m typing this on a Retina macbook pro while I warm my feet on a mac pro :)

  92. Bobby Collins - 10 years ago

    I agree. I have always used macs. Bought a 13″ retina last year and it has been a rockstar. My girlfriend has a PC laptop and she is constantly fighting viruses. The mac just works and the retina screen looks great. I will always pay more to get a tool that just…works.

  93. SKI USA INC (@skiusainc) - 10 years ago

    Thanks for sharing this interesting article with us. I guess each and every apple customer has same feeling. But I like apple products because Apple stays at least two years ahead of its competitors and they offer great customer service and in-store experiences. Moreover iPhone app development is currently in trend as Apple is one the most valuable brands in the world. People like me really want to build carrier in it.
    Thanks

  94. Diego Deleon Correa - 10 years ago

    I am 43. I have used Apple computers since I was in middle school. The first computer I used was an Apple IIe. Later on my parents bought me an used Apple IIe, and was my first computer. In the early 90s I owned an all in on McIntosh and then an Apple clone. I have only willingly purchased one windows machine during my college years, and boy did i regret that. After that one mistake, I have alway owned macs. I have a MacBook Air, mac mini, iMac, iPad and iPhone. I have been a mac user when it was viewed as a cult. We were the rebels, the ones who saw beyond the normal. Now many of the windows people have moved to macs, but still don’t understand what it is to be a “Mackie”. I don’t care what anyone says, there is nothing like a mac, there is no operating system like OS X. Windows is and will always be a hazzle.

  95. A. Mac (@druillu) - 10 years ago

    I only developed an appreciation for Apple over the last couple years since my girlfriend introduced me to it but it seriously took over everything with its effortlessness. It started with a cheap little MacBook on Craigslist, then I got tired of my Android phone heating up and discharging the battery for no reason and replaced that with an iPhone. Now I’ve replaced my windows workstation with an iMac and an iPad, and they all work perfectly in sync- a feat that was totally impossible with my Galaxy S Note 10.1, HTC phone and Windows. Just the time saved in effortless syncing alone has easily paid for the premium price of Apple products. What’s more, using them is a joy. It’s enjoyable to go to work and use the trackpad on my MacBook for everything from surfing to drawing beaker curves in Illustrator, never once feeling the need for a mouse.

    I don’t care what other people use. I used to prattle on about how much better android was myself and spend hours and hours tearing my hair out with home brew mods- until I actually tried something else. I can’t put a custom rom on my iPhone but I can go to Starbucks with nothing but my MacBook and gets shit done, do it comfortably, and then go home to my big iMac screen and pickup right where I left off without a second thought. That’s awesome right there.. That’s productivity.

  96. Once upon a time a man, who wasn’t stupid becouse he didn’t own any apple product and never bought them :)

  97. Josh Taylor (@JoshDT001) - 9 years ago

    I share this view

  98. Rebecca Davies - 9 years ago

    I loved your article, actually I love your style of writing… I keep laughing out loud… it does take me a back though when some do not recognize the “tongue in cheek”, guess my late Mancunian hubby trained me well… just keep writing so we can keep enjoying out here… thanks.

  99. Tee Jay - 9 years ago

    I totally get what you are saying, my first iPhone I got was being cheeky to my phone suppliers and said I would only upgrade if it was an iPhone, when my tablet contract ran out I asked for the iPad Air 2. I wanted to have Netflix, and because I was happy with what I had of Apple the logical choice was the Apple TV (not only that, but being able to ‘throw’ youtube from iPad to TV is just cool), lastly I want to do some serious audio and video editing, and again the logical choice was the Mac. If I have become a fanboy then so be it, as all these devices play nicely together rather than the hybrid I had before, which was a mashup of android and windows, alongside Linux.

    Apple has made my life easier and I feel that I have embraced tech again, did I also say how nicely they play with each other?

  100. It is a very hard thing to explain to someone, especially an apple hater why i love apple products so much.
    They for me are mostly beautiful industrial designs and work silky smooth……..Always well supported the list could go on and on.
    I say if you can afford apple then go apple paying the extra is well worth it in my opinion and millions of others all around the world.

  101. Amber - 8 years ago

    Nice article !
    Though it’s 2016 now, I feel exactly the same as the author did!
    Love Apple simply because it works so seamlessly 😄

  102. Kenneth Lustro - 8 years ago

    I feel this same way too! I’ve been a Windows user for over 10 years, and when I first really got into mobile tech Android was my choice; my phone and tablet were both Nexus devices. But within the last year I’ve been transitioning over; I got my first mac last year (an old 2008 MacBook…so I could test the waters) and within the last five months or so I’ve added an iPhone and an iPad to the mix. All of my tech friends are still on the Windows/Android side of things, and most of them don’t care, but I do still get teased a little for going from “Apple can suck a big one” to “I use them every day now”. I still feel embarrassed whenever I walk into an Apple Store to check something. You’d think I was going to the adult book store with how secretive I get. Actually I think I’m more open about going to the porn shop than I am the Apple Store…

  103. Josh Mack - 7 years ago

    Haha, I feel the exact same. I own almost all of Apple’s technology. An Apple Watch, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Air 2, and MacBook Pro. I couldn’t agree more with what he said. I’m pretty sure almost every Apple customer feels this way, lol.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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