Consistencies in Apple and Google Product Design

Many people have compared Apple's and Google's recent projects, such as their tablets and smartphones, saying they're quite similar. While I disagree with this statement (I hold true to the opinion that Apple products are higher quality; I'm a fan of end-to-end integration), I understand where the similarity is drawn from. Google's list of Ten Things We Know To Be True is oddly reminiscent of many of Apple's core values (such as #9). The one Fact that stands out in relation to Apple, however, is Fact #2: It's best to do one thing really, really well.

Reading this fact brought to mind images of Jobs's triumphant return to Apple, where he gloriously cut down the product list from hundreds of projects to just 4. Interestingly enough, although Apple's focus began on the personal computer and Google's focus began on a search engine, but the two companies product lines still converged on tablets, applications, and cellphones. Both reached these product lines by way of their own respective focus, though, and these differences show in the products themselves. Apple's desktop (or laptop) became a center to which all mobile devices (phones, cameras, ipods) were synced. Google's products, on the other hand, stem from the ambition to personalize the internet to each specific user (a goal more in sync with Fact #1). The result is a lot of information collection.

While the business models for Apple and Google follow many of the same ideals, the products themselves are quite different. I say this with some level of reserve, however, because I used to be a firm supporter of the PC over the Mac. I have since changed my mind, and may do so again. At this level in the game, however, Apple has presented a series of seamless, intuitively designed products that aren't compatible or customizable to the extend of an Android or a Chromebook, but run faster and more conveniently. The Ten Things We Know To Be True have clearly been utilized by both Google and Apple, but in my opinion they've been utilized better at Apple.

I haven't mentioned the Google search engine yet, and for good reason. I believe that Google has done an impressive job personalizing search results and advertisements to users, however I am fundamentally against the idea. I believe that by providing selective information to individuals, Google may be contributing to one of two things: a super-impressional "hive-mind" type online community, or a community unopen to change, due to constant reinforcement of beliefs. Both of these extremes are just that, extreme, but moving toward any extreme is never a good start.

Connecting "Love & Marriage" to Themes of Technology and Religion

I initially had some trouble connecting the ideas presented about Love & Marriage in chapter 4 of Habits of the Heart with the larger ideas of religion an technology this class focuses on. The default thought process I went through had me wondering how technology could possibly provide the satisfaction and confidence that a healthy relationship provides. Providing an online community of like-minded individuals is one thing, but attempting to supplement the most intimate relationship possible seems futile.

After a bit of reflection, however, I realized I was thinking about the connection backwards. Instead of supplementing the type of connection found in an intimate relationship, technology has worked to bring together the cyber-world and the "real" world. This can be seen, at a basic level, in websites such as eHarmony.com. In a broader sense, one can see examples of this on Facebook as well. In an ironic paradoxical twist, however, these forms of online communication have only served to create a generation of less socially-adept individuals, due to the ability to hide behind an online 'shield'. 

This is not to say our generation as a whole is less socially-adept, however. But the individuals who overcome hiding behind an online shield generally wouldn't need to utilize an online service to fulfill their romantic needs in the first place. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that technology's potential influence on an individuals intimate relationships is relatively limited, due to the purely human aspect of the subject.

The iPad: Convenience or Clutter?

I've always been wary of the necessity of an iPad in our culture. Or, the necessity of tablet computers at all for that matter. Seeing the progress of Apple devices, however, I fully understand why Jobs felt it necessary to end his triumphant streak of ever-simplifying products with such a sleek device. I've never had one, but from what I can tell they're basically a laptop with no keyboard and less storage, which leaves me wondering why I, personally, would ever want one.

Pondering the necessity of tablet computers brings to mind the uncluttered and simple beginners mind that was spoken of by Shunryu Suzuki. At first glance, it may appear as though this device is a reflection of this philosophy, uncluttered with no keyboard and simple with only the necessary storage. However, given the need for a computer to sync and dock the iPad, this tablet changes from an all-in-one personal device to an extra-large iPhone that can't really make phone calls. (And it if can make phone calls, it probably shouldn't.) I feel as though this device is superfluous for the same reasons that the MacBook Air is obsolete. It has the price and allure of a small laptop computer, while lacking some of the basic necessities of such a device; namely, a CD drive and hard disk storage. Something about storing an entire personal device's information database on a flash storage device seems extremely risky to me.

Call me old fashioned, but I like my devices small and my computers powerful, whereas we seem to be witnessing a convergence of the two in certain Apple products. Henceforth, an iPad will probably not be on my list of future purchases; at least as long as my MacBook Pro is in working condition.

As I stated earlier, however, the iPad's place in Steve Jobs' life, as well as in Apple's product history, is impressive. One can only fathom the idea of presenting such small and innovative personal computer devices in the same lifetime as inventing some of the first personal computers. I sometimes forget how young the computer industry really is, and thinking about the range of Steve Jobs' Apple products puts that timeline into perspective.

Jony Ive's Unseen Contribution to Apple

One thing that struck me out of this week's reading is the fact that Jony Ive has been of monumental importance to Apple's product design, yet I've never heard of him before. I found it a pleasure to read about Ive (except for the fact that I continually misread his name as the contraction I've), and I think the very fact that I've never heard of him says something about Steve Jobs.

Ive and Jobs worked together to design the aesthetics of Apple products. And what I mean by that is: Ive designed thousands of prototypes for Apple products, and Jobs gave the thumbs up or thumbs down, while taking most (or all) of the credit. Frequently Jobs would state Ive's ideas as his own, according to the biography.

I understand the role Jobs played as figurehead at Apple, but I feel as though he overstepped his bounds by undermining the credit given to Ive. In fact, this chapter left be wondering what exactly it was that Jobs did at Apple, besides improve morale and rally the work force. In the past I found myself wondering what would become of Apple now that Steve Jobs is dead. I could imagine any number of market flop products because Apple's guiding light has ceased to shine. But now I feel as though as long as Ives is alive and at Apple, they haven't lost too much footing since Jobs' demise.

Ive designing an iMac

Ive listening to Jobs take credit for his design

Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Buddhism, & Steve Jobs

Watching video recordings of Shunryu Suzuki's teachings, one gains a broader understanding of how Steve Jobs implemented the ideals of Zen Buddhism into his product designs. Fundamentally it is difficult to compare physical technology to religion. But when product design plays such a large role in a company, and when aesthetics are an important part of the user experience, one can see how Suzuki's teachings of the Beginner's Mind influenced the user interface and physical design of Apple Products.




The idea of the Beginner's Mind, uncluttered and simple, can be seen in many aspects of Apple products. The idea that even a child can use these products has long been held by Jobs himself, who once suggested that the Macintosh computer would not come with a user's manual. Despite this false claim, Apple has done an impressive job of designing products that people can often use intuitively.

One area we do not see a reflection of Zen Buddhism, however, is in Jobs' personality. Although he had an impressive ability to control his diet, his personal and work affairs were anything but uncluttered and simple. Jobs seemed to make enemies far too often, even doing so to those he was closest too. Whether this flaw is a result of his adoption is hard to say, though the biography certainly makes that argument at times. The bottom line is, in my opinion, Zen Buddhism had a much greater influence on Apple as a whole, rather than Steve Jobs as an individual.

Reflection on Jobs (Week 1)

About halfway through my last blog, it dawned on me that I was taking on a praiseful tone of Steve Jobs, perhaps a bit more than I intended or rightly agree with. While I respect the level of charisma he displays, as well as his impressive ability to motivate people, I also believe that it is important to view Jobs in perspective. During his first round at Apple, many people hated working with Jobs, and while many would later come to appreciate the creative value of their time at Apple, it is apparent that Jobs stepped on a few too many toes.

Just as the people surrounding Jobs changed their opinions of him with time, I find myself changing my personal opinions about his morals and conduct more than I probably should if I plan to convey a consistent message in this blog post. With a bit of reflection, however, I've narrowed my opinion of Jobs down to two completely opposing statements.

1. Steve Jobs was a creative genius who took well designed hardware and software, packaged and marketed it with exceptional skill, and influenced the computer industry to appeal more to the individual.

2. Steve Jobs was a "shithead" who took other people's products, marketed them as his own, reaped all the rewards, and was extremely abusive to those around him, including his friends and family.

However these two opinions only consider Steve in relation to Apple, whereas I would hope to consider his spiritual views in my opinion of him as a person. Everything from his belief in LSD as a spiritual tool to his natural dislike of authority figures create an image of Steve Jobs as a technological follow-up of the Counter-Culture, and it is this image that tends to swing my opinion of Jobs to the "positive" end of the spectrum. While I can conclude that I probably would not have wanted to work under Jobs, that does not stop me from appreciating him as an entrepreneurial and spiritual example to follow. There are lessons to be learned from Jobs' story, both good and bad, and he himself admits it. History will remember Steve Jobs as a creative genius whether we like it or not, and with time everyone Jobs ever pissed off will, like Jobs, be dead. Perhaps we judge Jobs harsher than other historic figures because of his recency, or perhaps because his impression on our everyday lives is so obvious. But who  knows if Alexander Graham Bell was a dick or not? And we know Edgar Allen Poe was just as harsh to the people around him. In the end, I think we must reflect on the impact he left on the world as a whole, not on the emotional doormats of a few individuals.

Steve Jobs Commencement Speech Reflection

Steve Jobs seems to be the type who can appreciate the finer details in life, such as the benefits (and drawbacks) of eating a fully vegetarian diet, and the workings of the inner drives that keep us motivated throughout life. This quality is fully appreciated in his Commencement Speech given at Stanford University in 2005. Steve Jobs, standing in front of an awe-inspired crowd in a black and red robe that may or may not have once belonged to Anton Lavey, fully takes on the role of Cult Leader when urging the students to appreciate life using heavily-weighted stories of abandonment, success, failure, and death. Watching this address one has no quandaries as to how Jobs motivated those underneath him to produce such fantastic products as the Macintosh and the iPod.

During the address, however, it is clear we are viewing a completely different Jobs than we saw at the premier of the "1984" commercial. The blind confidence and proud ecstasy we see in his eyes in 1984 has vanished twenty-one years later, revealing a version of Jobs that is just as introspective, but much wiser. Having lost and regained the company he created and loved, as well as brushing far too closely with death, Jobs seems content with his life choices. The same smug look stains his face, however, as he takes cheap shots at Microsoft (in the name of good humor), and tells students that dropping out was the best choice of his life. His 'third story' on death ended on a serious note, with Jobs stating that he tries to live every day like it was his last, and by urging the students to do the same. There is no way Jobs could have known that his cancer would come back only 6 years later, but he was surely prepared for it. Steve concludes by leaving the students with the inspirational words from the final issue of the Whole Earth catalogue "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" to a backdrop of slightly displeased looking Stanford College officials. Although the delivery of this speech was more formal than his earlier, more youthful speeches, he is still able to connect with the student body in a unique way, drawing upon the less pure energies that keep people motivated, such as intuition and emotion as opposed to simple reason and logic. In this way, Jobs demonstrates the kind of impressive charisma that can change the world.

When considering which technologies have affected my life in the most drastic ways a multitude of technological luxuries I currently enjoy come to mind. Starting with the obvious, my iPod Touch (1st Gen.) has been by my side for almost 7 years now, and my desktop computer has accompanied me on many a sleepless night. Then there's my GPS, which has become more of a crutch than anything else. The fact of the matter is, most of these technologies are more burdensome than helpful. The iPod is glitchy, the computer is slow, and the GPS gets me lost more often than before I had one. And my smartphone? Well, to be honest it's cool, but I could do without it. I've only had a smartphone for a few months, and the novelty wears off pretty quick. Sure I can access Facebook wherever I want, but it freezes up far too often and needs to be charged with infuriating frequency.

To be honest, I could do without a lot of these luxuries. However, there is one thing I recently acquired that has really changed my outlook on the potential of certain technologies; it's what I'm typing this blog on right now: my Macbook Pro. It's portable, light, twice as powerful as my desktop with twice as much memory. But most of all, it's quite simply the best combination of user-friendliness and capability that I've ever seen. I've never had a Mac, but I've used them before and have always concluded that the PC was far superior. But with the new OSX operating system, dual-boot capabilities, and integration with other apple products, this laptop makes being efficient fun. It's as useful as a desktop and as cool as an iPad, and about as expensive as the two combined. But hey, I couldn't resist shelling out a few extra bucks to partake in the Apple craze.