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This quote is so overused it's basically a tech trope. The point is that, at the time, the iPod was a niche product, with several huge flaws. Subsequent iterat

by untog 10y ago

This quote is so overused it's basically a tech trope. The point is that, at the time, the iPod was a niche product, with several huge flaws. Subsequent iterations of the iPod fixed those flaws, but that doesn't mean you should have bought a v1 iPod. It made much more sense to wait. Exactly the same logic applies to the Airpods. Suggesting that people can't criticise them because at some point in the future the product line will become successful is asinine.

tormeh 10y ago
No, the iPod took what was a technically good-enough product category and slapped on a UI that didn't suck. UI is often the most important part of a product, and basically only Apple really got it when it came to MP3-players.
- izacus 10y ago
  And it got really successful only on second or third iteration, when it got rid of silly stuff like Mac-only compatibility.
- untog 10y ago
  But the first device still had huge weaknesses. Firewire-only, Mac-only, and small storage compared to the competition. Not only that, the first iPod wasn't a success, it took a few iterations for Apple to get it right. My point is that this initial criticism of the iPod was not wrong. It was a flawed device. It was eventually improved into a successful device, but using that logic to shut down any criticism of future products is just silly.
- rospaya 10y ago
  Except Apple nicked the UI from Creative Labs. https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-settles-with-creative-for-100-million-1/ https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-settles-with-creative-for-10...
  - ascagnel_ 10y ago
    > The patent covers an interface that lets users navigate through a tree of expanding options, such as selecting an artist, then a particular album by that artist, then a specific song from that album, said Phil O'Shaughnessy, a Creative spokesman. The software UI (especially as described by that spokesman) is somewhat obvious. That said, the hardware UI of the iPod (click-wheel) was miles ahead of what Creative and others were offering (D-pads).
AceJohnny2 10y ago
> This quote is so overused it's basically a tech trope. OK, how about "The only problem is that you have to install something. See, it's not the same as USB drive.", the top comment in response to the Dropbox announcement on HN, 9 years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 It's a cliche because we techies are particularly bad at recognizing the mass-market appeal of products. What seems easy to us can be an unsurmountable hurdle for the target market, and what we may perceive as an unnecessary flourish can turn out to be an essential quality-of-life feature. It's a cliche because we keep doing it.

by untog 10y ago

tormeh 10y ago

No, the iPod took what was a technically good-enough product category and slapped on a UI that didn't suck. UI is often the most important part of a product, and basically only Apple really got it when it came to MP3-players.

izacus 10y ago
And it got really successful only on second or third iteration, when it got rid of silly stuff like Mac-only compatibility.
untog 10y ago
But the first device still had huge weaknesses. Firewire-only, Mac-only, and small storage compared to the competition. Not only that, the first iPod wasn't a success, it took a few iterations for Apple to get it right. My point is that this initial criticism of the iPod was not wrong. It was a flawed device. It was eventually improved into a successful device, but using that logic to shut down any criticism of future products is just silly.
rospaya 10y ago
Except Apple nicked the UI from Creative Labs. https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-settles-with-creative-for-100-million-1/ https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-settles-with-creative-for-10...
- ascagnel_ 10y ago
  > The patent covers an interface that lets users navigate through a tree of expanding options, such as selecting an artist, then a particular album by that artist, then a specific song from that album, said Phil O'Shaughnessy, a Creative spokesman. The software UI (especially as described by that spokesman) is somewhat obvious. That said, the hardware UI of the iPod (click-wheel) was miles ahead of what Creative and others were offering (D-pads).

AceJohnny2 10y ago

> This quote is so overused it's basically a tech trope. OK, how about "The only problem is that you have to install something. See, it's not the same as USB drive.", the top comment in response to the Dropbox announcement on HN, 9 years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 It's a cliche because we techies are particularly bad at recognizing the mass-market appeal of products. What seems easy to us can be an unsurmountable hurdle for the target market, and what we may perceive as an unnecessary flourish can turn out to be an essential quality-of-life feature. It's a cliche because we keep doing it.