> Remember how Apple guys used to be? Hip, smart, creative -- perhaps a subtle hint of smugness and self satisfaction -- but fiercely free thinkers? Uh, no? Th

> Remember how Apple guys used to be? Hip, smart, creative -- perhaps a subtle hint of smugness and self satisfaction -- but fiercely free thinkers? Uh, no? Thats the marketing image that apple always portrayed as a 'lifestyle' brand. Some amount of their customers certainly liked to think of themselves that way, but simply owning a premium piece of hardware does not make you any of those things. Nowadays apple is a wildly successful consumer products manufacturer, owning the same phone as all of your friends does not make you a 'fiercely free thinker', any more than having a blueberry iMac in 1996 did. edit added a bit more, but removed it.