A Financial Slant

Tech Journalists Are the Last Group to Understand the iPad Pro

11/12/2018

Nilay Patel Is Wrong, Again

During the month of October, Apple seeded their iPad Pro with tech journalists in order to get advance reviews published the week of the launch. Only this group completely missed the mark of what an iPad is and who it’s for. I listened to Nilay Patel of The Verge go on and on in his podcast about how the iPad isn’t a real computer. He may as well have talked for thirty minutes about how the Earth must be flat. Because the fact that the iPad isn’t a real computer is news to people like me who’ve been using it as their primary computing device for years. In fact, I’m typing this blog post out on my 10.5” iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard cover in a restaurant.

The Apple Watchification of the iPhone

11/4/2018

You could make a pretty good case that Apple uses the Apple Watch as a test bed for future iPhone design decisions. If you look at the new iPhone X and XS design of the bulbous stainless steel circling the black glass, I can’t help but think of the Apple Watch. I’m not complaining. It’s a beautiful design that ‘s ruined me on aluminum forever. I love the look of stainless steel and how easily it can be buffed to a brilliant shine.

The Problem With Tesla's Q3 Profit

10/28/2018

Tesla Is In Worse Shape Than I Would Have Predicted

I’m glad that I published my book regarding the problems with Tesla back in 2017. Because thus far, everything that I’ve predicted about Tesla is coming true and I can't be accused of changing my story. I predicted the manufacturing and quality problems that would arise from skipping the Model 3 line qualification. Later, I predicted that Tesla was running a 2nd line separate and apart from their main line to goose production numbers. And I also predicted that Musk’s bragging about his production spike was due to the usual 4th of July swing and his numbers would immediately drop.

If You Like Real Buttons, You Should Like 3D Touch

10/28/2018

3D Touch Plus Siri Shortcuts Is the Future

The iPhone XR was released this week to much fanfare. But don’t ask me about it because my non-existent dream phone would be a ceramic-cased iPhone 6–sized phone with a 5.5"edge-to-edge screen. My iPhone XS is a tad too large, but the iPhone SE is way too small.

Google’s True Mission: Android Users Are the Fish

10/20/2018

At the Google Pixel unveiling, Google took some time to describe their broader mission. Only they actually didn’t. Google tried to describe their mission as making people’s lives better via intelligent assistance. But that’s not their true mission at all. I’ve never heard of a company describing their mission by completely ignoring their largest group of customers.

Tech Companies Are Killing Photography

10/13/2018

I Want Real Photographs, Not Photorealistic Paintings

The age of computational photography is killing real photography. A more fitting term might be something along the lines of “artistic interpretation”.

Where the iPad Still Beats the iPhone XS Max

10/10/2018

I’ve written steadily on this blog about how I prefer using my iPad for just about everything over my unwieldy MacBook Pro. That’s because the iPad gives me the perfect balance of power, screen size, and portability that works for my lifestyle.

MoviePass Has a Better Chance at Survival Than Tesla

10/8/2018

MoviePass and Tesla are both in the same boat. They’ve both built up a rabid fan following by delivering products and services at less than their cost. Both also have staved off implosion by requesting fresh infusions of cash from investors. And yet, it’s odd that many who predict that MoviePass has a rendezvous with bankruptcy, believe that somehow Tesla will flourish as a future power player in the auto industry. When in reality, MoviePass is the business which possesses the clearer path to prosperity.

Thoughts on the Series 4 Apple Watch

9/30/2018

If You Have Bad Eyes or a Bad Heart, This Is the Watch for You

When the original Apple Watch came out, most of the reviews drove me crazy. They were written by people who didn’t like it and didn’t seem to know what they would really want in a wearable. They couldn’t envision why anyone would want a smart watch. And they couldn’t articulate what they wanted in the next version.

How Tesla's Board of Directors Can Salvage Their Reputation

9/22/2018

Much has been made about Tesla’s second-half margins by analysts who think that this is when Tesla may finally turn the corner and be profitable. But for reasons I’m about to bring to light, the third and fourth quarters may have materially misstated gross margins. Especially the fourth quarter.

The Apple Watch Enters Its Final Phase

9/22/2018

When the Apple Watch was released back in 2015, I was certain that Apple was serious about dominating this category and wouldn’t be content to simply dabble in it like their hobby product, the Apple TV. That’s because it looked to me like Apple had made a stark departure from their usual practice of only offering high-margin products. In this case they were willing to price the Apple Watch at near breakeven.

Conservatives: Leave Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg Alone

9/15/2018

It’s surprising to me when free-market capitalists speak about using government power over Facebook and Twitter the way socialist Democrats speak about using government power over General Electric or Exxon. How they can so hypocritically call for regulations on private corporations is beyond my reconciliation.

Long Live the Retail Industry

9/10/2018

I couldn’t wait to share this article by Greg Satell at Inc. Online about how opening physical retail stores is becoming somewhat of a hot trend all of a sudden.

Why the iPhone Needs 3D Touch

9/8/2018

I’m quite surprised to hear the latest rumors that Apple is removing 3D Touch from future iPhones. 3D Touch has always struck me as the perfect way to add a set of “cheat moves” with which to add features to a device with limited screen real estate. This would be a big mistake for a couple of reasons.

It's Time for an Apple TV

9/3/2018

Speculation was going on hot and heavy for about a year right after the 2011 Steve Jobs biography came out that Apple was going to release an Apple Branded TV. At the time, I had a hard time coming up with a reason why Apple should do it. What advancements in display or interface design could Apple bring to make me want to pay a premium?

Upcoming Series 4 Apple Watch Appears the Same but Slimmer

8/30/2018

9to5mac had a big scoop today with what looks like an official Apple photo of the yet-to-be announced Series 4 Apple Watch. I think it looks gorgeous with the new rose gold stainless steel finish and the larger watch faces.

The iPad Is Still a Primarily Portrait Device

8/29/2018

I was listening to the latest podcast episode of Upgrade where one of the co-hosts, Jason Snell, stated that the iPad is a primarily horizontal device. I couldn’t disagree with Jason more. Unlike the MacBook, and this is partly why I prefer my iPad, you can choose to use your iPad in either portrait or horizontal mode. Whatever fits the task at hand.

The Graveyard of Tech Myths

8/26/2018

Don't Doubt Me

Forgive me for taking somewhat of a victory lap, but when I saw this recent article about how phone prices topping $1,000 have become normal, I couldn’t help but think “I told you so.” And it reminded me about a couple of other theories I have addressed that have since fallen out of favor.

Don't Get Too Excited about Apple's Services Revenue

8/18/2018

Unlike a lot of Wall Street analysts who follow Apple, I’m not too excited about Apple’s growth in services revenue. As I’ve written two years ago, Apple’s future is not in services. In fact, the nature of Apple’s services makes them more dependent on hardware sales than ever. What do I mean by that?

Elon Musk's Desperate Attempt to Sneak Out the Back Door

8/14/2018

Jeb Kinnison over at the Mansion Engineer website wrote an absolutely devastating critique of Tesla’s Solar Roof product. I highly recommend that you read the whole article here after this short excerpt.

Kudos to Apple for Spiking InfoWars

8/12/2018

Let the Apolitical Banning Begin

I’ve been a little disappointed lately at all the criticism of Apple from sources which I considered to be pro-business. If Apple wants to kick Alex Jones off of their platform, it’s their right as the sole owners of their platform. It’s as simple as that.

Taking Only an iPad Pro to College Is Great!

8/10/2018

Anyone who’s been reading my blog for very long knows what a huge proponent I am of using tablets in the business world. I appreciate the flexible hardware nature of the iPad which allows it to be held like a book, lay flat like a tablet, or accept whatever keyboard I want and sit up like a laptop.

But today I’m doing something a little different. My daughter finished her freshman year at college this spring and wanted to discuss what it’s like going “all in” on the iPad Pro for college. Like her father, she is not a writer, but she has first hand experience and a perspective which I cannot bring. I also thought it might be helpful for other parents with kids about to go off to school.

—Robert Perez

The Men Who Built America, Part II

8/4/2018

As Apple hit the never-before-reached milestone of becoming the first trillion-dollar company in the history of mankind, I pondered for a bit the significance of that.

The One Question I’d Pose to Tesla in This Week’s Analyst Call

7/29/2018

Tesla May Be in Bigger Trouble Than We Thought

If there was one question I could ask on Tesla’s conference call with investors it would be this. What is the July average weekly order rate for cars? And I’d specifically ask the CFO, not Elon Musk.

What I Want from watchOS 6

7/28/2018

I still find the Apple Watch the most exciting product that Apple offers these days. The iPhone and the iPad have matured as fully featured devices and most people have a hard time vocalizing what new features they might want from these tools in the future.

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