You just knew that Apple had caught a breeze when the iPod became a cultural icon representing digital music players. It was the product to which all comers were compared, and they ended up wanting. One by one, the iPod killers arrived, and one by one they failed, or gained a minor share of the […]

I realize that the iPad 2 remains a huge sellout around the globe. Of course there have been concerns that the earthquake in Japan is disrupting the manufacturing process, because of the impending parts shortages. With most consumer electronics gear these days, parts and assembly equipment are sourced from a number of countries. Japan is […]

As the iPad 2 remains sold out most anywhere, the only question is whether Apple can build enough to satisfy the demand. But there’s another cloud hanging over production, which is the impact of the earthquake in Japan. Since many semiconductor parts are built there, any slowdown or halt in manufacturing is bound to cause […]

When Michael Dell, in one of the major bone-headed statements of the last century, suggested that Apple should close down and return all the money to their investors, he was only echoing the conventional wisdom of the time. Apple was in trouble, losing sales and hemorrhaging cash, so it couldn’t possibly be saved. History shows […]