10 Things We Love About Apple

If there were no real Steve Jobs, there'd be no fake one either, and that would be a shame. The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs is a satirical blog written by an anonymous, often dead-on voice channeling the real Steve Jobs. It's both a hilarious read and an influential commentary on tech issues such as Tim O'Reilly's proposed Blogger's Code of Conduct. (And yes, we know that Fake Steve's targets have included . . . well, us.)

Warning: Reading the blog will quickly prove why the Fake Steve Jobs (also known as FSJ) is on the wrong side of that blogger code of conduct. He--whoever he may really be--frequently strays across the line of political correctness.

Is it really that surprising that Apple's attractive retail stores succeeded where Gateway's bovine-themed shops didn't? A visit to one of Apple's 170 worldwide locations, especially the 24-hour Fifth Avenue New York City store sitting beneath a giant glass cube, is an experience. A young, hip, and technically knowledgeable staff is friendly without being hard-sell. They won't boot you out for using the Macs and free Wi-Fi. There might be a wait for service, but you can sign up to get your tech support questions answered by a tech at the Genius Bar. While you're waiting, check out the digital lifestyle shows on GarageBand, iMovie, or other Mac applications. Apple has managed to turn a computer into a day at a digital park. And it's all free--unless, of course, you impulse-buy a Mac.

The rest of the PC retail industry, by contrast, is typified by CompUSA, the dreary, entertainment-free chain that recently announced plans to shutter more than half of its locations. In other words, an average Windows box isn't just less fun to use than a Mac; it's also less fun to buy.

8. 50 Bucks Saved in Security Software

For Windows types, Patch Tuesday, ActiveX exploits, and zero-day threats are all ugly facts of life. For Mac users, however, they're white noise. Some security companies may try to tell you differently--and proof-of-concept viruses written just to prove you can infect a Mac exist. And it's true that Apple must regularly release fixes for vulnerabilities that hackers could use to cause trouble.

But the fact remains, if you're on a Mac, you're safe from real-world viruses, worms, Trojans, and most other baddies. The notable exception, of course, is if you're running Windows via Boot Camp or Parallels.

Chalk it up to superior security practices or limited market sharea??or, most likely, a little of botha??but even with Mac security a much-discussed topic on the Net, most malware writers seem to be focusing their attention elsewhere, at least for now.

Starting with the Orwellian dystopia of IBM PC users depicted in the very first Mac ad, some Apple advertising has been more than a tad sanctimonious. But the current "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" spots are a breath of fresh air time. Both campaigns spawned innumerable online parodies, because they're simple, clever, and funny, even if we do insist that we're more like the hip Mac character played by Justin Long (aka Warren P. Cheswick from "Ed") than to John Hodgman, the actor and writer cast as PC.

We're not so sure about some of the claims in the ads--hey, Apple, a Windows PC can do a lot more than crunch numbers--but we do know that the commercials are more entertaining than some of the programs they interrupt. What's your favorite? Click the Comment link below and let us know.

One of us, and we're not saying who, had a clear, curvy stand and a power-pink cover for a 12-inch PowerBook, a green sequined case and a retro-styled speaker set for an iPod, a lighted USB hub, and a USB multimedia controller. They're all from a cottage industry in Apple accessories, including companies like Griffin Technology and FastMac (with its new slot-loading Blu-ray Disc drive for iMacs)--an industry that sprang up around Macs and iPods, and makes both extremely attractive and well-designed peripherals. They're a part of what make the Mac experience.

Got a computer or MP3 player manufactured by just about anyone else? Good luck finding more than a teeny-tiny fraction of the accessories you'll find for even the most mundane Apple products.

Read the companion piece to this story, "Ten Things We Hate About Apple."