SERIOUSLY?! (Tech Blog Edition)

 think by now I’ve made my disdain for tech blogs and tech bloggers pretty evident. So then, why can’t I stop reading reviews on various tech that I’m kind of curious about?

A few things you should probably know about me, I’m fairly new to the tech blog review world because up until my transition into the Windows Phone market I’ve never had need for it. As an Apple user my choices were Macbook, Macbook Pro, Macbook Air and iMac. All built by Apple and all really great, the only real choices depended solely upon your needs, I always loved it because it was simple and did everything I needed (and continues to do so). But my Windows 8 phone has been a bit of a slippery slope into the Windows world for me and as a Mac user that’s put me in a particularly precarious position (try saying that five times fast). I don’t want to get rid of my Macbook Pro by any means, but the OSX UI is getting sort of tiresome… I think my real issue is that I want Metro for the Macbook. Some could (and sort of have) argued that Mac has had it for years, in Dashboard, but Dashboard to me is sort of like Ping, a failed experiment that outstayed it’s welcome and really just needs to die (thankfully Ping recently did. Back when I got my first Macbook in 2006, I had loved Dashboard, that love lasted all of about six months. The problem is that the way Apple set it up, Dashboard is a world away and for most computer users, it just isn’t worth the trip.

For a while now people have been ringing the death knell for Apple, and in a lot of ways I somewhat understand that, at least from an innovation standpoint. I’m a huge Apple fan, I always have been, but to me, adding Siri and Maps into whatever comes after Mountain Lion isn’t really enough. Not to mention the fact that as much as I love the iOS/OSX integration as a concept, it’s lead to a lot of new apps that I don’t use and now can never get rid of (ie: Game center. It’s a pointless App on iOS as far as I’m concerned, and even worse on OSX).

So I’ve been looking at Microsoft’s Surface, because I’m curious about it, it fascinates me and I’m in love with the Metro/Live Tile experience. It’s something that I definitely feel Apple should try to come up with something better, but the fact is, because their sales are so great, they don’t need too. I mean that’s why people say they aren’t innovating, they don’t feel that they have too, they have a loyal fanbase, and the products will sell regardless.

And for those who might argue that they have been innovating let’s be clear. Making the iPhone 5 thinner (again) and a little bit taller are not innovations. Hardware-wise okay sure they’re innovating, sort of, but the software is what counts. Software is where they’re lagging and software is ultimately what matters. Or at least what should matter. But largely thanks to Apple we’ve become a society obsessed with svelte design rather than good design. I swear to goddess if I read one more review where someone bitches that the device is to thick or heavy I’m going to scream.

Let’s be honest here folks, less than a decade ago, laptops and computers couldn’t do half of what they can today. iPad and iPhone weren’t a thing and technology moves at light speed, yet we’re still never happy with anything. I would love to be a tech blogger and get to review new gadgets because I have a lot to say on them and frankly a lot more substantive things to say than it’s too heavy, or what the hell ever. Complain about something real…

PS: I think I’ll start by reviewing my new phone and life with Mountain Lion.