A Word of Caution
 

I think it's absolutely awesome that Apple is giving the bloated monster that is Microsoft a run for it's money (and they have a LOT!). I do fear that in the coming years Apple may become the same monster. I think to stave this result as much as possible the goal should never become to outrun their competitors, but to put forth the best products continually bettering previous releases. Unless this remains their mindset, I see Apple becoming lazy and taking a slide downhill.

I also think it's important for consumers to understand that Apple is not (and most likely will never be) the best at everything. Just because a product as a half-eaten apple on it doesn't mean that there isn't a product that performs a similar function more efficiently with no loss to form.

All that said, I think Apple has taken the correct approach to entering new markets. Where Microsoft sees a concept, buys the company out-right that invented it, and rewrites all of the code so that it can 'fit' with the rest of the MS realm (effectively destroying the product it purchased in the first place), Apple invests in research and development of it's own solutions to a need (or want). If a particular product doesn't sell very well, Microsoft assumes there is something wrong with the idea. Apple on the other hand puts the product on life support and works harder to make it better (the G4 Cube to the Mac Mini is a great example of this).

My point is that we shouldn't buy any product based on the brand, but rather its function. If Microsoft were to develop and release a product that actually worked better than a similar product of Apple's, I would go with the MS version. But that simply doesn't happen...

I agree with that sentiment, except as it applies to Microsoft. I don't believe it has ever (at least in the last 23 years) been in the best interest of any customer outside of IT departments to buy from Microsoft. That's because even if they do happen to have the best solution for a particular purpose, the purchase helps them use their monopoly to squash real innovators. That slows down the growth of technology, on which our economy depends.

The only exception I can think of is their Optical Mouse. I still like the Microsoft version over many others out there.

Seconded. Plus I'm really starting to enjoy my new XBox 360. :)

If I were going to get a gaming console, I think it would be a Wii. That's partly because I think the controllers are cool and any additional exercise they provide is sorely needed. Another good reason is that it doesn't come from MS. ;)

I have a Wii and it rules the earth, all of it! M$ does do some things right their enterprise level solutions are actually way better than OS X enterprise solutions. However, their OS needs a huge overhaul.

Have any of you seen vista yet, and actually played with it? I had it installed on few machines to mess around with it, and it really looks kind of mac-ish.

I hate apple networking hardware (ie base stations) and I do not like their mice. I haven't used either for a long time, and I advise all my clients against buying apple networking hardware. They need to make their base stations have telnet capability that acts like every other control panel and possibly third party firmware support. If I could load DD-WRT firmware on the new base station that has usb ports on it, I could set up SMB shares via router control panel, now that would be pimp!

And they can call it AirPimp?

Yeah but Nike may already hold copyright on that one LOL

LOL. Forget it Apple, they own iPimp as well. :)