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From the "Apple's doomed" patrol:

Cook has brought revenue up 58 percent, and profits up 40 percent... Revenues in the last fiscal year were up only 9.6 percent, the slowest increase in a decade, and earnings fell for the first time since 2001... Apple came up with the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2010, in each case not only creating a blockbuster new product but a whole new category.

The iPod didn't create a whole new category, it merely perfected it. The iPad is just the best of its genre, not the first, or creator of the category. The iPhone trailed the Blackberry by four years in the 'smart phone' category, but kicked everyone's ass, and in terms of how much market share Apple commands with the line, still rules.

The big failure so far has been AppleTV, which seems to be just fine, but undifferentiated from other streaming boxes like the Roku. I'll go so far as to say that the name will be retired and a whole new product will emerge, and soon, orrrrr, there will be another leapfrog into a new, budding category which Apple will then kill.

The main problem now is, we live in a post-technology era (figuratively) -- we're swamped in it, and surrounded as I am at home by good old country craftsmanship and antiques, including a 1970s-era stereo system, perhaps I notice it more.

Cars have Bluetooth, GPS, and wireless hotspots. We carry phones that are also web browsers, cameras, video cameras, email gadgets, and personal planners (when did you stop buying your Franklin Planner annual refill?). Land line phones are slowly vanishing, even in what used to be considered rural. If the family heirloom table lamp doesn't interface with the phone, it seems like it may belong in the attic, or the garage sale, or the dumpster.

“The big failure so far has been AppleTV...”

It’s not really a failure - $1,000,000,000 in revenue from it last year.

Most conference rooms have one and presentations can be displayed almost magically via AirPlay.

One building I teach in has four AppleTV’s- they would not have added even a second one if it was not a benefit.

At home, I have two AppleTV’s.

They allow me to access 700 CD’s and over 400 movies wirelessly - I can play music anywhere in the house or view any of my movies on either of our TV’s. No searching for a DVD/BluRay, inserting into a player, waiting for the menu to come up then select play. It just plays a movie within a second or two.

It’s a remarkable product when coupled with an iPhone or iPad with the Apple Remote app.

Just thought you might like to know.

The iPad is just the best of its genre, not the first, or creator of the category.

Not an expert on the history, but I believe numerous tablet type devices had been marketed and none took off. While the iPad wasn't the first tablet, it was the first one that consumers perceived as being worthwhile.

Same with the smartphone, IMO. Blackberries weren't true smartphones, they were advanced dumb phones. But never had a BB, so I could be wrong on that.

What sets smartphones apart is the apps. Different and new uses can be created simply by software. Much as the PC did for computers.