The Real Mac Genius
Before you write this off as the psychotic ramblings of a raving mad man, hear me out!
Because I am a radio hobbyist, I feel this is the best way for me to explain this, as it was also the immediate thought I had right before this revelation. In 1996, the F.C.C. (Federal Communications Commission) released its famous Telecommunications Act which lifted restrictions on radio station owners limiting the number of stations they could own in each market. This lead to a buying frenzy in a period of, what is known today as, “consolidation” where leaders in the broadcasting field began buying stations in each market by the crate load. This widened the profitability gap between large commercial owners and individual owners. Thus, out of the fray, companies like CBS, Cumulus, Citadel and Clear Channel (owning the most with 1,190 of the 13,660 total stations in the US) changed the landscape of the radio industry with their nearly monopolistic hold over it.
In recent years, however, the radio industry has begun hemorrhaging money — losing their most profitable demographics to streaming radio (i.e. Pandora and Last.FM). This was due in part to a stagnation that occurred because of their contentment with mediocrity. In short, they did not search out new content like they had before when they were in ardent competition, each looking for an edge. This provided a chink that outlets like Pandora and Last.FM have happily filled. Since this time, radio industry leaders have slowly begun to deconsolidate — realizing that their most profitable structure is not particularly in owning as many stations as possible, but in most efficiently utilizing their already present infrastructure and matching up with content think tanks. In fact, in our home of the Bay Area, this is the case with Channel 92.3 (once Channel 104.9) who, after moving to the stronger 92.3 FM frequency, was put on the chopping block by owner Clear Channel who had deemed it a profit loss. When I last checked, they were put into a Trust, with Clear Channel poised to sell them.
Now, what does this have to do with my move from the iPhone to the iPad? Well, it has to do with this realization of what is most “profitable” (I use the word liberally). Should I, like the radio giants did, consolidate as many of Apple’s products as possible? To what end?! Specifically, I couldn’t wrap my head around the necessity of having an unlimited data plan for the iPad 3G on top of my current combination phone and unlimited data plan on my iPhone 3G.
As I compared and contrasted the iPhone and iPad, I realized something: “YES! WHAT PEOPLE SAY IS TRUE! The iPad is a GIANT iPhone!” So, instead of not buying the iPad, I shall sell my iPhone, buy some cheap phone through AT&T and have the iPad for everything I’ve always wished I could do with my iPhone!
What are these things, you ask? THE ANSWER IS IN ITS SIZE! The iPad’s size offers more usability! I don’t want to watch movies on the puny Nano or my iPhone! Throw it away! I don’t want to play games which require my two thumbs that take up two thirds of the screen! Throw it away! I don’t want to type notes and contacts with that tiny keyboard! Throw that iPhone away — and give me the iPad instead!
You thought THIS would happen? fo' realz?!
I have believed for many years that, while man’s technological innovation up to this point has been defined by building things smaller and increasingly more powerful, there would come a point when his creations would stop decreasing in size when they began detracting from his maximum capabilities. For me, that time has come.
What else can I say other than, anyone wanna buy an iPhone? Other wise, I’ll give it to the “Will It Blend?” guy…
