You+Apple=stylish+smart+high quality, or how to sell technology

How many technology products try to appeal to the "smart" you? The "stylish" you? How many of them are not made by someone other than Apple?

In the technology business, there is an acronym known as FUD: Fear Uncertainty Doubt. Some companies try to sell their products that way. Apple does just the opposite. With Apple, they sell you on SSQ: smart, stylish, quality. It's a very positive message.

Look at this page: Apple - iTunes - What’s new in iTunes. You see words like "genius" and "brilliant". You see the emphasize on quality items like High Def and Enhanced Accessibility. If you go over the Apple products on other pages, you see this again and again.

It's not just that the products are promoted as simple to use and well designed. There is strong association with Apple -- and therefore you -- being smart. And stylish. And one who recognizes quality.

Lots of companies, including big ones like Microsoft, make MP3 features. Some have better features or cost less. But I believe people like associating with products that make them look smarter. More stylish.

What I expect to see is more technology companies adopting this approach. If you are developing technology, you should ask yourself: will this make my users feel more positive about themselves? Does your product make your users feel "smart" or "dumb"?

New and improved things from Apple: Steve Jobs

Reports from Gizmodo are that Steve Jobs is alive and well, as can be seen here. Jobs announced alot of other good news for fans of all things Apple, but surely this to them was the best of news.
Apple: Steve Jobs Responds to Accusations of Dying

On the benefits of social computing

I was curious about this article in businessweek.com, Protests Against Tata's Nano Get Ugly, because I had written about the Nano car that Tata is trying to build.

While the articles talk alot about what is going on superficially (i.e. the protests), I wanted to know what was behind the protests. The article was more about this group's actions or that group's actions. There was this, but it still made me question what is the motivation.

However, there was an interesting comment posted that said, "Land acquisition should be done by pvt (private?) companies as in other successful SEZs (don't know) and not the govt (government) because the govt is obliged to compensate the farmers at the registered price of land which is miles below actual price of land as per the land acquisition act.This is because most indian real estate is under priced in the record to avoid paying high property tax and stamp duty." (The words in parantheses are mine).

Reading this comment, I bet that the protesters are thinking they should get a better deal for their land than they should. That is likely the reason why they are protesting.

Now, that may not be the reason, but it makes sense to me. It also reminds me that there can be alot of value in all those comments that come after articles and blogs.