Welcome
ATPM 4.02 is our official "Spring Training" issue! Just like players in the "Big Leagues," Mac users are getting ready for a new season! The "G3" heavy hitters are being added to Apple's line up. Feel free to swing away because everything here looks like a hit!
The company's engineers are pitchin' up some fast products and unlike the other platform, you don't need to worry about curves or sliders! With today's lower prices on Apple CPU's and monitors, you might think you turned a double play!
Later this month the "season" begins in earnest. This is when Apple releases another line of G3 machines. We'll be there on opening day. Join us each month for the play-by-play (or, if you prefer, the plug & play!).
We Like Chevy and Ford (Honest), But We'd Rather Drive a Rolls!
We couldn't help but notice the recent news about Apple's market share! We read the superficial reports. We thought about how many people buy Chevys and Fords versus how many buy a Rolls Royce. Before you decide if this comparison is a bit "far in the field of fetch," consider this: People who buy a Rolls Royce know they are making an investment. It's not much different from buying a Mac. There are millions of Macs in use today that were purchased five, six, seven, or even eight years ago! Compare that to any other personal computer make or model. Talk about products that go the extra mile, the distance between Macs and their competitors can easily be measured in light years!
By the time many Mac users decide to upgrade their desktop companions, most other computer users have purchased two or three new machines! Many of today's Macs are easily upgraded, saving on the cost of buying a whole system. This fact obviously skews the results! If you buy only one computer in four years but your neighbor buys three, this translates to a market share of 75% for your neighbor's computer brand. We want quality, not quantity. We want our money to do more than help Microsoft and Compaq grow!
We want to see market share data that measures user satisfaction two, three, or four years after purchase. Don't let anyone fool you on this point--when it comes to user happiness, the Mac's in a league of its own.
Apples & Oranges
Can we talk? Every month we push ourselves to bring you the best insights (in kind of a unique way) of everything Mac. It's really a thankless job. We pack each issue with solid reviews, spirited musings and inspirational thoughts. We pour out our hearts, minds, and souls as we create this entertaining, fun-filled e-zine. We try to provide our readers with a brief, electronic respite from the "in a nutshell," bottom-line means everything kind of world that sucks our imaginations dry and destroys our desire to "Think Different" and "Be Different." (Hey now! There's a slogan for a lesser-known operating system company founded by a former Apple executive!)
Before we digress even further, we'll take an ATPM look at Apple's recent quarterly performance. We know Apple's financial report is now a few weeks old; but trust us, our comments will bear "fruit."
ATPM's View of Apple's Quarterly PerformanceUnder the direction of interim CEO Steve Jobs, Apple reported a $47 million net profit on $1.6 billion in sales. This is really good news. It means the company made more money than it spent. It also means the G3s are selling well (over 133,000 from introduction to the end of the quarter). In three months, 655,000 Macintosh computers were sold worldwide.
The company reported positive cash flow from operations of $143 million. This is the result when non-cash expenses such as depreciation and a few other items are added back into the net profit. Apple is doing a better job of designing products and managing inventory. The company had more than 1.2 billion dollars in cash at quarter's end. (Who's going broke?) Despite rumors and misinformation, these numbers indicate Apple Computer has a healthy "core" (just call the bank). Considering that Apple acquired both NeXT and Power Computing's core assets in less than twelve months, this cash balance speaks for itself!
With stats like these, Apple's performance should be posted in the Hall of Fame, right next to the picture of the guy who hit safely in 56 straight games. They call him the "Yankee Clipper." In light of Hollywood's latest hit, we won't make any more boat analogies. Let's just say we're happy that Apple has found smoother "financial sailing" now that it's left the choppy waters of the Red [ink] Sea.
"Orange" you glad we looked at Apple's quarterly performance? Apple's become a veritable "Cupertino Yankee" (sorry, Joe) in King Billy's Computer Court. You never know when the "NeXT" eclipse might "Be!"
Issue 4.02 Is Just For You!
Looking beyond the strained (or should we say sprained?) sports analogies and financial gobbledygook, you'll find our latest issue. This month Apples, Kids & Attitude takes a turn down Memory Lane, while H.M. Fog's Twilight Junction takes us to a vastly different destination. Don't miss this month's Segments piece by Alvena Hyde. It's a fascinating story of a supposedly "computer-stupid" middle-aged lady who found out just how bright she was for buying a Mac! This month's issue surely proves the road less traveled tends to be the one that's most scenic!
Please enjoy!...Or should we say "Batter Up?" Either way we're happy to bring you our latest issue.
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Also in This Series
- Welcome (and Goodbye) · May 2012
- Welcome · April 2012
- Welcome · March 2012
- Welcome · February 2012
- Welcome · January 2012
- Welcome · December 2011
- Welcome · November 2011
- Welcome · October 2011
- Welcome · September 2011
- Complete Archive
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