The insatiable consumers of Apple products got their first taste of the Tim Cook era. The hunger for new products extends to the very announcements of their arrival. In the past, we’ve followed live Tweets or blogs (since streaming video isn’t allowed) of each golden word from Steve Jobs about “one more thing”. Entire sites are dedicated to rumors about what may be coming next. I remember the anticipation for the iPad 2 like it was yesterday… or just a few months ago. This would mark the final time that Jobs would speak his passion about his company, the industry and how they’ve all been led by his products. Somehow the hype couldn’t match how amazing this new device was. Similarly, the previous launch of the new iPhone was met with inner cheers from millions of people waiting to get one of their own.

A new CEO, a new iPhone and the hope that “one more thing” was going to blow our minds helped crash some of the most widely watched blogs like CNet.com and Endgadget.com. If you missed it, it’s never too late to get the latest update on why Apple is so, so, so, so, so amazing:

• The new iPhone 4S was announced. The best news about that is we only have 7 more letters until we hit the 4Z and can finally look forward to an iPhone 5.
• Nobody was expecting this but there’s a totally new feature with the phone, Siri. This totally new concept allows you to talk to your phone.
• For those who live life on the crazy side, there’s the “Find my friends” app. Rumored alternate names include:
  • IsMyManCheating
  • MyKidsBetterBeStudying
  • NosyNeighbor
  • TrackMyHo
  • Voyeur’sDelight
  • iPeep
  • OhNoYouDidn’t
  • WhereTFAreYouGoing
• But wait, there’s more. An incredibly innovative new solution will allow you to mail someone a card. No kidding, it even comes with an envelope and postage. Amazing.
• There’s also an upgrade to iTunes, with a brand new solution called iTunes match – which has the sole purpose of charging you $24.99 a year for music you already own.
• Probably the most ground-breaking announcement, in my humble opinion, is the new Watch feature for your iPod Nano. This particular advancement allows you to tell time no matter where you are, just by looking at your iPod Nano.

So, so, so, so, so what. We may all be infatuated with Apple and all it’s new announcements but I did a little research and discovered some disturbing things about these “new” features:

• The iPhone 4S looks identical to its predecessor. By plunking down a minimum of $200 you can have a phone that nobody will be able to see the difference.
• The ability to talk to a phone is actually old technology. Alexander Graham Bell made the first phone call in 1876.
• “Find My Friends” is not a new concept by any means. In fact, Mr. Bell’s first phone call was “Mr. Watson–come here–I want to see you.”
• Mail was not invented by Apple. In fact, it’s widely believed to have been started around 550BC by the Persian King Cyrus the Great.
• Paying for things you already own is also not a new concept. In fact, George Lucas was the first to do this. By the way, you can purchase the entire Star Wars series again on Blu-Ray RIGHT NOW.
• Of course a watch is probably the oldest technology of the bunch. However, the wrist watch wasn’t popularized until the early 1900′s and was seen as mostly a woman’s accessory. So to be fair to Apple, they’ve piggy-backing on technology that really wasn’t mainstream until World War I. Similarly, these watches also had variations with Roman numerals.

We all wait with anticipation to see what Tim Cook will announce for the next iPad. I have an idea, if there’s time. What if you could use it to control your television without getting off the couch?You know, like change the channels and adjust the volume! Apple is so, so, so, so, so amazing!

Apple · iPhone · iPhone 4S · iPod · mail · nano · phone · tim cook