Woz strikes again: disappointed by iPhone, wary about MacBook Air and Apple TV
By Paul Miller 
posted Mar 3rd 2008 10:07AM
posted Mar 3rd 2008 10:07AM
We'd say 2007 was a pretty big year for Steve Wozniak, what with Kathy Griffin, an Epcot animatronic, some widely covered Apple sentiments, and (honor of honors) an Engadget interview to top it all off. Turns out he's not backing down in 2008, and spoke out at a Sydney press conference with some fairly constructive criticism for some of Apple's brightest stars. He expressed concern over the 24 hour limit for iTunes movie rentals, and doesn't see the Apple TV taking off just yet, though he sees it as a "good indication of the future." Woz was less kind to the iPhone, saying he was "really disappointed" at the iPhone's introduction, due to the lack of 3G. He's still a fan of the phone interface, particularly the browser, but he's miffed about those speed constraints. Finally, he likes his MacBook Air, and he's currently attempting to see if he can make it his single laptop, but the shortage of ports and lack of disc drive and removable battery are making it difficult. We really couldn't have said any of it any better, Woz.[Via The Inquirer]
Well, at least Woz looks like a slightly heavier Chuck Norris in that photo. That counts for something.
I was going to say a more stylish Bob from That 70's Show, but Chuck is pretty dead on.
Yeah, especially those teeth. They are a healthy shade of yellow.
may if your mike huckabee
Except, instead of killing you with a round house kick to the face, he'll make you feel slightly shamed in a friendly match of Segway Polo . . . .
But Chuck Norris sucks so that doesn't really matter. P.S. The Woz is the man.
thats what happens when a wookie shaves.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
hey, isn't this the dude with the dual green light sabers from a couple days ago?
I think he is mostly disappointed by the lack of share options he now has in Apple! ;) And before anyone tries to give me a history lesson, I know he gave a load of shares to his old team members.
Everybodys a critic...
Though I totally agree.
Woz is to Apple as Wesley Crusher/Wil Wheaton is to Star Trek: Lame
His opinions are nothing short of a novelty plus he freakin' married Kathy Griffin. Yikes.
He is richer and smarter than you will ever be. Not a dig, but the truth, and we know those a good combination to have.
And Kathy may have a big mouth, but he scored on that too, a younger hyperactive redhead with a small ass. Go Woz!
@ Izzy,
While statistically true—and assuming your don't know the OP personally—you can't know that for sure. So that is a dig!
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Lame
Thanks DarkLeaper, that basically sums up the progression.
I didn't realize Wesley Crusher co-founded Starfleet.
Woz is largely responsible for Apple being in existence today. His Apple II line gave Apple 46% of the home computer market share and almost 100% of schools. The Mac was Jobs' thing, and after its launch and Woz's departure, Apple's market share dropped from 46% to 2%. They've been fighting ever since then for that additional 3-4% that they now have. But as popular as Apple is today, they're an absolute shell of what they were (at least relative to their competitors) during Woz's tenure.
The smartest thing Apple could do would be to bring Woz back, although my understanding is he doesn't particularly want to come back. Jobs, of course, wouldn't have him back in any important capacity - he's too threatened by him.
I'm seeing a LOT of deflection in this thread like this post. Screw you: Is the lack of 3G in the iPhone a disappointment or not? Do you really think it was excluded for some reason OTHER than planned obsolescence? And finally, what does any of that have to do with who Wozniak's dated?
It's like a freakin' gossip magazine in here.
Funny how woz is so dead on about the products of the company he co founded but no longer has any input with but has absolutely no clue about girls. Heck, he dated that troll Kathy Griffin. That almost makes anything else he says irrelevant.
She is 10 years younger than him, and he's not exactly the best looking guy in the world
dude she looks like a post op tranny.
I would pee in her butt
The Lack of 3G and the locked SIM nature of the iPhone is its two most dissapointing features to me. If they released it unlocked, Tmobile and Cingular customers and boost/nextel users would jump on it.
The Iphone is way more satisfying however than the Macbook Air. I have 1 of them (with SSD drive) that we got for free through the city budget (I run a Leopard Server Maclab) and I use my Lenovo X60 way more because it is more accessible and offers 7+ hours of battery life.
The Macbook air has the worst ports I've EVER SEEN. What apple should have done was included a detachable port expander that would plug into the spine - so you could instantly add ETHERNET, 56K, 2 USB's, DVI and a power plug that doesn't have to be plugged in at a STUPID ANGLE.
If they'd done this, they probably could have made it thinner than it already is.
I hate to break it to you but Cingular is now part of AT&T.
That's not the point of the article, the point was what Woz thinks about the stuff; no one's arguing about the shortcomings of Apple, we could always talk about the shortcomings of Woz!
uh...56k?
And though Boost/Nextel use SIM cards, they don't use GSM.
56K? Are you on crack?
LOL 56K.. Needs a serial port too. Also an LPT port for my dot matrix okidata printer.
sometimes a user finds themselves in a place WHEN THEY TRAVEL where this is no broadband access - 56K data/fax modem is a NECCESITY and will be so until broadband becomes the standard.
I also hate to break it to YOU - but, Cingular SIM chips do not work in the iPhone.
You never know when these things, the LPT, 56k modem, will come in handy. These new macs come with built-in Time Machines, you know.
I hate to break it to you, but GSM phones don't work on IDEN or CDMA networks.
damn. I just wish woz would become an apple board member. Apple has lost track of its founding roots. They used to be a company that was all about the best design and using computers to help people. They are still that, I'll admit, but they are so freaking money and shareholder oriented it disgusted me. And wow they are becoming super proprietary and closed. I'm not talking about the loads of open software that is available for the mac nor perhaps the iPhone in the future. I'm talking about deliberate design decisions that make the customer have to purchase extra accessories and software just to get the useability of competing products. I mean sure the iPhone is good and all (I have one and love it) but why the hell would you make a recessed headphone jack? And why make it AT&T exclusive? And why do rentals only work with current generation iPhones and ipod's ? I'm sure you guys can come up with plausible reasons for that, but I'm sure you agree with me. Oh yeah, and you wanna know an example of apple grossly overpricing things? Don't look at their macs or iPods or iphone's. Look at their accessories, such as their cables. 50$ for an iPod av kit? Is you be kidding me? The ac adapter can be made for probably eight dollars and the cables only five. I'm really an apple lover, but I gotta say: what. The. Hell.
I agree with Oliver on the most part except.. The cables most likely cost less than a dollar, lets not kid ourselves here. I work in retail and our markup is healthy, let alone the overhead on the manufacturers. An oem home charger for a cell phone costs us about 2-4 dollars, just imagine how much the manufacturer makes off of my store alone.
Woz is teh ballz! Plain and simple... Lets not forget that Woz left for a reason. He's more a man of honor and principle than Jobs would ever be. Jobs was a hippie with a vision, and while he did a good job at what he did, he screwed a lot of people when Apple was getting big and even turned employees against each other on purpose, so Woz left. Woz was the inventor that was all about helping people while making a decent living. Jobs was about getting rich.
"Woz is to Apple as Wesley Crusher/Wil Wheaton is to Star Trek: Lame"
Except without Woz, Apple would never have existed. Star Trek was around long before those Wheaton.
So in short, nutz to all tha haterz...
when you really think about it
apple isnt doing anything new anymore
theyre like the opposite of head-on commercials.
You may have a point, there; however, to actually put the comment in perspective, could you tell us who you *would* consider as actually doing something new these days?
Woz is my idol and the only reason why I'll even consider to buy a mac product. Here's hoping as much as my money goes into his pockets instead of Jobs'
maybe if Woz doesn't like the way apple designs their products, then he should...
oh wait, he doesn't work there anymore does he?
so who cares.
Classic Woz. Not constrained by the realities of the market, he dreams of ways to cram more into less. Apple, for all it's dreaming and daring has to live with the realities of physics and the lack of a certain level of genius that Woz has that lead to the beginning of real PCs.
But Woz also seems to be not constrained by the realities of 3G not being ubiquitous in America yet. Or the battery drain issue, or all the other issues that make 3G not such a great idea at this point. Regardless, Apple has officially said there is a 3G iPhone coming in 2008. So quit yer whinin' and give them some time and you'll get what you want.
Don't forget, Woz also wanted to RFID your kids and pets to GPS locate them. And he had some kind of remote control that was an abject failure in the market. He's not immune to being wrong, or always right about things. He's just a guy who's good a cramming more things into fewer chips. If it hasn't been for Jobs, his computers would have never taken off. So give him his due, but recognize he's not above it all.
I mean, the guy plays Segwey polo fer cryin' out loud!
that's exactly it: it's easy to be an arm-chair critic.
"I really think the iPhone should have been half the size, and the screen should have been twice the size and resolution, and it should have had universal WiMax coverage giving it true broadband speeds everywhere on the planet (and some places on the moon!)"
When dealing with the constraints of reality, though, one might have to actually make decisions.
Do you Mac fanboys love Steve Jobs so much that you still believe the lack of 3G was for an actual issue?
Are you THAT willing to blind yourself?
You people are worse than evangelical Christians.
Jesse,
It's you fanatical Apple haters who have the disconnect with reality. And you don't read much either, or you'd see that 3G IS coming for the iPhone, and that delays were playing into Apple's strategies, not a lack of ability.
Here's a quarter, get a clue.
He needs to be a board member! Be good to have a fresh tech mind like his and less of this lock-me-down retail mentality.
How many times does it have to be said? If you don't like the iPhone, get something you like or STFU you whiny little bitches! Goddamn you idiots waste A LOT of time posting on the internet how much you hate a product or a company.
Ditto... like it - buy it, hate it - buy something else! Don't buy the fucker then whine!
You could use your own advice and not complain about the complainers and just ignore them. ;)
I disagree.
Fighting trolls is much more fun than fighting products or companies.
so. . . ummmm. . . he's repeating exactly what everyone has said since the release of these products. What's new?
He is one of the founders of Apple ripping on Apple products. Duh?
I mean, I know that. Thanks though
And I use "stylish" VERY loosely.
I don't think studios would let apple offer movies cheaper than direct tv or cable companies will they Woz????
again, when not having to deal with the constraints of reality, it's easy to imagine a better product.
I have to say that the article is very good, and I find it interesting to note that he's saying alot of what has been said already by sometimes Apple, sometimes other analysts, and I don't recall them getting blasted as much as I see here...
Agreed. Though there is one real stopping point with a 3g iPhone: coverage. Coverage for 3g is limited to metropolitan areas. A 3g iPhone would do better launching in Europe first than the US.
Geez. A guy gives his opinion and if it is not lockstep with the fanboys, then he is a whiner. Did anyone read the interview?
He was asked questions by reporters and gave his honest opinion. He wasn't hating on Apple, just giving his opinion. I'm sure even those in Apples R&D who differed on opinion about their product, but had to compromise in the end to put it out.
Some of what he said I agree with, such as lack of 3G. If it were a battery issue, then why not make a user replaceable battery? My Blackjack gets 3G and if the battery is low I just swap in another without a hassle. Besides, there is going to be a 3G phone after all, so his criticism wasn't entirely off base.
Other things I disagree with, such as the rental limits. I'm pretty sure Apple had to do this in order to be able to provide them to the customer as the MPAA has pretty tight reigns on their content and how it is distributed.
It's not like the guy called up the press to state all the reasons he hates Apple. Some people need to get thicker skins.
wonder if he is still a friend of the jobs the god !
Apple is a capitalistic US Corp... (cringes) Just Like Mickeysoft... they only wanna make money, and keep their market share... Jobs locks and micro manages EVERYTHING and the fanboys swoon not noticing that Jobs exerts control over them far more than MS ever has. Jobs makes things HE likes, and forces consumers to conform. He is a tyrant and a bully, no wonder WOZ wanted to get away while he still could! Criticize the guy all you want but his comments are dead on, he is typically correct about this stuff (see his comments on AppleTV v1). He chose to walk away from Apple, he wouldn't go on the board is someone paid him to... they tried that.
He should start his own company to compete with MS & Apple, perhaps our choices in corp & personal computing would improve if a third heavy hitter entered the arena... Oh wait google anyone?
Actually, he did start a few companies. Tracking kids with RFID and a universal remote control. Cutting edge stuff.
Actually, he did start a few companies. Tracking kids with RFID and a universal remote control. Cutting edge stuff.
I gotta agree with WOZ. The IFone is an innovative product but lachs in many ways. No stereo bluetooth, 3g, memory expansion, lach of space, recessed headphone jack, dictatorship like SDK, slow edge internet, ATT only product, and the list goes on and on. Now imagine if Apple waited one more year and added everything previously mentioned in that list to the IFone. That device would have taken the world by storm not just the fan boys (You know who you are Isheep). 10 Million would have been sold in the first month alone.
On the other hand now the IGod (Steve Jobs) can stick it to all of his ISheep when the 3G Ifone comes out. Keep eating your Ipudding and drinking your Ikoolaid ISheep. Steve is gonna stick it to you yet again.
your post 'lachs' originality
ISheep BAAAHHH, BAAAHHH, BAAHHH..
bubu, leave your bestiality fetish outta this, mmkay?
What happens in your basement stay's in your basement. Spoken like a true Isheep.
If it's not a Segway, I'm sure Woz won't approve of it.
Not exactly profound insight ... Woz is just repeating what everyone else has been repeating, ad nauseam.
Rawhead!!! I would consider 1Ghz CPU's that get extra power from solar panels NEW!
I would consider, loads of thing that could be stolen and patented new.
Is it just me. or does that picture look like Chubbacca without
"some" of his hair?
"3G is only in metropolitan areas" - not exactly true and 3G phones default to EDGE when not in 3G areas anyway. AAPL dropped the ball on 3G. They rushed the phone out lacking some key features figuring they would hoodwink the fanboys into "upgrading" later when the "new features" are added.
The lack of 3G isn't the biggest drawback - the fact that it's a crappy phone with below average RF reception is. If you are going to produce a phone-based convergence device, don't forget to make it a decent phone first. I'd rather have a great phone with so-so multimedia capabilities than a crappy phone with an "elegant" UI and iPod included.
Woz. Really, go bang Kathy some more. Or start your Segway polo thing up again. Or DO SOMETHING other than flap your mouth. Geeze. You've become a huge media whore. I know, start a talk show or something, then people can really see how insane you are then put you down there with Brittany Spears and other such celebrity trash.....
Perhaps once I had some respect for you, but seeing your interviews and reading what you say, I think you have WAY too much time on your hands.
So you guys are disappointed he didn't end up with a blonde silicone injected trophy wife? This only makes him much more cooler in my book.
shes a freak.. yawww
shes a freak.. yawww
you're a freak. yawwwn.
Engadget, why would you consider this man's opinion on popular technology to be relevant? He has *never* been in tune with the needs and desires of the masses... that was where Steve Jobs came in. He may be the most brilliant engineer with whom Jobs has ever worked, but he never had a product.
When I need an opinion on insanely-optimized 6502 assembly, *then* I'll give a damn about what Woz has to say.
doenst you think that Woz is speaking for all of us?
those Woz's concern and and disappoint is our concern also!
he is now criticizing from a user's point of view.
p.s. Woz, you could probably wait for the release of an external battery pack, just like those for PSP right now.
Good thing he doesn't work for Apple anymore.
I misread that first sentence, although she kinda DOES look like an animatronic..
"what with Kathy Griffin, an Epcot animatronic"