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Comment by erikstarck | Hacker News Reader

Apple just released new versions of the iMacs. This used to be a major event and they made a lot of fuzz about each new update.

Now go to apple.com. What's taking up 90% of the front page?

Apple is a consumer device company. Sure, they still make great computers, but that's more and more just a side business.

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The iMac update was a spec bump (and a particularly minor one at that). There's not a whole lot of marketing message there. They made a much bigger deal when the current enclosure was introduced and when they released the 27" iMac earlier this year.

Computers are consumer devices.

Remember, Jef Raskin conceptualized the Mac as an appliance. Steve wanted to make it as easy to use as a toaster.

This begs the question: why isn't an iPad a computer?

No floppy drive? ;)

Just kidding. Good question! I think it has to do with the fact that the natural home for a computer is the desk while the natural home for the iPad is the sofa or the bed.

It's interesting that Apple never uses the word "computer" in their iPad marketing. Nor do they use the word "tablet" much.

"iPad" is friendly. "Tablet computer" is "beep boop, processing..."

iOS devices are still honoring the core value of "giving people a way to change the world" if you consider how Apple is bringing customers to developers through the App store. Apple changed what is possible for a developer by giving them access to millions of customers, distribution, and a simple payment method.

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