Apple's ascendency

Ever since reading John Sculley's outstanding book 'Pepsi to Apple' on a very long flight back in 1990, I've followed the fortunes of Apple closely. I aquired a Mac three years ago, and can bore for Britain about how great it is.

Why didn't I buy before?

David Pogue's tech column in this week's New York Times reminds us of the rotten tomatoes that were thrown at Apple for many a year. The media and pundits wrote them off. And he lists exactly what they said, and where and when they said it. They predicted it was all over for Apple. Buyer beware!

But they got it wrong. Apple went on to change the rules of the game, and simultaneously raised their game, whilst the encumbents fought it out for market share. Now Apple are..well, the apple of the media and stock market's eyes. More valuable than Dell, they have created the coolest designs, simplest functionality and the ultimate new toys for the 'iPod generation'.. One writer described them as the 'Armani of technology'.

What's this tell us?

Well, firstly don't always believe the media pundits. Secondly, when you're on the back foot you need to change the rules of the game to succeed. And thirdly, you can't keep doing the same things and expect to get a different result.