Should You Install an Ad-Blocker? Unfortunately, the Answer is Yes.

In the past few days since Apple released iOS 9 with its ability to install ad-blocking software, a minor kerfuffle has ensued. All the ruckus seems to be centered on Marco Arment who, according to his web site is “a programmer, writer, podcaster, geek, and coffee enthusiast”. He is quite well-known in tech circles for his involvement with Tumblr and Instapaper. On August 11th he posted a very lucid, succinct article titled “The ethics of modern web ad-blocking” in which he makes several points about the many evils of modern web advertising, any of which provide ample justification for installing an ad-blocker. Taken in total they make you feel like all web advertisers should be imprisoned. As soon as Apple would allow it, Mr. Arment began selling an ad blocker he developed for iOS called Peace. All the hullabaloo started when, after just a couple of days in the App Store, Mr. Arment suddenly pulled the app and posted this, “Just doesn’t feel good”. He explains he still believes in all the reasons for an ad-blocker but he doesn’t want to be the arbiter. I can respect that. Especially when I realize what a butt-load of cash he’s turning his back on. Peace was the #1 bestseller in the App Store when he pulled it. Observing principal in action is quite refreshing, actually.

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Where Are the Tim Cook Haters Now?

Let me start with a disclaimer: I own quite a number of shares of Apple Stock and have been trading it since 2008. The smile (smirk) on my face comes from the increasingly rapid approach of my family’s financial security.

Having said that, I’d like to take a moment to chide all the bandwagon business and tech journalists who called for Tim Cook’s head in 2013. I won’t call them out by name, but they know who they are. One of the beautiful things about the Internet is there’s no take backs! To see a list of articles from myriad journalists who got it completely wrong just Google “Fire Tim Cook”.

Go ahead.

I’ll wait.

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Apple Pay WILL Be Successful. Get Used To It.

I never cease to be amazed by supposedly intelligent, knowledgable technology journalists’ capacity to get things absolutely wrong. Although things have returned to sanity now, the first few days after the launch of Apple Pay saw all manner of tech pundits proclaiming its inevitable failure. They pointed to CVS and RiteAid turning off all their NFC (Near Field Communication) point-of-sale devices to prevent the use of Apple Pay, big retailers like Best Buy and Walmart proclaiming their refusal to implement Apple Pay and a host of other retailers who’d signed up for the (not yet released) MCX (Merchant Customer Exchange) “CurrentC” system.

What they didn’t tell us was...

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iPhone 6 Plus: Crazy Big, Just Right!

By now you've probably read more news and reviews of the iPhone 6 a d 6 Plus than you need. So, my keen sense of understanding about what my readership wants tells me to add my two cents to the myriad drivel. What can I say? It's like a sixth sense.

So, why did I decide to buy this ridiculously large iPhone? Was it the extra screen real estate? Was it the exceptional keyboard extras when in landscape mode? Was it the very viewable movie experience? Was it the need to be blatantly obvious about owning the newest Apple flagship?  Well, yes to all, but the real clincher for me was the extra battery life afforded by the much larger size. With virtually identical innards as the iPhone 6, the 6 Plus has a lot more room for lithium. And boy can I tell the difference.

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Apple & Big Blue…Whooda thought it?

This may date me a bit, but I remember the 1984 Superbowl commercial where the hammer gets thrown through the big brainwash screen. Then, the brainwasher was IBM and the hammer thrower was Apple. It represented the beginning of the Mac vs. PC battle that has raged steadily ever since. That same year is when Steve Jobs defiantly proclaimed Apple would not go quietly into that good night while “Big Blue” dictated terms to the entire personal computing world.

Fast-forward 30 years.

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