What We Don't Say About the Things We Love

I love my Mac.  However it seems that because some products are loved so much, we don’t offer up the critique that they need in order to be even better.  Contrary to popular belief, Macs are not perfect.  The purpose of this post is to illuminate some often glossed-over issues with Apple based on my use of a MacBook and MacBook Pro.  I am not going to discuss this by comparing Macs to PCs.  Not everyone who has a problem with a Mac will be satisfied by switching to PC or vice-versa.Comparisons do not completely isolate design problems, and they constrain creative thinking.  (For more on this see this previous post.)

However, the point of this post is not to relentlessly bash Apple.  There are definitely some things that Apple gets right.  No matter the flaws, (and ignoring the pack mentality of Mac ownership), my MacBook is a pleasure to use.  My Mac has always performed with little to no slowdown, it boots up quickly, and errors are minimal.  The multiple key shortcuts and system-wide search are invaluable and work like a charm,  and I couldn’t go on living without Spaces, Expose, and Stickies.  But I am not going to praise my MacBook for everything that everyone already knows is good.  This is the place for me to address it’s shortcomings in terms of design and Apple’s overall business model.  Just as my praise is not comprehensive of all the great things about my MacBook, this list of complaints is not meant to be comprehensive or representative of all Macs.

Materials
The materials that Apple chose for the case soak up oil and dirt from every touch.  The result is that after a month my $1000 machine looked like I pulled it out of a dumpster.  I have solved some of these issues by purchasing extra pads and covers for the wrist rest and keys, but I shouldn’t have had to spend any more money.  Additionally, the ridge on the bottom inflicts real physical pain by cutting into my wrists.  (The newer version of the Macbook has remedied some of these issues.)

I don’t touch the monitor, yet it is constantly covered in fingerprints and smudges.  My attempts at wiping these smudges away with soft monitor cleaning cloths with very little pressure have resulted in crushed pixels on my screen. Now I have numerous bright spots in a sea of smudges to go with my filthy case.  For a company with an emphasis on image, this model’s case and display make no sense.

Performance
There have been many times that I have had to turn my laptop completely off because it froze while trying to come back from sleep mode.  It is good that most things are saved for me when this happens, and I love my Mac for that.  But it shouldn’t happen in the first place.

Why do I need to quit an application in addition to closing a file?  Often I close a file and have no need for the application to run anymore.  However if I don’t remember to actually quit the application, it is still running and taking up system resources.  I am sure that Apple has a reason for this, but it is not transparent to me and therefore a source of frustration.  That doesn’t mean that I want the answer told to me so that I can have an “aha” moment.  With a better design I wouldn’t need to ask the question in the first place.

The delete button is not a delete button.  It is a backspace button.  If I have something selected and hit delete it makes sense that it should be deleted. I have seen the looks of wonder and joy when I tell others that they can delete things by pressing  “Command + Delete” instead of dragging stuff to the trash can.  While I love that Macs have countless keyboard shortcuts to accomplish various tasks, nobody should have to read a manual or scour internet forums to discover how to delete files.

Business Model
Be warned that the following content is just an opinion, and even more importantly not necessarily a very strong opinion on my part.  Every situation or argument needs a devil’s advocate, and often what one might call my “opinion” is whatever I feel the majority of people aren’t thinking about.

Apple wants Mac users to feel like they are part of the “cool crowd,” and that they are rescuing users from the horrors of the competition.  Apple is very good at this, and it plays an important part in their business model.  But it is this techno-elitism that allows Apple to charge a premium for basic hardware.

It is no secret that Apple’s marketing is second to none.  However, that seems to be because Apple has taken all the worst elements from political attack ads and put a palatable layer to them.  Instead of allowing their products to speak for themselves (which they can do quite aptly), they attack the competition with propaganda and fabricate conflicts to force people to choose sides.  I am reminded of the Rodney King “Can’t we all just get along” phrase.  If a product is good then it can stand on its own.  I feel that Apple diminishes their worth when they resort to attacking Microsoft. (And Microsoft is no better for retaliating in the same fashion.)

Apple is also very good at getting free advertising from their customers through the white earbuds, brightly lit Mac icon on the laptop, and Apple stickers for the car.  Most people don’t like feeling exploited if they realize that it is happening to them.

Apple’s line of products is usually limited to 3-4 models.  On the one hand, this allows them to dedicate their design energy to getting those few models right.  On the other hand, they leverage this into a method to squeeze more money out of their customers.

In a time when hardware has never been less expensive, I paid $1000 for a laptop with 1GB of RAM and no DVD burner.  To upgrade the RAM to 4GB it would cost an extra $300.  Installing it myself cost about $50.  For a time, Apple perpetuated the notion that you must be careful when installing aftermarket hardware or else you will ruin your premium product.  So for people who buy into this line of thinking or don’t have the skills to install memory, they pay a ludicrous amount of money just to upgrade the “entry-level” Mac to a level even with hardware that has been standard for two years.  (In Apple’s defense, the have recently lowered the price of RAM upgrades.)

Additionally, how much would it really cost to provide the MacBook with a DVD burner?  $20?  $40?  Not nearly the $300 to go up to the next version.  And what if I want a case that will actually hold up to regular use?  For that I have to to pay twice the price, starting at $2000 for the MacBook Pro.  That is the same as a down payment on a vehicle, just for a machine that will be outdated in two years.

Want to get basic repairs on your cherished machine?  Well you can only get this done at a select few repair shops that can get Apple parts, which are grossly overpriced.  I took a friend’s MacBook Pro in to the only authorized shop in town.  The problems were minor: the latch wasn’t closing properly and the case had a dent in the side.  I was told that the dent and the latch could be fixed for $600.  To fix just the latch it would be $300.  Half a month’s worth of rent for a piece of plastic.

The point of all of this is to illuminate the fact that Apple’s business model is definitely smart, but they are lacking in several areas of what I consider truly human-centered design.  This includes more than pretty design, fun to use products, and memorable commercials.  I think that people should ask more questions and demand more out of designers that hold the fate of the future of technology.  Maybe this would prevent people from spending hard-earned cash on about 10% usefulness and usability and 90% fabricated “coolness.”