The perfect thing
The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness is a book written by Steven Levy, an American journalist. It covers the growth of the idea of Apple's very own iPod, from its origins before its introduction in 2001 to its development to the iPod Nano and the fifth-generation video iPod.
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What Hacker News says
- Kidder's book is awesome. This article reminded me of Steven Levy's iPod book: It's also very good, not a classic but still worth a read: https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Thing-Shuffles-Commerce-Cooln...
- I highly recommend Steven Levy's book, The Perfect Thing, for a more in-depth look at the iPod. Levy did a mini article-ized version of his book for Wired a few years ago:
- 'Frictionless' is much better than 'simplicity' - because simplicity can mean the sacrifice of necessary complexity. But I like Steve Job's definition of simplicity cited by Steven Levy in The Perfect Thing: "Fruit - an apple. That simplicty is the ultimate sophistication" and goes on to describe the iterative development process that eliminates all but the essential needed to deliver the desired experience.
- Okay, I'll bite. Your supposed refutations don't work because you're missing the point of many of the jokes. I'll highlight a few:
The names: myPod just sounds dumb. So did iPod when we hadn't had it marketed to us a million times, so in the show we get that fresh stupid marketing name experience again. Steve Mobs is a joke about Jobs' charisma.
The Genius Bar: it's not parodying the attitudes of the actual Apple Geniuses, it's making fun of the ludicrous idea of calling your tech support guys geniuses.
Powered by dreams and imagination: it's mostly parodying the way Apple users talk about their Apple products (I know Mac users that gush about how beautiful they are). It's also mocking Apple's marketing, like the iPod dance commercials, which are all style and no substance.
Glowing computer being turned off: it's parodying the glowing/pulsing light on Apple notebooks when they're in sleep mode.
iPhonies: it's parodying the white headphones being associated with iPods, not only in all of the iPod marketing, but in the minds of the public as well. For a discussion of the significance of the white headphones, see "The Perfect Thing" by Steven Levy.
iPhonies are expensive: it's parodying the perception that you pay more for Apple products and all you get for the price premium is the status associated with having the products.
Steve Mobs calls himself "insanely great.": it's parodying the Steve Jobs is the Savior of the Computing World attitude some Apple Fanboys have, not how he sees himself.
People don't get Mac products to look cool: this directly contradicts my anecdotal experience with an Apple fan. But, it doesn't matter. The show isn't parodying individual people's attitudes, but rather a certain perception of Apple users, whether it's true or not.
Finally, just naming something and calling it "not funny" doesn't make it not funny, and isn't a critique of it.
I can't believe I just responded to all of that silliness.
- No, I get the point. They're still not funny, and that's what I take issue with.
Steve Mobs is a joke about Jobs' charisma.
And it's a bad, unclever one.
The Genius Bar: it's not parodying the attitudes of the actual Apple Geniuses, it's making fun of the ludicrous idea of calling your tech support guys geniuses.
Again: that's not a funny joke.
Powered by dreams and imagination: it's mostly parodying the way Apple users talk about their Apple products (I know Mac users that gush about how beautiful they are). It's also mocking Apple's marketing, like the iPod dance commercials, which are all style and no substance.
I get that. But still: it's such a stupid no-brainer target, and they didn't do anything particularly clever about it.
Glowing computer being turned off: it's parodying the glowing/pulsing light on Apple notebooks when they're in sleep mode.
That's quite obscure. And that glowing light isn't exactly something mockable. It's a damn good design choice.
iPhonies: it's parodying the white headphones being associated with iPods, not only in all of the iPod marketing, but in the minds of the public as well. For a discussion of the significance of the white headphones, see "The Perfect Thing" by Steven Levy.
That I get. I just don't see why that's funny: I've never met somebody with the headphones who wasn't using a Mac. I don't think I know anybody who would think that was a good way to stand out and be cool.
I'll check out the book: thanks for the recommendation!
iPhonies are expensive: it's parodying the perception that you pay more for Apple products and all you get for the price premium is the status associated with having the products.
"Parodying perception" isn't anything unless you're actively mocking the fact that perception is wrong. Until then, you're just taking popular parody and taking it because people who already don't like something are an easy target. If this clip had also parodied anti-Mac sentiment, I could see this as a more legitimate point.
Steve Mobs calls himself "insanely great.": it's parodying the Steve Jobs is the Savior of the Computing World attitude some Apple Fanboys have, not how he sees himself.
See, I see that as a lazy and unfunny joke. I get it, but I think that The Simpsons could have done better by actually showing Jobs as he reportedly sees himself.
People don't get Mac products to look cool: this directly contradicts my anecdotal experience with an Apple fan. But, it doesn't matter. The show isn't parodying individual people's attitudes, but rather a certain perception of Apple users, whether it's true or not.
But that's lazy! I'm sorry, I know I keep saying the same thing. But it's true. Lazy humor is the easiest and worst, and I can't stand it, especially not when it's a show that used to be so good.
Finally, just naming something and calling it "not funny" doesn't make it not funny, and isn't a critique of it.
No, it doesn't. What makes it not funny is the fact that it isn't funny. It's the fact that it's lazy and takes the easy way out with every single joke.
