@Marty_MacFly: i can't figure out if this is sarcasm or if it's funny because it's not. :D

froggy

What an excellent analysis, Brian. I thought these Giz year end report cards were a waste but you guys have shown me otherwise. Another great contribution from one of my favorite bloggers.

For 2008, that Apple TV grade will likely get bumped from a C to an A. I can understand why you'd find it mediocre at the moment but hey, like Steve said it's a hobby for now.

Top-notch as always, Giz. Top-notch as always.

Marty_MacFly

@deadhouseplants: "The AppleTV is essentially the brain dead member of the Kennedy family"
- my second favorite comment of the day. if omg_ponies doesn't win comment of the day for his 'linux guys are like paint sniffing stoners' comment in the ms beer article, this should.

EMoShunz

before the haters start - it isnt Vista, but Microsoft software running on Vista

Wookie

I'm going to agree to disagree with the Appletv grade, I bought one, and hacked the hell out of it. Its now a very versatile media hub now, replacing a large linux based media center.

so C from apple
but B+ after developers hacked it to include the functions apple left out.

nycbjr2

@mwalker05:

I agree that the Ipod Touch does not compete with other 30+ gb players.

Maybe hes grading on a curve?

ivealwaysgotmail10

Cmon
"f they start offering buckets of cash to this publication to stop rumor mongering, it isn't going to get them very far."

I think it would depend on how big the bucket was.

I would think apple had enough money just to buy out Gawker In general

Also, Buckets aren't apples style, They would probably have Those aluminum suitcases with a Big illuminated Breathing apple logo on them.

ivealwaysgotmail10

My favorite part of this entire pro Apple post is that it was riddled with Vista ads when I viewed it - classic.

Wookie

It's as if it's still 2000. People really need to stop comparing Apple to PC's. People no longer make the comment, "but you can't run so and so software on a Mac." If anything, you're comparing operating systems and corporations. If Dell made a computer that was functional and ran OS X, Dell would have it's fanboys like Apple. I use Apple not because I want to belong to a clique, but because I'm more proficient with it's operating system than I am with Windows.

The issue with Apple is the fact that you rarely see a corporation or business that produces products where the majority of them are not only efficient, but sell really well. It's funny that AppleTV gets such press for being so bad. The AppleTV is essentially the brain dead member of the Kennedy family. I've used Apple products since 1982, and honestly, every year they come out with one or two products that aren't that good. It's the fact that they sell other products that are market and industry leaders is what makes Apple the company it is.

deadhouseplants

for independent products I would lower the grades, I think we are being a bit generous. Maybe this comes from the fact that hidden behind, deep in our thoughts, we still want to see apple as a mid size corporation producing crazy and exciting new products, fighting the big dogs and not giving in to the status quo. And like Brian points out, that is not the case of apple anymore.

Now, as company that has planned all this products and releases, adapting to the trends and not giving in to not release new products every time they want, even when will push your partners, their service and technologies to be better and accessible, I would give them the same well deserved grade.

dysthymia

OMG Gizmodo is SUCH a raving Apple fanboy site!

FrankenPC

iTunes: D- Mostly DRM'd music and the software is more like bloatware on PCs.

toolverine

overall an A? if you average the grades that you guys gave them (a=95, a-=90, etc) you get an 83.75 average, or a B. With the issues with their computer hardware (overheating, incompatibilities, over pricing, cant upgrade / repair yourself) i dont see how you can give their computers an A and be honest. also the new ipod line does not earn an A. unless you want the touch, there is no incentive to upgrade. and the touch is not a competitive pmp with only 16gigs and NO EXPANDABLE MEMORY.

mwalker05

comparing microsoft to a honda? now thats just mean! if anything fanboys are the ones drivng around in those crazy hybrid-mobiles!

jbhitter24

And if i think about it hard technically... the ipod classic should get atleast a B or B- because of the sheer fact that they released a stripped down iphone, and then removed SOFTWARE FEATURES that had nothing to do with the "phone"... just trying to force people to get the iPhone...

unfortunately for me the iphone wont work legit here where i live

But none the less the iPhone is definitely a stellar product a Solid A+... but the way they released it so locked down and tied to carriers definitly bumps it to a A- maybe B for me

phantam

An A?

That's a bit of Apple polishing.

Windhawk

i agree with most of it but give me a break, the ipod classic needs its own grade and that was more like a D....

and i also back ukbaby up being in the netherlands antilles...

APPLE in the USA: B+
Apple outside the USA: D- ( i give it even lower because of how the apple tech guy spoke to me when i asked him about the iphone in my area )

phantam

well apple has worked for that A .. compared to PC.. they come short.. apple causes alot of attention.. which PC doesn't because they don't have much going for themselves.. but good Report Daddy's proud.. lol

pinoyd

I love apple and i have and sell apple products but.. bais jernalism does not help anyone.

APPLE in the USA: A-
Apple outside the USA: D

with technology success in america in increasingly becoming uneventful and apple is behind outside the US

UK.baby

Wow, I expected this kind of fanboyism.

Gizmodo sounds like the average Apple fanboy.

"OMG EVRY1 IS SWITCHN TO LEPURD CUZ VISTA IS SUCK!!!!!111"

Would not be surprised if Apple funded them to give them this kind of PR.

Leopard only has a bigger adoption rate at launch because almost everyone who has a Mac was a consumer whore enough to buy one that they have no problem forking more money into Jobs' pockets for a service pack update for Tiger. You call Gates a greedy man but at least when he releases a new OS, it has actual features worth paying for.

I would read only Engadget, but they're just as much of a Stevedrone as you guys are.

And for the cherry on top of it all, it's Brian "Angry Game Spoiler" Lam who wrote it.

Tomahawk214

@ronnsprocket: 100% agree. i put a joke comment up when the apple site went down the other day that apple tv came back with blu-ray...but it was really a secret wish.

EMoShunz

As much as I hate the fact that Giz is SERIOUSLY biased towards apple....

I agree - Apple really did have a good year and their REVOLUTIONARY product (iphone) and improvements in their Ipods definitely gets them ahead of others.

Hats off to you Apple -
An "A" well deserved.

xaflatoonx

an A? hehe fanboys :P

Oz

I just came over from the other side, and I couldn't agree with you more. At the risk of sounding like a fan boi, 2007 had me switch over everything to apple, and it all started with the release of Vista

thetbg

for crying out loud! The iPhone should not get more then a B, and that if you're being generous. I still not impressed with the Leopard. as for the Mac hardware... A?! come on now, expensive (overly so); hard to upgrade. Maybe computer design gets an A - certainly they look good, but nothing a Dell XPS or a Sony Viao can't take on. a little too much fanboysm here me thinks.

froggy

also,

apple tv doesnt deserve a C.

if it had a dvd drive or blu ray drive, that really would have boosted its stock.

-with its front Row OS and operating as a dvd player, I would give it a C.

-if it had a blu ray option, i would give it a B

-if it had all the above, plus DVR capabilities, It would get an A.

ronnsprocket

You know, as much as I enjoy these "report cards", the average Apple hater won't read to the Media Control paragraph.
I suppose this article will get a lot of the usual comments.

Personally, I'd have rated Apple with a solid B. I don't share the optimistic appraisal of Leopard, because of the major bugs it started with, some of which have yet to be resolved.

The new iPods are a bit of a disappointment, and I won't go into the iPhone dbate.

The machines are great, and will continue to be just that.

Hvedhrungr

you guys are such apple fanboys...wait, i agree. accept with your appletv grade, that should be an f.

EMoShunz

Blam, you're right. top notch.

[written on a pc]

jdunns4

"does porche outsell Honda?"

-hands down, best analogy ever

ronnsprocket

One more thing...

To all the Linux fans out there complaining about Apple:

Update the look of the interface. It's what the user spends all of his/her time staring at when using the computer. Make it look nice. Microsoft learned that lesson. You should too.

Make it easier to install programs. On a Mac, I drag an icon into the Applications folder. On Windows, I double click the installer icon and follow the prompts. Why can't it be that easy on Linux.

Don't make the user play hardware roulette. I know my MacBook is compatible with major pieces of hardware like my wireless card. I knew that Windows was compatible with the wireless card in my old Lifebook. I was not happy to find out that Ubuntu was not compatible with the wireless card.

Kill the god-damned terminal. If I wanted to type commands, I'd use DOS 5.0. Apple knows this. Microsoft knows this. Linux developers need to learn this.

Come up with a household name. Enough with the Baskin-Robbins 31 flavors of Linux. Call it Linux. Kill the damn penguin, get a real logo, and start buying TV airtime.

To all the Microsoft fans out there complaining about Apple:

Just like Steve Jobs isn't god, Bill Gates isn't either. Apple knows how to work the media. Accept it. And just relax - for all of Apple's big talk, Microsoft is still the big name in business computing, office software, and yes, operating systems. Microsoft is also a major player in gaming and music.

The line is "Nobody ever got fired for buying Microsoft". That should be enough. Microsoft can't have 100% of the market.

OMG!!! Ponies!!!

An A means perfect or really outstanding.

I like Apple but that's nonsense.

Leopard has real bugs.
The iPhone lockdown sucks.
Apple TV is trash.

B+ or B.

Not an A.

resource

Um, after reading some of these comments. It's official. Some of you need to sell your computers, and use that money on a hooker. Seriously. Especially the winners who are tallying up the grades. Like the criteria for the grading can be taken seriously at all. Do you guys go to Cnet.com and send hatemail to Molly Wood cause she missed a end of year prediction too?

The last 4 criteria of the grade should be thrown out and dismissed. Are you losers seriously telling me your decision on a computer is solely based on their contractual agreements with media conglomerates? You can't buy from Apple cause of their inability of controlling internet rumors. It's Gizmodo, not Consumer Reports.

Lighten up Francis.

deadhouseplants

Between bricking phones for AT&T, locking out devs, and shutting down bloggers, I'd give them a F-.

The Brain

to all the guys doing the mathematical equations for giz's final grade...
ever think that maybe some sections have a higher point value?
like when your in school and the quizzes are worth 15%, while the final is worth 40%, etc.

EMoShunz

@nutbastard: I agree with a lot of that but am still not a fan of using "awesome" to describe anything.
----------------------------
Apple - and Microsoft - got to where they are by not being afraid to make mistakes and, when mistakes are made, learning from them. They occasionally skirt the rules (sorry, Nutbastard, but Apple's been kind of gorilla-like with the iPod/iTunes ecosystem), but most of the time, they succeed by doing things right on a consistent basis.

Why is Apple gaining marketshare? Because it realized that there's nothing wrong with selling a competitively-priced thin-and-light. I got a 13" MacBook and, with the exception of some cosmetic problems, am largely happy with it. It was a better deal than anything that HP or Dell had to offer in the 12"-13"/5 lb. range. How did Apple realize this? It saw what happened when the price of iPods started going down. That's called good business strategy.

What else has Apple learned that other companies can't seem to get? People don't want to fiddle with settings. Creative could have owned the mp3 market. So could Sony. But neither of them could figure out how to come out with decent software. I had both a Zen and a Zen Xtra. Both were a bargain when compared to the iPod premium price. But when I tried out iTunes after getting a 4G, I didn't turn back. Creative could never make decent software which isn't surprising given that Creative isn't a software company. Big mistake. Apple learned from it.

People like shiny things. They like to feel that they are using something from the future. Sleek lines matter. Not cluttering up the interface matters. Apple knows this. Dell doesn't know this after all these years. Microsoft learned though - look at the 360 when compared to the original XBox. Microsoft even learned from Apple's problems by putting a scratch-resistant finish on the Zune.

Companies that try, companies that do, companies that learn. These are the companies that stick around. They know their strengths and they play to those strengths. iPod shows that just like the 360 and Office show that.

Now someone needs to tell Apple to put some weight behind the Server division - which includes buying airtime on Sunday morning news shows.

OMG!!! Ponies!!!

And remember: Giz LOVES the Zune 2.

nutbastard

I demand a re-grade.

aaj111

Er, can't really agree with this. Leopard killed computers with Logitech mice attached (and let's face it, Mac's refusal to make normal mice is all that is keeping Logitech afloat), knocked out a wide variety of preexisting software, and many included programs were buggy as sin (that Spaces is still buggier than the XP powertoy equivalent is not a good thing, that Cover Flow can screw your RAM and makes me hate iTunes and Finder even more), and didn't fix many security issues. Most of the claimed "300" are minor at best or double-counted -- ten of them come from a 'new' DVD player that's not exactly worth a bullet point nevermind ten.

Yes, Apple fanboys, even your precious system has security issues and bugs.

I wouldn't rate it as poorly as Vista, I have a hard time agreeing with an A grade to an operating system that literally blue-screens those who install it. Especially for an operating system advertised as being better than the BSoD one.

gattsuru

Apple hasn't been an underdog for a while.

bbfreak

iPhone gets Solid C IMO

nutbastard

I mean, are Giz's pro-Apple posts forcing you to go out and buy Apple gear? No? Then that's not a very effecive ad campaign, (if it was one) and last time i checked, Apple knows how to do effective ad campaigns. You all just dont like how when Redmond plops out a huge, steaming turd, that Giz looks at it and says, "this appears to be shit". Nevermind that the overwhelming majority agrees with Giz on what is and isn't shit, I know, you feel slighted because, well, it doesn't seem fair. Why should Apple get to put out all the good products that actually work? You get to feeling sorry for the Big Guy.

Enjoy your turds.

nutbastard

As a grade, I think you're correct, Apple is doing A work, though that said (excluding the iPhone, which I'll knock in a minute) Apple hasn't really done anything this year. Sure, new products, but at least from my perspective, the classic, the touch, the video nano, they're all just iPods, with additional features that were totally normal and in-line with everything else.

The iPhone doesn't deserve an A-. It's a brilliant, beautiful, and powerful piece of hardware, don't get me wrong, but other than actually making the product, EVERYTHING Apple has done with the iPhone has been poorly though out and executed, with profit often being considered more important than innovation. No SDK? Stupid. Trying to prevent people from actually improving their product? Bass-ackwards. The product deserves an A+, but the service and support (which are equally important in this case) deserve a D, at best.

dimo414

People who accuse Giz of shilling for apple have got to be the biggest retards on the planet. Well, except those retards that can't type. But of the rest of them, yeah... bottom of the barrel.

Maybe, just maybe, theres only a dozen people writing for gizmodo (if that) and maybe they tend to share many of the same opinions about Apple. Perhaps this group of young, college graduate technology editors, perhaps they've had positive experiences with Apples products. It may be that they've been exposed to so many gadgets that don't cut the mustard that their standards are different than some of ours.

But they don't take money from Apple for positive posts. It seems Apple doesn't have to pay for good press, rather diverting that energy to, oh i dunno, making products that are awesome enough that word of mouth will do the selling for them?

nutbastard

apple fanboys.

until my computer really works around ME, and not me around IT, no one deserves an "A"

SmBizMan

I think Giz has some sorta deal with Apple specifically el-jobso... tell me is Giz getting some sorta free cool stuff behind the scenes? if thats the case, then I agree with the bias report cards...

mr_oshodi

@mwalker05:
And what 16 GB SSD touch-screen wifi full web browser PMPs DO offer expandable memory?
Actually, what PMPs offer those features alone? For the same price? That you WOULD touch with a 10 foot pole (pink chinese knock-offs dont count, especially since they dont have em in 16 gigs)

At least the touch lived up to it's hype, something the iPhone never could have no matter what.

nutbastard

I knew this was coming...how come we didn't get a pic of el-jobso when he was being breast feeded by his mom? Only billy gets those funky odd pics huh? very bias! Yeah.....yeah..iPhone is invention of the year.......Leopard isn't...huh? it gets an A for what? for the mac fanbois posting their iChat on here?

May be Giz should rename this site as Apple Gizmodo or something of that nature..huh? and pls. stop reviewing M$ stuff.. thats y Engadget rocks!!!

mr_oshodi

However, I will say I was impressed with the iPhone.

highfloydelity

I choose the "You're all just Apple fanboys" option.

highfloydelity

The iPod grade needs to be lower. The classic shows how old the interface and hierarchy are. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple just retires the iPod line in 2008 in favor of the Touch/iPhone line.

It's not that Leopard could be better; it's that Apple slacked off a bit on the OS front the entire year. 10.4.10 was trash and broke major Apple applications. Leopard, in addition to being delayed, needed a point upgrade within a fortnight. In other words, it was undercooked. Finally, Leopard has nothing earth-shattering in it. Several of the major features are features that other platforms had for years - like Time Machine and Spaces.

Also, the AppleTV deserves a D+. It ranks alongside the G4 Cube, the toilet seat iBook and the Newton for potholes in Apple's road to recovery.

I think that the bricking deserves to take the iPhone down to a B+, but then again, I was never one for grade inflation.

Finally, something needs to said about the Apple ad engine. There's something fishy about the NY Times doing wall-to-wall iPhone coverage at the same time that Apple saturates the airwaves with iPhone ads promoting the NY Times website. And don't get me started on the "I'm a Mac" ads.

OMG!!! Ponies!!!

@kumuasata:

Nvm comments didn't load :/

kumuasata

In before you guys are fanboys comments. :D

kumuasata

@Thunder_Child: Ok, just realized that these number are arbitrary since none of the "Report Cards" add up properly.
You might want to think about some non math based system.

Thunder_Child

Im thinking A is a bit high, maybe A-. The ONLY real gripe I have with Apple (right now) is that lack of a good server interface for iTunes. Yes, I know, you can share Libraries, however that only works if iTunes is loaded in the background. That becomes an issue if you want to rip music because you have to do it on the server in order to be able to populate the client machines.

We shouldn't have to run scripts like Watch Folders, iTunes should have an ability to allow multiple computers to share multiple playlists, updated on either client computer, be able to rip from either to end up on a server library. As it stands, you run iTunes on a server, when you launch it on the client you have access to the library to play, make playlists, etc. I believe it lacks artwork in this mode. Any playlists are created locally. Any CDs ripped are ripped locally, requiring manual (or complicated automatic) updating and good organization. Also, duplicate copies may violate licensing.

iTunes is a PITA to use on multiple computers. It shouldn't be this way.

Lizard_King

I like the dichotomy of these posts. Everyone's either drooling to give Jobs and/or Giz a happy ending...

What an excellent analysis, Brian... Top-notch as always, Giz

... or foaming at the mouth, to tear into Jobs and/or Giz...

OMG Gizmodo is SUCH a raving Apple fanboy site!

It's like somebody took all the Democrats and Republicans and told them that Democrats are pro-Apple, and Republicans are pro-PC.

Fight, you silly little bitches, fight!

Munch

I know my math is not perfect but...
A- + A + A- + A + D + C + C + B = B
4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 = 24/8 = 3

Thunder_Child

Disagree with this grade if you will, but being a tech blog, the editors are free to express their own opinions, and whether or not I or anyone else agree with it does not negate the fact that Apple has actually done a bang-up job this year on their products, namely their computers and the excellent iPhone.

If you believe that the grade is totally out of the asses of ravenous Apple fanboys, you are totally free to start your own blog, and post a sound rebuttal of your own.

Kaiser-Machead

pissed off!

shorty6049

Gizmodo Year-End Report Card: A

You guys are pretty fair & balanced [although I, personally, think you went a bit overboard on the iphone coverage] and witty to boot!

I don't care what the poll said, Giz is the best!

Give yourselves a round of applause...

ideaman2020

@blankmind13: LOL!

Marty_MacFly

Ya, jobs dropped the ball on the DRM situation. Honestly, i can give a shit about DRM, since i actually buy CDs, why in god name would you throw away hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on building an intangeble media library?

djfoxx64

Wow A, wasn't expecting that from Gizmodo. This is all bs, Apple sucks. They got lucky with the ipod, and thats the only reason why there still around today. Apple has amazing marketing and has this affect of brainwashing people into buying all of their crap. Apple is just a fad, and it will eventually blow over. And they say who cares about market share. How come they talk about market share with the ipod, and then once they starts to talk about macs its like oh, marketshare doesn't matter its like a lexus. Thats such bs, I wouldn't even be hearing anything about mac computers if the ipod was never made. Half the posts on gizmodo wouldn't even exist. Any then they talk about marketshare with the iphone. People forget that the market was expanded. People who were not interested in a smartphone, but wanted a regular phone that could do more bought an iphone. The market increased with the iphone, it wasn't like the people in the market switched to the iphone. But just like with everything else apple makes, people only buy that crap because they don't know better. This guy comes up to me the other day at schoool, and he asks me if I knew anything about apple computers, I said I guess they look nice, but you can do more with a pc. The guy had no clue about macs or pcs. A few days later he comes in with a macbook. I could tell the guy didn't even think twice about getting a mac. And I also knew that the guy didnt know anything about computers. But still he instantly bought a mac because he thought it was cool. Too bad microsoft doesn't have those funny commercials to show how much crap apple gets away with. But they don't need to Microsoft knows that apple isn't a threat. People will get smarter, and they will figure it out for themselves. I went into an apple store the other day with my att tilt. I asked the guy who worked there if the iphone could do everything my phone could do. And he went through each feature, and to my amazement there was nothing it could do that my tilt couldn't. Not to mention my tilt has a full qwerty keyboard which definitely beats the hell out of any soft board. Then I asked what could the iphone do that my phone couldn't and of course there was nothing. Oh wait know, there is one things. You can flick stuff with the iphone, oh and you can use two fingers to zoom in and out of stuff. I guess that counts for something. Anyway you ask anyone about the tilt and most people have no clue what you are talking about. Mention anything with an "i" and it must be good. I actually like it better this way. Its pretty cool that I have a better phone than most of the people out there. It also awesome that I have a better mp3 player(Zune 2) than most people. When people stop acting like sheep in a herd, then we'll see where apple stands. Oh and one more thing. Gizmodo should really got off Steve Jobs' **ts. Boom!

blankmind13

as a shareholder i can't agree more with you guys its been a perfect year. also i dont see apple TV as being a failure just yet, remember that thing has a Pentium chip in it, meaning it has alot of potencial, its just that apple has alot of thing on hand right now, but this coming macworld people might be suprise with a movie rental or iP tv or something

snitch29

C for Apple TV? what do u need to do to get an F? that thing FAILED with a capital G!

chuloallen

If ever a company had an A year it was Apple '07 and props to BLam for not pussying it up with a minus just to pander to the zealots.

frigg

We can give Apple an F if we want to make some kind of political statement, but at the end of the day, look at their stock price. It has MORE THAN DOUBLED THIS YEAR. Maybe, just maybe, they know what they're doing.

mullingitover

A? Yeah, no way, my friend.

I really like Apple but there is no way I would give it anything better than a B- to B.

EricBrian

@tangledweb16: dude, wtf? i understand getting upset at people, heck i've got mad at a few fellow commenters for calling me names and trying to pretend it was for a reason, but how the heck did what froggy said justify that?

EMoShunz

careful giz, banhammers are in shorter supply than the wii this holiday season

in any event, Apple is a decent computer company. I repair and support BOTH platforms, but where they shine is in the PR field. They pay NOTHING (last time I checked) for product placement in tv shows and movies (entourage, 24, the OC, etc).

how often have windows/dell/hp/other PC companies been seen in the entertainment genre? yeah

discounteggroll

@OMG!!! Ponies!!!: Its not the fact that they did the apple/microsoft report cards on the same day, its the fact that they are obviously slightly biased toward apple. They deserved marginally higher than microsoft if anything, and that would be a B.

But i guess gizmodo like engadget likes to stir things up.. It gets hits i guess. But is also the reason i dont read engadget anymore.

prodigal_son

I don't know about you guys, but if my semester grades are peppered with B's, C's and D's, there's no way in hell I'm getting an A.

The only way I'd get an A in that situation is if I brown-nosed the hell out of my teacher and said "Damn my reputation!" And, that would also make my teacher unfair and other students would have grounds to have that teacher removed from his/her position. Nobody's going to fire you, but come on - an A? Do you know what an "average" is? Surely you got graded on things at some point in your life...

Tommasta

It's four days until Chrismukkah.

I propose every one double-up on the mixed drinks and just calm down. I partly blame Gizmodo for posting two Apple/Microsoft "report cards" on the same day for all the vitriol.

Settle down, stop name calling, stop making stuff up, and relax. It's a blog.

OMG!!! Ponies!!!

sigh

alukard

@achilles: Yes, most people who read and write anything Gizmodo.com ARE nerds. I am. Aren't you? Are you saying that Microsoft and Apple weren't also started by nerds? It isn't a good thing that other nerds are writing about companies started by nerds?

It's the nerd circle of life and shouldn't be feared. Neither should a "little nobody's" opinion about Apple products.

And to second what has already been said far more eloquently by nutbastard, anyone who thinks Gizmodo is being paid off by Apple has got to be retarded.

Gosh.

honozooloo

A is too much.

prodigal_son

@achilles:
Meanwhile, BLam gets paid to do this; You're just a troll. Calling him a nobody - ha. You're an anonymous commenter on a blog. it doesn't get more (or is it less?) nobody than that. douche.

nutbastard

@froggy:

Fuck you.

tangledweb16

@Thunder_Child: Thank you!!!:)

achilles

Yeah, Game over, exactly. Because you can actually run a game on a windows machine and get to the point where you finish it, but on a Mac running Vista, you will end up getting a game over. Oh, and that's not Vista's fault, either. It's the program running Vista!

Crazysamz

@blankmind13: Dam Dude chill, if you don't like apple what the heck are you doing goin to a apple store?? Dude if you think you ATT tilt is better than a iphone, you must be blind just the simple fact that the iphone is only Version 1.0 that beats it right there, and it already has a multi touch screen. HTC been in business for the longest and they still can't come close to nothing like it. can you just imagine what will the iphone be in 5 years??

snitch29

To: Brian Lam

I like your way of trying to pretend you are neutral by finding other non-important things to give to Apple low grades like "Keynote Reality Distortion Field" and "Rumor Control". Apple did really good this year it's true but you should make sure you clean the extra white thick fluid at the peak of your lips. How does it taste? Does Steve Jobs drink a lot of soda? I heard that makes it taste really sweet!

Anyway. The whole analogy with Porsche and Honda holds no ground. Microsoft is a software company. You can't completely compare the iPhone to all the shitty companies' phones which run Windows Mobile. Also, why do you guys always compare to Microsoft? Microsoft does embedded systems, operating systems, some hardware on the side, is big on the game console etc etc. You are not comparing Porsches and Hondas. You are comparing Apples and oranges and your comparison is about the taste of their juice. Just so you know, they are both useful and they are used for many different reasons.

I am sick of little nobodies like you, who work for a blog that some nerds started and all of a sudden became popular. Go get a job at Apple if you're that popular and that good...

achilles

@blankmind13: That's kinda the impression I got.

You'd think they would have gone for a lower grade just to give a NOD the credibility factor, but hey why bother??

To date this is the only thing that ruins Gizmodo for me:
The blatant Apple Salad Tossing.

strider_mt2k

@blankmind13: Your mind really is blank.

Also did anyone other than me notice that A is for Apple? lol.

Honestly, I think that Apple does deserve an A, especially if you invested in their stock.

My only issue with them has been the non-3G iPhone.

MadColombian

apple fan bois...ill leave it at that.

knappoleon

Let's keep it civil, original, smart, or funny.
Or banny. Your choice.

Brian Lam

Apple got an A? How interesting. So what score did they get last year. Or the year before that. Anyone know because a search on their site didn't pull up any previous scores but it did pull up a ton of their annual slamming against other companies.

So if this is their first report card then it should be pointed out that they decided to judge them only when they do well.

urkel

Really, an A for leopard? The POS kernel panics when you run Azureus over Airport. No OS should let a Java app cause a kernel panic and still get an A.

Matt8109

So, You give Vista 'D' and Leapord 'A'?????

Leapord is already preparing for SP2!!! howz it better than Vista??? This is biased.

In my opinion both should get a B (or) B-

VasiS

Dear Gizmodo,

You Apple fanboy-ism bullsh*t is showing. Do us all a favor, clean up your act in 2008.

Leopard = A? Are you kidding me?
Apple TV ...how is this not a D?
iPhone ...a B+ at best.
iPods ...a pretty boring year. B+ at best.

People come to Gizmodo for accurate quality information, not this fanboy biased bullsh*t.

xxdesmus

@kvitne:
@nutbastard:

Great posts guys, you said it all.

BTW, my comment up there was just for fun ... as it's nice seeing people get all riled up about some petty bullshit.

dead_red_eyes

Suck on that "A" you M$oft fanboys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

dead_red_eyes

@blankmind13: I didn't even finish reading your post. Apple was on the brink of going under just before Jobs came back and introduced the first iMac. He stopped them from going out of business and increased sales far before the iPod. Know what you're talking about before you start blabbing.

And all you people saying that Gizmodo is nothing but an Apple fanboy site, fuck you guys. If anything you're the fanboys. Just because they decided to give Apple a good grade doesn't mean that bashing has to begin immediately. So there are a lot of stories on here about Apple and it's products, who cares? It was a big year for apple, a lot of things happened, so they gave the news coverage. That's all. Doesn't make them fanboys, just makes you guys a bunch of pricks for not recognizing who are the real fanboys.

kvitne

Hahahaha who the hell cares anyway? Happy Holidays :)

dna

This year. Apple has completely converted me. Apple has no doubt made me Think Different. I never on earth expected my computer experience to be as amazing as OS X. I finally upped myself to a 2nd gen iPod nano in the summer and a MB.

The iPhone? I'm perfectly fine with my phone at the moment. But I really want that iPod touch (slim things amaze me) - but it needs a price drop. Come on announcement at MacWorld 08.

Hell I'm even dying to find one of those dome macs. They are works of art design wise. Those things are still fetching 600USD! Shite.

Although I am toiling for a new iPod already (the nano is scratched as hell), I'm also very curious on this new "aluminum MB"

slingblade

Gizmodo is such a joke now. You have gone down hill all this year! You should give yourselves a report card

F for Fanboy

Wegmans

@blankmind13: Yeah, your long pointless rant is just not worth completing. People who go on about consumers being brainwashed into buying Apple's products need to quit scouring their colons with their scalps and get a clue. I think the fact that you and many others seem to be missing is that what's good for the goose, is not necessarily good for the gander.

@xxdesmus: No, people come to Gizmodo to read about tech blogs, and being a blog, is likely to have the opinions of the editors' experiences/thoughts on the subject or gizmo. If you only want your own opinion, start your own fucking site and blog stuff about the things you like. Savvy?

As for your grading system, what do YOU base them on? At least Giz had the courtesy to explain why they scored them the way they did.

Kaiser-Machead

iPhone did not deserve an A. A permanent battery that will have to be returned to the factory to be replaced. Tiny storage capacity. Weird pricing strategy and refunds ($100 voucher I can't use - thanks.) Locked to Ma Bell and deliberately sabotaging unlocked phones gives This a B- or C product for sure.

Leopard was supposed to be the Anti-Vista. The good operating system that would take over the market after Microsoft screwed up. But it shipped riddled with bugs and security vulnerabilities not becoming of a company that prides itself for its attention to detail. B- product at best - though maybe I'm being generous.

Their computers broke no new ground, are still overpriced, and many came pre-loaded with Leopard.

The iPods also did nothing for Apple this year. The Touch had many features that would have made it awesome, had Apple not crippled it at birth. The other iPods recieved a minor update (turn the screen sideways) though the firmware update was not applicable to older hardware. These shortcomings allowed Zune (ghasp! Microsoft!) to gain a sizeable market share. That said, at least the iPod line didn't suffer the bad press of other Apple products this year. B+

Apple may be a better company than Microwhatsit, but lets not let our bias control the outcome.

icntdrv

@vicsells: Oh God, Gizmodo writers own Apple products! They must be shills!

Or, maybe they just, you know, enjoy using them.

letoatreides

oh come on guys...how much apple butt-kissing will you do to get those free ipods??

sameoldoctor

you gave apple an A, and not ATT or Nintendo?

obviously Gizmodo is Apple-friendly. (how many of you have Iphones? Macbooks?)

YAH. I thought so.

vicsells

It is disgusting how hateful people bashing on Apple are. I don't understand the motivation behind it. Apple has had a banner year. They've been very successful, and they've made all the right moves. I'm sad to admit that I was an asshole to Apple users in the past, but I finally gave them a real, honest try last year, and it was, plain and simple, a really pleasant experience. The only thing I ever boot into Windows for any more is to play certain games, and if the Mac keeps gaining in marketshare, that my change too.

I somehow doubt that those spewing hate for Apple products have actually used one with an open mind for an extended period of time, or understand why they are simply designed better than their Windows counterparts.

letoatreides

Nice job, blam. Microsoft dropping that turd Vista and Apple hitting it out of the park with Leopard is the reason my company is switching from Dell to Apple for new desktop and laptop purchases. Billy-boy can suck it.

bobdobbs

I think i hate Apple AND Microsoft! Kinda like Linux...

My favorite times are those spent AWAY from technology

Wegmans

@xxdesmus: Why do you own a Mac Mini then? Why do you use it at all if you loathe it?

letoatreides

@letoatreides:

I own a Mac Mini, and I hate Apple. Some of us have seen the dark side, and we still hate Apple (believe it or not). I loathe every time I have to use OS X.

xxdesmus

Interesting...I knew the final grade when I opened the link, but I was surprised to find that the A was derived from a D, 2 C's, a B, a couple of A-'s, and a couple of A's. According to a bit more of an impartial grading (computation based on the grades, like you did over on MS's review), this should have been a solid B.

I own several Apple products myself, and while I do enjoy them, I'm amazed at how much you guys toe the line between advertising and journalism.

Steve19970

@nutbastard: You don't know who I am ;) And I am not writing in this blog. I meant that it would be better if people who are professionals rate things and discuss technology. I mean look at the results of this monstrosity! Microsoft gets a B+ for getting out a shitty operating system and a console that people had serious issues with and Apple gets an A for releasing Leopard that god knows how many other issues they'll have (the only thing they know how to do is judge) and for releasing the iPhone in their dictatorship with AT&T.

Oh and I am a Computer Engineer just so you know. What are you "nutbastard"? A nut bastard?

achilles

Time Machine is revolutionary technology. To say it's the same as any other backup software is to display that one is cranially fecal.

Jesssssse

dont' forget the major bugs the new versions of the mac systems had. A is a very high grade for the grief many new owners had. And the iPhone, give me a break. It's far from being the best phone of 2007 and very far from being apple's best product of the year. At most, Apple gets a B for this year.

Silenthillnight

An A? are you freaken kidding me?
Gizmodo has really just disappointed me.. everyday.. same bullShi*.. Apple this- apple that..
When do i really get to read about real Technology other than apple..
i said there is a website called TUAW.~.. all ready. It's not that i don't like apple~
Let me be Brief.. I OWN! an Mac PRO! (i'm using this right know.. at the best.. apple deserves a B-..But an A..? its disappointed me alot! I MEAN Alot.. this year it showed alot that its definitely not flawless and full of alot of Hype!

DJJS

Your "grade math" is off ... you can't get a D and 2 C's and still end up with an A.

And give the iPhone a B- ... all flash with no substance. Don't believe me? Feel free to send me an MMS. Thank you and good night.

BigSwirv

An analogy for the fanbois:
Apple is to hardware as the RIAA is to music.

Apple is every bit as bad as Sony. If you don't think so, you're ignorant. Proprietary connectors- BAD. Tied to specific software- BAD. (I can continue)

If an iPod Touch had an SD slot on it, I would have been the first in line.

Btw, Home Depot is the cheapest brick and mortar place to buy cables. If you read Gizmodo, you should be making your own ethernet cables.

androgenous_wombat

Porsche and Apple have two things..... OVERRATED AND OVER PRICED.

I will admit some of the things Leopard introduced are neat and I love the IPod but that doesn't change my above statement.

vision646

Anyone who bitches about bugs should realize the inevitable and . ... .. . . . . .. stop bitching! Let's talk about bugs vs. major performance issues instead.

MastaFalse

@ all the "Vista is the greatest" dreamers who comment in this thread:

You must be right. In fact, Vista is so great that PC manufacturers brought back XP as an option. This move was an obvious attempt to keep Vista all to themselves.

Greedy bastards.

NotMe

@ froggy:

I still not impressed with the you.

NotMe

How does 2 A's, 2 A-'s, 1 B, 2 C's, and a D equal an overall grade of A? LOL, did you use "Numbers" to calculate that GPA?? It's actually barely a B- average. Christ, this fanboyism is relentless!

mdude85

ipods don't deserve an A-

They are horrible, extremely horrible. The new UI is just atrocious and is slow/clunky on even the Nano's, don't get me started about the Classic's...By the time I'm able to play a song on it I could have sold the thing and bought a 5.5G. And if anyone thinks the Touch is worthwhile is just a idiot.

mlmorg

Screw PC Mac haters and those that are down on Gizmodo for not joining the hater bandwagon. You're just jealous.

appletard

Yeah, I mean it's one thing to have a solid operating system that has some bugs in it, a lot of which have been stamped out with updates. It's a completely different thing to have made Vista. And Microsoft got a B+. Ridiculous.

I'll say it before and I'll say it again. the real fanboys in this article are the ones who are throwing a hissy fit because Apple had a good year.

kvitne

Forget the rest of my post, which was going to be a long winded way of saying the iPhone is a ludicrously expensive iPod Touch with a really sub-par phone attached, and lets get down to the most important thing here.

Since when did as many C's and D's as A's (not to mention only 2/9 actually being A's) give an overall A? Who did your marking at school?

Onouris

@blankmind13: Apple didn't get lucky with iPod. Apple got lucky when Steve Jobs took over from the soft drink CEO guy.

I read your comment with interest, because I used to feel that Apple was all flash and no substance. Three years ago, you and I would have agreed totally.

But something changed a couple of years ago when I bought an iPod. Like anyone with a history of following tech gadgets, I knew that iPod wasn't the original portable media player, but after playing with my daughter's third generation iPod, I knew that it was the best available. When the 5th generation video iPods came out, I bought one, and found myself reaching for it every time I left my house.

After using my iPod for a while, I began to suspect that maybe Macs were pretty nice, too. When Apple switched to Intel processors, I decided to give a Mac a try. After nearly 20 years of Microsoft, I was getting more than a little sick and tired of viruses, spyware, and all the other crap that haunts PC users. Granted, common sense, software, and a steady stream of updates kept me from ever having a virus or spyware infection, but I was ready to consider something else.

My first Mac was a pleasure to use, and my wife decided that she, too wanted a Mac. I gave her mine, and bought another. My daughter was having nothing but trouble with her Compaq notebook (she didn't use common sense, and was constantly plagued by a stream of viruses, browser hijacks, spyware, and the like), so I bought her a MacBook. A year and a half later, the same girl with the same bad habits is having no problems whatsoever with her computer.

So, to wrap up my lengthy response, I'd have to say that using Windows without problems is very possible, but it takes a lot of work. It's a pleasure to have a house full of Macs that, as the saying goes, just work.

Am I part of a fad, or just another mindless iSlave? Maybe, but then again maybe I was using PCs in a professional environment while many of you Apple haters were shitting yellow and sucking your thumbs. Maybe, maybe not, but either way, slinging insults at people because they like something you don't doesn't make your case.

NotMe

@blankmind13: what are **ts?

quendiljt

@froggy:
I guess you're young enough to worry about how a MACHINE will run Windows. The whole point is to AVOID windows ... once voted the largest operating system to almost work. Twenty years of upgrades(?) have only widen the gap between the two platforms.

Meanwhile, Bill is still sore that he couldn't write a word processor for the Apple back in the '70s.

Mr.Wizard

I would like to officially retract my puerile post in defense of Time Machine, if in fact it ever gets posted. Something about these platform-hate spooge-fests is nefariously hard to resist. Sorry. Here's a word I can't delete because I'm writing this on my iPhone and the text-entry window doesn't quite work right: jets

Jesssssse

@achilles:
for the record, my office is bigger than your cube. and it has a window. im 23, BTW and i never went to college. figure that one out.

don't backpedal - thats not at all what you were saying. you were just vomiting bullshit juvenile animosity. Vista does suck, but it's not bad when you consider the source. did anyone really expect MS to come out with an operating system worth it's sticker price? i'd be willing to posit that those who did are also the ones who voted for bush twice.

still, yeah, you suck.

nutbastard

I love Apple for the lock down and bricking of the iPhone. The wonderful Apple TV. The ever easy way of changing the battery on all the ipods and iPhone. Wow, let's not forget Leopard with all the kernel panic on my new MacPro.

MacFan007

SO let me get this straight, your giving a phone with half the features of a PDA, but with the same price tag. A Half ass Wannabe Linux OS that YOU HAVE TO BUY (See Fedora 8 Please.) Dumbed down so people dont have to learn, the reason why Mac's original only had ONE mouse button. Id rather compare Mac and PC's to Fisher Price Plastic Roller Cars to REAL cars. Thats right, buy a REAL computer. Also your giving "computer" hardware that is double the cost of what you can get for a PC with half the performance? All of these are getting an A? You are all Morons and Fanboys.

rjmajor323

I must say, I enjoy reading all the comments. It seems most of you are actually intelligent and thoughtful; quite impressed!

PeterGriffith

I Love Linux and honestly see no validity in either side opinions (mac or pc). Mac's have their heads so far stuck up their ass that they can't take one piece of criticism from anyone against their line of products. Ipods are still the same after all these years, no big deal; I mean I could buy a Creative zen with less than half the form factor and the same size screen, but I guess I would be missing out on that scroll circle; didn't the Zune 80GB improve on that. And microsoft is just too good that they have to finger bash at apple constantly. Guys calm down if those hippies want to keep their heads in that shit then let them, their missing out. I mean you don't have the "look" that mac attains, and your OS still gets viruses anyways. You need to buy all of these antivirus softwares and antispyware. Let's ended with this; apple sucks, microsoft is to anxious to put down the already little man, oh yeah apple sucks... BOOM!

sqweeto

Come on! I am a huge Apple proponent, but get out of the Apple distortion field for a moment.

How does the iPhone merit a lofty A-? The iPhone lacks MMS, voice dialing, voice memos, video recording, and the ability to send SMS to multiple recipients. Sure, the iPhone has features that are years away for most phones (e.g., real web browsing, fantastic music player), but does it really deserve an A- for omitting features that were commonplace years ago? I love my iPhone as much as I hate it.

And how on Earth does Leopard merit an A? The most highly touted features are confusing (e.g., Spaces), useless clutter (e.g., Stacks), or poorly executed (e.g., Time Machine, transparent menus, the hideous new dock). There are also features that just don't work -- the complete disintegration of functionality for hard drives connected to Airport Extreme is inexcusable. So is the increase in the number of system crashes from Tiger (which was ZERO).

Leopard was a premature and ill-conceived Beta release of a completely unnecessary OS upgrade. Leopard should not be excused merely because it sucks less than Vista.

jaybear

@ronnsprocket: Are you kidding me? How is a Porsche and Honda a comparable analogy to a PC and a Mac?

Porsche = Expensive, luxurious
Honda = Cheap, casual

Macs and PC aren't that much of a difference when it comes down to pricing.

lpxxfaintxx

GIZMODO
So much in love with Apple Inc, it's unnatural!

asherpat