The Samford Crimson

Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Expressions

Technology is an increasingly important part of daily life, and technological companies continuously strive to provide new products with better features than the competition. Some products have become more popular than others on Samford’s campus.  Recent products to hit the market include the iPhone, iPod touch and MacBook AIR.  

Sophomore economics major Thomas Warren is employed at The Summit’s Apple store and is particularly excited about the MacBook AIR. This notebook, as marketed by Apple, is “the thinnest, lightest Mac ever.”

According to apple.com, it offers “a widescreen display, a full-size keyboard, next-generation wireless technology, multi touch surfaces, remote disk access and a Core 2 Duo processor.”

Warren does not yet own the newest model offered by Apple. Instead, he owns a black MacBook, which is always by his side. 

Another Mac product, the iPod Touch, is the most recent version of the Apple’s innovative media players. In addition to being equipped with the ability to download and play music and videos, the iPod Touch can access the Internet.

“You can use the iPod Touch to connect to the Internet, giving you access to the entire digital world,” Warren said. “Its larger screen makes it the best iPod for videos, and its touch screen makes looking through your music library a more fun and intuitive experience.”

Franklin Graves, sophomore journalism and mass communication major, owns an iPod touch. He said he enjoys it for more than its Wi-Fi access. The Calendar program further sets it apart from the other media players on the market.

“It allows me to put in information and plan out my entire day,” Graves said.

The iPhone is yet another innovative product offered by Apple that offers the same benefits as an iPod touch with the added convenience of a built-in cell phone. Warren said that an important aspect of the iPhone is its versatility.

“Mobility is becoming more important every day. The ability to get e-mail directly to your phone while checking on the latest New York Times articles on the same iPhone is a huge benefit,” Warren said.

Warren said he understands the benefit of having functions traditionally performed by independent products consolidated into one product – the iPhone.

“Rather than carrying a camera, a phone, an iPod and a notebook, you can have it all in one product,” he said.

One limitation of the iPhone is AT&T’s exclusive license to sell it. 

“I would like the iPhone if I did not have to have a two year contract with AT&T to use it,” Graves said.

AT&T has a contract with Apple which gives them exclusive rights to service iPhones.  No other phone service can support the iPhone.

These innovations in technology are ushered into the market by enthusiastic marketing campaigns that urge consumers to purchase the most recent edition of any given product.

Some consumers, however, question the frenzy to own the most recent product.

“Trying to buy the most recent product is useless because whatever is most recent this week will be replaced by something much better in a month,” freshman church music major Corrie Driggers said. “The [Motorola] RAZR was the best phone to have a year ago, but it has been replaced by Blackberrys and iPhones, now the RAZR is on the sale rack.” 

On the other hand, Graves advises not to wait for the next version of a product to hit the market.

“If you keep waiting for the next big thing you will always be waiting,” Graves said. “Plan on it to last a year or two. Then you can upgrade.”

Warren said that some people “get too obsessive over the most recent thing.”

“You should buy what you think will last,” Warren said.

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