I’ve been a fan of Apple’s homepages and short one-liners since the beggining.  It all started really with an ad that was not even for Apple Computer (or at least not directly).  Some of you might remember the Mac clones in the mid-90’s by UMAX and Power Computing.  This was before Job’s chose Ive to launch his creations that would shape the current look and feel of Apple with their Dieter Rams, Braun’s home electronics influenced design.  You remember, those candy colored, translucent iMacs.

Power Computing ad circa 1995

From Tom Hormby’s Orchard (an Apple historian) Power Computing: Fighting Back for the Mac or Stealing Apple’s Customers?

Power Computing launched an incredibly popular advertising campaign promoting its new computers. Unlike Apple’s ads, which were fairly non-confrontational, Power Computing’s ads were very aggressive. The most famous (and controversial) ad featured the comic strip character, Sluggo, punching an effigy of Bill Gates with the caption “Let’s kick Wintel’s Ass!”The company would land in hot water for the ad, eventually being sued by the comic strip’s owner for copyright violation (Power Computing had failed to secure permission to run the ad).

At the time I was cutting my teeth on Photoshop 4.0 for a copy shop that did photo retouch.  I don’t remember if I saw the ad first “online” via CompuServe or if it was in print.  Either way, it was memorable.  Ironic is the idea that Intel was the bad guy.  How well did that work out?  Apple switched to Intel starting in early 2006 and has never looked back.

Jump to 2003.  I remember seeing this by accident because I stumbled to Apple’s website to look something up.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  Realizing what I was seeing.  iTunes had been ported over to Windows.  Hell had frozen over.

Fast forwad to today.  November 15th, 2010.  I  have no idea what they are talking about.   Hopefully it’s the iPad 4.2 update that I have been waiting for.  According to the rumor (that could be me problem), Friday was the release date.  Or maybe Jobs is going to introduce us to aliens.

November 15th, 2010

Even as this day closes, the zeitgeist is buzzing about tomorrow.  The odds-on-favorite is that it has to do with the Beatles.  That Apple has finally reached an agreement with The Beatles to carry the catalog.  If it is in fact about The Beatles I’d rather have my 4.2 upgrade.  I already have most of the catalog.  Most of it vinyl.

After all that it IS about The Beatles.  The iPad 4.2 update is still not available. Nice photo though.  They look like they walked right off of Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg Brooklyn on any Saturday night.