[FONT=Arial]Show me one original idea by another company... Just one and I'll concede. I won't hold my breath though.[/FONT]
I'm sure this is taking it a little out of context but this makes it look like you believe Apple are responsible for everything on the planet. Even in technological circles they aren't that big a contributer.
Mouse - Apple took engineers and mouse idea from PARC.
Ipad - Better software and better marketing than the original tablet PCs that came out from Microsoft years before.
Apps - Marketing gone wild (not as entertaining as Girls Gone Wild). Programs installed on a computing device. REVOLUTIONARY!!!!
Iphone - PocketPC/Palm PDA with phone built into it. Reworked concept with better software and marketing. For years I've watched HTC and other companies devices have better hardware and features than the IPhone. Only recently have they stepped up their game. As with any industry if there is little competition there is no need to improve things massively. Just stick and S or G on the end and hope your fans run out and buy almost the same hardware again.
Ipod - This one I actually can't fault. Have owned several myself as well as Sony MP3 players. Even purchased them as gifts for people. Great product, well put together.
Macs - For their specifications they are pricey but having quite a few friends that love them I know that the Apple Care can be good, and the OS is something they like so much more than Windows. Then again another friend who even worked as a Apple mac repairer for a while and owned many of their computers over the years now swears off them, even had a court case against them for not fixing an issue with Geforce graphics cards that were faulty and they sent out in Macbooks (some did, others didn't get them fixed -
http://insanetek.com/news/1-web-and...t-vs-apple-over-macbook-pro-videocard-problem ). Another friend in videography business recently replaced a mac with a custom built PC as the prices for CS5 certified Macs were many times more expensive for lesser specification hardware. Going to have lovers and haters of anything, regardless how good or bad it is.
I have to say that Apple are an amazing company, both in the quality, style and design of their products. But not so amazing in other areas (patent wars, some crazy markup on products, rubber bumper fix to iphone aeriel, every misleading advert using the excuse of "sequence shortened"). Not a company that I myself will consider making any major purchase from.