Is a bad Apple spoiling the bunch?

A little more than a month after its release at a starting price of $99 with eligible upgrade or new 2 year contract, the Apple iPhone 5c price has been slashed to $45 at Walmart. By most accounts, the 5c is not selling well. By my account, this is the fastest price-cut available through any source in iPhone history.

Apple iPhone 5c
Photo: Apple, Inc.

Released alongside the iPhone 5s-- which has a more powerful chip and much talked about fingerprint security technology, all at just $100 more than the 5c price-- Apple is selling just one of the colorful, polycarbonate models for every 2-3 of the more elegant glass/metal models. 

While just about everyone, except the folks at Apple, thought the 5c would be a new bargain version of the iPhone at a price point much more palatable to folks in the lower tax brackets. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the 5c was never meant to be that. He says the 4s, now free with contract, is the current entry level iPhone. Analysts predict that by this time next year, the 5c will replace the 4s as the free, entry level iPhone when Apple is expected to introduce an iPhone 6 and move the 5s to the mid-level position. We'll see.

Personally, I don't find the 5c appealing, not because of the price, but because of the old 3G-esque chasis and the Easter egg pastel color offerings. What do you think?

Apple iPhone 5C: Guys, do you feel left out?

The much anticipated latest updates to Apple's iPhone have been announced, including the new iPhone 5C.  The "C" could stand for "cheaper" since the phone will start at $99 with a new 2-year activation.  But, the folks at Apple would probably prefer that you focus on the "colorful" choices the new phone will come in.

Now, I'm all for vibrancy and love colors.  Considering that Apple took its revolutionary iPod from standard black and white models to include several cool colors, it's about time they do the same with the iPhone.  But, geez! Do you think we could get some colors that might be more appealing to guys?!?  Not that guys don't like colors like blue, green and yellow which are all included in Apple's palate of colorful options for the iPhone 5C.  But, is it too much to ask that we get some non-pastel options?!?  In addition to sky blue, could we get an electric blue or navy blue option?  How about evergreen or army green?  A rally yellow, maybe?  Candy apple red for the guys who just don't want to have a pink phone?

Don't get me wrong.  I know some guys like pastel colors and may find the iPhone 5C options adequate.  But, I'm thinking the majority of guys who would love to have the more affordable iPhone would prefer to have other color options.  I know that I would, if I were in the market for a new phone and found the lower price point appealing.  I have another year to go before I qualify to upgrade my iPhone 5 and when I'm eligible, I will go for the iPhone 5S or, wait for the iPhone 6.  I want that Touch ID feature! Way cool! And, much easier than constantly having to type in my four-digit code to unlock the phone.

Oh, Good Evening!

Note: Apple is currently accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 5C online.  The iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S will be available at Apple retail stores beginning at 8:00 AM on September 20.

I'm so glad we had this time together...

Why the NFL should dump the Pro Bowl

The NFL and NBC Sports hope fans want to tune in to the annual Pro Bowl tonight at 7pm ET. Commissioner Roger Goodell keeps threatening to get rid of the game if the quality doesn't improve.  But, it doesn't seem like recent moves with the event have done anything to facilitate a better game.

Fan voting is a joke; Nothing more than a popularity contest conducted at a time when we have no idea who will have played an "all-star' caliber season. (This is the case with all of the major sports all-star balloting.)  On top of that, too many of the players fans DO vote for (translated: the ones they want to see in the game) end up NOT playing because they are in the Super Bowl-- which wasn't an issue when the Pro Bowl was the week AFTER the big game-- or, they claim injury.  I say "claim" because it seems to me that the league, which thinks the Pro Bowl is important enough to stage,  has made it quite easy for elected/selected players to opt out of the game using injury as the excuse.

Inauguration Day 2013: Obama 2.0 & Congress 113

Congratulations and best wishes to President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as the Obama Administration begins its second term leading America.

President Obama officially sworn-in
for second term on January 20, 2013.
(Photo: White House)

The President and Vice President were officially sworn in Sunday in accordance with the Constitution.  Today, we’ll all watch as the ceremonial events take place in Washington, DC.

I sincerely hope and pray that all of our elected officials in Washington will keep in mind that they are in DC to work—not for themselves—but, for us.

I sincerely hope and pray that the President and his team at the White House; Speaker John Boehner, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and their teams in the House of Representatives; and Majority Leader Harry Reid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and their teams in the Senate will keep in mind that none of them will get everything they want, nor should they.

Compromise is not a dirty word.  It is—in fact—necessary and expected.  The petty partisanship of politics-as-usual is not acceptable.

The name of the game is moving America forward.  Democrats, alone, don’t have all of the answers.  Republicans, alone, don’t have all of the answers.  But, between them and various independent voices, America can flourish under the leadership of men and women who know and understand that we rise, we fall; we sink, we swim; we, as Americans, meet our fate together.

Godspeed to the Obama Administration and the 113th Congress as they work together to meet America’s challenges in 2013 and beyond.