The Apple magic has gone?

I am feeling a bit down today.

Why? Because I have been reading blogs about Apple and its products, and I have even gone back to browsing their web site, and I am not moved to want anything new from them.

No more magic? What could have happened?

Maybe it's just that the new iPhone 4S (which my son has, and I am not jealous) looks just the same as the iPhone 4 (which I have). Siri just makes me feel foolish, talking to a phone, indeed.

Maybe its because I am a little underwhelmed with the performance and features of iCloud.

- OK so after a while my photos do appear in iPhoto, but only when I am on WiFi, I want them over 3G (I have an unlimited contract from "3", very good value!).

- My Pages docs do not sync to Pages on my MacBook (nor do Keynote or Numbers files).

- I will not have , after July 2012, a Mobile Me web site - that is a real negative.

- Having email that syncs across devices is not new, I had that years ago using IMAP technology, deleting an email on my iPhone or iPad deletes it on my MacBook before I have a chance to decide if I want to file it away…whoops, and I can't transfer files saved on my MacBook back to the iPad/iPhone, in fact I can't see my FILING folder at all.

Maybe it is because I see Apple as not responding to markets outside the USA in terms of product conception and performance offerings? They seem tied to the coat tails of AT&T in the features of the iPhone, whereas in Europe our networks are cheaper and more open.

Maybe because I simply don't believe they could get anywhere with a standard TV. They could perhaps make a better box like EyeTV (e.g. a receiver with WiFi output) , but there are so many world standards for TV distribution that I wonder if this could be possible? If they want to do everything over the internet, that's fine, but the network capacity in UK, at least, is not up to it, and the competition from BT (who, remember own the network!) is strong and maybe favoritised?

Maybe because they seem to not be getting their way with the media companies and studios in the way they used to when iTunes started. Their Movies, TV shows and Books all are behind the latest tends and studios still show films in cinemas first, then DVD then iTunes, by which time there is no more interest (that's why we have pirates). There is no excitement in the offering. You can't just keep flogging the Beatles!

I am becoming disappointed in my iPad (v 1.0) as Safari and now the new iBooks apps keep crashing back to the home screen, why? Is the focus on iPad 2 with not enough testing on the older iPad 1?

Maybe because the damned Samsung seem to be getting away with blatant stealing of Apple's IP, and copying the look and feel of the iPhone and iPad.

But I have to say that I am well content with OS10 Lion on my 4year old MacBook. I don't have track pad gestures, but otherwise it runs fine. A bit more processing power and memory (I am maxed out at 2GB) would help when I have 4-5 apps running in full screen. And I am truly annoyed at iPhoto not having an import capability in full screen mode!

I do hope Apple will regain their leadership and innovative idea-block they seem to be going through. They need a new market to revolutionise… TV could be one, but how without media cooperation? Low cost PC could be another (sort of iPad with keyboard) to finally knock some competitors out of the market (not innovative I know, but a better product)… HD audio, now there's a market waiting to happen, Apple could re-awaken everyone's appreciation of high quality audio (quality over quantity), knock a hole in Amazon's MP3 stuff, and awful offerings like Spotify streaming (quantity over quality approach). The could make a lot more of Airplay, bit getting more makers to implement it, raising the audio bar to transmit 24bit/96kHz audio, insisting that any app on iPad should be able to stream both audio and video (again this means getting the initiative back from media people, like the BBC whose iPlayer only streams audio to my Apple TV!).