On the other hand, dark portents exist for the California company. Its Mac computers, although elegant and well designed, haven't fared well under Jobs, and the company has lost market share year after year since he returned to the helm. At this point, Apple's market share is less than 2 percent worldwide and about 3.7 percent in the United States. And although the iPod has been inarguably successful, Apple still makes a much larger profit on each Mac sale. If Apple were to lose its Mac product line, whether the company could survive is unclear.

So what message should we take away from the company's situation? In my opinion, there's never been a better time to support Apple. If you're interested in digital media, home networking, and personal computing, you should know that Apple's product line-up has never been stronger. Let's take a look at Apple's newest products and see how they fit into the connected home.

Digital Music
That anyone even remotely aware of the most recent trends hasn't heard of Apple's wildly successful iPod, now entering its fourth generation, is inconceivable. The newest iPods, which Apple released Monday, feature the patent-pending Click Wheel that Apple debuted with the iPod Mini earlier this year, removing the need for the overly sensitive, capacitor-driven control buttons that almost ruined the third-generation iPods. In this year's models, the Menu, Play/Pause, Next, and Previous buttons are now integrated directly into the scroll wheel, which you also use to navigate through menus and scrub through songs.

But wait, there's more. In addition to a simpler menu structure, which is designed to make the device even easier to use, the new iPods are also smaller, thinner, and a lot less expensive than the earlier units. The 40GB iPod, for example, now costs $399--$100 less than its predecessor. Likewise, the low-end 20GB iPod is now just $299. The hard-to-find 4GB iPod Mini remains priced at $249, quite a premium when you factor in the cost of the 20GB iPod, the huge storage difference, and the fact that many of the new iPod's features aren't present in the iPod Mini. But both iPod models now ship with all the cables you need to interoperate the device with either a Windows machine or a Mac--a nice touch.

Apple also negated one of my biggest complaints--battery life--with the new iPods. Earlier iPods were supposedly capable of as much as 8 hours of battery life, but my third-generation iPod rarely hit the 5-hour mark. The new devices are capable of 12 hours of life, according to Apple, thanks to a new hardware design and more battery-conscious software--still 10 hours shy of the Dell Digital Jukebox (DJ) but acceptable. I'm eager to see how the new iPod fares in the real world.

The only major complaint Apple didn't address in this generation is compatibility with Microsoft's popular Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. Apple still disables this feature in the iPod's firmware, no doubt in a bid to lock users into its proprietary Protected Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format, which the company uses for downloads from the Apple iTunes Music Store. However, with iTunes the clear market leader, how much longer the WMA argument will hold weight is unclear. Sure, many Windows users have large libraries of WMA-compatible songs. But the most recent versions of iTunes offer a way to convert those songs to MP3 format, which will play on the iPod.

In short, I'm a huge fan of the less expensive and arguably more capable Dell DJ but the iPod is clearly the device to which all other digital-audio players aspire. The iPod has always had good looks and a clean design, and now it has a less lofty price and better battery life to boot. Recommending the iPod without reservations is getting easier and easier.

Home Networking
Last week, Apple began shipping a curious new home-networking product that it calls AirPort Express with AirTunes. This stunning little box is a bit hard to describe. It looks like the white power brick that Apple ships with its notebooks and iPods, and it does include the standard two-prong adapter that lets you plug it into a power outlet. But the AirPort Express isn't a power adapter. Instead, it offers a quirky array of functionality. First, it's an 802.11g wireless access point (AP) and features support for all the most recent wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security. Second, it includes a USB port to which you can connect a printer, then share that printer with all the Macs and PCs in your home network. Third, it features the unique AirTunes feature that pushes songs from iTunes (again, on a Mac or PC) to your home stereo, courtesy of an integrated audio plug. Finally, it extends the range of an existing wireless network, although that functionality technically works only with AirPort Extreme networks.

Confused? Consider some of the ways you can use this handy $129 device. In your home, you can use it as a standard wireless AP. Or you can use it to remotely send your iTunes music to a better stereo system than your PC. You can use it to extend an existing wireless network to the far corners of your house or your deck or any other area in which your current network performs poorly or not at all. I plan to use the AirPort Express on the road. Because I often travel with more than one PC, I can use the device to push a hotel room's broadband connection to two or more PCs. And because the AirPort Express is a full base station, I'll get all the security benefits I can't get with an ad-hoc, PC-to-PC network.

The AirPort Express has a few rough spots, however. It's currently far more configurable with Macs than with PCs, thanks largely to the fact that Apple earlier supported AirPort Extreme only on Macs, and the company already had a mature set of wireless-network-management tools on that platform. In my experience, setting up or configuring an AirPort Express on Windows is painful or impossible, depending on your hardware. But Apple will no doubt resolve this detail through a series of software updates. As it is, AirPort Express is an incredible home-networking solution that can only get better.

Personal Computing
Have you ever felt like your Windows PC has a big target painted on it? Well, bad news: It does. Windows is indeed the target of choice for attackers who unleash a never-ending slew of email, Web, and Instant Messaging (IM) electronic attacks on Windows PCs simply because so many of them exist. If you're tired of constantly updating your computer with security patches, afraid of launching email attachments, or fearful that simply opening Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) will expose your system to untold spyware maladies (which isn't far from the truth), I have a solution for you--the Mac. And, yes, Macs are a little bit expensive compared to that PC you're using. But as your parents might have told you, you often get what you pay for.

Macs are more elegant than PCs, generally more reliable, and far less likely to succumb to an electronic attack largely because attackers don't target Macs but also because the Mac's underlying UNIX technology is so mature and well written. Macs use the modern and visually gorgeous Mac OS X. They include a best-of-breed set of digital media applications called iLife. And they interoperate nicely with PCs, supporting Windows networks and file types. So you'll be able to transfer files easily between Macs and PCs, making the Mac a nice choice for a second PC.

But Macs aren't good at gaming. If you're into playing the newest games, feel free to enjoy your virus-laden PC. But if you use email, a Web browser, or Microsoft Office, or you want to burn a DVD movie of your family's most recent birthday party, the Mac isn't just a great alternative--it might be the obvious choice. Sure, your software choices will be less plentiful than they are on the Windows side, and yes, you might suddenly find yourself advocating the Mac to friends and family as if you were the technological equivalent of a crusader. But that's the effect the Mac has on many of its users--the same combination of satisfaction and excitement that grips TiVo owners. There's just something right about a Mac.

But you might have one small problem buying a Mac right now, depending on your needs. Apple's consumer-oriented desktop computer, the iMac, is currently unavailable because the company had a hard time getting the powerful Power Mac G5 processor into the new iMac's small enclosure. But the iMac will be available again by September, just in time for the back-to-school rush. My advice is to wait for the iMac or snag one of Apple's gorgeous PowerBook or iBook notebook computers if you're the mobile type. You won't be disappointed.

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Reader Comments
I don't have a problem with my Mac regarding games. However, gaming on the Mac is not the main function for my personal computer. The issues for Mac gamers, I beleive are: the lack of games, the games are generally published well after the PC version is released, and the games are not available at your local whatever-mart. The machine itself handles games just fine and the few Mac game developers and publishers do a great job. ff8lok3 -July 21, 2004 Paul Thurrot is usually paid to write Mac bashing or Microsoft praising articles. He does a very good job of finding fault, both real and imaginary, with Apple products on those occasions. It is good to see that when he is paid to write about Apple products he can produce an honest piece of work. I can find no fault with his comments. Al -July 21, 2004 i find a couple things of fault....but for the most part a good article.....first of all the macs market share is a little higher then 3.7% and also PC's have to be replaced more often then macs many mac users keep there machine for like 10 years any they still work thats why they have a lower market share 1 of 10 computers in the US is a mac that 10% as for mac being expensive y does every article that i read about a mac always have that in the story somewhere......geez.....people should research that rather then using the myth you can get a fully loaded emac for a grand you cant get a FULLY LOADED pc for that...not to meantion the OS duke_seb -July 21, 2004 More expensive... compared to crap. I have colleagues now starting buying (finally) Apple Powerbooks because - in addition to all being Mac and OS X - they come some $150 CHEAPER then a similarly PC laptop from major brand. As well with tower G5. Configure a major brand desktop 64-bit alike and the G5 comes winning in price as well. Max -July 21, 2004 Thanks for the interesting article Paul. Just bought my first iPod and I agree --what a beautifully designed and manufactured device this thing is. The fit and finish are astonishing. Also, I've never heard a compressed format sound so good on headphones. I only waited this long because I didn't know the iPod interfaced with Windows right out of the box (this is something Apple should remind people of more clearly). After extensively researching options for a new PC I've now determined that my only logical choice is a new Mac. Quite a few of my friends and associates at school have made the switch and I will do the same this fall. I can't wait to be dropped head first into the ever growing happy pool of first-time Mac heads. Let the madness begin!! Mr. Anderson -July 21, 2004 Too bad Paul Thurrot covers Apple and everything Mac with slanders when payed by M$ and partners. The guy is a disgrace anyway: hard to believe him even when he says the truth about Apple. Thurrot says it is THAT good? Hence it cannot be true: he just writes whatever the check-payer wants. Too bad... -July 21, 2004 You are very much on target with your comments with two exceptions: Macs are expensive compared to PC's. Yes an iMac is substansially more than a bargian basement PC, but when you compare the low cost eMac to such a machine the eMac may be cheaper. PC+17" monitor=$500-600, assuming you upgrade to XP professional (which you almost must do) you go up another $100. But you still need a firewire card and software to hook up to your camera and Anti Virus software - you have now easily exceeded the cost of an eMac. The second is macs arn't good at gaming. Well this isn't true, what is true is that there is less of a selection, but there are a great number of really good games. The hardware it self is just as good for gaming as is the PC. You may need to get a power Mac if you want the absolute best graphics cards, but the standard Apple video is generally far better than what you get from standard PC graphics. For most it is more than adequate. But your conclusion is right, the time is right to buy a mac. You do get what you pay for, the couple hundred dollars more you pay for a mac gets you much more than that in value. We did not even discuss the fact that most mac useres get 2-3 times more usefull life from their macs. How much do you save when you have to buy 2 or 3 computers foer every one i buy. The mac is a bargin at twice the price so go ahead and get the sexy iMac! bobby skinner -July 21, 2004 Mac market share of PCs sold each year is 3.7% in the US and less than 2% worldwide. As Macs lasts longer, the percent of Mac users of total should be larger than the above numbers. Does any research support this assumption? Elfinn Farevag -July 21, 2004 Nice article, too bad I would have to never disclose the name of the writer. That alone undermines credibility among Mac communities. What's the catch Paul T? MacDaddy -July 21, 2004 I totally agree that the iMAC is a superb machine but it is too expensive when one is on a budget. One can get soup to nuts with a PC. Unless the iMAC goes down in pricing, it will continue to gear toward the education market and the graphic designers and not the corporate business world. One thing I must say, the iMac is ergonomically well design and I give an A+ for furniture. takchi -July 21, 2004 I've had my ipod for 7 months and it is one of the most used and solid pieces of technology I own. I don't care one bit that it isn't compatible with Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. If I can move my songs collection from WMA to the ipod using itunes anyway, and the music still sounds great, I am happy. I think the author is making that into a bigger deal then it really is. Steve -July 21, 2004 Truth: Compare an iMac with all the built-in technology, security, anti-virus, software, LCD, etc. with a similar PC. The iMac will win both in terms of price and power per penny. Truth: "Games" in general may be harder to come by on Macs, but the average quality of the game is much higher than it's PC counterpart. Truth: OS X is both more stable and easier on the eyes and Windows XP, and to top it off: with the aqua interface and Unix command line, you have easier use for beginners and experts alike compared to Windows XP. Truth: Your average family member will love the stability and ability to "just do it" (sorry Nike :) and not worry about it. Everything just works the way you think it should. Truth: OS X is what every Linux geek has been looking for - a *nix operating system with a beautiful interface. Damon -July 21, 2004 I don't need P.T. to tell me what I already know. I think that P.T. has long lost his credibility because of the nonsense he wrote (still writes) in the past. So, good for him if he realizes that what he thought of apple was all wrong. He still is regarded by many as M$ free "whore". For those who forgot what he wrote about Longhorn, please jog your memories here: http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/longhorn.asp A: Apple has implemented some basic desktop composition features in Mac OS X "Panther." But the basic problem with Mac OS X isn't going away: It's a classic desktop operating system that doesn't offer anything in the way of usability advancements over previous desktop operating systems. Today, Windows XP and its task-based interface are far superior to anything in Mac OS X. In the future, Longhorn will further distance Windows from OS X. From a graphical standpoint, there won't be any comparison. As Microsoft revealed at the PDC 2003 conference, Longhorn is far more impressive technically than Panther. Boeing777 -July 21, 2004 I believe that the thing that makes Mac more reliable is also the thing that keeps them at <4% market share. Propriatary hardware. If you control both the hardware and the OS you're likely to have a stable environment. If they would open up the development of Mainboard/CPU hardware to 3rd party manufacturers, the system price would go down due to competition which would then cause market share to probably rise. But then again in the mad scramble to release new hardware or shave a couple dollars off their manufacturing cost, manufacturers may cut corners which would cause instability issues. If a similarily powered Mac machine was the same price as a PC (whomever says they are are smoking something) I would definitely purchase one. I like the GUI, the lack of security holes and their overall design. However, as soon as more and more Mac's started showing up on the net, more and more viruses would be written to exploit holes in them. As insecure as Windows is, it's targeted most frequently because of the number of machines running it, and the sheer number of programmers familiar with Windows development. Chris -July 21, 2004 Sorry Chris, but the "security through obscurity" myth has been debunked several times. Unless you are logged onto OS X in "root" mode, you can't do anything to the kernel that would damage the system the same way Microsoft viruses do. Also, any action that runs or installs on OS X requires password permission and if you are running somthing that you don't definitely know what it is, you deserve what you get and that's the only way a possible Mac trojan horse could work right now and it would only effect the user that was logged in at the time, not the whole system. As for price, Macs range from $799 - $3000+ and you can find one anywhere in between. Laptops starting at $999 and up (and you can even beat all these prices if you look at the factory refurbs on their website). For the performance, value of security and stability, the few dollars more you might pay for a Mac is well worth it considering it will last a lot longer and you will have a lot fewere updates. Sure, you may not be able to get a "complete system" for $400 but if you look at what you get for that on any other system in the PC world it's bare bones with a substandard processor and usually requires some kind or internet subscription or mail in rebate tied to an internet subscription. If you compare a Mac to a PC feature for feature and configure them the same, you will see that you save money. People complain because the can't get a "barebones" Mac and add stuff on themselves but everyone I know who's tried to do that with a PC has had a screwed up system. Apple's controlling the hardware & software configurations guarantees stability. As for proprietary hardware, that's really a thing of the past. Apple uses standard, off the shelf RAM, Hard Drives, Cables & Video Cards now, what else do you need. Just because you can't swap processors at will, doesn't mean that it's any less of a machine. Most folks just toss out their old machine and buy a new one anyway because they would bottleneck putting a new processor in an old system. Before you believe the hype of "too high" go to Apple's Store, configure a system the way you would want it then go to Dell and put in the features the same way, or as close as you can, and you will see that price wise, there isn't really any difference anymore. Glaken -July 21, 2004 I read Paul's stuff regularly. I think he has a pretty even-handed approach to both Apple and Microsoft - praising and damning whenever he sees fit on both sides. It's alternately annoying/amusing to read nastygrams from people who apparently can see no wrong with Apple products and no right with Microsoft's. I'm in IT, use them both and like/dislike them both for different reasons. What's the big deal? This isn't (or shouldn't be) a religion. I have an original 5 gig iPod that I recently replaced with a Dell DJ because of price and battery life. Who cares? They're tools people, just like hammers and screwdrivers. Use whatever gets it done for you and get on with the more important things in life. capo -July 21, 2004 Paul comments are usually on the line of criticizing an hammer because it is useless with screws and lamenting his screwdriver cannot work on nails. Indeed, the guy is a tool. even-handed? LOL, can we have what you smoke? opac -July 21, 2004 Who kidnapped Paul? When will he be returned? harryhoode -July 21, 2004 As an Apple customer who took delivery of his 2nd 40 GB iPod only two weeks ago, I am obviously delighted with the release of the new, $100 cheaper and 100% better engineered iPod, which rendered my new purchase antiquated in an instant. Not to mention the extortionate pricing of iPod accessories. 25 Euro (in excess of 30 US dollars) for a simple converter plug is nothing but a plain ripoff. I am impressed with Apple's stock performance of late, but that's about the only thing I am impressed by. Unfortunately, I am not a shareholder. As a customer, I just feel robbed. Professionally, I will advise my clients not to even consider Apple unless they have money to burn. P.J. Huizinga -July 21, 2004 Elfinn Farevag: Mac market share of PCs sold each year is 3.7% in the US and less than 2% worldwide. As Macs lasts longer, the percent of Mac users of total should be larger than the above numbers. Does any research support this assumption? The numbers quoted (though debatable) are for _market share_ which is a count of machines sold over a given period. It's NOT a count of machines currently in use. As was pointed out, Macs last longer which can drive the market share numbers down as people don't need to replace them as often. Chris:I believe that the thing that makes Mac more reliable is also the thing that keeps them at <4% market share. Propriatary hardware. If you control both the hardware and the OS you're likely to have a stable environment. If they would open up the development of Mainboard/CPU hardware to 3rd party manufacturers, the system price would go down due to competition which would then cause market share to probably rise. But then again in the mad scramble to release new hardware or shave a couple dollars off their manufacturing cost, manufacturers may cut corners which would cause instability issues. Chris, you don't know your history well at all. Apple was licensing their designs and it nearly killed Apple. Go back in history and look at why Power Computing was bought out of their license. (Also, there were compatibility pains for those who bought non-Apple hardware. Not too bad, but they were there.) P.J. Huizinga: converter plugs & tech advance Why didn't you shop around? You could have bought a bare bones US converter from Taiwan (the voltage is auto-sensing). And, such is life with technology companies. Newer, cheaper things come out nearly daily. Apple does have a price guarantee so see if yours applies. Speaking of price, Mac afficionados know not to buy Apple add ons like RAM as they over price those. One thing I would recommend is AppleCare for anything portable. pecos bill -July 21, 2004 I suppose you are just as bummed when you buy a new car, tv, radio, phone, dvd player, computer, ect. and the manufacturer releases a new model in a few weeks after your purchase. I suppose you then log on to some board an rant an rave about how much company "X" sucks and you will steer everyone away from it. Dan P -July 21, 2004 I cut my teeth on Motorola microprocessors before the PC appeared on the scene. I alway envied those who had Apple II computers but never had the funds to buy one myself. I then ventured into software development on the PC until Microsoft started its nonsense with a new server OS every couple of years and that darned licensing system. I've replaced all of my company's servers with SuSE Linux on Intel because of the enormous increase in reliability and have never regretted it. I find Apple's OSX an attraction as I do their iMac and iBook computers. One problem: Open source desktops are getting better every day and I fear that Apple (and then Microsoft as well) will lose in the OS game to open source. Both Apple and Microsoft should take advantage of the situation by marketing their very good applications (not free of course) to Linux users and potential Linux users. Unless they do that, loss of market share is sure to continue for both companies. Peter Gibbons -July 21, 2004 The "PC is cheaper" myth: I run both systems and yes the Mac is more expensive to buy at first but it turns out cheaper in the long run. The hardware obsolescence is slower and the OS upgrades are a fraction of M$ OS upgrades. More to the point, Macs are more fun whereas PCs always make a grease monkey of you when all you wanted was a carefree country drive. Raymond Lokker -July 21, 2004 Perspective; 1) Apple 10 Billion dollars in the bank (colossal failure) ? 2) Get an Xbox= (cheaper and more games than mac or PC) That argument has been played:) 3) I can build my house cheaper than buying one. (few people do or would I dare to). The PC 4) My 69 mercedes runs just fine. (cross my fingers 300,ooo miles :). G3 minitower. 5) My cup is half full. (Do not worry be happy ). Market Share. Paul Herrera -July 21, 2004 keep this article as a reference. I want a ipod mini. just don't have any guts because once i get it. they have already made a new generation. (my 92 firebird that is been in so many crashes, thanks 1st onwer, new it was to good to be true.) jumping jack flash -July 21, 2004 "... lock users into its proprietary Protected Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format". Be careful how you read this. There is nothing proprietary about AAC. AAC is part of the MPEG 4 standard [http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/standard.html], and is far more "open" than WMA which is a closed proprietary Micro$oft format. Yes the Fair Play extensions (the DRM technology) are proprietary, and its a wrapper around the AAC encoding, but then so is the DRM in WMA. To criticise Apple for "lock in" because they don't support their competitors proprietary DRM is silly. AJB -July 21, 2004 Good for him. Nice to see him being a little more honest about his reviews. When he calls the Dell DJ superior and better designed, you know he's fudging. Kudo Paul. Zeus -July 22, 2004 For those out there that persist with the 'Macs cost more', 'Apple losing market share', 'Not enough gamer titles' mindset, go find a blackboard and write the following five statements each a hundred times (and scratch nails on blackboard after writing the last statement each time): "Apple never did, doesn't, and will never have a 'short product cycle, commoditized' business model." "So it's success should NEVER be measured by quantitative-centric, commoditized-biased analyses." "Apple has always, still has, and will always have a 'long product cycle, value-driven' business model." "Innovation, long product use, and low TOC [total cost of ownership] are the sacred goals of any company focused on VALUE instead of COMMODIFICATION." "The iPod will kill the WMA format. Time to start porting to MP3. Time to face the [future of] music." J. Vermeer -July 22, 2004 Support Apple, Ha, that's laughable. Paul is only saying that so Apple will stay around as pseudo competition to Microsoft and deflect any anti-competition suits. Not that Microsoft already has enough of those problems. Dan -July 22, 2004 Why the fuss about Paul T saying nice things about Apple? Yes, he has been overly critical in the past and yes, some of the things he said before were either untrue or exaggerated. Why not just be happy for a fair and balanced review for once? Heck, he even flat out recommended Apple for most people in need of a reliable, safe, fast, and well put together machine. Gamers? Mostly lamers. If your choice of computers is based solely on what games are available...seek help immediately. If the non-gamer software you need to use daily is PC only, buy a PC. If you want a computer for finance, internet, email, word processing or office type applications that rarely freezes (once for me since going to OS/X in 2002), has no current exploits or viruses worth mentioning, has no spyware or keystroke loggers, and lasts longer and stays current more than the average PC, get a Mac. The few extra dollars are worth it in the long run. Guy -July 22, 2004 Wow, quite the turn around for Mr. Thurrott. Glad to see him acknowledge some of Apple's strengths rather than concentrate on their faults. Apple is perfect by no means, but I think that recent events have set them up for continued growth and success. Congratulations and well wishes to anyone that switches to Apple. You won't be disappointed. Patrick McFarland -July 22, 2004 As to upgradeability, how may 1997 PCs are able to run the latest of Windows OS? Concurrently, market share doesn't count all the Macs in service, just those sold recently. So my 9600/G4 running Panther and all the latest applications at more than acceptable speed is not counted, nor my upgraded Wallstreet. Add to that my Mom's Lombard, neice's iMacDV and my Dad's eMac (newest Mac at two years of age) and you have the reason why year over year Apple's market share is low. All these are still working admirably and doing the job expected of them while not requiring professional repair. Only the Performa 6300 is retired (but still quite functional) since the processor can't be upgraded. The only renegades in the family are my nephew who built his own "fast" PC (but there always seems to be something wrong with his machine) and my sister who won't use her Gateway laptop online due to fear of virii. They all take turns with my niece on the iMac and my sister is now looking for a used iBook, which of course holds it's value much longer than any PC would. kbear -July 24, 2004 PAUL T is payed by M$. Mac is better Gianluca -August 10, 2004 Mac users already know all this stuff; nice to see it in Connected Home. Here's an interesting tidbit that I heard a year or so ago, but don't have the source: Mac users tend to be more intelligent than PC users on average. Maybe it's because most of us have had to learn the Mac without the help of family and friends! Maybe it's because the more you do with a Windows PC, the more likely you're going to get shafted for your efforts and end up reinstalling the entire OS. I've logged about 20x more hours on a PC than a Mac, but my Mac time is much more pleasant. And with Expose now, a lot more productive. Dude, you gotta love that feature. And oh yeah, you need to think of the Mac as the BMW of PC makers/digital hubs. Anyone dissing BMW because their market share sucks compared to some other dealer? Chris -August 28, 2004 Typical religious Apple-bashing. Why are people so afraid of Apple that they have to say this stuff? "Apple Computer...a colossal failure," "dark portents exist for the California company." A colossal failure. Hmm. Even a single-digit market share of the WORLD COMPUTER MARKET is a pretty darn amazing accomplishment. And they have 4 billion in cash reserves. Sounds like a colossal failure to me. Brian Dunning -November 16, 2004 READER COMMENTS: We want to hear what you have to say about this article!     Acceptable Use Policy Your Comments (required): Your email is only used if our editors need to contact you. It is not used or stored for any other purpose, nor posted with your comments. Enter the text from the image below Please refresh the page if you have trouble reading this text.