apple

We hate to knock Apple but after many hours over several days with their Technical Support and as many new problems introduced as old ones we sought to fix, there's only one conclusion to be drawn: Apple's got too big and too complicated and it's time for a new Steve Jobs and a new Wozniak.

I have a garage they can rent for $50 a week.

What sad news - the death at 56 of Steve Jobs, the world's most creative genius since the mid-20th century. As a writer the last of our typewriters was a 'golfball' printhead IBM Selectric, but the only computers we've ever owned were Apples - from the Apple II through to the Cube and all the Macs.

Apple computers have been the most innovative, the most functional and the most fun to own and use.

We were sure we wrote 'tollers' (TOLL with the suffix ER for people who toll) but readers kept drawing our attention to a mistake because it showed up in TOLLROADSnews as 'toilers' (TOILERS or people who toil). Now tollers of course do work hard so toiler is not too bad a mistake, but it is an annoying and embarrassing error - especially when once it got into a headline.

If like us you find following government and politics and the economy and international affairs and the weather too depressing, then there's one thing happening that should give you a lift - Apple computer. Truly awe inspiring is how this company manages in the midst of a deep recession to succeed in selling stupendous quantities of great products - 250m iPhones it has now sold - and earns revenues of $60b/year.