Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The Apple Store as Prozac?

I have to assume that I am not the only one with raised eyebrows after reading Charles Cooper's account for CNET News of Tim Cook's talk to the audience of the Goldman Sachs investor forum. For those who have not seen the report, here is the relevant excerpt from Cook's remarks:
I was talking to some employees the other day -- I don't have many bad days, but if I think I'm ever dropping down from an excitement level, I go into a store and it changes right away. It's like a Prozac or something. It's unbelievable the energy in our stores and to talk to customers and team members in there...it's a feeling like no other. We're continuing to invest here.
Having had several Apple store experiences of my own, I have to wonder if Cook may be controlling his moods through some mind-altering substance (rather than Prozac), which means I have to wonder if he will be on anything when he is Michelle Obama's guest tonight! Here in San Francisco the Apple store is less of a hive of positive energy and more like a hornet's nest likely to sting anyone going in for any reason more purposeful than playing with the toys on display. When I had to make a serious decision about going over to a MacBook Pro as my primary computer, I went over to the quieter store in Stonestown; and even there I got more "What's that?" answers to some of my critical questions than I expected in my comfort zone. These days my primary cause for concern is that, when that machine starts to give up the ghost, there will no longer be any platform that is likely to be a viable productivity tool for the writing and reading I do every day.

Meanwhile, I have to wonder whether or not CNET shares my jaundiced view, having just seen the advertising placement that emerged for this report:


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