Hyple?

Over at CNET, Michael Kanellos has started a lively string with an article called "Macintosh: It's a Madison Avenue thing." His premise:

The thing that has somewhat troubled me about Apple and the Mac community over the years, I now realize, is that there seems to be an overt agenda geared at giving everyone a makeover so that they can land a marketing position. It is always about presentation and posture with that company.

Mike, you're mistaking true marketing -- astute product development, brilliant engineering, stunning industrial design and skillful communications -- for hype. No question, Apple under Steve Jobs has marketed its products masterfully. Apple without Jobs couldn't walk and chew gum simultaneously.

Jobs the marketer has always focused on getting the product right first. Right, the GUI was Xerox's idea. Steve got it to market. Took him only two tries: remember Lisa?

Jobs has the hot hand for product development. You don't get that from focus groups. Need I mention Ipod? But his genius also extends to product refinement: Steve Jobs got rid of cooling fans.

So what if Apple plays to its core market: the right-brain set? So what if they're good at design, production and presentation? Slick presentation in the service of briliiant products is not hype.

Notice, please, in the wake of MacWorld, where the products are coming from, and who's doing all the talking and writing. Jumping on the buzz express. That's hype.

Update: Another CNET reader has figured the Mac mini out, I think. It goes in the living room, baby. link