"Apple's diplomatic core"

This article appears over at CNET. It's interesting because it's about Apples, but also because the transformation Apple is undergoing is interesting in its own right. The question is one of interoperability (Mac / PC products) versus proprietary control (Mac products). Previously, Apple has gone the proprietary technology route - for example, you can only use OS X on Macs (too bad for PC users, since OS X is vastly superior to any Windows).

But, as the article notes, the change in technology's future from personal computing to consumer electronics has strained this business model. Thus, we see the development of interoperable hardware (and increasingly software as well). For cultish Mac users, this is certainly a big change. Again, it's an interesting study in business decision-making as well. Worth a read.