GM ignored the writing on the wall in the 70s when Japanese companies showed how to not only innovate, but be profitable. They also took out their own legs with the years upon years of union concessions (financial and philosophical).

Apple was only ahead because they simplified *everything.* For some reason, that is a hard concept to get thru to people *here.* You don't increase your ability to be a focal point by increasing the complexity of a device on the first go. You make things simple, and then thru marketing/kool-aid/DRM/etc make your product more "advanced" while at the same time snatching the market and mindshare from those that see the "flaws" but aren't disciplined enough to go simple to solving it.

Palm went "simple" in developing the webOS, and is the first real threat to the entire Apple platform. Google is doing the same to Microsoft. Publishing houses have been doing it to one another for centuries. And religions are adept as all get out in this. The lessons are simple, really.

By the way, Apple is an electronic media services provider which makes specalized devices that enrich their idea of those service experiences. Nokia is doing the exact same thing with Ovi, and Maemo is part of the puzzle.

Maybe I should see if Nokia/Maemo are looking for futurists/evangelists, seems that is all I do here these days