Notes and news, insights and inspiration from the autonomous collective mind of GS.

Last week Apple had its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). As some of our regular readers may have guessed, there are quite a few Apple fans at GS. Apple no longer live-streams these events, but that doesn’t stop a few of us from watching the play-by-play action from live bloggers. It’s literally a text feed from attendees of the event that’s updated more than once a minute. That way we can get our fix of what awesome things Tim Cook and the gang are talking about as they happen. Could we wait for the video to be posted a few hours later? Sure. But what fun is that? There’s an excitement at an Apple event that just isn’t matched by any others in the industry. There’s a mystery around the event due to Apple being so tight-lipped about any unannounced products. Being so secretive creates a rumor-mill feeding frenzy, which gets many fans even more excited about what will happen. There’s this sense that Apple could really announce anything, and the world could suddenly change from underneath us. That would probably come off as a fan-boyish statement if it hadn’t happened before ... multiple times.

Love them or hate them, Apple is the company to watch. They’re a leader in the industry and always looking for ways to re-invent how we use technology. Even when Apple announces technology that follows the industry, that product is such an improvement over what was previously available that they’re able to “own” it. They’re envied and emulated by just about everyone in and out of their industry.

Back in the mid-90s they were nearly dead. Stock value was in the toilet, product line was stagnant, and some analyst said Apple should just start making Windows clones. Can you imagine? When Steve Jobs took over he made some bold decisions that moved the company forward and made them innovate again. From there they’ve risen to one of the most valuable companies in the world. Perhaps it’s this “come-back kid” feeling that has us all cheering for them. Maybe that’s why so many people download what’s basically a 2-hour commercial of them unveiling their latest offerings.

But don’t take my word for it. Watch the 2012 Apple WWDC Keynote yourself and tell me you wouldn’t want to be sportin’ one of those new Retina Display MacBook Pros.