Apple is a very visible and successful company. As a result, everyone who pays an attention to the company has an opinion about Apple. Emotional opinions. And basking in the glory of Apple with seething opinions is the Thing To Do. That, however, doesn't relate to Apple's goals or insights into the company very well.

The Mac Observer has reviewed several iPad mini cases in the past few months. Here’s a summary of those reviews, the ratings and prices, all in one spot for handy references. We’ll update this summary as new case reviews are published.

Nancy Carroll Gravley shares bits and pieces of helpful and interesting information she picked up at Macworld/iWorld 2013

Cooped up with kids? Break out that old iPhone and load it up with these three kid friendly freebies that Vern Seward highlights in this week's Free on iTunes. Endless Alphabet, GeoDash: Wild Animal Adventure, and Mr. Potato Head: Create & Play

Part of being a high technology consumer electronics company is creating a sense of excitement and possibility for our technical future. Many, many Mac customers, perhaps 60 million active users, look to Apple to lay out a vision for their future. But is Apple too obsessed with mobility to take a stand there?

Text adventures? On your iPhone? Yeah baby! And Vern Seward take a look at the granddaddy of the all that being offered up for free, Zork I: The Underground Empire in this week's Free on iTunes.

No one understands Apple's customers and the company's sales figures better than Tim Cook.  No one understands the build and inventory process better than Tim Cook. And yet, many seem to be flowing with the technical currents sweeping the Internet. The disconnect couldn't be greater as Tim Cook continues his attempts to instruct us.
 

Ted Landau writes his farewell column for User Friendly View, including a look back at the many different topics he has covered over the years.

Companies that splinter and proliferate their products lines have had severe problems in the past. However, Apple did have to meet the threat of the 7-inch tablet and did so very nicely. The company may have to do it again.