Finally! Reuters has exposed the deep dark secret marring our miserable existence, the "Apple Tax" that we pay to Cupertino every year. Reporting for Reuters, Chris Taylor tells us that we are "slaves" to our devices, and that our families are "indentured servants" to Apple because we buy its products.

Gather 'round, boys and girls. Bryan Chaffin has a rare treat, a twofer for the Apple Death Knell Counter. Death Knell #61 and Death Knell #62 both argue that Apple is on the decline.

Bryan Chaffin found a chap who says that Microsoft is going to beat both Apple and Google in the mobile market. His reasoning, don't worry about it, because he says so. We call it Apple Death Knell #60.

Apple VP Phil Schiller recently said that old technologies are anchors holding us back, and that his company isn't afraid to ditch them. Bryan Chaffin says that this is the essence of Apple's success.

It’s like a train wreck, but in slow motion. It edges forward ever-so slowly, horrific and chilling. You know what’s going to happen, but just like yelling “Stop! No! Don’t do it!” at the movie screen when the girl splits off from the main group in a horror film, your shouts and protestations fall meaningless, echoing off of deaf ears. 

Shares in Apple Inc. sold off on Wednesday following the company’s June quarter earnings report on Tuesday. AAPL ended the day at US$574.97, down $25.95 (-4.32 percent) on volume of 31.3 million shares trading, more than triple the average volume. Bryan Chaffin explains why it happened.

Apple reported its June quarter results on Tuesday, and a couple of main themes emerged from the company’s conference call with analysts. The first is that the miss can be pegged on those evil rumors of an iPhone 5 and a lagging economy, while the second was a focus by both the analysts and Apple executives on the code phrase “product transition.” Bryan Chaffin offers his thoughts.

Google made a plea to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, a plea for permission to pilfer the patent portfolios of any company good enough to change the world. Bryan Chaffin labels it a bunch of baloney, but says that it’s in keeping with Google’s history of wanting the rest of the world to be available to its profit machine.

The EFF issued a manifesto on Tuesday demanding that Apple tear down its “crystal prison,” and to, “to open its platforms for those who wish to tinker, tweak and innovate with their internals.” Bryan Chaffin argues that, in this case, the EFF is trying to protect us from the tyranny of excellence.

Apple has gotten so good at manufacturing its devices, Bryan Chaffin thinks the company could use pricing to bludgeon would-be tablet competitors when it releases a 7.x inch iPad later this year.