To do battle with Apple and its main warrior-priest, Steve Jobs, it is never enough to compete in terms of technology. Having a better gadget or service does not necessarily mean a rival high-tech vendor can outshine the Cupertino company, or cause any dent on its coolness-coated image.

Despite some market analysts’ forecasts of the Android’s impending win over the Apple smart-phone kingdom, I have no doubt that Jobs and company would continue to lord it over the realm of smart mobile devices – for the longest time to come yet. The iPad, iPhone, and iPod are just simply too cool for any Android- or BlackBerry-flavored ecosystems to overcome.

One China company, however, seems to have discovered a silver bullet, a sure-fire way of causing Apple executives some sleepless nights.

At first glance, Meizu Technology Co. is just another gadget-copying (without the required permits) company from the land of cheap manufacturing. The young company, however, has generated more than the usual (Western) media interest by virtue of its success in doing what Apple does best: selling mystique.

The thefreedictionary.com defines mystique as “an aura of heightened value, interest, or meaning surrounding something, arising from attitudes and beliefs that impute special power or mystery to it.” This definition, I believe, also captures what Apple has been successfully doing for some decades now (except during those years when Jobs was kicked out by a clueless board of directors).

Meizu relies on extreme publicity, leakages of pictures of prototypes, and masses of local and overseas fans. In short, unlike its compatriots that copy famous vendors’ products, Meizu has opted to copy Apple’s marketing strategy instead.

Is that what we (have to) call “ubercool cloned?”

Competition is Cool

Well, not necessarily for the companies themselves, but as technology vendors and providers duke it out for consumers’ attention and money, end users are the ultimate winners. Competition, after all, generates innovation. Imagine what competition at stratospheric levels does.

That is why we continue to have ever-expanding arrays of choices in terms of superfast ultraportable computers and desktop PCs, features-filled smart phones, broadband Internet connections, and budget-friendly mobile subscription plans and promos among others. Competition is good, as long as it is fair, of course.

Interpol = Internet Police?

According to last week’s media reports, cybercrooks stole the Facebook identity of the Interpol’s top honcho. To further rub it in, the criminals allegedly used the Facebook account to steal information about an operation by the international police organization.

The operation, according to reports, involved various international police forces and assets and was targeting criminals on the run for crimes ranging from murder, child trafficking, money laundering, and some other serious offenses.

Now, it’s either those cybercrooks were really good or the Interpol chief was seriously stupid.
That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.