Who is the Apple of the scuba world?

[Thalassamania]

I don't know HOW they did it, suffice to say that they succeeded in doing so.

 

[scubadobadoo]

When I think of apple I think of the words expensive and proprietary. So I would have to say Scuba Pro and Aqualung along with Halcyon and Atomic. I love my iPad but I have to admit that without flash it offers a very crippled internet experience so don't get me started on that.

 

[colo_diver]

The Apple/MAC is a one or the other agruement. But if you mean quality and value and less headaches and always needing to upgrade. I am an Apple and Aqualung. WHY? Quality and Value.

Examples.
The ACD device in the first stage ( Aqualung Titan LX and higher) actually works (according to my 2 master techs) vs the Oceanic DVT.
The SeaQuest/Aqualung BCD infaltor/Combo Inflator, the o ring is pressed in and doesn't fall out (EVER)
Third, to be honest you can not out breathe the modern regulator (OMG did I just say that). YES! Now it comes down to what type of diving are you doing? Warm water? Cold? will call for different stuff. Your LDS should be able to help.

As I ask all my divers, what are you planning to dive?

PS Just about all regulators are on a 2 year "service plan" what they say is have the reg "inspected"and adjusted the first year and "rebuilt the second" and repeat the cycle. This will keep your "warrenty" in place

 

[halocline]

Dumb-down?!? How exactly did Apple dumb-down their product? Making something simple and intuitive is genius IMO. Semantics I suppose.

Anyway, I think diving and its gear isn’t so complicated that someone needs to dumb it down.

It is kind of semantics, but if I remember the big deal about apple when their first computers came out was the graphic interface that allowed use of the mouse, rather than knowing all the text commands. This brought many, many new people into home computer use.

PADI has certainly specialized in streamlining and simplifying dive instruction with the intent of creating as many new divers as possible.

So there's a connection there, I admit its a weak one.

 

[Downing]

I've often thought Apple and Atomic share similar qualities: great design, high quality materials, a first-class user experience and both are completely unapologetic for their premium prices.

 

[drrich2]

While people complain about Apple's relatively 'closed ecosystem' (although many PC peripherals work with Macs, and there are lots of 3'rd party accessories for iPods and iPhones), it provides a nicer user experience for some.

I've used a number of PCs & Macs and I've come to prefer Macs. To me comparing a PC to a Mac is like comparing a house to a home; it's hard to articulate well. The first time I used a Mac I found it a bit 'cartoony' - but with time I came to appreciate no C:\Windows & so forth from the MS-DOS heritage, and other little touches. Neither is perfect & I've bought both, depending on our needs at the time. (P.S.: My MacPro has 3'rd party RAM, Monitor & 2 extra hard drives, and the Brother all-in-one is obviously 3'rd party. Macs aren't a completely closed system by a long shot).

If a scuba equipment vendor were to create a high-quality, easier to use & very effective gear set, I might at least consider a closed ecosystem. I have high hopes for the new Atomic Cobalt dive computer interface. If it is simple to adjust settings via an intuitive menu system with words rather than arbitrary button combo.s & sequences with semi-intuitive abbreviations (I'm using an Oceanic VT3, so that's my frame of reference), that would be sweet. And a bit reminiscent of what the iPhone's done for smart phones.

Richard.

 

[DCBC]

I'm newly certified and am looking to start buying my own gear. The are so many manufacturers I don't know where to begin. Is there a manufacturer or two that would be considered the Apple of the scuba world? I.e makes amazing products, easy to use, solid, reliable, they really think through how the user will interact with the product, stands by their products and continually innovates?

My limited experience with five or six companies so far makes me think the people who work at the companies never use their own products, and just crank out stuff with no thought about the design or purpose.

Although some companies come to mind, I think if I had to choose who the IBM/Intel/Apple is, I'd have to say U.S. Divers (now Aqualung). Although there are several successful companies like Mares, Cressi, ScubaPro, etc., none of them has done more in the early stages of diving than Jacques-Yves Cousteau (Chairman of the Board) and USD. The spin-off was John Cronin (CEO of USD) and Co-founder of PADI. The diving world evolved from there. Other companies like Apeks, Atomic and others would have never existed until a larger market had been established.

Taken from the NAUI Website: "The modern diving era in North America traces its beginnings to 1948 when Jacques-Yves Cousteau convinced Rene Bussoz (of Rene’s Sporting Goods in Westwood, California) to import self-contained underwater breathing units he called Aqua-Lungs. ...The number of scuba divers steadily increased and U.S. Divers Company was formed out of Rene’s Sporting Goods.

 

[AndrewA]

I would suggest that AP Valves (Ambient Pressure Diving) could be a candidate for the "Apple" of the scuba world. Their Buddy range of BCDs are just that bit quirky and appeal to a loyal minoriy of divers and then they came up with their ipod: the Inspiration rebreather !

 

[Aigtbootbp]

I thought this was a forum about scuba, not an Apple fan site.
Posting from my Laptop .....

 

[CuNanoTube]

Why would you look for the overpriced, aluminum fetishistic, dumbed down, feature lacking, under-performing company of the diving world?