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How about my iPod that is still running just fine after 6 years? It an 8 gig model that I use to listen to audiobooks in the car. Heck, I've bought a number of iPods over the years and have only had two die on me (a shuffle and a classic). Both my laptop and my desktop are running just fine both being almost five years old. Hyperbole is fine, but it should have some basis in reality.
I have an iPhone, and iPad and a Droid phone, which has allowed me to do a real life comparison of the Android free for all model to Apple's walled garden model
I would say that the biggest reason that Apple's walled garden model is so successful is three fold. First, users feel that since the apps are vetted, they don't have to worry about malware. Second, developers have an easy method for making money. It's easy to buy an app and people feel like they can trust Apple with their credit card info. Last, since day one of the app store, everything has a profession feel to it. It's easy to find apps in the app store, the apps have a professional look and feel to them and the over all shopping experience is user friendly.
When I go to the android market, I have no real way of knowing if an app has malware attached or anything else. I just have to trust and hope. It's hard to find apps that do a specific task. In general, the apps tend to have an unfinished feel to them. Many of the developers seem to stop at "good enough" rather than worry about giving the apps that final polish. As far as I can tell, few Android developers are making money.
I expect that Android will continue as the underlying OS for many devices. It's free and it's good enough. But I don't expect any of those devices to be things that the "kid" on the block to be able to fix on his shop bench in the garage. Parts are too specialized now and change too fast.
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