Apple: the Toyota of computer manufacturers?

There is no escaping the car metaphors. The iPod is the Toyota Camry of portable audio players. The Apple Store feels like a
car dealership. Maybe we at TUAW should hang up our hats right now and go join the Autoblog team.

Here's a new one, from David Gelernter (tech visionary and uber-geek) via
Salon: today's PC market is just like the American auto market of the early '70s. Americans were buying American junk and putting up with it because they didn't know any better. Along come Honda and Toyota, and "people saw that for a reasonable price they could buy a car that didn't fall apart in two weeks." Imagine! And up until then, folks were resigned to the garbage that was coming out of Redmond. Er, Detroit – sorry.

There could be something to this. I just bought a Toyota Corolla, myself. Coincidence? I think not.

If the iPod is the Camry, what's the Mac mini?