In the past five months, Apple has dropped the word "Computer" from its name; settled its long-­standing dispute with Beatles music publisher Apple Corps; introduced the Apple TV, a set-top box based on its iTunes technology; and announced that it is getting into the cell-phone business. Apple wants us to believe that it is no longer a computer company but, rather, a digital "lifestyle" company, building a set of high-tech experiences around a core of technolo­gies and designs that are warmer, cleaner, easier to use, and more enjoyable than what its competitors in Seattle and Japan have to offer.

But peel off the skin and Apple emerges as a computer company that's tried and true. Yes, Apple has the world's largest online music store. Yes, Apple has more than 170 brick-and-mortar stores around the world, which sell a lot more than just laptops. But a deep commitment to computing is what holds this empire together.