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Apple Store Fact

BBascule

By BBascule
in Providence

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Quality of components is one factor. And yes, smaller form factor and the engineering required costs more as well. Also there's the added value of a unix based robust operating system that comes bundled with an excellent array of software (iLife for example). HP's idea of 'value added' is loads of crapware and free AOL trials. Couple that with it now being the only laptop capable of dual booting OSX and Windows and for many it becomes an incredible deal.

/Disclaimer: I use Linux and Windows as my main OSes.

the HP i compared it to is a business class laptop, doesn't come with AOL or the standard cheap crappy hardware. i can guarantee you that apple's hardware comes from the same factories in china that most other hardware comes from.

i give less than a year before apple either gives in and allows OSX to be installed on any PC (since their computers are no longer Macs, they're actually PC's running OSX) or someone figures out a way to get OSX on any PC.

until then, there's plenty of free unix-based operating systems that you can dual boot with windows and get the same functionality.

so yes, apples are expensive for what you get now. they should have slashed their prices when they moved to intel, but their prices stayed pretty much the same. the form factor does play a role, but again, it's not a whole lot smaller than the HP.

let me add that i have nothing against apple. i just think they need to lower their prices or open up their hardware/software. i'm primarily a windows user (dabble in linux a bit as well) who would switch to apple in a heartbeat if they were worth the price.

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JJK5 Hamlet

JJK5

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the HP i compared it to is a business class laptop, doesn't come with AOL or the standard cheap crappy hardware. i can guarantee you that apple's hardware comes from the same factories in china that most other hardware comes from.

i give less than a year before apple either gives in and allows OSX to be installed on any PC (since their computers are no longer Macs, they're actually PC's running OSX) or someone figures out a way to get OSX on any PC.

until then, there's plenty of free unix-based operating systems that you can dual boot with windows and get the same functionality.

so yes, apples are expensive for what you get now. they should have slashed their prices when they moved to intel, but their prices stayed pretty much the same. the form factor does play a role, but again, it's not a whole lot smaller than the HP.

let me add that i have nothing against apple. i just think they need to lower their prices or open up their hardware/software. i'm primarily a windows user (dabble in linux a bit as well) who would switch to apple in a heartbeat if they were worth the price.

The prices stayed the same, but they got significant speed bumps and added features. So they're certainly less overpriced than they were.

As far as getting OSX on whitebox PCs, it's been done for awhile. I've run OSX on an old Dell Dimension I had lying around, worked almost perfectly.

http://www.osx86project.org

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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The prices stayed the same, but they got significant speed bumps and added features. So they're certainly less overpriced than they were.

As far as getting OSX on whitebox PCs, it's been done for awhile. I've run OSX on an old Dell Dimension I had lying around, worked almost perfectly.

http://www.osx86project.org

hmmm, that's cool, didn't know it existed. i would, however, prefer to see the official installation disc from apple have the ability to install on any PC.

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

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DrStink,

ThinkSecret says MacBook (non-pro, iBook replacement) by May. Here's hoping!

http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0604macbook.html

I'm so on a new Powerbook (screw this mac book pro crap) in a year. My titanium is hanging on by a thread...I'm just praying to get a little more life outta it!

then I can get Bootcamp and scrap the Dell I need for a few Windows only programs...

woohoo!

BTW, I will gladly pay a premium for macs over any windows laptop...they are SO far superior...

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DrStink Unincorporated Area

DrStink

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hmmm, that's cool, didn't know it existed. i would, however, prefer to see the official installation disc from apple have the ability to install on any PC.

Highly doubt that will ever happen for two reasons. First, Apple is a hardware company. A OSX install disc that installs on commodity x86 hardware will cut into that revenue stream. Second, Steve Jobs has already been down that path once already when he was at NeXT. They moved from the oh so slick 'black' hardware (custom m68k workstations) to 'white hardware' (generic x86 workstations) and within a few years, NeXT was effectively dead.

how is it not true?

HP nx9420, has a widescreen display, 1.83 Ghz Dual Core CPU, 1GB RAM on 1 DIMM, 100 GB 5400 RPM HDD... $1749

Apple Macbook Pro 1.83 Ghz, configured the same way comes to $2299. there's a $550 difference in price.

First, let me give you plenty of credit for actually comparing the MacBookPro to a comparable laptop in terms of quality and features. Far too often, this discussion ends up being a pointless because people stack the deck to try to win the argument. One question - is the optical drive in the nx9420 a DVD
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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Highly doubt that will ever happen for two reasons. First, Apple is a hardware company. A OSX install disc that installs on commodity x86 hardware will cut into that revenue stream. Second, Steve Jobs has already been down that path once already when he was at NeXT. They moved from the oh so slick 'black' hardware (custom m68k workstations) to 'white hardware' (generic x86 workstations) and within a few years, NeXT was effectively dead.

First, let me give you plenty of credit for actually comparing the MacBookPro to a comparable laptop in terms of quality and features. Far too often, this discussion ends up being a pointless because people stack the deck to try to win the argument. One question - is the optical drive in the nx9420 a DVD

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JJK5 Hamlet

JJK5

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and onto linux... if you get a chance, try ubuntu or gentoo (i haven't tried gentoo, but i've heard it's really good and easy). i have ubuntu on my second machine and i am very impressed by it. seamless installation, and with one config issue that i had to manually fix, it was installed and runs great. comes default with open office, so that takes care of your word processing. and you can choose to install apache, php, and mysql (as you know). i've wanted to get myself using linux more often (i have 2 reasons not to... turbo tax and quicken), and since i had my old computer just sitting there, i decided to try it. but i didn't have time to deal with one of the standard distros, ubuntu took care of that. now i have a machine that anyone can use if they want when they visit (fiancee is the main reason).

Ubuntu's great, I'm posting this from it right now. But it's still not as user friendly, intuitive, or headache free as OSX. Linux has a way to go before my grandmother is using it. Gentoo, since you mentioned it, is great if you have tons of free time and really want to dive head first into linux and love compiling everything from source. But it's not a distro for a neophyte by any means.

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MikeR Hamlet

MikeR

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Apple's 2nd qtr. conf. call noted that in their retail sector, 50% of the Macs sold were new to the Mac platform (switchers). 141 stores will be open by the end of the quarter; I assume the one in PPM is going to be one of them.

Also...Apple will introduce their 17" Macbook Pro this weekend (according to the rumor sites...)

When the Apple Store opens in a couple of months, it should provide a comprehensive lineup of Apple products on the Intel platform - Intel iBooks included!

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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I just set up a new Intel iMac in our test lab here at work and it was funny to see all the mac naysayers oooh and ahh over it. A quick demo of Garage Band and some goofy pictures in Photo Booth and I had em eating out of the palm of my hand :-)

Good work! :lol:

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Apple's 2nd qtr. conf. call noted that in their retail sector, 50% of the Macs sold were new to the Mac platform (switchers). 141 stores will be open by the end of the quarter; I assume the one in PPM is going to be one of them.

Also...Apple will introduce their 17" Macbook Pro this weekend (according to the rumor sites...)

When the Apple Store opens in a couple of months, it should provide a comprehensive lineup of Apple products on the Intel platform - Intel iBooks included!

i think i saw a 17" macbook pro today... running windows no less. and the intel ibook is gonna be called macbook. apparently they're really pushing the "mac" name (because it's really not a mac anymore most likely).

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MikeR Hamlet

MikeR

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i think i saw a 17" macbook pro today... running windows no less. and the intel ibook is gonna be called macbook. apparently they're really pushing the "mac" name (because it's really not a mac anymore most likely).

Yep...Apple released the 17" Macbook Pro yesterday. The replacement for the iBooks (Macbooks) will be out next month after the prices for the Intel Core Duo chips drop...

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Yep...Apple released the 17" Macbook Pro yesterday. The replacement for the iBooks (Macbooks) will be out next month after the prices for the Intel Core Duo chips drop...

so does that mean the prices for the macbook pro's will drop next month?

the one thing i'm a bit put off by with apple is that the switch to intel should've lowered their prices...

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JJK5 Hamlet

JJK5

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Yep...Apple released the 17" Macbook Pro yesterday. The replacement for the iBooks (Macbooks) will be out next month after the prices for the Intel Core Duo chips drop...

I was under the impression the iBooks would be fitted with Core Solos. If they come with Core Duos and stay in the neighborhood of their current price point I won't be able to help myself!

the one thing i'm a bit put off by with apple is that the switch to intel should've lowered their prices...

For the most part this 17" MBP is on par with a similarly spec'd Dell, it's just Dell always has those crazy coupons that Apple can't really compete with. But based on MSRP they are competitive.

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Garris Town

Garris

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i'm actually surprised they made a black one... it looks like a dell.

Who would want a black Mac? It makes it look like every other Intel based PC business laptop, or maybe that's the point... :blink:

- Garris

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MikeR Hamlet

MikeR

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Yes, well...

I wasn't paying attention enough today. Black MacBook, yummy, iWant!

The black one is $200 more than the white one and the only difference it has a slightly bigger hard drive! Go with the white one...

Anyway, back on topic, when the store opens in the mall Apple will have the full Intel lineup ready (except for the PowerMac). Consumers will have a lot of great choices. The new store should be rockin' on opening day!

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