That would be great, but as everyone here is aware of, Apple is all about iPhones and Ipods.
I definitely don't dislike Apple-- simply critical, but nor am I anywhere close to be a fanboy.
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Anybody else here NOT like Apple?
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That would be great, but as everyone here is aware of, Apple is all about iPhones and Ipods.
I definitely don't dislike Apple-- simply critical, but nor am I anywhere close to be a fanboy.
Don't think Apple will ever do that. They've positioned themselves as the "cool" brand and convince their consumers to purchase computers solely based on their design. The Mac mini is the tiny one, and the iMac is the gorgeous all in one. Throughout all of Apple's consumer products, it's clear that a form-over-function strategy exists. Don't get me wrong: I love the designs of all Macs and would gladly pay extra for a superior design + OS X + Apple's customer service, but there is no way they're giving us an upgradeable machine that's priced lower than the iMac.
It's all about iPhone and MacBook $$$ to
. The pro line has essentially been abandoned. The 30" display hasn't had an update in 5 years, and hasn't had a single refresh in 3 years. The only consumer display Apple sells is the 24" glassy Cinema Display. Their consumer desktops aren't made to be upgradeable. Your only option for an upgradeable Mac is the $2499 Mac Pro 
The only thing I don't like is how my darn MBP just refuses to have anything wrong with it. After paying for AppleCare, I wouldn't mind having to experience some of the good warranty service.
Apple is first and foremost a public company that must provide a return on investment to shareholders.
As a result, Apple has shifted focus to consumers... an area largely ignored by computer companies who otherwise rebrand corporate products to appeal to consumers. Apple is not just ipods and iphones... but consumer products. How many laptops have been sold because someone first bought an ipod or iphone and fell in love with it? A LOT!!!
How many average-joe consumers buy a clunky old desktop computer any more?
If anyone asks me to recommend a PC or help them buy a computer, I always say, "Get a laptop"... you get everything you would in a desktop now a days with portability to boot.
Apple's growth in the consumer space is good... it means more product refreshes and more choice as they diversify the lineup. The Macbook Air has had two refreshes since it was introduced just over a year ago! The 30" ACD has not had a refresh in 5 years because it's not a consumer product.
As for premium pricing... there is a strategy behind that as well... and it goes back to their fundamental reason for being... to make money. With just 10% of the computer market share compared to Dell and HP which own the other 80-90%, Apple actually brings in more profit than both of those two combined! There's no money to be made selling junk computers for $500-$1000.
Apple will never own the corporate IT desktop or the bargain basement PC market, but they can (and do) own the premium consumer space... and that's a good space to be in as share prices indicate.
As a result, Apple has shifted focus to consumers... an area largely ignored by computer companies who otherwise rebrand corporate products to appeal to consumers. Apple is not just ipods and iphones... but consumer products. How many laptops have been sold because someone first bought an ipod or iphone and fell in love with it? A LOT!!!
How many average-joe consumers buy a clunky old desktop computer any more?
If anyone asks me to recommend a PC or help them buy a computer, I always say, "Get a laptop"... you get everything you would in a desktop now a days with portability to boot.
Apple's growth in the consumer space is good... it means more product refreshes and more choice as they diversify the lineup. The Macbook Air has had two refreshes since it was introduced just over a year ago! The 30" ACD has not had a refresh in 5 years because it's not a consumer product.
As for premium pricing... there is a strategy behind that as well... and it goes back to their fundamental reason for being... to make money. With just 10% of the computer market share compared to Dell and HP which own the other 80-90%, Apple actually brings in more profit than both of those two combined!
There's no money to be made selling junk computers for $500-$1000.Apple will never own the corporate IT desktop or the bargain basement PC market, but they can (and do) own the premium consumer space... and that's a good space to be in as share prices indicate.
Get a PC and have one thing break and see if you will get it replaced... It most likely wont happen at all... just my thoughts
P.S. - I use Windows machines everyday, but I have problems with them every day... Also my 2004 iBook out does my 2009 HP laptop...
I had a dell with a bum fan control. Dell drove to my house and replaced the parts for me. All i had to do is make 2 phone calls and wait 2 days. If a fan broke on my mac i would have to make an appointment, drive 30 minutes out to drop it off, then back home, then go back when its done, and back home. Much less convenient.
Better get used to it, because they are. Users think so, and survey after survey, study after study, report after report, bears this out. Wouldn't be happening if it didn't have any truth to it.
See thats funny because I live three miles from the dell service center and anytime anything breaks they make me drive there (not a big deal at all!) and then wait 7 to 10 days before it is fixed and every single time I have to pay a "service call fee" even though no one came to my house... (It might just be my center?)
P.S. - I have two dells and a HP
Ok, I am a mac user not out of choice, but out of necessity. That being said, I do like my UMBP. The gestures and large trackpad make using another laptop a pain in the ass. I do not like the iPhone however. It is my personal opinion that the virtual keyboard is not conducive to quick typing, and prefer my blackberry for that task. I also do not like how I can't send files over bluetooth, or use mp3's as a ringtone right out of the box.. I mean come on... a £30 nokia will send and receive files over bluetooth! I think the iphone is a gimmick, but it appears to be working... nearly all my extended family has them, and I can definitly see the appeal of the seamless snycing on a mac. However, in the week I've been using a 3g iPhone, I can honestly say I am glad not to own one. The email side of things annoys me to no end... I usually receive emails about 10-15 minutes after they arrive in my inbox, whereas with the blackberry, I would receive them before they even showed up in mail. I guess the point of all this rambling is that I neither love nor hate Apple, but i do feel they can make a decent product, the ipod side of the iPhone is absolutely amazing... I just wish they didn't half-ass the rest of the phone..
Apple are one of my favourite companies. All big companies have dirt on them, it's the nature of business. Enjoy the end product and get on with your life instead of whining like an attention seeking virgin on the internet.
It's coming up on 18 months since I switched and I've noticed a change in my attitude to Apple over the past 6 months. If you'd have asked me this time last year about Apple I'd have foamed and fawned and drooled like a newly-lobotomised eedjit about how cool Apple are and they're the best ever etc etc ad nauseum.
If you asked me now I'd still recommend an Apple computer, but with less enthusiasm.
It's hard to explain why- my iMac still works perfectly well, no trouble at all. But the shine has gone off Apple for me. I think it's just a combination of things. My last 3 purchases from Apple in the last 18 months, in this order, are:
1) The entry-level, late 2007 iMac
2) A 32GB iPod Touch 2G
3) An Apple Wireless keyboard
Now, 2 & 3 have both been back to the store for replacements. Some odd battery issue with the Touch and the keyboard died after about 4 weeks. Both were replaced without question and the customer service was very good. Especially the Genius who dealt with my iPod, he was fantastic. But the fact they broke at all was a worry. I know it could just be poor luck and no product's perfect but it still sows little seeds of doubt about quality.
And recently I've had troubles with two of my most-used applications:
Safari and iTunes.
I've tried umpteen optimisations/repairs/reinstalls of them to try and speed them up to no avail. I thought my days of bloated, RAM-hogging programs were over but they've returned in the last 6 months. If Apple announce a Snow Leopard-style revamp of iTunes I'll do backflips, honestly! I think it really is due a good re-write/tidy-up.
Maybe the novelty and so-called 'Honeymoon Period' are over since I switched, maybe it's because I'm less bothered about my home computer these days even though I use it frequently. I do go through phases, at the moment it's gaming, then it could be cars, then it could be back to computers again.
But I dunno, it's hard to put into words. I don't dislike or hate Apple, but maybe I was a naive to-be fanboy when I switched and that's worn off now. I guess I still believe in God, I just don't go to church anymore
Sorry for the long essay, I must've needed to get that off my chest. I feel better now, Doctor...
If you asked me now I'd still recommend an Apple computer, but with less enthusiasm.
It's hard to explain why- my iMac still works perfectly well, no trouble at all. But the shine has gone off Apple for me. I think it's just a combination of things. My last 3 purchases from Apple in the last 18 months, in this order, are:
1) The entry-level, late 2007 iMac
2) A 32GB iPod Touch 2G
3) An Apple Wireless keyboard
Now, 2 & 3 have both been back to the store for replacements. Some odd battery issue with the Touch and the keyboard died after about 4 weeks. Both were replaced without question and the customer service was very good. Especially the Genius who dealt with my iPod, he was fantastic. But the fact they broke at all was a worry. I know it could just be poor luck and no product's perfect but it still sows little seeds of doubt about quality.
And recently I've had troubles with two of my most-used applications:
Safari and iTunes.
I've tried umpteen optimisations/repairs/reinstalls of them to try and speed them up to no avail. I thought my days of bloated, RAM-hogging programs were over but they've returned in the last 6 months. If Apple announce a Snow Leopard-style revamp of iTunes I'll do backflips, honestly! I think it really is due a good re-write/tidy-up.
Maybe the novelty and so-called 'Honeymoon Period' are over since I switched, maybe it's because I'm less bothered about my home computer these days even though I use it frequently. I do go through phases, at the moment it's gaming, then it could be cars, then it could be back to computers again.
But I dunno, it's hard to put into words. I don't dislike or hate Apple, but maybe I was a naive to-be fanboy when I switched and that's worn off now. I guess I still believe in God, I just don't go to church anymore
Sorry for the long essay, I must've needed to get that off my chest. I feel better now, Doctor...
Apple is a great company, even when they go wrong!
My 3G became faulty after a few months of owning it. This annoyed me a bit, but it's a possibility of any product. Now, if it had been a Nokia, I'd have had to send it off to get it repaired, wait a week or two, then get my phone back more broken than when I sent it in (Nokia has a very bad reputation for their "care centers" that deal with broken phones), but as it was a iPhone I just brought it back to the Apple Store and got a fresh brand new perfect one!
As for the products themselves, they are much better than the competition! I hate it whenever I have to use Windows ever since I got my iBook years ago!
On the subject of Micro$oft's customer service:
EDIT: Also, technology in general would be very crap if it wasen't for Apple. They take technology and make add their own innovative twist, which makes it successful. This then shapes the future of that product as every other company who makes the product tries to catch up to Apple's.
My 3G became faulty after a few months of owning it. This annoyed me a bit, but it's a possibility of any product. Now, if it had been a Nokia, I'd have had to send it off to get it repaired, wait a week or two, then get my phone back more broken than when I sent it in (Nokia has a very bad reputation for their "care centers" that deal with broken phones), but as it was a iPhone I just brought it back to the Apple Store and got a fresh brand new perfect one!
As for the products themselves, they are much better than the competition! I hate it whenever I have to use Windows ever since I got my iBook years ago!
On the subject of Micro$oft's customer service:
EDIT: Also, technology in general would be very crap if it wasen't for Apple. They take technology and make add their own innovative twist, which makes it successful. This then shapes the future of that product as every other company who makes the product tries to catch up to Apple's.
Yeah - the display port to dual link DVI adaptor is being handled superbly. Customers, like me, who have paid £60+ for an utterly broken product - getting the brush off for 6 months.
It's disgusting.
What about the people who don't live near an Apple Store or who live in countries where there is no Apple Store at all?
I'm sure that dismissive attitude will get you far in life
They go to their nearest authorised Apple retailer or send the phone to Apple to get a replacement. Most people, though, have either a authorised retailer or a Apple Store decently near them.
I'm sure that dismissive attitude will get you far in life
I'm not just dismissing anything, Windows, IMO, is complete and utter crap. If you buy a Ferrari, and you suddenly have to drive a Ford Focus, it's going to be disappointing, isn't it?
It looks good, it works well for what I need it for, that's all that matters to me. I do, however, agree that they can be a little underpowered for more money. Then again you pay for the convenience of a hardware and software manufacture all under one roof. Also, I NEVER pay retail for my Macs anyhow. I get refurbs or "last season" models when available.
Not true. In the UK you would take the Nokia back to the shop you bought it from - as you would with any other phone because most of them are sold through retail outlets - and they would replace it without question.
You could do either, but it wouldn't change the fact that they'd only swap it out if it's less than 30 days after purchase, after that they send it off.
Same here. If this was a relationship the make-up sex would be friggin' awesome.
It depends on your warranty and the fault. From CPW's website:
And from Nokia's website:
Most simple repairs are done there and then, if it's repairable they'll send it off and if it's fundamentally goosed they'll give you a new one. Note Nokia give you 24 months. Apple give you 12.
Apple are pretty good with hardware fault repair - one of the reasons why customer satisfaction is high - but your assumption that you have to send the phone away or that it'll come back worse for Nokias is a bit off the mark.
Exactly, they'll repair it, not swap it out, and most stores don't have repair facilities so they will send your phone off.