Apple Back to School sale

[macsamillionjoe]

I think it's almost arbitrarily comparative. It definitely comes down to what people value the most and what they're willing to pay. I mean, yeah, assuming all things equal, a new 13in Samsung series 9 will run you $1650 but that includes 4GB of RAM, a backlit keyboard, anti-glare display, and a 3 year warranty. A base MBA updated to 4GB RAM and a 3 year warranty runs you $1648. So, $2 extra for a backlit keyboard and anti-glare display (let alone other usefuls that may exist), makes it sound like a good deal.

But then of course, it's not running OSX.

The price for the Samsung is actually down to 1499$ making it a really good deal...
http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=35535&CatId=4938

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...8&skuId=2235309&st=samsung series 9&cp=1&lp=1

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-NP900...5RU6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307754020&sr=8-1

 

[onthecouchagain]

http://www.9to5mac.com/72034/apples...mart-signs-and-store-layouts-getting-updated/

$100 dollar iTunes gift card instead of an iPod. A free gift is still a free gift, though it's disappointing.

And so much for the discounted iPad everyone was hoping for.

 

[tom vilsack]

apple you lost a sale from my nefew....teens don't need or want itunes cert...(they all download music for free...just fact of life)

he did want the free itouch,and thus he would have spend the extra (apple tax) for a nice macbook pro...but this dumb itunes cert has him thinking win lappy

 

[vandoorn]

Man a $100 certificate is a real bummer! I wanted the free iPod, but now i'm not even sure if i will buy one from Apple directly... Now there are other stores more attracting.... Like the stores giving 3 years warranty on every laptop you buy.

 

[NutsNGum]

Apparently, we're looking at a £65 pound gift certificate in the UK. Frankly, that's about as much of a stomp in the bollocks as I can handle.

 

[vistokid]

I'm really beginning to wonder whether the new MBA will be eliglible for the BtoS promo. With a fairly low entry level price, I don't know if they'll include it. I thought I read somewhere that the 11" was not included in their country that had already begun.

Assuming the iTunes gift card is the real deal:

Hate to say it but I had a feeling that Apple would pull something... the entry level price of macs has dropped over the last few years, while iPods have pretty much remained the same. The margin just isn't there anymore to give a $200 product on a $1000 computer.

What I thought was they'd exclude the 11 MBA from the promo or make the new MBAs ineligible. I didn't expect this $100 iTunes promo... it's a brutal idea. I would have been fine with a $150 Apple gift card, or even a $100 gift card, but now I'm reconsidering what I'll do.

 

[nebulos]

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... so when you don't get a christmas bonus this year, after getting one the past 5 years, you're just gonna say "Hey, baby, it's all good. You don't owe me anything!" Right?

 

[onthecouchagain]

Doesn't look like it's starting today...

 

[endhalf]

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... so when you don't get a christmas bonus this year, after getting one the past 5 years, you're just gonna say "Hey, baby, it's all good. You don't owe me anything!" Right?

Yep, since I don't get chrismas bonus at all. And by the way, this is inacurate. It's like u got $300 for last 5 years and now you get "only" $150 extra. Still, it is extra money and not every company is giving chrismas bonus (very rare in Europe, don't know how rare or not rare in USA). Just like not every company is doing anything like B2S.

 

[jamisonbaines]

apple you lost a sale from my nefew....teens don't need or want itunes cert...(they all download music for free...just fact of life)

he did want the free itouch,and thus he would have spend the extra (apple tax) for a nice macbook pro...but this dumb itunes cert has him thinking win lappy

-hey unkle tom vilsack will u go online and complain for me?
-consider it done

 

[nebulos]

the point is, its a matter of reasonable expectations.

if Apple has never done B2S in your country, then you dont expect it, and when Americans complain, you find it stupid and annoying.

if Apple has 'always' done B2S in your country, then you expect it, and that's reasonable. when it doesn't happen, its understandable why you'd be upset.

done.

if Apple really is doing the itunes card in lieu of the ipod, i feel like they could have avoided a lot of disappointment (and anger) by simply leaking this earlier, and people would have slowly come to terms with it.

what i don't get is some people have said recently that B2S had just started in their country, with the usual free ipod (excluding the 11" MBA) So, ???

 

[GlenL]

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Most teens aren't torrent whores, those are just a select few that like to hole themselves up and browse the pirate bay arrggghh!

 

[GlenL]

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MBA is pretty aggressively priced as it is compare to competitions like Samsung series 9 laptops. They generally costs 200-300 dollars more than MBA.

I think it's almost arbitrarily comparative. It definitely comes down to what people value the most and what they're willing to pay. I mean, yeah, assuming all things equal, a new 13in Samsung series 9 will run you $1650 but that includes 4GB of RAM, a backlit keyboard, anti-glare display, and a 3 year warranty. A base MBA updated to 4GB RAM and a 3 year warranty runs you $1648. So, $2 extra for a backlit keyboard and anti-glare display (let alone other usefuls that may exist), makes it sound like a good deal.

But then of course, it's not running OSX.

When the Samsung breaks, that would be nice to take it back to a Samsung store for them to fix right away... Oh wait...

 

[Variant]

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Most teens aren't torrent whores, those are just a select few that like to hole themselves up and browse the pirate bay arrggghh!

Right, most teens have credit-cards and spend hundreds of dollars each month downloading music from the iTunes Music Store...

 

[s.hasan546]

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When the Samsung breaks, that would be nice to take it back to a Samsung store for them to fix right away... Oh wait...

apple has never fixed my laptop in the store either. They just ship it out for you. Same thing that samsung does. You call and ship it our or they come fix it at your house.

 

[jcitynj]

More like Back to Whatever

When you buy a new qualifying Mac with Apple education pricing* from June 16, 2011, through September 20, 2011, you’ll get a $100 Back to School Card to use on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore.

That is really weak. If it had to be a gift card, I would rather it at least work on apple.com/store; so you could purchase accessories or use towards the purchase of hardware/peripherals.

Lamage.

 

[PraisiX-windows]

Yep, since I don't get chrismas bonus at all. And by the way, this is inacurate. It's like u got $300 for last 5 years and now you get "only" $150 extra. Still, it is extra money and not every company is giving chrismas bonus (very rare in Europe, don't know how rare or not rare in USA). Just like not every company is doing anything like B2S.

Ahem, I don't know if you're thinking of eastern europe (cause sure, that's a spot on our otherwise great continent), but at least here in Denmark christmas bonuses are quite common to my knowledge. - While working as a minor I received a christmas bonus every year, alongside all the other employees at that company.

- And I know my stepfather did too, he received a laptop, might just have been an asus eee, but still, it sure did trumph my box of chips/chocolates/sweets and soda.

OT: (on topic)

I'm actually happy about this B2S promo. I would have loved the iPod touch, since I've never had one, but these $100 worth of app store credit will go towards iWork meaning it'll almost be free (a purchase I'd have to make anyway, so it actually does save me $100 on my MBA).