Plea sent for MBA update- Steve, you'd enjoy this potential Apple product too!

[entatlrg]

Subject Line: Steve, you'd enjoy this potential Apple product too!

Body:

Dear Mr. Jobs,

As a shareholder its great Apple is making incredible mobile products for the huge consumer market.

For the business user who enjoys the latest full featured portable or ultra portable notebook it's not so good. My beloved MacBook Air with 2gb ram and short battery life needs an update.

While I really enjoy my iPhone 4 and iPad 3G I'd like a full featured ultra portable notebook. The latest Sony Z is an example of what's possible.

With the innovation so many of us respect Apple for it's disheartening that for my computing needs I may now have to consider the Sony Z or Lenovo for our next ultra portable notebooks. I do not want to leave OSX.

I'm CEO of a small corporation. In 2009 we spent $96,000 on Apple products. My Mac Pro is a workhorse that's never let me down, same for our iMac at home. My wife and I and all my staff use Apple notebooks, iPads and iPhones. Two years ago I switched my company from Windows machines and Blackberries to Apple's products. It's been great; incredible products and incredible service.

Now to fill my and our ultra portable computing needs Apple has fallen behind. We're not a large group of people but we do exist around the globe. We're big fans of Apples products and at this time we feel left out not knowing what to buy next.

A mobile CEO such as yourself would really enjoy the product I'm describing. A light weight ultra portable, powerful with adequate ports, anti glare screen and smooth rounded edges on the palm rest so it's not cutting into your wrists when not typing in an ideal position.

Many executives would enjoy such an Apple notebook. We're not a huge market but one that's willing to pay a premium price for an outstanding Apple portable.

Please don't forget about us.

Best Regards,
Steve **********

(I wrote the subject line that way hoping it would catch Steve's eye and he'd read it?)

 

[silverfrancis]

I like it!

 

[kresh]

Dear Steve **********:

Buy an iPad or piss off, notebooks are last century.

Steve Jobs



(It is sad but true that Apple has this attitude)

 

[animatedude]

oh yes i agree...any CEO would enjoy this.iPhone 4+11.6'' Macbook Air would be just the ultimate tools for any Businessmen.

 

[omenatarhuri]

Coming next tuesday

Sent from my iPad

 

[FuNGi]

Do you think Steve might question your sincerity after reading the following passage and then your signature? It seems you have already moved on. Anyway, I too would love to see the update and since it would only be a luxury to me I can wait.

"With the innovation so many of us respect Apple for it's disheartening that for my computing needs I may now have to consider the Sony Z or Lenovo for our next ultra portable notebooks. I do not want to leave OSX."

 

[entatlrg]

Do you think Steve might question your sincerity after reading the following passage and then your signature? It seems you have already moved on. Anyway, I too would love to see the update and since it would only be a luxury to me I can wait.

"With the innovation so many of us respect Apple for it's disheartening that for my computing needs I may now have to consider the Sony Z or Lenovo for our next ultra portable notebooks. I do not want to leave OSX."

I buy notebooks for my company, we have new people hired and I'll order 3 or 4 more notebooks between now and the end of the year.

I'm trying out a Z now and trying not to like it, but as it turns out I love it. The screen is much better than on the Z's we tried in the spring so now I've found a true powerful ultra portable. Just wish Apple would givev us an option.

 

[kryca]

Now *we* have to convince Steve? Either a company is producing what you the consumer want or it has to pass the buck. And yes I believe that Apple is giving more attention to serious market research than individual letters.

I just ordered a MBA. It does what I want. If it didn't, it'd have been a Vaio. In a year's time I'd probably not choose a MBA again. Windows 7 is far better than that previous Windows crap. Going with the MBA allows me to protect my investments in software, but honestly that's not a really convincing argument, it's more customer retention than anything else. But all these decisions should be done without "Steve" and his private and business plans, it's a personal choice and at the time when you make a purchase it doesn't matter whether there's a new model the next day.

 

[tigres]

I like the letter OP.

I back you, I am in desperate need of 4g ram, and better battery. Hell, I don't even care if is stays core duo to be honest.

 

[FuNGi]

I buy notebooks for my company, we have new people hired and I'll order 3 or 4 more notebooks between now and the end of the year.

I'm trying out a Z now and trying not to like it, but as it turns out I love it. The screen is much better than on the Z's we tried in the spring so now I've found a true powerful ultra portable. Just wish Apple would givev us an option.

I hear ya. Try to resist the Z. Remain loyal to OSX. Wait to supply your employees until the update.

Now *we* have to convince Steve? Either a company is producing what you the consumer want or it has to pass the buck. And yes I believe that Apple is giving more attention to serious market research than individual letters.
-snip-

I think the OP is hoping that Steve replies to his letter with something nice like: "It's coming." or "You should wait. You won't be disappointed."

I like the letter OP.

I back you, I am in desperate need of 4g ram, and better battery. Hell, I don't even care if is stays core duo to be honest.

I too like the letter and frankly don't care about the blah, blah, blah 6 year old processor tech as long as it has more storage, a better screen, will play a movie on a long flight, and has more rammy ram.

 

[cleric]

Dear Steve **********:

Buy an iPad or piss off, notebooks are last century.

Steve Jobs



(It is sad but true that Apple has this attitude)

Pretty much... especially if you are a shareholder. You shouldn't give a **** about the macbook air while steve is giving you hundred percent returns year after year making toys.

 

[Scottsdale]

Hate to say this, BUT this is a complete waste of your time. Apple knows full well what it could sell. I am sure its marketing department keeps tabs on wants and needs... or what could, would, should sell given different specs, uses, and etc.

I believe we're better off looking for hints as to when rather than trying to tell him it needs an update. Steve knows it needs an update. It will be updated when Steve can micromanage the project like he does every other project. I believe Apple's downfall is Steve Jobs's micromanagement of too many projects... or not enough projects, depending on how one looks at it.

Steve doesn't trust anyone but himself to make the most important decisions. Do you really think he doesn't know the MBA failed a lot of people with its first iteration? Steve knows full well that he stood on that stage and sold himself when he misled all of us to buy an original MBA. It was a pile of crap and not worthy of the Apple brand. As bad as that original was, Steve corrected the issues at no cost to the Apple shareholders, by not offering free upgrades as IT SHOULD HAVE for the Apple customers.

I have received a reply from Steve. He definitely isn't using one or one hundred email requests to build products. He is using real numbers to see how many they can sell. He is trying to determine if the brand might be dead since the original did disappoint so many Mac fans. He will use all of the information to determine if it's something he wants to tackle. The questions for him, I believe, should be targeted at "Is there any hope for me and a new MBA?"

In addition, I believe comparing the MBA to a Vaio Z will ensure that you don't receive a reply. I think it would be better to leave alternative products out of the picture unless they're Apple products.

Anyone else want to try again? Say something like I promised my brother there will be a new MBA before Christmas and I don't want to disappoint him... or feel like a fool.

Steve's reply:

Not to worry!

This is what we want to know it's coming... not to influence Jobs. If we have to influence him the MBA is already dead.

BTW, there is definitely a prototype MBA model, and I would bet a few pennies that it will get an update when the other 13" Macs get updates... or slightly before. I am looking for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air updates... if there's an 11.6" MBA, I believe it would come out as a holiday market targeted item. If not, maybe we have to wait until January. I definitely think October is very possible. In addition, I am looking for both iLife 11 and iWork 11 as well as a 7" iPad for the holiday season. Apple will provide some other group/set of product updates before the holiday season.

In addition, if I wanted some actual information... maybe include in the message... I promised my brother it would have a Core i7 CPU and ATI/AMD 5430 GPU... with 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD, and and and...

Steve Jobs reply:

Not to worry!

or perhaps

Worry!

Or maybe even, "I bet my brother a new MBA that it would be updated before Christmas. If I win, that's my Christmas present from him. If I lose, my wife will divorce me."

Steve Jobs reply:

Wow, big bet... I think you'll be happy and still married for new year's. ;-)

or perhaps

Call the divorce attorney.

 

[kryca]

Scottsdale, you're right on...

I would favour a letter like this:

"Howdy Steve.

Sent from Vaio"

 

[gwsat]

Dear Steve **********:

Buy an iPad or piss off, notebooks are last century.

Steve Jobs



(It is sad but true that Apple has this attitude)

Sad but true indeed! Apple is concentrating most of its resources these days on its iOS devices. Those devices are consumer products. None has anything like the capabilities required by real businesspeople for real work on mobile computing devices. As you said, sad but true.

The thing about iOS that makes me the most angry is how many of its limitations are attributable to Apple's nearly paranoid resistance to anything that would prevent it from controlling every aspect of such devices. For example, I learned yesterday that even those iPhone 4 owners who sign up with AT&T for the feature that will allow them to tether their phones to their computer can't tether it to the iPad. Apple prohibits it so that the only way to have Internet connectivity on it through a mobile network is to buy Apple's extortionately prices 3G version of the iPad. Grrrr!