Survey / Interview

[jimleszczynski]

Hello fellow MacRumorer's !

So here's the deal.
I am a currently a student at Oakland University in Rochester Hills Michigan. For my Rhetoric Composition II class we have to conduct a study on something. Being the Mac fanatic I am, I choose to do some research on the iPod. After diving into some of the information I have become more and more fascinated with how IMO the iPod saved Apple as we know it today.

So I was looking to get some questions answered by other Mac Enthusiasts to help further my research. I am encouraging creative thoughts and answers.

Please be advised that anything said in this thread can and possibly will be used in my study and text. Pseudonyms can be provided if asked. Also if you would like to comment, and have your thought taken into advisement, however, wish not to be included in my study, this is also ok.

1) If you own and iPod, why?
2) If you own a Mac, why?

1a) What do you like about the iPod?
1a) What made you choose Mac OS over Windows?

2) Would you say Apple's marketing is successful? If so, where is it seen? Why does it make such a big impact on individuals?

3a/b) What do you use or plan to use your iPod or Mac for?

4) Status? (As in job field, school, etc.)

5) Is price a concern when it comes to technological purchases? If so, why did you still choose Apple, being that they are generally more expensive?

6) How long have you been using your iPod or Mac's? Do you think you that Apple has instilled a positive product and you will continue to go to Apple for your technological needs?

7) If you do some basic research on Apple, you will notice that many predictions were made to claim that Apple was doomed and should exit the market in the years of 2001-2003. Being that this is very close to the time frame that the iPod became more popular and added Windows compatibility... Is it safe to say that the iPod SAVED APPLE?
(please include any and all information you feel is valid here...)

7a) Being that the iPod and Apple have impacted children from the ages of 5 -18, would you say that come time when these children grow to continue to college or possibly a full time career... Would you say that these kids will look to Apple for their computer needs because of the instilled product of the iPod?

8) FREE TEXT, This is where any additional information you would like to add that possibly wasn't asked can be put.


Thank you for your time. I appreciate any responses I may receive!

Jim

 

[TEG]

1) If you own and iPod, why? Because I enjoy music and travel a lot. The iPod allows me to avoid changing my radio as a go from state to state.
2) If you own a Mac, why? Because I wanted a computer I never had to worry about working. It was important to have a computer at college that I never had say was not working.

1a) What do you like about the iPod? Its multifunction abilities, PDA, external HD, music player, video player.
1a) What made you choose Mac OS over Windows? Stability and the ease of management.

2) Would you say Apple's marketing is successful? If so, where is it seen? Why does it make such a big impact on individuals? It has been successful. Overall marketshare has grown since 2004 and the widespread marketing of the iPod. It speaks to what people want. People are tired of Windows and Apple is finally exploiting that by showing OS X as an alternative and it helps that the iPod is so easy to use that people are choosing Macs for their next system.

3a/b) What do you use or plan to use your iPod or Mac for? I use my iPod to keep up-to-date with news and listen to music and I use my Mac to play game, do homework, and help people with their problems.

4) Status? A OK.

5) Is price a concern when it comes to technological purchases? If so, why did you still choose Apple, being that they are generally more expensive? Price is a concern, but so it longevity. Macs are perceived to be more expensive because Apple does not sell a system that uses parts from 2 or 3 years ago like other manufactures, their products use the latest and greatest technology available that is stable. When I buy a computer, I want one that will last me 5-7 years. Only Macs have that sort of longevity.

6) How long have you been using your iPod or Mac's? Do you think you that Apple has instilled a positive product and you will continue to go to Apple for your technological needs? I have been using my iPod since September 2003 and will continue to use it until I pay the $60 to have it replaced with a refurbished version of the same model. I have been using my current Mac since January 2006, bought used it is a 2002 model. My father currently uses my original Mac, from 2001 and it runs circles around my mothers computers at work, which were purchased in 2007.

7) If you do some basic research on Apple, you will notice that many predictions were made to claim that Apple was doomed and should exit the market in the years of 2001-2003. Being that this is very close to the time frame that the iPod became more popular and added Windows compatibility... Is it safe to say that the iPod SAVED APPLE? The iPod did not save Apple, but it did open Apple to a larger market than it had before. The iMac saved Apple. It was a computer that was cheap to build, could be sold for a nice margin, and required little maintenance. If you would check your facts, you'd find that between 1996 and 1998 Apple was on death's doorstep and it was only after the purchase of NeXT and Steve Jobs becoming CEO that things began to turn around. The only reason there were any stumbles between 2001 and 2003 was because all the computer manufacturers were having difficulties and Apple was perceived to be at the bottom of the list.

7a) Being that the iPod and Apple have impacted children from the ages of 5 -18, would you say that come time when these children grow to continue to college or possibly a full time career... Would you say that these kids will look to Apple for their computer needs because of the instilled product of the iPod? Yes. Apple has come a long way in the last 10 years and I feel that this is the reason that Apple's marketshare has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years.

TEG
Current Senior at Kettering University.

 

[pianoman]

1) If you own and iPod, why?
It was the easiest digital music player to use when I bought it. It still is.

2) If you own a Mac, why?
The interface is more pleasant to me than the alternatives. Design is great, too - very sleek, minimal. That I don't need background apps running to check for viruses, spyware, etc. or to worry about those things in the first place (for the most part) is also a plus.

1a) What do you like about the iPod?
Ease of use, including syncing with iTunes.

1a) What made you choose Mac OS over Windows?
Interface; I don't need to worry about viruses, spyware; to some degree, curiosity.

2) Would you say Apple's marketing is successful? If so, where is it seen? Why does it make such a big impact on individuals?
Yes. I think it is evident in that more people are buying Macs and iPods in 2008 than have in 2007, 2006, 2005, etc. People are likely impressed with the Mac's ease of use, the bundled apps (iLife), and attractive design. It's a lot easier to set up an iMac than it is to set up a Dell/HP/whatever with the CPU, a monitor, etc. - figuring out where the wires go and stuff.

3a/b) What do you use or plan to use your iPod or Mac for?
I use my iPod for listening to music at the gym and when I travel. I use my Mac for Internet, word processing, instant messaging, photography, music/iPod syncing, scheduling (iCal).

4) Status?
I don't know what you mean by this.

5) Is price a concern when it comes to technological purchases? If so, why did you still choose Apple, being that they are generally more expensive?
No.

6) How long have you been using your iPod or Mac's? Do you think you that Apple has instilled a positive product and you will continue to go to Apple for your technological needs?
I have owned an iPod since 2003; a Mac since 2005. Assuming they continue to make products comparable in quality/features/etc. to what is available now, I will continue to buy Apple products.

7) If you do some basic research on Apple, you will notice that many predictions were made to claim that Apple was doomed and should exit the market in the years of 2001-2003. Being that this is very close to the time frame that the iPod became more popular and added Windows compatibility... Is it safe to say that the iPod SAVED APPLE?
(please include any and all information you feel is valid here...)
I think the iPod was very instrumental in "saving" Apple, but so was the reinstatement of Steve Jobs and the introduction of the iMac. The iPod was certainly a move in the right direction and definitely opened Apple up to a new market. They probably have sold many people on the iPod, but it's the OS and computers that'll keep them.

7a) Being that the iPod and Apple have impacted children from the ages of 5 -18, would you say that come time when these children grow to continue to college or possibly a full time career... Would you say that these kids will look to Apple for their computer needs because of the instilled product of the iPod?
Yes; I think Apple owes a lot of their success to the appeal to young people of the iPod and the attractive design of their hardware and software. I'm a little older than the age range listed, but I can say that people in my age group/generation like things to work, like things not more complicated than they need to be, and are willing to pay a higher price (within reason) for those things.

 

[Watabou]

1) If you own and iPod, why?

I do own an iPod and I think it is mainly because of the hype. Zune was out but didnt want to buy it since my friends told me to go with the iPod. I am glad that I made that choice.


2) If you own a Mac, why?

I switched from windows two weeks ago. I instantly fell in love with the Mac because of it's simplicity. I created my own movie in iMovie in minutes where it would have taken me more just to put together 10 slides in Windows. The GUI is well organized and easy to find things in and it looks much better than Vista.

1a) What do you like about the iPod?

It's fairly easy to use. Even my mom who has no skill in technology knows how to use it!

1a) What made you choose Mac OS over Windows?

Easy to create stuff, more user-friendly than windows. Severely less viruses and threats.

2) Would you say Apple's marketing is successful? If so, where is it seen? Why does it make such a big impact on individuals?

I would say that it is very successful. Partly because of Steve Jobs. I think that what he says just inspires Apple develops and consumers both and it influenced many people to switch to mac...including me.

3a/b) What do you use or plan to use your iPod or Mac for?

Ipod for music ad some videos. Mac for college work/video editing/fun.

4) Status?

Wth do you mean by status? of what?

5) Is price a concern when it comes to technological purchases? If so, why did you still choose Apple, being that they are generally more expensive?

Nope. I chose an Apple partly because they have good resale value. I saw on ebay a guy selling a Powerbook G4 for 1200. That was the final bid. Yeah. Sell a PC that is over 3-4 years old and you won't get more than 50.

6) How long have you been using your iPod or Mac's? Do you think you that Apple has instilled a positive product and you will continue to go to Apple for your technological needs?

Ipod: About 2 years.
Mac: 2 weeks.

i would definitely go for Apple next time I buy a music player or a computer.

7) If you do some basic research on Apple, you will notice that many predictions were made to claim that Apple was doomed and should exit the market in the years of 2001-2003. Being that this is very close to the time frame that the iPod became more popular and added Windows compatibility... Is it safe to say that the iPod SAVED APPLE?
(please include any and all information you feel is valid here...)

yeah I guess you can say that. Steve Jobs's innovation and his becoming CEO also contributed to this fact and that Apple were making new products every six months.

7a) Being that the iPod and Apple have impacted children from the ages of 5 -18, would you say that come time when these children grow to continue to college or possibly a full time career... Would you say that these kids will look to Apple for their computer needs because of the instilled product of the iPod?

Yeah. iPod has been a great hit in the US. I mean almost everyone has one. And if people buy more iPods, they become aware of Apple and research more on them because they love their iPod.

8) FREE TEXT, This is where any additional information you would like to add that possibly wasn't asked can be put.

windows suck.

 

[jimleszczynski]

Thanks!

Thanks guys I appreciate the feedback ! Very Helpful.
NE body know any way I can get this post recycled so I can get more results?