Will they ever release a medium spec machine?

[QCassidy352]

Anyway, if you already have a monitor and want a "normal" computer there is a massive gap in Apples line up.
...
What other company would miss the chance to release a product to people really want to buy?

Once again, yes, there is a gap, but I disagree with the idea that this is a product that a significant number of people would want to buy. As I asked above, what market segment do you see this targeting? A student is better served by a laptop or imac; a professional is better served by a mac pro, and the so-called "average user" is better served with a mini or imac. I see this type of product targeting the "advanced-knowledge home-user," a group that is quite prevalent on macrumors but much rarer in the real world.

Basically, I think such a machine would be hugely appealing to a very small % of the market but utterly uninteresting to everyone else. Additionally, this powermac-lite/headless imac represents a rather modest initial profit for apple followed by years of not getting your money at all. All of which adds up to this being a losing proposition from Apple's point of view.

 

[combatcolin]

Um, just how many Nerds/ borderline Nerds and super Nerds are there out there?

Quite a lot.

And most really quite like the mac but are put off by the sheer lack of expansion.

And with staying true to Apple styling, whats wrong with an Intel Cube?

2.16 Core Duo
Upgradeable CPU
Upgradeable GPU
2-4 DIMM slots
FireWire 800

Usual BT Airport, but i can get by with just one (occupied) drive bay.

Somewhere in the £900 region.

 

[G5power]

Foggy and Combatcolin,
I guess we are just misguided lost souls wondering in the wilderness.

What is interesting is that there seems to be resistance from some people to the thought or concept of anything different from what Apple currently offers. It is not an attack on Apple to wish for a product.

Before the Intel announcement, I was close to picking up a PowerMac G5 1.8, but at $1500 it was a pathetic system spec wise. The last iMac G5's offered more memory and other specs that were better.

The interesting thing is to recall the forum discussions of a small Apple headless system before the Mini was announced. There were furious declarations against the need or logic of Apple producing such a system. When the mini was announced and sold well, those comments went away.

Just because you don't need or want something - that doesn't mean there aren't many others that do.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

Um, just how many Nerds/ borderline Nerds and super Nerds are there out there?

Quite a lot.

And most really quite like the mac but are put off by the sheer lack of expansion.

Y'know ... I used to have this mentality. I really did.

Then, one day, it clicked: I'm sick of dicking around with the innards of my machine. There's no reason to, really.

2.16 Core Duo
Upgradeable CPU
Upgradeable GPU
2-4 DIMM slots
FireWire 800

OK -- First off, an "upgradable CPU" will never be on the bulleted feature list for a Mac. It just won't be.

Second, I'm pretty sure the current desktop machines (G* and Intel) all have upgradable CPUs. I read an article, even of one guy upgrading a Mac mini from a Core Solo to a Core Duo.

Usual BT Airport, but i can get by with just one (occupied) drive bay.

Somewhere in the £900 region.

How does a low-end PowerMac not fit this description perfectly? What, exactly, are you arguing here?

 

[Timepass]

Foggy and Combatcolin,
I guess we are just misguided lost souls wondering in the wilderness.

What is interesting is that there seems to be resistance from some people to the thought or concept of anything different from what Apple currently offers. It is not an attack on Apple to wish for a product.

Before the Intel announcement, I was close to picking up a PowerMac G5 1.8, but at $1500 it was a pathetic system spec wise. The last iMac G5's offered more memory and other specs that were better.

The interesting thing is to recall the forum discussions of a small Apple headless system before the Mini was announced. There were furious declarations against the need or logic of Apple producing such a system. When the mini was announced and sold well, those comments went away.

Just because you don't need or want something - that doesn't mean there aren't many others that do.

And you just showed why apple single CPU g5 tower failed so baddly.

Apple is so full of themselves that they think that they could thow crap in a box and sell it.

Make the same tower and price it competively and it would work great.

The Powermac are over price very over priced. Price it competively and it will sell. Gone are the days apple can charge the Apple Premuim on any of there things. With Intel chips they can not hide behind the CPU any more.

Price it competively and it will sell. The Mac mini took off and sold really well because a lot of people had the monitor or other random items and didnt need everything else. most people who are buying a computer now have monitors and a lot of the other stuff from there last computer. They dont need new monitor or speakers.

But some of you believe that because apple doesnt do it. It doesnt need to be done and any one who says other wise is wrong and stupid. Well have fun drinking you apple kool aid.

 

[Carl Spackler]

With Intel chips they can not hide behind the CPU any more.

I follow your point, but I'm not so sure they ever did. It's perfeclty fine to charge a premium of a premium machine. A Lexus and a Toyota use many of the same parts, but it' not unjustified to charge more for the Lexus. It's a better crafted, better executed product. Just like an Apple Computer. The quality, the OS and bundled software is well worth the higher price.

Well have fun drinking you apple kool aid.

Funny you mention the apple kool aid, in my earlier post, I almost mentioned how delicious it is...and it is.

 

[combatcolin]

Y'know ... I used to have this mentality. I really did.

Then, one day, it clicked: I'm sick of dicking around with the innards of my machine. There's no reason to, really.

OK -- First off, an "upgradable CPU" will never be on the bulleted feature list for a Mac. It just won't be.

Second, I'm pretty sure the current desktop machines (G* and Intel) all have upgradable CPUs. I read an article, even of one guy upgrading a Mac mini from a Core Solo to a Core Duo.

How does a low-end PowerMac not fit this description perfectly? What, exactly, are you arguing here?

And its all good that Apple are returning to upgradable CPU#s. just a little different to the G3 and G4 with not having daughtercards.

Hopefully market forces will convince Apple that there is a demand for a middle machine.

The old days of an incredibly confusing product line up are far behind Apple, and nobody wants to see a return to that, but give the market want it wants.

If Apple can make money on it what is the resistance?

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

And its all good [...].

You avoided my question.

How does a low-end PowerMac not fit [your needs] perfectly?

 

[combatcolin]

Because if it fitted my needs perfectly i would have bought one when they were released.
Low RAM, Only4 DIMM slots, crap GPU, Small HD

And as i decided it wasn't deserving of my (very) hard earned money i decided to wait, and i'm still waiting.

Which is annoying as i really do want to return to Mac land, but theres no property's that suit my needs/budgets on the estate agents books.

I'm 29, and i have other more pressing matters than buying computers that i know i can't afford.

 

[QCassidy352]

What is interesting is that there seems to be resistance from some people to the thought or concept of anything different from what Apple currently offers. It is not an attack on Apple to wish for a product.

That's true. But that doesn't mean that every proposed new product is a good one. People on this board have clamored for iphones, tablets, ultra-portables, mid-range towers, touch screen and bluetooth ipods, and goodness knows what else for years now. Everyone is convinced that their idea would sell oh-so-well, and that apple is oh-so-stupid for not implimenting it.

And yet... Apple's making money. Buckets of money. Believe it or not, they have some pretty bright R&D, marketing, and sales people working there.

Maybe those calling for the mid-range tower are right, and it would sell really well. But maybe not. Maybe you're seeing a market that isn't there just because you personally like the product idea.

I have no problem criticizing apple's decisions when I think they're wrong. I think they're wrong not to have a 15" macbook and a 13" macbook pro. I think they're wrong to ship a core solo mini with 512 RAM (because that's frustration waiting to happen for switchers). But I think they're right, from a business standpoint, not to offer this so-called headless imac you all want.