what are five most important priorities for apple?

[jefhatfield]

what would be your five top priorities for apple in remaining year thru end of 2003?

to me:

1) release g5 asap

2) lower ibook to $999.00 in 2003

3) lower emac to $999.00 in 2003, or sooner

4) get g4 in ibook (by end of 2003)

5) lower future releases of osx or os 11 to $99.00...starting with next major operating system release

[DaedalusDE]

here are my top five:

5) Create iMovie/iDvd Deluxe (for a small extra fee)
4) Upgrade the Superdrive
3) Come out with a cheaper updated Cube
2) Give incentives for getting your friends to switch to mac

and Number One, the most important thing of all:

GET EIDOS TO PORT ALL OF THEIR GAMES TO MAC OS!!!!!

[arn]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
what would be your five top priorities for apple in remaining year thru end of 2003?

to me:

1) release g5 asap
4) get g4 in ibook (by end of 2003)



#1 really isn't under Apple's control, unfortunately...

And #4 is a byproduct of #1.

arn

[Edge100]

I dont think lowering the price of the iBook is important. They sell enough at the current price point.

On that note, the G3 will be in the iBook for at least another year. It'll get to AT LEAST 1GHz by then.

The eMac also looks to be selling at its current price point, so this is fine.

Nope, the number one priority should be the pro machines. If the G5 isnt coming soon, then Apple either needs to lean on IBM for the Power4, or else beef up the G4s a little bit more. OR, barring that, bring the price point of the G4 down and suck up the slightly lower margins in order to save customers for when the G5/Power4 does arrive.

[tliptak]

I think getting the iBook to 1000 wonderful megahertz wound be great.

[bbarnhart]

Arn is correct because Apple has to manage issues that it has no or little control over. They can't ship a fuel cell laptop that runs for 15 hours any more than they can ship a dual PowerMac G5+ @ 2.77 Ghz for US$1200.

The most important thing they are doing is trying to increase market share. Take a look at .Mac. If most home users are going to subscribe to .Mac for US$100 a year, Apple can effectivly lower the price of an iMac by a few hundred dollars. Why? If the cost to buy an iMac is US$1300 (for example) you would really be paying US$1600 over three years with .Mac figured in.

Apple didn't make much money last quarter from hardware sales. Most of the 'profit' they made was on income from short term investments. Apple is trying to find other revenue streams to support marketshare growth.

[topicolo]

I would say that Apple's #2 priority would be to find a way to get a good return on that 2-3billion they have sitting around. It could provide an extra hundred million or two a year for Apple's R&D if invested conservatively.

EDIT: heheh... If you look at the next post, you'll know what I changed.

[backspinner]

Originally posted by topicolo
I could provide an extra hundred million
you're a rich man!

[Gaz]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
what would be your five top priorities for apple in remaining year thru end of 2003?


1. This is very subjective but given the current feeling towards Apple the first would easily have to be to listen to their current users. Although Apple won't give software away for free they should look very carefully at placing a clear distinction between existing users and new users without trying to disadvantage either. The same applies for features to software.

2. To keep surprising people with new and exciting designs whether it be a new mouse - new software. Half the reason there has been so much interest in Apple recently is because they are doing things which is turning peoples heads. (I believe a few years ago Apple was working on ground breaking UIs breaking away from the typical window and document format but ditched all for this for the dock crap when Steve Jobs returned. Lets still research, I can't believe that what we have at the moment is best that can be achieved). In short continue to "think different"

3. To iron out these bugs people mention in Jaguar. I know you can't avoid it in new software but once they have been identified solutions should be posted as soon as possible. This is something Apple could learn from Microsoft. Rather than proving major fixes in chucks provide smaller, more regular updates (though this does tend to highlight the large number of bugs present).

4. I know Arn believes that the G5 is out of Apple's hands but Apple can still influence progress (its surprising how much quicker you can work if you have real demand and especailly money driving as a driving force)

5. Finally I'd like to see some price reductions - this might help encourage more switchers (like myself, well half switcher) and make the prospect of upgrading to new hardware more attractive.

Gaz

[mcrain]

5 top priorities for Apple.

5. Constant revision and updating of the OS to ensure a stable, secure, and fast operating system.

4. Development of high end solutions for graphic, video, science types, etc...

3. Continued advertising blitzing regarding the OS, hardware and other benefits of buying and owning Apple products in general.

2. Push for the fast development and release of processors (single, duel, whatever) that are clearly faster (from a PC users perspective) than the Intel/AMD chips.

and drumroll please...

1. Develpment and release of the iWalk. :D

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by Gaz


4. I know Arn believes that the G5 is out of Apple's hands but Apple can still influence progress (its surprising how much quicker you can work if you have real demand and especailly money driving as a driving force)


this is getting old, but it's my friggin backyard i was born in and more often than not, everyone i grew up with and the parents, and sometimes their parent's parent worked in this high tech field at one time or another...i invite you to silicon valley, too

the eastern press, midwestern press, or foreign press don't help out with reality either and san jose's main paper got bought out by someone else

apple is too small and have any real influence in the valley and it's laughable for apple to have even the tiniest influence on motorola (i still think, once apple gets the g5 in quantities from motorola, they should get the machine out and not try to milk the g4 apollo machine...though they can probably do that for a long time and will)

apple is healthier than many silicon valley companies but in terms are they riding at their crest or potential...i think, without any real proof though, that apple can double their 3.5 percent market share thru lowered prices

apple makes the best home computers but that alone cannot save them as beta was better than vhs

but if apple had to rent out more of their building/buildings and fire 80 percent of their work force and exist for only one percent of the market, they can and will since there is no brand which has the loyalty of apple's...even sucky apple machines of the past had their fans even though they knew the machines were not up to apple's standards...many would jump to linux if apple died next year...anything to avoid windows ;)

sadly, and unjustifiably so, apple is largely seen as a joke in the region and amazes people that they are still even around...especially steve "moon beam" jobs at the helm:p

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by mcrain
5 top priorities for Apple.


4. Development of high end solutions for graphic, video, science types, etc...



graphics and video are doing well with macs

but science? i saw that major ad of scientist praising apple...but isn't that the pc machines domain?

but it would sure be nice though!

i have only seen macs in graphics labs in the schools...science major's sides at the local colleges are all pc based...unfortunately

btw...how is resume coming?;)

[mnkeybsness]

they are usually windows and linux for science types...mostly linux...though i have seen quite a few unix workstations;)

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by mnkeybsness
they are usually windows and linux for science types...mostly linux...though i have seen quite a few unix workstations;)

that's what i thought

it would be nice to see macs though

[D*I*S_Frontman]

1. A professional top-of-the-line PowerMac that crushes all Intel and AMD based CPUs on EVERY LEVEL. Not just on cooked-up Photoshop bake-offs, either. Bus speed, memory, cache, i/o from drives and peripherals--EVERYTHING. If we are going to pay top dollar, let's have cutting-edge top shelf units, not just a sophisticated OS running on inferior hardware. Any test Barefeats could ever devise should demonstrate the new PM to beat the best AMD system or at least match it blow-for-blow in any comparison it does not clearly win.

2. Continue refining the best OS in the business. Fully debug Jag and make sure it lives up to the bulletproof hype.

3. Once #1 and #2 are taken care of, THE GLOVES COME OFF ON THE SWITCH CAMPAIGN! Hit it and hit it HARD.

4. Once cash is flowing from new PMs/XServes, fix the marketing disaster of the "now it's free-now it's not" iTools/.Mac deal. Offer premium services for the fee but offer more free services as a perk of owning a Mac, the way it was originally marketed.

5. Pour, and I mean POUR cash into the education market. Sell units for cost as a loss-leader for the future. Every kid who uses Macs for six straight years in grade school, then five more in college will want a Mac at work when he becomes an adult, or at least one at home (to preserve his sanity). Pound Dell into oblivion. Create a culture of good OS expectation in the next generation and PCs will take a conceptual pounding for decades to come.


Oh, and while doing all of this, Apple should have an ear to their customer base and actually LISTEN to the rantings on sites like this one. And respond...

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by D*I*S_Frontman


Pound Dell into oblivion.




dell is like gates, allen, and ellison

business runs in his blood

when dell was still a kid living in the dorms he basically said, "dad, i am leaving college...don't be mad, i have run into this little problem of having somehow become filthy rich"

by the time he was old enough to drink, he could buy the whole block

and by the time he was legally old enough to sign a business contract, age 25 in california, he was old enough to buy a small country

so pounding dell into the ground is dell's game...but we need somehow to co-exist with mr dell in the education field...he has so many of those ugly black plastic machines in campuses around the world

[tortus]

1. Get attractive models to replace the ugly trolls in the switch campaign.
2. Ditch that dead horse Motorolla for IBM/Intel/AMD or any company that can deliver a product to market and will not fall behind in the performance race.
3. Get rid of chrome on any Apple device. What happened to the dull titanium look with the powerbooks? the chrome on the back of the ipod and the dvd housing of the new powermacs is just too flashy and gaudy for anyone other than those that like chrome rims on their cars.
4. Start selling Apple merchandise (t-shirts, magnets, etc.) at the store. The more people there are walking around with mac t-shirts the more people Apple will reach. Merchandise is a good profit generator and provides Apple with marketing in places where billboards and T.V. ads can't reach.
5. Apple needs to stop being so highbrow. Most of America can't relate to the aura of Apple. Aim for the middle road to gain more market share. But, maybe Steve Jobs does not want everyone to own a Mac. I can respect that, but I think if Apple had a larger share of the market we would have better and more Apple products.

OS X. It rocks. They are approaching its development with speed and care. They are keeping the public informed as to when the next major updates will be released and fulfilling their promises. Keep up the good work. I am enjoying the ride.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by tortus
1. Get attractive models to replace the ugly trolls in the switch campaign.


he he..."i am not really switching to mac, i am an actor pretending to switch to a mac, but please be persuaded by my sixty second spot because i am attractive though i may not come across as any smarter than a farm turkey":eek: ;) :p


sorry, i couldn't resist...some of those people on the commercial are homely...but so am i...maybe they should hire me

"hi, i sit at my computer checking out macrumors when i am not fixing pcs so that leads to my flabby appearance which is common among techies...and oh, i switched to mac because it works and doesn't say windows and have a start button to use for shutdown";)

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by jefhatfield




sorry, i couldn't resist...some of those people on the commercial are homely...but so am i...maybe they should hire me

"hi, i sit at my computer checking out macrumors when i am not fixing pcs so that leads to my flabby appearance which is common among techies...and oh, i switched to mac because it works and doesn't say windows and have a start button to use for shutdown";)


actually, that's thirty seconds so i should add this to my commercial:

"just like your local plumber, when i go to fix your ethernet cable, you may notice major crack, but don't be alarmed, i am harmless

and as for those dark stains on my grey star trek shirt, that's from jolt cola and the food stuck in my teeth are the remains of the fried pork skins i had for breakfast"

now all that added into the original text makes for a tidy sixty second spot for the apple switch campaign

[ericb88]

in no particular order...
1-make sure every product in every line is at 1ghz.
2-rapid i/o
3-superdrive standard on all powermacs!
4-mid-range labtop
5-1400$ish powermac, combo standard.

[mcrain]

It is truly sad that, despite being provoked, not a single person said anything about my number one being the iWalk. Y'all are slipping. ;)

Resume is out the door. Over $120 in postage. Yikes.

[ftaok]

Originally posted by tortus
2. Ditch that dead horse Motorolla for IBM/Intel/AMD or any company that can deliver a product to market and will not fall behind in the performance race.
Tortus,

Just a suggestion. Could you please spell Motorola correctly. That's a big pet peeve for me.

BTW, I don't think they'll dump MOT. I've posted long ago that IBM would take over the pro line and MOT would supply the consumer line and portables. Looks like the IBM chip will be in the PMacs and the G4 will be in everything else.

[ftaok]

Originally posted by jefhatfield


he he..."i am not really switching to mac, i am an actor pretending to switch to a mac, but please be persuaded by my sixty second spot because i am attractive though i may not come across as any smarter than a farm turkey":eek: ;) :p


sorry, i couldn't resist...some of those people on the commercial are homely...but so am i...maybe they should hire me

"hi, i sit at my computer checking out macrumors when i am not fixing pcs so that leads to my flabby appearance which is common among techies...and oh, i switched to mac because it works and doesn't say windows and have a start button to use for shutdown";) Since we're on the "Switch" topic ....

Did anyone else see that article in US News and World Report about Apple's "Switch" campaign? It seems that the switchers aren't as legit as one would think.

Personally, I don't care for the campaign nor do I care if the people are connected to Apple or not.

[topicolo]

Originally posted by jefhatfield


that's what i thought

it would be nice to see macs though

Chemists tend to like macs because a lot of the programs started out on that platform, chemdraw, chemoffice, etc.

[Chaszmyr]

1- Any comp at $999
2- Faster Superdrive
3- PowerBook G5 and iBook G4 shortly after PowerMac G5 (cuz i know Apple cant control when they get the G5 chips really.. but remember how long it took to get a G4 powerbook after the G4 powermac came out?)
4- iBrowser (web browser app that actually has support for high-end java and such)
5- G5 MUST have a double system-bus

(Not a priority.. but i would like to see 6 - Quad Processor Xserve)

[daveg5]

Lately it appears to be
1.Fleecing your:
2.savings account
3.checking account
4.wallet or purse
5.your piggy bank

back to subject:
1."Get up to speed hardware wise, i dont care how, but beat intel/amd in performance and GHZ!"

2."give your customers a break", no more yearly $129.00 upgrades, "get rid of the family pak just make a home pak with every cpu in the home covered for $99 full, $19.99 upgrade prices."
.mac 1 free year for new computer buyers. keep the half off for current users and lower the price to$49.99 full and $24.99 upgrade
These would be "HUGE " selling, switching points!

3. Lower prices and include dvd/cdrw combo and pc card slot or better on all consumer macs unless special ordered otherwise. no more $1499 cdrom ibook or $799 cdrom IMACS and some kind of scratch resistant paint peeling resistant coating.
.
4. Come out with mid-range versions of all the Pro and I apps, sign a deal with major game publisher "Sega, EA, or someone with a large library of games(including sports) and online play and sell ipods at Best buy and everywhere if you can get it to $199 they will fly.

5.Put "joe and jane smith user first "not profits as long as you are making enough and hire and keep the best talent available.
Oops i think i put more than 5 down

[tortus]

Originally posted by ftaok
Tortus,

Just a suggestion. Could you please spell Motorola correctly. That's a big pet peeve for me.



I could care less if it is a pet peeve for you.

For the rest of the board, I apologize for my typo. Motorola was incorrectly represented as Motorolla in my last post.

[daveg5]

Originally posted by tortus


I could care less if it is a pet peeve for you.

For the rest of the board, I apologize for my typo. Motorola was incorrectly represented as Motorolla in my last post.


I hope he does not chek mpelling I'm even "wurse"
Mayde Macrumors will add spellcheckers

[dongmin]

good thread topic

my take:

1. Increase market share (yes I'm being broad...)

2. Put faster/better processors into Macs---yeah, I know Apple doesn't make the processors, but this has been a long-term problem (I'd say about four years) so there's no excuse for Apple not having develop backup plans

3. Get developers to commit to OS X more especially game developers.

4. Develop a fast browser for OS X

5. Intensify marketing efforts

[ftaok]

Originally posted by daveg5

I hope he does not chek mpelling I'm even "wurse"
Mayde Macrumors will add spellcheckers Nope,

You're OK. It's just that it bugs me when people bash something and then go on to to spell the very thing they're bashing incorrectly. That's all.

And Tortus. I apologize for coming off like a jerk. It's just that I see a lot of people bashing Motorola and they misspell it with the 2 L's.

[barkmonster]

1. Lower the cost of the Powermacs while keeping the specs the same.

fast : £1100, faster : £1550, fastest : £1850

2. Have more competitive LCDs as far as size/price is concerned

17" £550, 19" 16:9 ratio : £800, 22" £1350, 23" £1900

3. Offer more 3rd party software on the applestore

Why can't I buy a mac preconfigured by apple with a Digi001, Logic Audio and a discount on the cost of the non apple items ?

What about a mac with a RIP, colour injet, high quality scanner and the Adobe Publishing collection with a similar discount ?

Or a kind of "Home Gamer" edition iMac with a large selection of games in user selectable bundles, strategy, arcade, adventure etc... ?

4. Apple hand held console/PDA

SNK are dead, the Neo Geo Pocket was a good system, re-release it under the apple name with more memory and a simple OS X styled GUI running software that can take advantage of Rendevous and add a slide out mini keyboard so it's still compact and light.

5. Release apple branded clothing

A turtle neck with the apple logo would make you look more intelligent than those windows geeks in their brown cords and granny's christmas sweatshirt.

Okay, that's not strictly true but at least make some cool T-Shirts with a subtle apple logo on them, one that shimmers with a kind of glow in the dark aqua colour.

6. Be truthful about future products

Don't use so many cooked up benchmarks, show productivity based tests where multiple applications people typically use together are all crunching at once to produce something. Use tests that stress both the CPU(s) and Altivec but don't look like they're "perfect senario" tests where the G4 is running lots of code that runs better on the Mac than the PC. A "PS Bench" bake off would be a fairer test seeing as it's not cooked up by anyone, it would also mean mac users would be able to reproduce the results so apple could understate them to cover themselves and then people would be even more happy with their new mac.

[daveg5]

1.2.3.4. create a leading edge supperfast browser that supports all the standards and that is multithreaded OSX native with perfect intergration of .mac and make it free.{ also a lite version for os9 to show you dont dump every one without the latest greatest: and many of these people are poorschools and such with tight budgets)

Here's where the tricky point comes in but also the mega profits:
Make it windows compatable, optimize it for intel and amd, just make it a little slower and a few less features than OSX and give it away free like Quicktime.

Now here is where you make your money and your switchers:
fleece these guys just like us:
Sell .mac to them, same price as us a few less features.
Features they want but can only get by switching to OSX

Dont insult them, rather make them feel special and court them intensly.

And give them a discount {software incentives if they do}, such as quicktime Pro Appleworks XP Home Edition, Imovie 1ST edition XP. just enough to tease and make them want more make them want OSX.

And offer a home pak not family Pak for $99 full $19.99 upgrade all computers in the home covered and compare that to the 3 -5 times cost of windows for home users.

If Apple really wants to gain marketshare they really need to do something similar. 10% is not out of the question.
I can't wait for "QuickBrowse" they could buy omni and recode it intergrate it with OSX and wallah!
wishful thinking huh?

[AmbitiousLemon]

Originally posted by topicolo


Chemists tend to like macs because a lot of the programs started out on that platform, chemdraw, chemoffice, etc.

very true. biologists as well and many mathmaticians. every university i have been to has been the same. macs everywhere the university can put them. secretaries, terminals, etc. use a pc only if there is no other choice. This has been true at all the UCs, stanford, caltech, johns hopkins, MIT, cornell, columbia, and many more schools.

my list
5. allow month to month .mac payment, and provide .mac promotions discounts with purchase of new mac (nothing free though).

4. expand media blitz (ie more money to advertising)

3. better deals for schools and students ($50 off purchase of an imac is a complete insult). apple needs to sell to schools nearly at cost. do not make money of the school directly. make money of the staff and students who decide to buy apple so it will be the same as they have at work. make money off the students who continue to buy apple even after they complete their education. This should be considered advertising/recruitment. Apple should offer packaged deals to schools to not only sell them machines now, but make sure they stay up to date. (train a staff member, work with the school to develop purchasing plans, give schools special access to tech support, ship to schools first). a lot of this is already done for some schools, but access to it needs to be provided for every school. Old unmaintained macs in schools are worse than no macs at all. just consider how many misconceptions about macs come from someone using an old mac while in school.

2. sell the apple handheld already!

1. move all computer lines to ibm's power4 as soon as ibm can get them produced.

[tortus]

Originally posted by ftaok

And Tortus. I apologize for coming off like a jerk. It's just that I see a lot of people bashing Motorola and they misspell it with the 2 L's.

No worries.

I usually spell Motorola correctly. I just forgot to spellcheck that post.

[jaguar451]

Overall goal:

Profitably increase hardware and OS X market share to enable revenue growth in software, services, and digital lifestyle devices.

"5" items...

* Clear consumer and prosumer product lines that are competitive with the Windows world.

Consumer and prosumer lines each have a "tower", all-in-one, and laptop. Overall system speed, graphics, display, and expandibility are bigger differentiation than raw CPU speed. My assumption is that anyone who would buy a prosumer machine does research on what they are getting and knows that it ain't just the Mhz....

For example, consumer "mini-tower", Targeted at Windows users looking to go Mac, don't want to throw away existing Monitor, and do primarily email, browsing, word processing, and games that don't take high FPS (solitaire, child games, etc.) Limited to 512MB RAM max, slower bus than PM, 1 CPU, minimal expandibility, 800+ MHz. (although 1Gig would be nice), sub $750 pricepoint.

Same basic differentiation between eMac and iMac; iMac gets faster bus, more max mem, better video card. eMac start sub-$1000 (a config with read-only media, which many schools want.)

Laptops are already differentiated; should have faster G3 and better video card in iBook. Plus, an iBook with DVD-ROM.

And for WinTel competitiveness, get a faster FSB in the ProSumer models, speed bump laptops....

And all in time for the 2002 X-Mass season while keeping component costs down/sharing as much between systems as possible.... ;-)

* More software / services

For .Mac, goal is to improve users experience with Macintosh while making money (virus scanning and backup are provide peace of mind.) Maybe a partnership with Symantec or ??? to make items such as Defrag (makes users' computer faster) and system maintentance widely available.

Partnership with an ISP to provide connectivity through .Mac???

Non-technical folks purchasing cheaper machines would be likely to purchase the peace of mind of .Mac....

On software front, AppleWorks update, pro versions of more iApps that are charged for...

* More consumer devices

Again, make more money off existing customer by providing value.... Should work with Mac and WinTel systems, but higher percentage of Mac users would buy....

* OS X migration and evolution (need ONE OS for the platform.)

Systematically go through catagories to ensure that the complete solution is available for people to migrate from OS 9 to OS X (core software, plugins, printer support, scanner, etc.), as well as Windows to OS X (interoperabiilty, software, optional Windows keybindings (?), ....)

Do the typical more, better, faster improvements to the OS.....

* Agressive marketing, incl improve perception of Apple & better website

Agressive switch campaigns to WinTel and OS 9 users. Publish speed comparisons of email, word processing, browsing, with the intent of showing there isn't a difference between WinTel and Mac for low end systems (although use Mozilla, which is faster than IE on Mac....)
Work on a kinder, genter perception vs big brother MS.
Have the Apple online store more reflect types of users (solutions) as opposed to being so product centric. Hate to say it, but look at Dell's site....

Do the above, and marketshare increases = more apps on mac.... ;-)

[jaguar451]

Specific items / pet peeves...

1. Faster, more stable dialup (hopefully in Jaguar?)

2. Default bundled browser as fast as Windows browsers.

3. A lower cost tower targeted to email, word processing, and childrens game users.

4. Faster PowerMacs so everyone would shut up about it.... ;-)

5. Month to month .mac payment, and .mac include defrag / system optimization utilities.

6. AppleWorks: multi-level undo, in-cell editing in the spreadsheet, and improved MS Office compatibility.

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by jefhatfield


dell is like gates, allen, and ellison

business runs in his blood

when dell was still a kid living in the dorms he basically said, "dad, i am leaving college...don't be mad, i have run into this little problem of having somehow become filthy rich"

by the time he was old enough to drink, he could buy the whole block

and by the time he was legally old enough to sign a business contract, age 25 in california, he was old enough to buy a small country

so pounding dell into the ground is dell's game...but we need somehow to co-exist with mr dell in the education field...he has so many of those ugly black plastic machines in campuses around the world

They've launched their mall stores so that may help kill them off. Also, they're talking about selling in the stores, with which they've never dealt. Remember that they also want to sell printers and PDAs. Any of these things could really help the rest of the computing world.

[gopher]

Originally posted by Chaszmyr
1- Any comp at $999
2- Faster Superdrive
3- PowerBook G5 and iBook G4 shortly after PowerMac G5 (cuz i know Apple cant control when they get the G5 chips really.. but remember how long it took to get a G4 powerbook after the G4 powermac came out?)
4- iBrowser (web browser app that actually has support for high-end java and such)
5- G5 MUST have a double system-bus

(Not a priority.. but i would like to see 6 - Quad Processor Xserve)

1. The iMac G3 is at $799
2. OK, well Firewire drives are faster and cheaper to
build.
3. no argument there.
4. Java will be a problem as long as Microsoft mixes their Java with ActiveX and DirectX plugins. What Apple really needs to do is join forces with Sun in a lawsuit against Microsoft to stop the development of non-standard web technologies to give Apple a chance to catch up. Of course until then you can always write webmasters and tell them to stick to Sun Java support and stop using Microsoft's. Since Apple now supports full Sun Java. The problem is many websites do not. Most obvious of which is http://chat.yahoo.com yahoo chat. Sure you can always get VirtualPC, and it works, but really, the problem is webmasters who want to use non-standard protocols. We should boycott those webmasters, and tell our friends to as well.

[Macmaniac]

My top 5
5. original iMac at $500
4. make iDVD availible to anyone
3. update iMovie
2. Install Warcraft 3 on every new mac
1. convinve more game companies to port to mac
Extra credit: win more market share!

(Steals Gopher's pants)

[topicolo]

How about make the top of the line G4 Powermac and G4 Powerbook easily overclockable? They could easily slip that into the open firmware and make it a quiet feature for some geek to discover. That way, they don't have to worry about tech support costs and they'll get more sales on their top-of-the-line macs from hardcore enthusiasts that want to try o/cing their rigs to dual 1.5Ghz. That way, everybody will be happy. Apple will make more money, and those that are really desperate enough to get the fastest mac they can will actually have a path to follow.
I'm betting that these new 1.25Ghz G4s will be overclockable to 1.3Ghz at the very least and maybe 1.5Ghz with water cooling. Of course, they may be overclocked already... :rolleyes:

[gopher]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
My top 5
5. original iMac at $500
4. make iDVD availible to anyone
3. update iMovie
2. Install Warcraft 3 on every new mac
1. convinve more game companies to port to mac
Extra credit: win more market share!

(Steals Gopher's pants)

Umm...I personaly could not afford to sue Microsoft, but remember Apple's agreement with Microsoft is about over...either Apple makes a new agreement to make the web 100% accessible, and I mean 100% accessible, or Apple will never gain marketshare. It is as simple as that. Whatever Apple and its customers need to do to get Microsoft to go after those webmasters who are making it non-standard, needs to be done. I've had enough with non-standard web pages. It is supposed to be ACCESSIBLE! And guess what, Microsoft hasn't helped any by continuing to add non-standard protocols to its Windows browsers while forcing Apple to include their web browser as a default on the Mac platform. Even Mac OS X's default web browser has been Explorer even though there are easily 6 more browsers. But here's the irony, the most standard compliant web browser for the Mac is none other than Internet Explorer. Apple needs to work hard with Mozilla, Opera, Omniweb, and iCab to all bring themselves up to the same standard as Explorer, and Mozilla is so far the closest even though many like Omniweb. Apple can not gain marketshare, if it is at all lacking in accessibility to the web. I wish it weren't true, but after seeing so many pages that don't support the Mac, even parts of Warner Brothers and other places we have got to put a stop to this.

[jefhatfield]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
My top 5
5. original iMac at $500
4. make iDVD availible to anyone
3. update iMovie
2. Install Warcraft 3 on every new mac
1. convinve more game companies to port to mac
Extra credit: win more market share!

(Steals Gopher's pants)

with crt imac at five hundred and the emac and ibook that i want at $999, then apple will round out the affordable computers to counteract the vast pc world's low prices

this will be the best way to up market share beyond four or five percent

[topicolo]

unforunately, it's only 3-4% in the states, and about 2.5% in the world :(

[ftaok]

Originally posted by gopher


Umm...I personaly could not afford to sue Microsoft, but remember Apple's agreement with Microsoft is about over...either Apple makes a new agreement to make the web 100% accessible, and I mean 100% accessible, or Apple will never gain marketshare. It is as simple as that. Whatever Apple and its customers need to do to get Microsoft to go after those webmasters who are making it non-standard, needs to be done. I've had enough with non-standard web pages. It is supposed to be ACCESSIBLE! And guess what, Microsoft hasn't helped any by continuing to add non-standard protocols to its Windows browsers while forcing Apple to include their web browser as a default on the Mac platform. Even Mac OS X's default web browser has been Explorer even though there are easily 6 more browsers. But here's the irony, the most standard compliant web browser for the Mac is none other than Internet Explorer. Apple needs to work hard with Mozilla, Opera, Omniweb, and iCab to all bring themselves up to the same standard as Explorer, and Mozilla is so far the closest even though many like Omniweb. Apple can not gain marketshare, if it is at all lacking in accessibility to the web. I wish it weren't true, but after seeing so many pages that don't support the Mac, even parts of Warner Brothers and other places we have got to put a stop to this. Instead of getting webmasters to support the Sun standards, how hard would it be for Apple to support the Microsoft stuff? I know that can be considered blashphemy around here, but seriously, Microsoft's stuff has become pretty standard on the web. Why can't the Mac support ActiveX?

[anthonymoody]

Only 1:

Port OSX to x86 architecture.

TM

[jelloshotsrule]

Originally posted by ericb88
in no particular order...
1-make sure every product in every line is at 1ghz.
2-rapid i/o
3-superdrive standard on all powermacs!
4-mid-range labtop
5-1400$ish powermac, combo standard.

number 3 and 5 are contradictory... superdrive standard... then combo standard


i think i agree most with d.i.s. frontman's suggestions...

[djwoolf]

Originally posted by Gaz



3. To iron out these bugs people mention in Jaguar. I know you can't avoid it in new software but once they have been identified solutions should be posted as soon as possible. This is something Apple could learn from Microsoft. Rather than proving major fixes in chucks provide smaller, more regular updates (though this does tend to highlight the large number of bugs present).

4. I know Arn believes that the G5 is out of Apple's hands but Apple can still influence progress (its surprising how much quicker you can work if you have real demand and especailly money driving as a driving force)


Gaz

Have you ever updated a freshly installed M$ OS? Going back and forth between the website and restarting is a pain in the arse. Some updates can only be updated one at a time. The frequency of Mac updates is fine in fact its easier.
I also dont think putting too much pressure on Moto ot IBM is a good idea. Look at the Pentium 4 M$ put pressure on Intel to produce the next chip. The result was crashes, chips melting into Mobos and poor performance. The P4 was a great processor on paper it just wasn't implemented because a money hungry company pushed it into servive before it was ready.

[JSRockit]

1. G4 in iBook with 13" Widescreen

2. G3 eBook ($999)

3. SuperDrives in iBook and TiBook

4. G5 or Totally New Processor.

5. Make TiBook's specs crush all other notebooks.

[gopher]

Originally posted by ftaok
Instead of getting webmasters to support the Sun standards, how hard would it be for Apple to support the Microsoft stuff? I know that can be considered blashphemy around here, but seriously, Microsoft's stuff has become pretty standard on the web. Why can't the Mac support ActiveX?

Because ActiveX the way Microsoft implements it is different from the true ActiveX standard. Microsoft could port their ActiveX using OpenGL in their browser but hasn't done that yet. Microsoft ends up corrupting other people's standards and then expects others to follow in their footsteps. I'm sorry, but it is up to Microsoft to make things more interoperable. Microsoft would gain a lot more credibility if they stopped making so much proprietary.

[groundhog troll]

Faster Macs across all their products especially their Towers.
New gadgets phone camera pda device. and here's one like I just read about in the paper today, a GPS wrist braclet that looks like a watch for children to wear. One one in the paper was ugly looking and Apple could do a much better job at include more function into it, or some how include all the phone, camera, GPS, internet accessable into one handy dandy device. :)

[ilikeiBook]

5. More Apple retail stores around the world.

4. More advertising in places like PC Magazines and on Television.

3. More devices other than computers (iCam, iCam DV, iTV, iPalm, etc.)

2. More games!

1. Lower prices on all macs e.g. G3 iMac $400-500, eMac $900-1000, etc.)

[gopher]

PC Magazine recently had an Apple advertisement on the 3rd page! It was one of the switch advertisements.

[Mac2006]

my top five would have to agree with all of yalls

5: put a apple store closer to my home town...
4:more games
3:realse all wide scren formats for displays
2:lower prices on teh cinemas
1: Realease G5

[MidnightRambler]

1) Fire / retire Jobs

2) Discontinue development and marketing of digital lifestyle toys

3) Devote resources to developing pro gear (PowerMacs / Powerbooks) that have industry leading performance.

4) Make the iTools components of .mac FREE again

5) Devise an OS upgrade policy that is consistant, and fair to current users.

[bertinman]

Originally posted by jefhatfield
but science? i saw that major ad of scientist praising apple...but isn't that the pc machines domain?

but it would sure be nice though!

There are quite a few Mac's (even running pre-osx) in the mech-engr dept. at UC Davis.

I'm an IT guy there. I rarely see those people for problems, but I know they are there (:

-- Bert :cool:

[graydecember]

...You can't buy 'em anywhere- ("Apple Store? what's that?" ) but when there *is* someplace where the average user shops that sells macs, Joe Blow asks about the Apples, because they look a lot cooler-

"What are those?" (points at $1600 imac)

salesman:"Oh, right- Macs don't work with anything else except other macs"

"Uh, ok. They sure do cost a lot more. I want a computer like my neighbor/brother-in-law has. Whud you got like that?"

salesman: "right over here we have 2100Mhz pentium 4's starting at $499..."

The end.

Macs are easier and more beautiful, but that's all. They are also more expensive and run less software Never mind that the amount of software is sufficient for most people, and just about *anything* that anyone could wnat to do could be done well on a mac. Never mind that they aren't really more expensive, considering the number of features and quality of parts. Lay people don't understand any of this.

So, all my top 3 priorities (the only things *really* holding apple back) have to do, not what apple should do with its products, but what it should do to attack myths and consumer impressions.

3. Get best buy, circuit city, sears, etc., to either sell them *or not*, not change their imnd all the time. Apple should consider selling machines at *Wal-mart* and Target. I'm not making a joke either. Admit it, most of you lie the snob appeal and exclusivity of macs, but yet you wonder why no one buys them. See #1. You can't have it both ways. I think macs would sell well to the walmart crowd- the people who shop there don't look at specs at all- they buy the coolest *looking* electronics they can find (even f it sounds like *****)

2. Deal with the Mhz myth *somehow*, whether it be joining up and pumping the clock speeds, or switch to a different spec and quit publishing the embarrassingly dinky clock speeds. Brutes don't understand things like parallelism, pipelines, etc. They a single qualitative index to refer to.

1. Stop making 'ma and 'pa and joe blow feel ugly and 'out of it', and that macs are too good for them, intended for slick california hipsters. Not everyone in the country wants to look like some LA creative type ('degenerate know-it all whippersnappers')


my guess is, SJ and most of the rest of you would wouldn't be *caught dead* using a machine from walmart, even if the quality etc. were consistant with apple's excellent quality now!

:(

[graydecember]

:p

[gopher]

You can buy them at more than just the Apple Store:

http://www.apple.com/buy
and their U.S. Resellers: http://applefn.infonow.net/bin/findNow?CLIENT_ID=APPLE_WTB_USA

You'll be surprised how many places are there that you can buy them. Not to mention:

http://www.maczone.com/
http://www.macwarehouse.com/
http://www.cdw.com/shop/hubs/hardware/mac.asp
http://www.macconnection.com/
http://www.clubmac.com/
http://www.outpost.com/ (if you have a Frys Electronics store they were bought by them)
http://www.macmall.com/ (just be sure not to get your RAM installed there)
http://www.amazon.com/ (has periodically been top seller in both desktop and notebook category)
http://www.microcenter.com/hierarchy_search.phtml?coordinate_group=F1A+F1B+F1C+F1D
And of course:

http://www.compusa.com/

And that's only primarily new Macs.

places like http://www.sunrem.com
http://www.macresq.com/
http://www.powermax.com/
and http://www.ebay.com/
sell a mixture of new and used Macs.

You can find a lot more Mac info at my signature.

[graydecember]

gopher- yes, there are a lot of places that you and I, and everyone else here knows about. But does the average joe know where to shop? Does it even occur to him to shop around for a mac in the first place? I doubt apple's TV commercials, although they are cool (to us), will cause many people to give the mac even a small amount of passing notice. I guess my point is that all those places you mentioned, although reputable and large, successful entities, are niche sellers, except fry's and compusa. I think macs would sell really well in low brow, blow-out or discount places. In fact, Costco and sam warehouse wholesale sell macs sometimes, I think (kaff..kaff gray market blowouts)

It would be interesting if there were some way to get sell through volumes and inventory figures for all the the mac sellers to see who was makinf money selling macs. Probably not everyone *can* make a profit selling macs... why else would bestbuy and circuit city be so goofy? (I think they don't care for apple's fascistic price controls, actually.)

I would like to know what has been the fate of all the little mac shops which have been faithful to apple for year, now that apple is double-dipping big time with the apple stores...?

Apple, since the '70s, has relentlessly targeted a very specific little market- artists, writers, musicians, schools, designers, publishers, and printers- and within that mileau (duh..sp?) apple has gotten *almost everybody*, probably ~85-90%- but outside of that group, no one gives a flip about macs.

Apple is run by imperious creative elites (like me and the rest f us here, for the most part, probably) who don't give a flip about anyone outside of that group!

When apple takes *everyone* seriously, *everyone* will take apple seriously!