U.S. Mac Sales Surge in January as iMac Orders Pick up Steam

[JHankwitz]

Originally Posted by srxtr

I don't know about you guys but I don't like the idea of seeing the same design computer in every household. Wish Apple would add a bit more variety for iMac

It's very hard to design beyond perfection. It's like expecting or insisting on better designed eggs from a chicken.

[512ke]

All I find online are negative articles and financial blogs spurred by this news of greatly increased Mac sales.

They say (to summarize): But Mac sales down year to year! But iPad mini eating into pc sales! But competition is gonna destroy iPad sales! But that's only US market!

I say (to be slightly vulgar): Over 30% rise in Mac sales bitches!

May Apple sell ever more and may all of you manipulating douchey follower analysts and fund managers lose your shorts. Meaning your short sales.

And as I type that AAPL declines another 10% on its roller coaster plunge to $130/share.

[keysofanxiety]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

Yep - unfortunately there are more people in the 'don't use DVD or FireWire' camp than there are people who do. I'm sure a similar upcry came from when they didn't have a floppy drive in the first iMac.

I doubt you agree, but that's one thing I admire about Apple. They have the balls to almost single-handedly discontinue legacy products from the industry. Other computer manufacturers and designers are so terrified of losing a customer base that they cling onto everything and have a thousand different outputs in their computers. They still have PS2 connections in desktops, for instance, whilst Apple standardised USB in 1998. Clinging onto the past like that stifles innovation, I believe.

Some people call it arrogance, and others call it bad judgement. I just think it's great.

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by JHankwitz

It's very hard to design beyond perfection. It's like expecting or insisting on better designed eggs from a chicken.

Eggs are far from perfect. They should be rectangular for easier stacking.

[BornAgainMac]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

I didn't realize Firewire was removed from the new iMacs until I read your comment. I had to confirm it and realize that is true. That is a disappointment.

DVD drive is no problem for me though.

[JHankwitz]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

So, you think I should have to pay for a built-in DVD drive I'll never use, just so you don't have to spend a few bucks to buy one? I think not!

[Glideslope]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

Ok, I'll bite. You drive a 1999 Volvo. Use freeze dried crystals for your morning coffee. Have Swanson Frozen Dinners (with foil) in Cryogenic Storage, and listen to Loggins and Messina on your 8-Track.

[deconstruct60]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

Why aren't they asking how HP's slate will impact Google Nexus or Amazon Kindle? Because throwing Apple in the headline guarantees someone will click on the article.

Apple does still have the bulk of the "tablet" market. This is the catch-22 when redefine a category to precisely fit just your product. Apple flipped "tablet" into being equated with iPad. On the upside that is great because everyone's offering is compared to yours as canonical standard.

However, as the tablet market matures and the growth starts to decline (as the law of large numbers will inevitably do ) then this cuts the other way.

Apple's problem right now is managing folks expectations. There is lots of stock price that has a "Apple will create some brand new $XX Billion new product category next year" built in. Apple backed into the iPhone (was working on iPad). These things don't magically appear every 3-4 years on a clockwork fixed schedule.


If any the article in relation to Apple/iPad should be oriented as to not whether a single company's tablet will work but what the overall aggregate Android market is doing ( expanding tablets or eating into Apple's share).

[roadbloc]

Originally Posted by JHankwitz

So, you think I should have to pay for a built-in DVD drive I'll never use, just so you don't have to spend a few bucks to buy one? I think not!

At £1,200, I'd expect a Bluray drive, never mind DVD.

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by Glideslope

Ok, I'll bite. You drive a 1999 Volvo. Use freeze dried crystals for your morning coffee. Have Swanson Frozen Dinners (with foil) in Cryogenic Storage, and listen to Loggins and Messina on your 8-Track.

Talk about going for the low hanging fruit. You know as well as I do that explains about 80% of everyone in Florida.

[iMikeT]

Yet the naysayers say that "Apple is doomed".

[hogo]

So I imagine Mac stock will tank...

[SAdProZ]

Originally Posted by srxtr

I don't know about you guys but I don't like the idea of seeing the same design computer in every household. Wish Apple would add a bit more variety for iMac

In general, a business should excel in one of three value disciplines: operational efficiency, customer intimacy, and product leadership. By picking one, you pick a customer type. Apple customers are generally attracted to product leadership—we want the best/essential product. Dell customers want customer intimacy—a product built to fit an more intimate need (example: ordering it with pink casing because pink is your favorite color). It sounds like you want Apple Inc. to switch value discipline to customer intimacy. Please correct me.

I think I'm going to make next weeks podcast about this topic. I find it fascinating.

[samcraig]

So many cliches in this thread alone

...and they say Apple doomed.

...and I imagine the stock will tank

and so on.

This article/"discovery" seems to me pretty obvious anyway. I personally know a lot of people that waited until January/Feb to buy their iMacs. Not everyone gets their order in as soon as Apple starts taking them. Especially given the slow roll out/delays.

And it's also obvious that Apple gains marketshare given the fact that they have a lot more ground to gain than those that run Windows. That's not an insult in the slightest. Just obvious.

[ABG]

Originally Posted by digizure

I'm really surprised that people are willing to buy the new iMac with NO DVD drive or Firewire!

Me too. I guess they'll learn the drawbacks in time.

I had a 2008 24" iMac and still have a 27" 2009 27" iMac and I started the replacement process with a Mac Mini today. But it was a very close call on buying a Dell.
The graphics card died in the 24" iMac last week and at over £400 to replace it I'm really not going with the next gen. high cost, high glue new iMacs.

The Mac Mini just edged it as Windows 8 was the tipping point (I wasn't keen to learn a whole new OS). But Apple are on a knife edge for me. The iPhone went after two versions and now the iMac. Not impressed.

[DCJ001]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

There are better ways to back up, and, if you have a new iMac, and if you need FireWire, you can buy an Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter for $29 at the Apple Store.

[CosmoCopus]

Originally Posted by puckhead193

this came in my head all of a sudden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEe_eraFWWs

hopefully the shipping times improve on the 27" soon

What happened to the days when you could watch a YouTube vid. and not have to sit through a frickin advertisement?

[keysofanxiety]

Originally Posted by CosmoCopus

What happened to the days when you could watch a YouTube vid. and not have to sit through a frickin advertisement?

Adblocker, my friend

[Pentad]

Originally Posted by roadbloc

At £1,200, I'd expect a Bluray drive, never mind DVD.

Hey, hey, that's dangerous thinking there. Remember, you pay more for less. For £1,200, you should be glad you got a DISPLAY!



-P

[ipedro]

Originally Posted by digizure

I'm really surprised that people are willing to buy the new iMac with NO DVD drive or Firewire!

My last Mac went so long without using the optical drive that I didn't notice that I had forgot to plug it back in the last time I opened my MBP... over a year ago. I ended up replacing the drive with an SSD.

I'm very happy to trade FireWire for the dramatically faster Thunderbolt. I keep a FW adapter on hand for legacy products but my Thunderbolt LaCie 2Big 6TB is a big step up from my Firewire HDDs.

[GunZi]

Been waiting 2 months for my iMac, i custom ordered mine with 680mx

to bad im outside the US i guess...

[flashframe]

Originally Posted by GunZi

Been waiting 2 months for my iMac, i custom ordered mine with 680mx

to bad im outside the US i guess...

No wait time for me. Got it same day with 680mx.

[sseaton1971]

Originally Posted by digizure

I'm really surprised that people are willing to buy the new iMac with NO DVD drive or Firewire!

Just use a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter or an external USB SuperDrive. I use mine for my Mac mini when I absolutely must, which is not often. It is more of a pain to have all the needed adapters with a laptop, but I don't find it that problematic with a desktop.

[Ingot]

Originally Posted by digizure

I'm really surprised that people are willing to buy the new iMac with NO DVD drive or Firewire!

I'm not. I'm a little surprised that you would find this surprising.

[sseaton1971]

Originally Posted by digizure

I like to back up on a DVD and rip DVDs. I also use Firewire a lot. I think it was a bad move to remove the drive and Firewire.

It certainly is inconvenient in some situations (like yours), but I suspect many of the other PC manufactures will follow suit like they did with the floppy.

----------

Originally Posted by 512ke

All I find online are negative articles and financial blogs spurred by this news of greatly increased Mac sales.

They say (to summarize): But Mac sales down year to year! But iPad mini eating into pc sales! But competition is gonna destroy iPad sales! But that's only US market!

I say (to be slightly vulgar): Over 30% rise in Mac sales bitches!

May Apple sell ever more and may all of you manipulating douchey follower analysts and fund managers lose your shorts. Meaning your short sales.

And as I type that AAPL declines another 10% on its roller coaster plunge to $130/share.

AAPL's decline in price today is consistent with the S&P, Dow, and NASDAQ.