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15inch PowerBook Details and Supplies

Originally posted by JayBee
Single quarter results aren't a trend. I think we all know that last quarters sales were down because everyone was waiting for (a) 15" revs and (b) g5 desktops.

This quarter, Apple's desktop sales will be through the roof. That doesn't mean that it's a "trend", just that one cancels the other and Apple is still sitting pretty - not gaining, not losing, but sustaining.

As someone already pointed out, Apple is not exactly a day trader 🙂

Also, I'm sitting on an iBook SE G3 366 and a QS G4 733, and I'm not planning on upgrading till at least this time next year. Apple's quite happy trucking along with it's fairly constant market share (and by fairly constant, I mean ±2% year on year) as that allows it to make enough cash to survive and innovate without worrying about the bottom line too much.

Those who want a sudden increase in market share just don't get it - and a new cheaper/faster product (while it would be great) just would not fit with Apple's profile. I maintain, too, that in the long run it would actually damage Apple's image.

Imagine BMW started making a "budget town car" to compete with the Fiesta. Nobody would buy it, and it would quickly be consigned to the "why did we do that?" bin. Why? Many reasons, but one of them would surely be that the reason you want a BMW is because very few people have them. It's "thinking different", which is where the mindshare is at. If suddenly everyone in your street could afford a BMW, then it would lose some of its appeal and become "Just another Ford". To get prices down they'd HAVE to sacrifice build quality.

In short, Apple is about making "Insanely Great" products and selling enough of them to stay afloat. The "switch" campaign has been spot-on in line with their image, as they're promoting the lifestyle, not the "good value". It's not about hitting on 50% of PC users (most of whom do not have a personal say in platform choice anyway), it's about reminding and making aware.

Predicting Apple product releases based on their effectiveness in gaining market share is like predicting M$ software strategy based on morals - it's just pointless and way off the mark 🙂
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Well we shall see if that is the case or not. BMW is going to launch a 1 series by mid-2004 to compete with the golf. It will be aggresively priced, come in many door variations and is supposed to show the average volksvagen buyer that a BMW is a lot better for the same price.

Speaking of cars, I think Mercedes and BMW both used to fit Apple's profile in the car buisness. But since the merger with Chrysler the quality has fallen, and there line has been junked up with 14 different ones. Many of which are just copies of each other. Like what is the difference between the CL & the S ? Minor To the average user this is confusing, even to car experts it is ! Doesn't validate a whole new line in my book. BMW however has stuck to their small line, and made it progressivly better. Chris Bangle has taken a huge risk, but over time BMW will win over because BMW still has the quality and the user base (much like Apple), who appreciate it's products and the superiority of them. Unlike people who buy Mercedes today which is pretty much just for the badge. So in my opinion they failed by expanding their line which just reduced their quality and got rid of their real userbase and replaced it with people who buy mercedes 'just for the badge'. So in my eyes Mercedes now looks like Apple did in 93-94-95 minus the bad profits.

Anyway, so we shall see if BMW is sucessfull or not launching a 1 series, and I think if they can pull it off, so can Apple. BMW will also expand there line to 7 series, but at least you can see that from 1 progressivly onto 7, each car gets better and better.

/end of offtopic post
 
Originally posted by soggywulf
At this point I am hearing two camps. One camp is telling me "Of course Apple cares about marketshare, you idiot, do you really think they are a bunch of complete morons?" and the other camp is saying "Of course Apple doesn't care about marketshare, you idiot, is your head really so far in the sand?" 😀 So which is it?
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These two ideologies are not actually mutually exclusive, as I think was pointed out.

Of course Apple cares about market share, but it's not the be-all, end-all. They need market share to keep being able to innovate, and they need to innovate to keep market share.

Both are vital, both are secondary.

You idiot 😉
 
I doubt we will really see a major revamp on the PB lines in this Paris show.

Why? Notice how apple is reskinning our OSX with all the stainless metal look for the Panther upgrade. And note how the G5 has transitioned into the stainless look. I have no doubt all the Mac lines will go into that color scheme.

No new PB until January. Maybe just reskinning of the 15inch into Aluminium with the bluetooth built into it.

Minor speed bumps for all PBs are possible.
 
I doubt we will really see a major revamp on the PB lines in this Paris show.

Why? Notice how apple is reskinning our OSX with all the stainless metal look.

I really really think that the next PB update is when they recolour our PBs back to the real aluminium color. Then it will match the new Panther look.

No new PB until January. Maybe just reskinning of the 15inch into Aluminium with the bluetooth built into it.

Minor speed bumps for all PBs are possible.
 
Originally posted by Mac&Sushi
No new PB until January. Maybe just reskinning of the 15inch into Aluminium with the bluetooth built into it.

Minor speed bumps for all PBs are possible.
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I think these two things are really all most of us are asking for.

I just want a 12" with L3 cache!
 
Originally posted by JayBee
These two ideologies are not actually mutually exclusive, as I think was pointed out.
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That's not what I'm seeing. I'm seeing "Marketshare is irrelevant". That is, in fact, mutually exclusive with "marketshare is relevant".

But whatever. We can shift to this new theory of What Apple Thinks: innovation and marketshare are both important. And you say that one needs the other.

So, is innovation enough to retain marketshare? Apple has been innovating for some time now. Has marketshare increased or decreased or stayed the same in that time?

Looks like it has decreased. OK, marketshare is still important, and it's decreasing, and we're innovating but it doesn't seem to be helping the situation. I wonder what we can do to solve that problem?
 
Re: Re: Market Share thoughts...

Originally posted by lord_flash
Damn right. But there is a minimum level after which it starts to be a serious problem. My concern, in buying a new machine, is that I've got to live with that decision for 3 years (more if it's criminally expensive), and that Apple may well cross that line in that time, simply because the cross-compatibility of the internet is becoming an illusion as MS take over.

Of course, I could be brave and get a Mac, but that's the point. It is a risk. Arrgh - it's all so complicated. And if I'm worried about switching, then I can't be the only one...
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Apple is not going to die. Get over it. That is so 90's.
 
Originally posted by soggywulf
Case in point: the killing of the clones. I've been using Macs for about 15 years--and the clone-era is the only extended period I remember where Macs were matching, nay even beating, PCs at price/performance!
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During the entire PowerPC era, at least until the stagnation of the G4, that was true.
 
Re: Car Talk

Originally posted by rjstanford
Next time you get into a taxi, take a look at it -- you may well see the Mercedes ornament on the hood.
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In Europe, "luxury" brands are more common simply because automobiles themselves are considered a luxury. It's not America, where everyone can buy a car. Mercedes-Benz taxicabs are common simply because the European taxi industry puts a high value on luxury.

Originally posted by rjstanford
There are many people on this board who I don't think have really looked at the PC market in the last few years. I hear cry after cry of "They suck!" Well, I hate to break it to you, but the average new PC running XP is actually a pretty nice system for a lot less money, kinda like the new Honda Accord. Sure, OSX does things that XP can't. A few. And its nicer. A little. But, at the moment, for the laptops, is that feeling worth $1200 and less performance?
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It's quite a bit more substantial than that. And it is worth the money.

I guess it's the look and feel of the UI. I could never feel at home with Windows, no matter what. And the greater integration and ease of use is astounding. It's just far more efficient.
 
Originally posted by dantec
...but over time BMW will win over because BMW still has the quality and the user base (much like Apple), who appreciate it's products and the superiority of them. Unlike people who buy Mercedes today which is pretty much just for the badge.
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<staying off topic>

i can't believe i just read that people drive BMW's for the ride, not the badge.

i consider apple's products to be more synonymous with audi or saab, but sure as hell not bmw...

</staying off topic>
 
An open reply to all the Sky-Is-Falling folk who claim the internet is closing or becoming IE/Win only:

The exact opposite of what you claim is happening. I don't know any professional web developers who consider writing for a specific browser on a specific OS acceptable. MS and Netscape DID own the web for a while, when they were the only options, they could add their little proprietary tags and coders would use them. Now we have standards, the web has "grown up" a lot. This is both good AND bad, it's like the US West in the 1800s, it was wild and dangerous and confusing, but also held great opportunity and freedom. Now there's less open space, more restrictions, but you can be much more sure you're not going to get into a gunfight.

How many of you are web developers or ever read any websites targeted to web developers? I'd guess none, since web developers are pretty adamant as a group about designing to open standards, and keeping everything as cross-browser/cross-platform as possible even to the point of sacrificing control over the overall look. Also, a ton of web developers are working on linux, a BSD, or OS X. They complain about having to pay for VPC or keeping a seperate box around so they can make sure their designs look ok in IE Win. The new mantra is "code to standards" even if it means telling customers they have to get a modern (that is, standards-compliant) browser. http://www.webstandards.org/upgrade/
 
Black is aapl green is msft. This chart is the percentage that the stock rose over the past 52 weeks. Still I believe that aapl percentage may drop if there is nothing significant for Q4
 
Originally posted by erova
<staying off topic>

i can't believe i just read that people drive BMW's for the ride, not the badge.

i consider apple's products to be more synonymous with audi or saab, but sure as hell not bmw...

</staying off topic>
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Too bad... You are obviously not a Bimmer owner 🙁 If you were, you would not be typing what you typed. I do drive a 535is and it is "So choice" and I do tend to think of the The G5's and PBk's as near Bimmeresque. When you own one, then you'll know what I mean.. BTW: I think very highly of German power. It's just Bimmer is consistantly 1st followed by Porsche!
 
Originally posted by Bruja
Black is aapl green is msft. This chart is the percentage that the stock rose over the past 52 weeks. Still I believe that aapl percentage may drop if there is nothing significant for Q4
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AAPL had nowhere to go but up. All these charts indicate is that MSFT has been a reliable, consistent performer for a long time.

Extend your chart back in time a bit ... include AAPL's drop from ~$24 to ~$18 ... MSFT was much more stable over the entire period.

That said, I only own 100 shares AAPL ... no MSFT. It's more for sentimental value than profit ... (not too bright, am I?) ...
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re^10: Comparing notebooks

Originally posted by Phil Of Mac
Marketshare is irrelevant.
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Umm, I think the developer (or would-be developer) community might think otherwise.

So why try to get people to switch anyway?
 
Originally posted by erova
<staying off topic>

i can't believe i just read that people drive BMW's for the ride, not the badge.

i consider apple's products to be more synonymous with audi or saab, but sure as hell not bmw...

</staying off topic>
Click to expand...

I drive a BMW 528i and it is a joy to drive. I have a M5 manual transmission in the car. The engine and the car and the transmission are well mated that driving hard or fast is no fuss and the car always feels competant and in control. I test drove a variety of American/Japanese/and other German makes before getting the BMW - only this sedan was without performance quirks.

I had a 3G RX-7 before this car and even though it is not the rocket on rails that car was - it is still every bit as competant in it's performance bracket.
 
Of Cars and Computers

Agh! Enough with comparing computers with automobiles and worse still, the computer industry with the automobile industry.

It's like comparing Apples with oranges.😀
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re^10: Comparing notebooks

Originally posted by hose this!
Umm, I think the developer (or would-be developer) community might think otherwise.

So why try to get people to switch anyway?
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I exaggerate. It is only marginally relevant. It is definitely not a primary consideration.
 
evolution

it amusing me how much this "rumor" discussion evolved.

(1)The G4/G5 debate
(2)comparing the current Powerbooks to
other laptops
(3) Apple's marketshare
(4)Sports cars.

Am I missing anything?
 
* red-faced, throwing a tantrum on the floor *

WHERE'S MY POWERBOOK? WHERE'S MY POOOOOOOWEEERBOOOOOOOOOK???!!!

* ahem *

OK, forget the car analogies. It's time to beat up on somebody while we're sitting here bored waiting for a PowerBook rev. Hey, how about Think Secret? Aren't they supposed to have like 99% accuracy? Didn't they start this whole new PowerBook rumor thing "definitely by the end of [last] week"?

Where's the accountability? Where's Nick? 😡 😀
 
Originally posted by bikertwin
* red-faced, throwing a tantrum on the floor *

WHERE'S MY POWERBOOK? WHERE'S MY POOOOOOOWEEERBOOOOOOOOOK???!!!

* ahem *

OK, forget the car analogies. It's time to beat up on somebody while we're sitting here bored waiting for a PowerBook rev. Hey, how about Think Secret? Aren't they supposed to have like 99% accuracy? Didn't they start this whole new PowerBook rumor thing "definitely by the end of [last] week"?

Where's the accountability? Where's Nick? 😡 😀
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Who cares anymore?
 
Re: evolution

Originally posted by agentmouthwash
it amusing me how much this "rumor" discussion evolved.

(1)The G4/G5 debate
(2)comparing the current Powerbooks to
other laptops
(3) Apple's marketshare
(4)Sports cars.

Am I missing anything?
Click to expand...
Well...Yes....A BIMMER!!! 😉

On a serious tip, there isn't going to be any updates until Mr. Jobs says so and to be honest, I don't think that the French Conference will hold any guarantees.. I just saved my friend from consigning his soul to MS. He's going after an iMac. Wooo Hooo!!

To chazmox: You go boy!! Go Bimmer (uberauto)
 
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