Apple Drops MacBook Educational Pricing to $899

[MacRumors]

TUAW noted yesterday that Apple has dropped its regular U.S. educational pricing for the MacBook by $50 to $899. Special pricing apparently available through the University of Maryland's custom Apple Store reportedly even temporarily dropped pricing as low as $728 yesterday, although the offer was quickly removed.

The new $899 price covers Apple's standard MacBook offering updated in October, offering a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a 250 GB hard drive.

Article Link: Apple Drops MacBook Educational Pricing to $899

 

[lifeinhd]

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Too bad the MacBook lacks pretty much any feature I've come to look forward to on a Mac-- where's my FireWire and IR sensor???

 

[kolax]

The MacBook does have an IR sensor. Shame about FireWire though..

But it is obvious who Apple is aiming the MacBook at, though I still think $899 for students is too steep. Should be $699..

 

[MattG]

...probably sound like a broken record at this point, but it sure sucks that the Edu discount pretty much doesn't do jack since Apple Store charges you tax. Comes out to roughly the same price as ordering it from Amazon, regular price.

 

[j_maddison]

The MacBook does have an IR sensor. Shame about FireWire though..

But it is obvious who Apple is aiming the MacBook at, though I still think $899 for students is too steep. Should be $699..

Are you sure it has an IR sensor, I thought that was something they got rid of in the Macbook and was only available on the Macbook pros? Not trying to call you out, interested because a friend is about to purchase one and I could give her my old remote

 

[phatcat]

I have yet to use firewire or infrared and I imagine >90% of folks don't use it.

Has anyone seen these newer macbooks at Apple store? They look great out of the box. But the high gloss reflective finish scratches very easily and the display models look filthy.

I'd rather get a refurb aluminum macbook.

 

[flopticalcube]

Are you sure it has an IR sensor, I thought that was something they got rid of in the Macbook and was only available on the Macbook pros? Not trying to call you out, interested because a friend is about to purchase one and I could give her my old remote

Its gone.

iFixit teardown

Also gone is an IR port for a remote

 

[j_maddison]

Its gone.

iFixit teardown

Thanks for that

Shame really, as I'd have thought the macbook crowd would be more likely to use the remote over the macbook pro crowd. Shame they're not bundled in free too, as they used to be

 

[lowbatteries]

...probably sound like a broken record at this point, but it sure sucks that the Edu discount pretty much doesn't do jack since Apple Store charges you tax. Comes out to roughly the same price as ordering it from Amazon, regular price.

Stores don't "charge" tax, they collect it. You are required to pay the tax on goods you buy online "tax-free" when you file your taxes. Obviously, thought, many people elect not to.

 

[guzhogi]

I have yet to use firewire or infrared and I imagine >90% of folks don't use it.

I don't know about anyone else, but the people in my school district (which has all Macs except a handful of PCs) use Firewire quite a bit. Whether it's for hard drives or video cameras. Plus, target disk mode is great when trying to recover data from a crashed computer.

As for the IR port, I like to watch TV shows & movies I downloaded in bed. It's great to pause, turn up/down the volume.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Good news.

 

[macduke]

I saw the $728 price yesterday and called my sister because she is interested in purchasing a Mac. It's too bad that it's gone, but she decided to wait until she has enough saved up for the low end 13" MBP anyway. Plus she wants to get a free iPod Touch this summer.

 

[cjmillsnun]

The MacBook does have an IR sensor. Shame about FireWire though....

Please enlighten me as to where?

 

[CrackedButter]

Please enlighten me as to where?

If you read the entire thread before posting you wouldn't need to ask as it has already been refuted.

 

[kolax]

Its gone.

iFixit teardown

Eeek, I wasn't aware of that..

Why on earth do they have a IR slot (fair enough it's white) on the front though..? Just to balance symmetry?

 

[odedia]

728$ is the right price for this machine.

 

[Chundles]

Eeek, I wasn't aware of that..

Why on earth do they have a IR slot (fair enough it's white) on the front though..? Just to balance symmetry?

It doesn't have an IR port on the front - that's the sleep light.

 

[stridemat]

Just need to get them too drop the prices of the 27" iMac for students and Im in there.

 

[Perrumpo]

Just need to get them too drop the prices of the 27" iMac for students and Im in there.

Why would they increase the ($100 in US Store) discount for the 27" iMac? No student short on cash needs a 27" iMac.

 

[kolax]

It doesn't have an IR port on the front - that's the sleep light.

Ah - similar place to the IR slot on the uMBP's. That sucks.. crazy removing that.

 

[arkmannj]

I have yet to use firewire or infrared and I imagine >90% of folks don't use it.

my experience is drastically different with the FireWire. most of the people I knew in school, and know now use Firewire as first choice. grantid I was a Digital Media major so that may make a bias. But still I have a hard time recommending a machine without FireWire especially for the price of the machines. Target Disk mode alone is worth it for me, has saved my bacon a few times, and I've been able to help many other folks using it.

If nothing else, it's just nice to have options.

 

[kolax]

my experience is drastically different with the FireWire. most of the people I knew in school, and know now use Firewire as first choice. grantid I was a Digital Media major so that may make a bias. But still I have a hard time recommending a machine without FireWire especially for the price of the machines. Target Disk mode alone is worth it for me, has saved my bacon a few times, and I've been able to help many other folks using it.

Target Disk Mode - all portable Macs (with exception of MBA) have user serviceable hard drives. Though it is convenient to just whack up TGM via FireWire.

Completely agree though - leaving FireWire out is terrible. Pro or not, it is a connection port that Apple themselves are the driving force behind.

Though I guess in a few years we'll have forgotten all about it when LightPeak is out..

 

[johnboi1978]

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Too bad the MacBook lacks pretty much any feature I've come to look forward to on a Mac-- where's my FireWire and IR sensor???

In case you haven't noticed, Firewire is DEAD in the consumer space. It has been for a while and the last time I checked, the white MacBook was CLEARLY a CONSUMER product!!

 

[arkmannj]

In case you haven't noticed, Firewire is DEAD in the consumer space. It has been for a while and the last time I checked, the white MacBook was CLEARLY a CONSUMER product!!

No need to get testie about it, his uses and desired obviously differ from your own, and perhaps for an above average priced consumer machine he wants some above average consumer specs, particularly one that the consumer level machine used to have. also, the Mac Mini is pointed at the consumer market and has FW800 included so I don't think he's to far off in hoping a consumer level machine would include FireWire. I'm not saying you're wrong in your view, just that many of us differ in our opinion on what the machine should have as an available option.

best regards,

 

[Arcady]

Consumers still have DV camcorders. They connect via FireWire. Some of us don't want to buy a new video camera. FireWire should stay.

Don't care about IR though.