Apple Relaunches Switch Website

[m-dogg]

Quote:
Originally Posted by m-dogg
that's what got me over...but it was a good 2 years after my ipod that I got my imac, just becasue I didn't need a new machine yet. the halo effect will be slow and gradual - it's not gonna happen overnight...



Tru but late is better than never

that's the truth...I longed for a mac for a while before I actually bought it...I'd stop into the local apple store to oggle and play with everything so many times. Oh my god, I hope I never looked like that guy in the picture with his woody!

 

[m-dogg]

I personally consider it user error. Not sure what the deal is. Maybe some people are using older drivers. Maybe some don't have the most up to date firmware or don't have their computer secured but I can count on one hand how many times Windows 2000 and XP have crashed on my home computer systems in the last 5 years and 90% of that is because I was trying to do something funky. Force a drive for a device it wasn't intended for, etc.
I don't understand how I can use a new dell Optiplex 2.8Ghz, a Latitude CSx 500Mhz, a Toshiba Sat 850Mhz, and an IBM ThinkPad 1.5Ghz and none of them crash. Dead serious. They are all of various age and I never have any problems with them. In point of fact I loan the Tosh and Latitude out to friends when they need a laptop to work on. They never have problems either. Its got to be user error.

it's all the spyware & adware that casues the crashing. if you are not taking good care of your machine with virus/spyware/adware protection installed AND up to date, you're in trouble...

my work thinkpad has literally never crashed, but that has the support & money of our corporate IT department.

my old dell at home is a little spotty, but it's usally from spyware if I have an issue. the most frequesnt problem with that one is that is has a 50/50 chance of waking from sleep at any time.

Needless to say, I love my iMac!

 

[quigleybc]

This picture on the "connect" page looks horrible!

UGH! SO 80's... What are they trying to say? Macs work with old crap, cameras and the iPod mini?

Infact the whole thing is out of date. They should really work on that section.

Hey I have that midi keyboard and it's not crap....It's not the greatest, but it's not crap....

 

[Crager724]

Among the 10 reasons given by Apple on their new site to switch, I find number 7 the most interesting:

"Enthusiast. Fan. Addict. Ever hear a PC user described this way? When you buy an Apple computer, you realize why so many people who try a Mac never go back. And then you begin talking to those people, sharing stories, getting advice. The Apple user community enjoys support from all sides: the Genius in the Apple store, the musician on that message board, the photographer next door. They all share a common bond forged by one decidedly uncommon computer."

Apple has clearly taken notice of its enthusiastic user base, and is using it as a selling point. Very interesting, and very insightful, IMHO. Apple really does pay attention to grass roots sites like this one. So to welcome any new Windows switchers, in a now officially Apple-sanctioned kinda way, I'd just like to say OMFG DELL AND TEH MICRO$OFT ARE TEH SUX0R!!!

Nice Oingoboingo, but I think you missed a couple things. OMFG DELL AND TEH MICRO$OFT R TEH SUXX0RS!!1!

 

[7on]

I love the color scheme - white, blue and green.

 

[wdlove]

Nice looking site. Good work as always from Apple.

 

[Sogo]

This picture on the "connect" page looks horrible!

UGH! SO 80's... What are they trying to say? Macs work with old crap, cameras and the iPod mini?

Infact the whole thing is out of date. They should really work on that section.

I think its a comparison of their mac mini to other electronics. You look around the picture and see how ugly, complicated, or clunky the electronics look; but then you look at the ipod mini and its simple and stylish.

 

[~Shard~]

I think its a comparison of their mac mini to other electronics. You look around the picture and see how ugly, complicated, or clunky the electronics look; but then you look at the ipod mini and its simple and stylish.

I'd agree on that with respect to everything except the digital camera.

 

[plinden]

That's a girl on the left isn't it?

Your left or mac-er's left?

 

[FoxyKaye]

It's going to be interesting to see how Apple handles a new "switch" campaign. I think it could be quite successful if they pulled it off correctly, but I question the effectiveness if they stay too closely to the previous campaign. Apple has a real opportunity here, what with the recent popularity of the iPod, the impending switch to Intel, etc. - let's hope they don't blow it.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you ~Shard~

If the upcoming "Switch" campaign is as inane as the previous, Apple might even lose ground to Windows.

This is the most non-abstract apple promotion I have seen since the mid 1990s. They're really letting loose: two button mouse, Intel chips, practical advertising...

Agreed, the "Switch" parts of the Apple site actually made sense. It's like Apple suddenly realized that Macs are also computers.

Seriously, though, I think the weird ads of the last Switch campaign didn't work because a lot of PC users don't seem to think on those terms. It has been my experience that the PC users I know who have switched have done so for some of the reasons Apple lists on their site, and want practical reasons to invest in a Mac. Given the amount of misconceptions about Macs WRT running basic software, Windows users need to be spoon-fed real details about Macs and OS X, not looking at Will Ferrel in a Santa suit.

Indeed, should we dare to hope for real TV commercials, too?

 

[aftk2]

Windows users need to be spoon-fed real details about Macs and OS X, not looking at Will Ferrel in a Santa suit.

Hey, be fair: everyone ought be looking at Will Ferrel in a Santa suit.

 

[Ryon]

Oh, and Mac OS X doesn’t scream “hardware detected” every time you plug in something as basic as a keyboard. Just start typing.

...

Nor will it lead you through an endless conversation with a so-called wizard.

Well, the only USB keyboard I own is the one that came with a Compaq years ago, but every time I plug it into my PowerBook, OS X tells me that it can't figure out what kind of keyboard it is, and it leads me through what is basically a "wizard" to figure it out... it has me press various buttons on the keyboard and such to detect it. Very annoying.

 

[~Shard~]

The other issue with the previous Switch campaign was that, well, there were no computers in them! Just people talking about computers. I just don't see that as an effective way to sell something - instead, show the product, show what it can do, demonstrate it - that's how you get your point accross most effectively.

 

[Mac Dummy]

Heh. Well, if you saw me walking out of an Apple store with a Powerbook, I'd make Johnny "Wadd" Holmes cry.

I'm hoping that Apple goes for 10%. Not in a year, mind you, maybe by 2010. *ponders* I just realized how difficult that would be. Microsoft had it easy because they had a monopoly and then the home PC boom really took off.

Apple would need an amazingly strong product lineup for the next five years to be able to get to 10%. A lot of people have been mentioning the Media Center, the Video iPod, the tablet Mac, and so on. I think we'd need that and a whole lot more.

"we" Apple sure has their zealots pegged. I'm willing to bet that Dell fanbois don't sit around on Dell rumor sites and refer to Dell in the first person plural. Reserved for the Apple freaks.

You gotta remember though if Apple where to gain to big a market share to quickly then they could end up with many of the same problems that Microsoft is facing now.

Speaking of Windows Vista (aka Longhorn) here are a couple of funny links

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/windows/0,39020396,39212024,00.htm

http://news.com.com/First+potential+virus+risk+for+Windows+Vista+found/2100-7349_3-5819428.html

 

[sun25]

I think that their new site is very effective.

 

[DrNeroCF]

Have any of you even looked at Vista? It's ugly as sin! I hated all those side buttons on XP, and look what they're doing now. Sure you can sit there and turn everything off, just like everyone does with XP, but then it's nothing new, again... I really think that Apple's best switch campaign could just be pictures of M$'s monstrosity.

However, M$ is playing catchup, and 'well we've had that for years now' works fine for bragging, but to get people to switch, we need a new batch of features, exclusive to mac (that AirPort Express is incredible, but I cringe every time I admit that windows iTunes can stream to it too).

Apple will really have to think up something unique for the Intel processors, they can't just say that they have the fastest anymore.

Oh great... more viruses to clutter the school networks...

Vista: How are you gentlemen?
User: Woah, a Vista wizard
Vista: ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!!!
User: Noooooo!!!!!!!

 

[hyperpasta]

Yo, Arn!

Hey! I submitted this like 3 days ago!

 

[egor]

I personally consider it user error. Not sure what the deal is. Maybe some people are using older drivers. Maybe some don't have the most up to date firmware or don't have their computer secured but I can count on one hand how many times Windows 2000 and XP have crashed on my home computer systems in the last 5 years and 90% of that is because I was trying to do something funky. Force a drive for a device it wasn't intended for, etc.
I don't understand how I can use a new dell Optiplex 2.8Ghz, a Latitude CSx 500Mhz, a Toshiba Sat 850Mhz, and an IBM ThinkPad 1.5Ghz and none of them crash. Dead serious. They are all of various age and I never have any problems with them. In point of fact I loan the Tosh and Latitude out to friends when they need a laptop to work on. They never have problems either. Its got to be user error.

Are you suggesting windows users are more stupid?

I have to agree though, the few times it has crashed have been my fault. I built it myself the most recent problem and this was quite some time ago was the graphics card overheating and I fixed that by lowering the clock (performance is still fab). These folks at apple really need to stop thinking pre-xp and start marketing their OS as doing more than not crashing, or at least cool down on the whole unix this, unix that, mumbo jumbo that a big part of the market can't understand.

 

[jettredmont]

Well, the only USB keyboard I own is the one that came with a Compaq years ago, but every time I plug it into my PowerBook, OS X tells me that it can't figure out what kind of keyboard it is, and it leads me through what is basically a "wizard" to figure it out... it has me press various buttons on the keyboard and such to detect it. Very annoying.

Umm, that would be because Compaq, in their infinite brilliance, never shipped a piece of non-proprietary crap throughout their existence. USB HID standard? What's that for?

It would be nice if OS X could "remember" the signature and re-use its callibration next time too. But, from the sounds of it, the very problem might be that your old Compaq keyboard isn't telling the OS what its signature is in the first place.

My advice: earn yourself ten crisp dollar bills, go down to your local computer/electronics store, and buy yourself a keyboard which was made to operate with more than one brand of computer.

 

[Mechcozmo]

I'm still a windows user.
I wish Apple would make more powermac machines at a less expensive price for windows users that are used to building his or her own clones (towers).
An all in one doesn't really appeal to me.
I realize I could get a laptop but in my opinion, I don't have much choice in the desktop area.
The emac is right down my alley price wise but I don't want to take a 50lb paperweight to a service center and if I got an iMac and the monitor died, I'd die.

I agree on the PowerMac's being too expensive.
But an eMac is probably the most durable computer ever. It doesn't die, really. They were designed for schools... and they work quite nicely in that regard.

 

[pjkelnhofer]

How is market share defined?

...I'm hoping that Apple goes for 10%. Not in a year, mind you, maybe by 2010. *ponders* I just realized how difficult that would be. Microsoft had it easy because they had a monopoly and then the home PC boom really took off...

I have a related question about marketshare. Is it defined as percentage of computers sold in a given period (month, quarter, year, etc.)? Or is it defined as percentage of computers in use? Either way, what are the latest numbers?

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Among the 10 reasons given by Apple on their new site to switch, I find number 7 the most interesting:

"Enthusiast. Fan. Addict. Ever hear a PC user described this way? When you buy an Apple computer, you realize why so many people who try a Mac never go back. And then you begin talking to those people, sharing stories, getting advice. The Apple user community enjoys support from all sides: the Genius in the Apple store, the musician on that message board, the photographer next door. They all share a common bond forged by one decidedly uncommon computer."

Apple has clearly taken notice of its enthusiastic user base, and is using it as a selling point. Very interesting, and very insightful, IMHO. Apple really does pay attention to grass roots sites like this one. So to welcome any new Windows switchers, in a now officially Apple-sanctioned kinda way, I'd just like to say OMFG DELL AND TEH MICRO$OFT ARE TEH SUX0R!!!

I know I have become sort of this way at work. Working in a camera store, I regularly talk of the advantages of the Mac for the "novice" wanting to organize their "digital life". Too bad I can't get my bosses to get back in to the Mac, after our slow sales of the eMac and PB series.

Edit: Additionally, due to an unfortunate trick of the light, it looks like the guy walking out with the new PowerBook has soiled his pants and has a fairly severe case of north-westerly facing wood. I guess he really was excited about owning a new Mac.

What you never got excited over a new hardware purchase before? [not that I have, mind you]

Heh. Well, if you saw me walking out of an Apple store with a Powerbook, I'd make Johnny "Wadd" Holmes cry.

I probably would be the same way if I could ever break down for the PM 2.7 dualie!. Fully loaded of course.

"we" Apple sure has their zealots pegged. I'm willing to bet that Dell fanbois don't sit around on Dell rumor sites and refer to Dell in the first person plural. Reserved for the Apple freaks.

The best advertising a company can receive is the word of mouth kind. But Apple needs to move past that if they truly want a greater market share than the 3% they have now. They need to find a way to put in print, radio, and TV what so many of us have already known. "It just works!". The problem is the unwritten law is that you don't slam your competitors. And for good reason. No one can be perfect. Flaming PB's anyone?

Maybe they are trying to say that macs work with things other than items on the bleeding edge of technology???

or maybe they are just lazy...

It may be busy, but it gets the message across.

 

[aquajet]

The site update was much needed. It was over 2 years later and I was still staring at Janie Porche and Jeremiah Cohick...

Hehe...Yes...Jeremiah...yum

 

[beatle888]

I think its a comparison of their mac mini to other electronics. You look around the picture and see how ugly, complicated, or clunky the electronics look; but then you look at the ipod mini and its simple and stylish. http://images.apple.com/support/mac101/connect/images/connect00.jpg

well, the shuffle isnt ugly or clunky.

 

[ph0rk]

This picture on the "connect" page looks horrible!

UGH! SO 80's... What are they trying to say? Macs work with old crap, cameras and the iPod mini?

Infact the whole thing is out of date. They should really work on that section.

the m-audio ozone is not old 80's crap, niether are usb keys. The oldest (might) be the flatbed scanner and bigger scanner to the right; the hp-looking printer to the left looks like their post-2002 offerings. The usb and/or firewire 2.5" drive out front doesn't look 80's to me either.

Switchers usually have a bunch of legacy crap; many still use dialup (ugh).