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Apple Releases New iMacs
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It's not a foregone conclusion that creating the iPhone caused Leopard problems. Apple had been working on the iPhone for a long time. Maybe they understimated the necessary resources for either the iPhone or Leopard (or both), but given the long development timeline of the iPhone and their ample cash reserves, they could certainly have managed both.
People complained about Tiger too, and there was no iPhone at the time. The reality is that all new Apple OS versions have had their issues, and should not be installed on a mission-critical computer until a .1 or .2 update.
obvious, really
... because I have all these Blu-ray movies at home, and I'd like to be able to watch them on my laptop.
... because I have all these Blu-ray movies at home, and I'd like to be able to watch them on my laptop.
Spot on. Now that I have an 8800GT sitting here on my desk, I'll finally have to upgrade my MP to Leo. Was hoping for .3 first. Oh well. Hopefully it will be along soon with the rest of the bug fixes we've been waiting for since October.
Just my opinion, but I would guess that a lot of the people who buy mac minis would prefer what you described--a nice mini tower. I feel like apple is listening to Steve more than it's listening to its customers. Yes, form is important, but it should never become more important than function.
Looking at these brand-new iMacs, the cheapest model, with applecare (a silent gotcha, it would be foolish to purchase a machine without it)...
$1468
That $1468 gets you a machine with a mediocre display (and glossy whether you like it or not), a less-than-mediocre graphics card, as small a hard drive as you will find nowadays, a mediocre cpu... and about all you can upgrade at a reasonable cost is the RAM, from third-party sources.
The iMac line starts as a rip-off on the unwary consumer, and only gets more expensive as you go up the line.
By the time you reach the "decent machine" configs, you are easily over $2000.
I will skip the top-of-the-line 3.06 model for consideration, because of course the customer gets dinged extra hard there.
Nope, let's just take the stock 24" 2.8 model, add the silent rip-off of $169 to have a warranty that lasts three years, add what is currently above average (if that) in a graphics card (although it will be average at best during the lifetime of this current model)...
And here's the kicker: because the hard drive is such a pain in the neck to replace, you really want to lock yourself into a big one from the start; or else, deal with firewire extensions forever. So let's go ahead and make that a 750GB drive (the 1TB is such a rip-off, that I cannot bring myself to consider it).
Total: $2268
That is just a ridiculous price tag, specially since, for that kind of money, one would expect a non-glossy display (at least as an option!).
For $2268, you are stuck at a mediocre-to-slightly-above-mediocre hardware tech level for the consumer market in mid-2008. With a glossy display. With no chance to upgrade at a reasonable cost.
You will, of course, want to put the max of RAM on this machine, which third-party sources will provide for you at around $100. But that's it; if, at some point during this machine's (hopefully long) lifetime, you decide that 4GB is just a little tight, well, sorry, that's all you can do there.
$1468 for the least expensive option: a premium price for below-average hardware. An out-and-out rip-off which will only get worse as the months go on and the configuration ages.
$2268 for the more expensive option: an extra-premium price for average-to-slightly-above average hardware. That is pretty much a rip-off, although if $2268 is within your budget for a computer, then perhaps you are expected to be casual about repeating the same expenditure in a couple of years when your machine is clearly lagging in specs behind the current models.
As of today, the only Apple desktop computer that is a good purchase is the top-of-the-line, circa $3000 Mac Pro; the iMac is somewhere between an out-and-out rip-off for the least expensive option, to pretty much a rip-off towards the more expensive options.
A couple of years more like this and only the well-moneyed clueless will keep buying these things. A couple of years like this and only the hackintosh clones will keep OSX from becoming an incestuos little OS.
A couple of years more like this, and anybody with a brain for computers will either be running a legacy Mac, a hackintosh or that year's Ubuntu.
This year, I went for a Mac Pro. It fits some of my needs, but unfortunately one of my needs is to be able to peer with other people computer-wise, and at the moment I'm only able to peer with the ones that are rich enough to buy these expensive machines, or who bought apple machines in previous years (when they were a good deal).
I cannot currently recommend such a purchase except for a Mac Pro.
This time around, I gave the linux option a good hard look, and chose to pass. Three years from now, it'll probably be a good time to make a pretty permanent switch.
$1468
That $1468 gets you a machine with a mediocre display (and glossy whether you like it or not), a less-than-mediocre graphics card, as small a hard drive as you will find nowadays, a mediocre cpu... and about all you can upgrade at a reasonable cost is the RAM, from third-party sources.
The iMac line starts as a rip-off on the unwary consumer, and only gets more expensive as you go up the line.
By the time you reach the "decent machine" configs, you are easily over $2000.
I will skip the top-of-the-line 3.06 model for consideration, because of course the customer gets dinged extra hard there.
Nope, let's just take the stock 24" 2.8 model, add the silent rip-off of $169 to have a warranty that lasts three years, add what is currently above average (if that) in a graphics card (although it will be average at best during the lifetime of this current model)...
And here's the kicker: because the hard drive is such a pain in the neck to replace, you really want to lock yourself into a big one from the start; or else, deal with firewire extensions forever. So let's go ahead and make that a 750GB drive (the 1TB is such a rip-off, that I cannot bring myself to consider it).
Total: $2268
That is just a ridiculous price tag, specially since, for that kind of money, one would expect a non-glossy display (at least as an option!).
For $2268, you are stuck at a mediocre-to-slightly-above-mediocre hardware tech level for the consumer market in mid-2008. With a glossy display. With no chance to upgrade at a reasonable cost.
You will, of course, want to put the max of RAM on this machine, which third-party sources will provide for you at around $100. But that's it; if, at some point during this machine's (hopefully long) lifetime, you decide that 4GB is just a little tight, well, sorry, that's all you can do there.
$1468 for the least expensive option: a premium price for below-average hardware. An out-and-out rip-off which will only get worse as the months go on and the configuration ages.
$2268 for the more expensive option: an extra-premium price for average-to-slightly-above average hardware. That is pretty much a rip-off, although if $2268 is within your budget for a computer, then perhaps you are expected to be casual about repeating the same expenditure in a couple of years when your machine is clearly lagging in specs behind the current models.
As of today, the only Apple desktop computer that is a good purchase is the top-of-the-line, circa $3000 Mac Pro; the iMac is somewhere between an out-and-out rip-off for the least expensive option, to pretty much a rip-off towards the more expensive options.
A couple of years more like this and only the well-moneyed clueless will keep buying these things. A couple of years like this and only the hackintosh clones will keep OSX from becoming an incestuos little OS.
A couple of years more like this, and anybody with a brain for computers will either be running a legacy Mac, a hackintosh or that year's Ubuntu.
This year, I went for a Mac Pro. It fits some of my needs, but unfortunately one of my needs is to be able to peer with other people computer-wise, and at the moment I'm only able to peer with the ones that are rich enough to buy these expensive machines, or who bought apple machines in previous years (when they were a good deal).
I cannot currently recommend such a purchase except for a Mac Pro.
This time around, I gave the linux option a good hard look, and chose to pass. Three years from now, it'll probably be a good time to make a pretty permanent switch.
That doesn't really answer my question. Why can't they sell the 24 inch screen with the bare bones specs on everything else? For basics like surfing the web and editing documents, the big screen is a bonus but the faster processor isn't necessary. Perfect example of why all-in-ones are a pain compared with headless units.
I'm quantifying "features" as a computer that can do basic everyday computing - a basic desktop machine. The average user doesn't care if it's a midtower or if it's tiny.
I'd love to compare apples to apples - so where is the Mac that is cheaper because it isn't so small and doesn't use pricer laptop parts?
Sadly, apple doesn't make that box. Since they don't offer an "orange" we have no choice but to compare their "apple" to dell's "orange".
People want a budget machine. Apple's only offering that comes close is the mini. So that's what gets compared to other budget machines. And the mini loses in that comparison. Bad. It IS overpriced, and much of the problem is that it forces all users to pay for an expensive feature that most don't need (miniaturization). It's the answer to the question that nobody asked.
That's another thing that often gets kicked around online -- how "Apple isn't listening"...
Do you think Apple can read your mind?
I really wish someone would organize a letter writing campaign on the subject. (Yeah, a real letter.) But I guess it's easier to just whine and make out you're a "victim" 'cause "the man", he don't listen, etc. And yes, I'm aware of the fact that Apple doesn't want "suggestions" due to legal problems, etc. Just do it.
Maybe that's true if you never had one before. If you've been with Mac for as long many of us have, you don't see it that way. It's just always been.
Do you think Apple can read your mind?
Yes. It's called "market research." Or, for a less scientific approach, they could pay an intern to roam the forums.
Umm, I've been using DDR3 1600 with my Kentsfield/Bearlake system for quite a few months now.
Do you mean that "Apple will introduce DDR3 in the Imac revision that has Nehalem"?
So, it's not that it's "overpriced" it's just that it doesn't match your wants and needs. As far as the consumer being a "victim" because features "are forced" on you, I'd love to have a $2000 BMW and I bet if I could go to the factory I could put one together for that price by leaving off some the features I don't need or want. I'd rather an 8-track than the expensive factory installed sound system for example. Darn those capitalist pigs!
As a proud (former) owner of an Apple IIe (Brazilian clone), an Apple IIGS, a Quadra 605, an iBook G3 and finally my iMac G5, I must admit those were classy times...
But you have to admit, the current lineup is simply awesome without straying into too many different market segments...quality is still excellent overall, and market support levels are at an all-time high...Apple IS a FAD WITH REASON, not just trendy...
Besides, I don't miss those times when I said I had a Mac and people were like: "huh"?
I had this same thinking...but if you can wait til amazon gets them in stock then the price points are a bit closer. I'm just using rounded up or down numbers, but anyway:
Apple Refurb: 1100 + tax = 1200
Amazon.com: 1500 - rebate = 1400
So that's currently what I'm struggling with. I think the deciding factor will be when crucial, newegg, owc, etc. update their stores with mac certified RAM and we will know the cost to upgrade.
Amen. But I'll be ordering whatever it is they finally get around to producing. My sister-in-law and husband need a new computer. It's Mac or bust.
Esp. since I'm tech support.
It's rough being tech support for your own husband - you can't hide anyplace when his computer is down.
So, it's not that it's "overpriced" it's just that it doesn't match your wants and needs. As far as the consumer being a "victim" because features "are forced" on you, I'd love to have a $2000 BMW and I bet if I could go to the factory I could put one together for that price by leaving off some the features I don't need or want. I'd rather an 8-track than the expensive factory installed sound system for example. Darn those capitalist pigs!
Your analogy only works if you consider size to be one of, if not the most important features on a mac. For me it's the operating system, with the quality of the hardware coming in second. On a laptop, size is also very important. On a desktop, not so much. So for me a more valid analogy would be if BMW forced you to get the butt warmers when I live in Phoenix, AZ.
Here here! To piggyback:
The current low-end "new" MacMini on the Apple Store is $500 cheaper than the current low-end new MacBook.
The "current" MacMini: It's an August 2007 low-end MacBook without a display, no iSight, no keyboard, no trackpad, no 802.11n, only a Combo drive (not SuperDrive), and no lithium ion battery. All the aforementioned parts add up to much more than $500 dollars.
Oh yeah, and the new MacBook has SR Penryn. The "new" MacMini doesn't.
Overpriced.
How ya like 'dem Apples?