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Apple to Launch an $800 Laptop?

I think Apple has saturated the high-end notebook market at $1099 for a rather basic and underwhelming notebook. To get a reasonable system from Apple you would need to spend at least $1300 to get a competitive notebook. That market is small in the era of $450 CD or AMD Turion X2 notebook from Acer and Compaq and Gateway. I realize these computers are not in the same league for obvious reasons but price has ALWAYS been an issue for Apple when trying to get converts from Windows. My parents who are retired and in their late 60's always wanted a Mac but at the time the least expensive Apple was $1000 when PC's were selling for $300. I bought them a used iBook G4 about a year ago and then a used iMac and they are very happy. IF apple can get the price-point to a magical number (say that number is $800) they will open-up the market to an entirely new group of users and THAT is ALWAYS a good thing.

If Apple wants to continue past a niche market (that still is what Apple is - just look at the numbers) they need more computers in the hands of the masses and not just those with more than the average disposable income. Life has been good to me so I can buy the things I like and generally the things I want - but not everyone is in the position. I think Apple could CLEAN-UP with a WELL EQUIPPED $800 notebook and NOT a stripped-down MacBook with 1GB RAM and a COMBO-DRIVE! This is a chance for Apple to go for the gold and allow an entirely new group of users to enjoy and experience what a computer can really do!

D
 
Eidorian said:
$800 is a POS laptop?

I'd welcome the addition to the Mac line up. Apple never touched the lower end Core 2 Duo processors and Pentium Dual Core. It's about time.
Click to expand...

Yes. :)

Personally, I don't want a cheap machine that uses shared memory architectures, less than brilliant screens, a less than middle ground processor/chipset and smaller LCD screens. I want my nice 15" screen workhorse laptop that's still light enough to travel with, 5lbs or less works fine. :)
 
bytethese said:
Yes. :)

Personally, I don't want a cheap machine that uses shared memory architectures, less than brilliant screens, a less than middle ground processor/chipset and smaller LCD screens. I want my nice 15" screen workhorse laptop that's still light enough to travel with, 5lbs or less works fine. :)
Click to expand...
You're describing a Macbook.
 
We DO need an Apple netbook, however...

...not in the EEE PC form factor. We (I!) need this, and it will sell like hot cakes:

1. Full size keyboard
2. 10" screen with minimal bezel border to ensure a compact design. The biggest flaw with the MacBook Air is the huge amount of wasted space around the screen and keyboard. Thin is not as important as narrow!
3. NO DVD drive. What is the point? I can download movies - that is what WiFi and 3G is for. Physical media is obsolete, except for USB drives for backups and quick file transfers between devices.
4. Built in HSDPA modem and sim card slot.
5. Three USB ports
6. Firewire port for TimeMachine backups (for those of us not using Apple's Capsule)
7. Huge multitouch trackpad
8. 5 to 6 hour battery - solar panel on lid for trickle charge?
9. A PowerBook Duo like docking system?
10. £500 UK, $800 US.

I'm ready to buy!

Philberttheduck said:
Just hope it's not an $800 netbook. Despite the impulse-buy popularity of netbooks, I just don't see Apple playing this market; Apple's always been a trend STARTER, not follower. But I have seen crazier things and wouldn't be opposed to a netbook at all (although at $500, not 800)
Click to expand...
 
ddTaylor said:
I think Apple has saturated the high-end notebook market at $1099 for a rather basic and underwhelming notebook. To get a reasonable system from Apple you would need to spend at least $1300 to get a competitive notebook. That market is small in the era of $450 CD or AMD Turion X2 notebook from Acer and Compaq and Gateway. I realize these computers are not in the same league for obvious reasons but price has ALWAYS been an issue for Apple when trying to get converts from Windows. My parents who are retired and in their late 60's always wanted a Mac but at the time the least expensive Apple was $1000 when PC's were selling for $300. I bought them a used iBook G4 about a year ago and then a used iMac and they are very happy. IF apple can get the price-point to a magical number (say that number is $800) they will open-up the market to an entirely new group of users and THAT is ALWAYS a good thing.

If Apple wants to continue past a niche market (that still is what Apple is - just look at the numbers) they need more computers in the hands of the masses and not just those with more than the average disposable income. Life has been good to me so I can buy the things I like and generally the things I want - but not everyone is in the position. I think Apple could CLEAN-UP with a WELL EQUIPPED $800 notebook and NOT a stripped-down MacBook with 1GB RAM and a COMBO-DRIVE! This is a chance for Apple to go for the gold and allow an entirely new group of users to enjoy and experience what a computer can really do!

D
Click to expand...

+1 I'm hoping Apple hits a home run here and comes out with great updates at competitive prices. Apple needs to concentrate on the computer side of the business now. Ancient ACDs and Minis are a joke, Montevina laptops that aren't available 3 months after all the PC versions are out and the absence of an affordable, modern desktop is a disgrace. Come on Apple Computer. :D
 
Hasn't anyone here been inside an Apple Store lately? I had plenty of time to browse while waiting to buy my iPhone, and I remember seeing the 17" MBPro with the uber-res screen for around $3100. If this list is real, that's what the top-priced item on it would be.

And they had 10 price points, not 8: that's 2 MBAirs, 2 MBPro17s, 3 MBPro15s, and 3 MB13s.

As for what the 2 additional models would be, my prediction is that they're dropping prices on the standard MB configs (of course an $800 MB would have a combo drive) and inserting something new into the already-gaping price-point hole between those and the MBPro: either a 15" MB or a 13" MBPro.
 
ACubed said:
naugh netbooks are a waste of money...outdated slow hardware FTL!
Click to expand...

Yet they sell really, really well. And actually pack enough punch for many casual applications that non powerusers often use. A netbook is a great fit for thousands, if not millions of computer users who don't need more than an Internet / email / word processing system.

image.php
 
posterized said:
Am I the only one who will be missing the white plastics?

Aluminum is cool.

But it is the current white MB that really states "Apple"
Click to expand...

Yes, it is easy to walk into a place and say - there's a mac, hey another mac, look another mac. but seriously, I seen some well used mac's - the polished plastic apple uses looks cool and sharp, but scratches easy, plus with the discolored palm rests overtime, you would think the owner is a pig and did not wash up (brown or real dirty yellow).

I don't care what color they are (just not hot pink, powder blue, or purple for us guys sakes) - functionality is what matters.

Obviously Dell cares about colors - look at their magazines, they are offering Leather and Bamboo wraps on their studio hybrids (at a premium price), and interchangable color sleaves for an extra $20 each.


Plus, have you seen:

dell-inspiron-1525-mike-ming.jpg


Looks cool, but unfortunately still has the same insides..... Funny how we consumers take fashion over functionaility
 
wonderkid said:
...not in the EEE PC form factor. We (I!) need this, and it will sell like hot cakes:

1. Full size keyboard
2. 10" screen with minimal bezel border to ensure a compact design. The biggest flaw with the MacBook Air is the huge amount of wasted space around the screen and keyboard. Thin is not as important as narrow!
3. NO DVD drive. What is the point? I can download movies - that is what WiFi and 3G is for. Physical media is obsolete, except for USB drives for backups and quick file transfers between devices.
4. Built in HSDPA modem and sim card slot.
5. Three USB ports
6. Firewire port for TimeMachine backups (for those of us not using Apple's Capsule)
7. Huge multitouch trackpad
8. 5 to 6 hour battery - solar panel on lid for trickle charge?
9. A PowerBook Duo like docking system?
10. £500 UK, $800 US.

I'm ready to buy!
Click to expand...

Whoa, you're describing my dream machine... too bad it was a sony vaio srx-87p 7 years ago. Minus the hsdpa. 10.3in screen, 2.73 lbs, 850mhz P3 Ultra Low Voltage, 4pin firewire dvdrom, 512mb ram, 20gb hd, 2 usb ports, modem, ethernet, and around 5 hours of battery life. I think it cost $1800 USD at the time. But remember, that was 7 years ago. The Air is a huge back step and only a $100 price decrease. Don't pull the "it won't have OSX on it" card. I was running Gentoo on that bad boy, not windows. And I have no problem going back to linux. My 15" mbpro is getting tiresome, no reason to carry around 6 lbs.
 
840quadra said:
A netbook is a great fit for thousands, if not millions of computer users...
Click to expand...
Which is it? If it's a market of thousands, it may not be worth the design costs, let alone the manufacturing tooling for Apple to bring the product to market. If it's millions, then maybe it is.
 
The problem I see with an $800 macbook is that it is (should be) basically just a macbook air without the pricetag.
 
JAQ said:
Which is it? If it's a market of thousands, it may not be worth the design costs, let alone the manufacturing tooling for Apple to bring the product to market. If it's millions, then maybe it is.
Click to expand...

good point
 
claimed4all said:
Why does everyone want a macbook with a Dedicated GPU? We know the dedicated GPU is loads better, but the macbook is entry level equipment. Probably of 1/2 the mac users out there do not require a dedicated GPU, so no sense putting it in the macbook.
Click to expand...

I play WoW on my MacBook sometimes. Having a dedicated GPU would be nice.

I don't have a problem with Combo Drives, I have never burned a DVD on my MacBook or iMac. People who do have the option to get a DVD burner.

BluRay isn't coming out now.


This rumor doesn't feel right to me. A $800 price point is just way to low for anything resembling the current MacBook. Imagine what the refurbished MacBooks would go for, $600?

12 price points is way to many for just 4 product lines. There has been a push to reduce the many price points over the models.

The only way this rumor makes any sense to me is if Apple announces a new laptop. A Netbook that is below the MacBook. This could hit the $800 price point and add a few more price points with a new produt line. But I doubt they would release such a low end machine.

Here's hoping for a October 14th release, but I'm starting to feel its coming out at the beginning of November. Either way, I'm buying a new MacBook when it hits the market. Hopefully with a nice graphics card.
 
lasuther said:
I play WoW on my MacBook sometimes. Having a dedicated GPU would be nice.

I don't have a problem with Combo Drives, I have never burned a DVD on my MacBook or iMac. People who do have the option to get a DVD burner.

BluRay isn't coming out now.


This rumor doesn't feel right to me. A $800 price point is just way to low for anything resembling the current MacBook. Imagine what the refurbished MacBooks would go for, $600?

12 price points is way to many for just 4 product lines. There has been a push to reduce the many price points over the models.

The only way this rumor makes any sense to me is if Apple announces a new laptop. A Netbook that is below the MacBook. This could hit the $800 price point and add a few more price points with a new produt line. But I doubt they would release such a low end machine.

Here's hoping for a October 14th release, but I'm starting to feel its coming out at the beginning of November. Either way, I'm buying a new MacBook when it hits the market. Hopefully with a nice graphics card.
Click to expand...

how does WoW run on your macbook? and what are your specs?
 
teme said:
Recommended system requirements for Vista Premium are 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 1 GB of system memory and 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
Click to expand...

Yeah, go ahead and try running Vista on that. ;)

It runs like crap on most entry level hardware sold today, let alone a 1Ghz proc from 2001.
 
Eidorian said:
I'm surprised that you thought so.

If you need more expensive hardware then you're free to buy it. There are plenty of users that would be happy with a $799 MacBook.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of users who are happy with a lot of crap. I switched to Mac in 2006 after being a windows user, support professional and computer science student. The reason I made the switch was the elegance of the hardware and (mostly)seemless software integration.

It would be such a pity if Apple cheapened themselves with cheaper hardware. Cheaper prices are one thing, using less quality parts is another...
 
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