Do you agree apple leads the Laptop market?

[webmatthijs]

yesterday in the Conference Apple had, there was mentiond that apple were leading the online music store market and the laptop market. Do you agree apple is leading the laptop market?
I could think of alot of improvement apple could make like e.g. the little mouse pad could be touch sensetive so you dont need a different button for clicking.
So you agree or dissagree?

 

[virividox]

the track pad can be programmed to click

its under system preferences

 

[viper1701]

The mouse pad is touch sensitive- you can set it up to click, and, unless I am remembering incorrectly, you can set it up to drag as well (I never use the drag feature on any laptop, so I don't remember if Apple offers it).

I feel that Apple laptops are quite good. They are certainly near the top in terms of design, content, weight, and possibly power. Find another 17" laptop that is less than an inch thick!

However, there are some problems. The battery in my Dell (I didn't choose to get a Dell, my school requires us to all buy the same computer) definitely lasts longer than the one in the iBook I used to use and I think that is due to the Centrino processor. Also, one feature I desparately wish Apple included was Hibernate. I love being able to shut off my computer without actually shutting down and the sleep function on the Apples is just not the same. I have actually had my iBook shut down a few times because it ran out of batteries while sleeping. Also, when watching DVDs on road trips or airplane rides, if I wanted to switch batteries on the Dell, I can hibernate it and swap them. The Apple needs to be Shut Down to do the same thing. That is annoying.

On the other hand, since OSX is the best operating system, just by running it, the Apple laptops are sort of leading the field.

 

[webmatthijs]

ok sorry...

Ok so i was wrong about the touchpad, sorry.

And yes, in terms of looks it is absolutly stunning, but i have seen more powerful laptops.( keep in mind that the were much thicker) but as already said since OSX is running on most apple laptops it must be one of the most stable ones around. I think i agree with apple.

 

[Ajmbc]

The mouse pad is touch sensitive- you can set it up to click, and, unless I am remembering incorrectly, you can set it up to drag as well (I never use the drag feature on any laptop, so I don't remember if Apple offers it).

I feel that Apple laptops are quite good. They are certainly near the top in terms of design, content, weight, and possibly power. Find another 17" laptop that is less than an inch thick!

However, there are some problems. The battery in my Dell (I didn't choose to get a Dell, my school requires us to all buy the same computer) definitely lasts longer than the one in the iBook I used to use and I think that is due to the Centrino processor. Also, one feature I desparately wish Apple included was Hibernate. I love being able to shut off my computer without actually shutting down and the sleep function on the Apples is just not the same. I have actually had my iBook shut down a few times because it ran out of batteries while sleeping. Also, when watching DVDs on road trips or airplane rides, if I wanted to switch batteries on the Dell, I can hibernate it and swap them. The Apple needs to be Shut Down to do the same thing. That is annoying.

On the other hand, since OSX is the best operating system, just by running it, the Apple laptops are sort of leading the field.

1 reason why I chose a 15" powerbook: The ability to change batteries in sleep.

This feature isn't offered in iBooks or the 12" powerbook (which is kind of silly), but [with the battery swapping feature] I definitely like instant-on sleep mode better than hibernate.

 

[abhishekit]

It may not be the 'leader' but apple laptops do have a distinct and clear advantage over the windows world, due to OS X. Also unlike the desktops, they are not more expensive. So that makes them a really great buy for anyone with some brains.

cheers

 

[goodwill]

I think the laptop comment was made as a political statement to shareholders to help maintain their confidence in Apple's direction and success. I have no doubt Apple is doing fabulous with their laptops, but I think it might be a tad exaggerated. Who that invests thousands into a company doesnt like hearing the phrase "leading the market". If I was in competition to date Charlize Theron and she told someone, I was leading the pack, I'd freak out and my confidence would continue to soar. I love losing sight of reality sometimes.... <<sigh>>

 

[BornAgainMac]

I remember last year the market share for laptops were something like 6% of all laptops were from Apple. Perhaps "leading" means marketshare. Leading could mean a lot of things.

 

[Timelessblur]

I would call is BS. It complete marketing saying they are good. I think they are more than likely leading the marketing growth rate which is really easy to do when you are as small as apple. Dell is the current market leading in numbers of units sold across the board.

I call that comment on the same leval as the processor speed growth.'


Now Hibration is something that would be really nice to add. Sleep has it advatages (no really way time to power back up) but if power is fully lost is over and it like just cutting the power. It sleep it still drawing power. Hibertaion is the computer is using 0 power. It does not need any power mind you takes about as long to boot back up as a full shutdown would but it still keeps all you data exactly where it was. In my laptop I find my self using them both. Standby if I just going from class to class or I dont need to take notes for 15 -20 min. I will hibrated if I traveling or am going to be gone for a while. It really nice on a plane since during take off and landing you have to have it fully powered down. (aka no I can not use sleep mode). Hibration is really nice when power is running low. My computer will go to stanby at 5% power automatily but if I hit 3% it goes into hibration to prevent me from loosing any of my work.


On a desktop Hibration is more or less useless in my eyes and I may use it a few times but I use sleep mode on it all the time

 

[iGav]

Nothing quite compares to opening ones PowerBook on a train etc etc with that glowing Apple on display... it's like driving a f**kin' Mercedes and seeing that 3 pointed star sticking up at the end of your bonnet.

 

[bousozoku]

Apple leads the market in idealism, not necessarily production or execution.

e.g., are there any other laptop computers other than the 15.2 and 17 inch PowerBooks that have Gigabit Ethernet? I'm not sure that you can find another that has the combination of things that Apple models do.

Certainly, there are other widescreen models. There are other power concious models too. There are also very lightweight models. Try to find that all in one package. Of course, if Apple had faster processors would their machines be able to do all that and go fast at the same time? That would be market-leading.

 

[QCassidy352]

I think apple laptops have the best overall combination of features and specs, but they do not lead the market in units sold, battery life, raw power, or a number of other areas. So it depends on what you mean. That's why jobs can get away with saying it.

 

[saabmp3]

From what I've always heard (and this is what I think after using countless laptops), if your getting a laptop, it better be an IBM or an Apple. It's the little features that nobody advertises that make people who really know what they're doing get these machines.

BEN

 

[Soc7777777]

My experiences with laptops

i would say that apple laptops are 2nd best when you compare them to companies across the board...they are second to IBM... ibm makes very very solid products like apple, and they stand behind those products..

but...

IBMs are overpriced... the ibook is a better deal... the powerbook is the same price/perfromance ratio as the ibm... but damn those pbooks are pretty...

dell, dell sells very cheap computers, they are not the best, and not the worst... if anyone buys a dell then you HAVE to buy the 4 year ON SITE (next day) warrentee... haha every time i have a small problem wiht my computer, even if its a software issue that i know how to fix, i just call dell, act like the average ignorant joe... and get them to send someone, and, sometimes they are busy and cant make it that next day, so i let them come the day after, but call customer service and complain and get them to give me money back on my computer... (hey, i paid for the NEXT DAY on site warrentee, no the DAY AFTER THE NEXT DAY)... this has happened 3 times over the last 3 months, (all issuses i could have solved myself) and i have been given 120-150 dollar credits towards my method of payment EACH TIME... so for me, i think the dell was worth it... i dont have alot fo money to spend... but soon i will have an apple... (desktop though)

 

[rueyeet]

if your getting a laptop, it better be an IBM or an Apple.

It is indeed the common wisdom, especially in corporate circles, that IBM makes the best laptops. I did have a ThinkPad before going Mac, and the real reason I got rid of it (besides lack of an Ethernet port and CD burner) was that Windows just pissed me off once too often. Mom uses it now and it's still going strong.

Of course, a decent mid-range IBM costs about as much as--or more than--an Apple laptop, last I looked. If it weren't for a company discount, I couldn't have afforded that ThinkPad at all back then.

I wouldn't say Apple is a "leader" in laptops, especially not from a raw performance or marketshare perspective, but they're not irrelevant either. Think of it this way: To get build quality, buy IBM. To pile on features for a competitive price, get a Dell. To get something that looks good, buy Sony. To get all of that in the same machine (plus OS X!) buy Apple.

They may not be the definitive "leader", but Mac laptops are still mighty nifty.

 

[m.r.m.]

i would say that apple laptops are 2nd best when you compare them to companies across the board...they are second to IBM... ibm makes very very solid products like apple, and they stand behind those products..

but...

IBMs are overpriced... the ibook is a better deal... the powerbook is the same price/perfromance ratio as the ibm... but damn those pbooks are pretty...

dell, dell sells very cheap computers, they are not the best, and not the worst... if anyone buys a dell then you HAVE to buy the 4 year ON SITE (next day) warrentee... haha every time i have a small problem wiht my computer, even if its a software issue that i know how to fix, i just call dell, act like the average ignorant joe... and get them to send someone, and, sometimes they are busy and cant make it that next day, so i let them come the day after, but call customer service and complain and get them to give me money back on my computer... (hey, i paid for the NEXT DAY on site warrentee, no the DAY AFTER THE NEXT DAY)... this has happened 3 times over the last 3 months, (all issuses i could have solved myself) and i have been given 120-150 dollar credits towards my method of payment EACH TIME... so for me, i think the dell was worth it... i dont have alot fo money to spend... but soon i will have an apple... (desktop though)

my god! consider the possibilities! quickly people quit your jobs and have dell pay the rent!

 

[Soc7777777]

my god! consider the possibilities! quickly people quit your jobs and have dell pay the rent!

haha hopefully, but i have a feeling that next time, they are just going to have me send my computer back to them and they will pay for my computer from another company (apple, which would be even better)