Sold! (Even though that would mean that the $999 iMac would likely have integrated graphics...)iBookG4user said:
B
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Education iMac: For Institutions Only
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
B
I agree this is a bummer. I was hoping to ge one of them for the wife so she would be distracted from the machine I end up getting. I wonder if the offer will come back at some point.
ChrisA said:
The Mac Mini is not expansive, to have an expandable Mac the suits in Apple decides that you are a "pro" user and adjusts the pricing of your MacOS according... oh, I was referring to the flat 20% margins they have on every single product in their line.
Why does MacOS costs so much more on a Powermac than on a Mini? Beats me!
shawnce said:
Indeed, why sell a $399 Mac for what it is worth when you can sell it for $799?
Electro Funk said:What
Name 1 corporation that is not greedy...
And non-profits are not allowed...
It is a good deal of greed that separates those who are happy to buy something at $c and sell it at $c + $p from those who decides it is not even worth their while unless $p = 20% * $p...
I say keep the Core Solo Mac mini around. I know it's a few dollars less then a Core Duo but we need something to round out the $500 area again. The markets are really segmented at $499, $999, $1499, and $1999.
Hence iBookG4User's price points...Eidorian said:
generik said:
Even though your last equation seems wrong (1=20%) you seem to forget that $p typically pays for marketing, administation, R&D and finally profit. 20% gross margin is pretty poor.
B
hyperpasta said:
The reason there is a huge demand for cheaper Macs is simply because you can buy an HP for so little. If PCs started in price at $599, you wouldn't see people bellyaching about Mac prices. It's a market driven effect that really doesn't reflect the real market value of a PC in my opinion. Everyone trying to undercut each other just a little bit untill eventually everyone is cutting bone.
It wouldn't work. The reason PCs can be sold for that little is that the companies making them:
1) Don't do much of their own R&D work (they mostly follow others' lead)
2) Are making the costs up in volume (and Apple's volume isn't quite what Dell's is).
3) They offer inferior customer service to what I think most people here would argue is Apple's norm.
4) They have no software development costs. Think of all the programs that come on your Mac for free, not to mention OSX itself. PC makers are paying a licence fee to Microsoft that is paltry (and M$ makes it up on volume) but Apple has to fund development of OSX and the iApps somehow, and part of that higher Mac price goes to fund them. PC makers bundle lots of trialware and other software other companies have spent the development costs to make.
Jeez Apple.... you think that maybe the current lowest end iMac might be a little rich for everyone's blood? Sure sign of that is if everyone if buying the $899 model even though it is missing a SuperDrive and Front Row.
I think Apple should use this occurance as good solid info that people will just eat up the iMac if it is priced a tad cheaper.
In the next revisions, why not offer:
$999
17" 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
160GB HD
Combo Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/ 128MB
APE + BT 2.0
$1299
17" 2 GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
160GB HD
Super Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/128MB
APE + BT 2.0
$1499
20" 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo
1GB Ram
250GB HD
Super Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/ 256MB
APE + BT 2.0
Then I would say lower the Mac Mini's to the following:
$399
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
60GB HD
Combo Drive
APE + BT 2.0
$599
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
80GB HD
Super Drive
APE + BT 2.0
I would go with the risky $399 price point because with those specs you would be selling a throw away computer at that point. The 1.66GHz chip is already dated and it would be perfect for someone who doesn't know a heck of a lot about Apple. That way they aren't feeling like they are spending a "fortune" for something they are unfamiliar with. Plus once they have been bitten by the "Mac Bug", they will be more likely to go for the bigger and better models on their next purchase in 1-3 years.
I think Apple should use this occurance as good solid info that people will just eat up the iMac if it is priced a tad cheaper.
In the next revisions, why not offer:
$999
17" 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
160GB HD
Combo Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/ 128MB
APE + BT 2.0
$1299
17" 2 GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
160GB HD
Super Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/128MB
APE + BT 2.0
$1499
20" 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo
1GB Ram
250GB HD
Super Drive
ATI Radeon X1600 w/ 256MB
APE + BT 2.0
Then I would say lower the Mac Mini's to the following:
$399
1.66GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
60GB HD
Combo Drive
APE + BT 2.0
$599
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
512 MB Ram
80GB HD
Super Drive
APE + BT 2.0
I would go with the risky $399 price point because with those specs you would be selling a throw away computer at that point. The 1.66GHz chip is already dated and it would be perfect for someone who doesn't know a heck of a lot about Apple. That way they aren't feeling like they are spending a "fortune" for something they are unfamiliar with. Plus once they have been bitten by the "Mac Bug", they will be more likely to go for the bigger and better models on their next purchase in 1-3 years.
I agree with KindredMAC's pricing. The Core Duo is more then enough. I know we'll find a way to complain about it. (Core 2 Duo, etc.)
The average joe isn't going to care other then it's "fast", it can game, and it's not expensive. Apple needs a GOOD all-in-one solution at $999.
The average joe isn't going to care other then it's "fast", it can game, and it's not expensive. Apple needs a GOOD all-in-one solution at $999.
I think the $999 iMac will be made available to the public at some point, just like the eMac was.Eidorian said:I agree with KindredMAC's pricing. The Core Duo is more then enough. I know we'll find a way to complain about it. (Core 2 Duo, etc.)
The average joe isn't going to care other then it's "fast", it can game, and it's not expensive. Apple needs a GOOD all-in-one solution at $999.
I can't see a $399 Core Duo mini for a while though.... Maybe a 1.6 GHz Core Solo version...
B
Yeah, Apple needs to make the Mac mini more lucrative. If the $999 iMac ever shows up I expect a price drop on the educational variant. Well Apple should drop the price..balamw said:
Eidorian said:I agree with KindredMAC's pricing. The Core Duo is more then enough. I know we'll find a way to complain about it. (Core 2 Duo, etc.)
The average joe isn't going to care other then it's "fast", it can game, and it's not expensive. Apple needs a GOOD all-in-one solution at $999.
Just wait 6 months and you'll have it...in the low end MacBook!
JK, I know what you mean. I would even settle for a Mini and 20" display combination for $1099. I can't really explain it, but for some reason I prefer the Mini (integrated graphics and all) to the iMac.
Oh stop whinning. You know deep down there were way to many people using the discount when they should not have been. The policy just falls back on what they previously did years ago with the discount. Dang, it wasn't long ago that you had to have it shipped to the school. Come on, look at what some university bookstores are doing now before you can buy Apple software at discount.
I don't blame them. It makes it tougher for those whom need the hardware but this has gone on long enough. It's three hundred flippin' USD, and you get enough upgrades for that. Suck it up and work a few hours of overtime for a couple weeks.
Good for you Apple! There is no need to explain.
I don't blame them. It makes it tougher for those whom need the hardware but this has gone on long enough. It's three hundred flippin' USD, and you get enough upgrades for that. Suck it up and work a few hours of overtime for a couple weeks.
Good for you Apple! There is no need to explain.
Retire Core Solo & Offer Two Core 2 Duo Speeds By January 2007
I think it's time to Retire Core Solo & Offer Two Core 2 Duo Speeds By January 2007. There's no cost reason to keep a Core Solo in the line. Just offer the two slowest Core 2 Duo speeds in what I would like to see as $499 Combo and $699 Superdrive models. But I guess $100 more for each will have to do if Apple really can't make enough profit at those lower prices.Eidorian said:
generik said:
do you buy clothes? ever bought a used car? how about dinner out at a restaurant?
Some Customary Markup Percentages for Retail Businesses:
New cars 15%
Used cars 75%
Electrical Appliances 30%
Clothing 50%
Trend Clothing 59%
Crystal Ware 60%
Gifts and clocks 55%
Food Retailers 45%
hyperpasta said:
You think a 40GB drive can hold OS X, iLife, a couple of additional apps, and large sized iTunes and iPhoto libraries? You must have forgotten to include the "just kidding" smilie.
Let's do some quick math. A small iPhoto library like mine is 2000 photos. I have a 5 megapixel camera, half the images have red eye removed or some other change (iPhoto keeps the originals and the edited copies) so I have roughly 3000 files averaging 1.8MB each or 5.4GB. That's a small iPhoto library. You also want to hold a large iTunes library which implies a 30 or 60GB iPod owner.
So without going any further we need about 10GB for OS X and all the bundled apps, another 10GB for a fairly small iPhoto library, 15GB to half fill an iPod and 25GB to hold two hours of footage from your digital video camera. For all practical purposes, remembering that hard drives don't run well without a bunch of free space for editing, virtual memory, etc., we've just filled an 80GB hard drive (formatted capacity 74GB).
So I've just proved that the Mac mini is fatally flawed for many users because it's physically too small to hold a standard 3.5" HD. If it had been even one inch bigger it could have not only held more, it would have been less expensive to manufacture.
I was surprised when they announced the edu iMac at only $899 and so the announcement that it's now restricted to institutional purchase makes sense. Regarding the specs I figure Apple must have gotten a really great deal on 80GB HDs because in the retail market there's only a $10-20 difference between 80GB and 160GB. Heck there's only a $35 difference between 80GB and 250GB.
alep85 said that 80% of the consumer market doesn't need anything more than integrated graphics. Obviously those people are over the age of 30 and don't have children.
Boot Minis Off An External 400GB ATA Drive In A FW Case For $150 Extra
You don't use the internal drive anyway. You build a 400GB FW drive with a $100 400GB ATA Drive and a $40 FW Case. That's your boot drive on these Minis not what comes inside them. Mini sits right on top of the FW Drive. Not a space problem. Runs way faster that way as well. I would never buy-use a mini without booting off a big external drive like this.Bregalad said:
Future Bottom Of Line Core 2 Duo Wil Equal Cost Of Today's Core Solo
I doubt there will be much difference. If fact I doubt Core Solo will continue to be made beyond this Winter.theBB said:
So Is This A Marriage Proposal Or What?
So are you asking her to marry you or what?sisyphus said:Hmmmmmmm..... tempting.... oh wait, I think she reads this board... I would NEVER give her up. Never. Ever.
I find it funny how everyone wants lower pricing based on what Dell and other sell computers for.
$299 from dell gets you this:
2.53 Celeron
256MB
80GB
Combo Drive
Intergrated Graphics (of course)
17" CRT
What a computer. Boy oh boy.
Cheap is fine. If someone want a cheap computer, have at it. However when I buy a Mac I know I am getting the best parts out there.
2.0Ghz Core Duos. Bigger Hard Drives. More memory. Faster Graphics.
I don't have to configure the $299 computer to be something worthwhile.
Not to mention, the cost to design such a lovely machine. The cost of the OS and software that comes on it.
I can see them bringing down the mini and maybe the iMac depending on what the updates bring.
But whining for lower prices on the same parts is ridiculous. If you want them to keep Yonah, sure they will drop costs. However most of use want Merom or Conroe, in which cases the prices stay the same.
You can buy the old model if you want to save a few bucks, but keep your whining to yourself.
$299 from dell gets you this:
2.53 Celeron
256MB
80GB
Combo Drive
Intergrated Graphics (of course)
17" CRT
What a computer. Boy oh boy.
Cheap is fine. If someone want a cheap computer, have at it. However when I buy a Mac I know I am getting the best parts out there.
2.0Ghz Core Duos. Bigger Hard Drives. More memory. Faster Graphics.
I don't have to configure the $299 computer to be something worthwhile.
Not to mention, the cost to design such a lovely machine. The cost of the OS and software that comes on it.
I can see them bringing down the mini and maybe the iMac depending on what the updates bring.
But whining for lower prices on the same parts is ridiculous. If you want them to keep Yonah, sure they will drop costs. However most of use want Merom or Conroe, in which cases the prices stay the same.
You can buy the old model if you want to save a few bucks, but keep your whining to yourself.
I don't see the Mac mini getting Core 2 Duo anytime soon.theBB said:
Core Duo's price difference between a Core Solo CPU is only $30-40.
I just got the call today that my order of 25 of these iMacs will be delivered Friday. I just placed the order last Friday! I guess either I was one of the first to order or they had a ton of them ready to go!