I'm officially becoming one of those LowEndMacs wackos

[seamus26]

The problem that I see with Apple - and it isn't really a problem with Apple - is that like everything that is a progression they are continually compared with what they've done in the past. How many times have you heard that a band's new release "isn't nearly as good as their first album". It's the same thing. Apple has always been an innovative company. The Newton, iMac, iPod ... there's a long list. The new Macs are beautiful and powerful. They are hands down huge improvements over older machines. I love my '89 Volvo 240, but would I take a new S60? You bet! All Macs have their place ... many of them in my home. I love all of my Macs from my Classic to our Intel iMac. And pricing? I hear a lot of complaints, but you get what you pay for. back in '95 I paid $2100 for a Performa 638CD with a Color StyleWriter 2400. We paid almost exactly the same amount thirteen years later for the new iMac with the Epson RX595. I've got no complaints.

 

[dmmcintyre3]

I liked the old MBP and cinema display better. Too bad I have to go back 2 years in age to get a reliable one. I am weary of buying another two year old computer like I did with my PB because the PB is slow. I have had the PB 1.5 years. For some reason I think that the 2.33 GHz if I buy it will be not able to run the current OS in 2 years after I buy it if I bought it on SL release day.

Low End Mac is a great site. I visit there every day just like MacRumors.

My favorite 2 computer designs:
iMac G4
PowerBook G4 / non unibody MacBook Pro

Give me a computer with today's specs in those cases and I will buy it. I do not care that the design is from 2004 or older I like it better.

 

[TheReef]

I'm actually pleased what they did with the Mac mini, didn't make it horrible and black, added dual displays and *ADDED* FW 800. Depends on what you see value in I guess.

I've been a little displeased with Apple's PPC laptops and the ball soldier binding quality of various components/chips…however I was amazed to see the 9400M go into the white Macbook.

Favorites would have to be the Pismo G3, eMac, G5 tower, Cube, Blackbook and G4 iMac.



In all I think regardless of the architecture or age, there have been some really great and not so good machines.

 

[McKnight]

Apple's a business and they've grown by 50% market share this year alone. They recently published a massive profit for the last financial year. They're doing great, quite the opposite of the general "apple is getting worse" vibe in this thread.

 

[skinniezinho]

Apple's a business and they've grown by 50% market share this year alone. They recently published a massive profit for the last financial year. They're doing great, quite the opposite of the general "apple is getting worse" vibe in this thread.

What do that type of statement has to do with what is discussed here?
Apple can sell 300x more or whatever,that doesn't make it better...
You see lot's of people complaining about glassy monitors,problems with graphic cards,etc etc,for me that is not growing up in the good..they will sell more it's true..but that has to do with the line being cheaper and "more beautiful" and that atract people too.

 

[student_trap]

I sold my MacBook Air last night and replaced it with a Vaio TZ2500. That puts me back to PPC-only Macs--I still own a 12" PowerBook and a 600mhz iMac G3. I have to say, I've become pretty disenchanted with modern Macs. I usually find the people on LEM to be a bunch of wackos, but I really have to agree that the old Macs were the best.

I think Apple has just gotten complacent and is no longer being run in the competitive "startup"/underdog mentality. After years of getting awesome hardware and software releases on a regular basis, we're not left with much of anything these days. I think the last Mac Mini and iPod shuffle updates are what really drove the point home.

Granted, I still thought the MBA was an amazing machine, and probably the only innovative thing Apple has done in a long time. Unfortunately I can't justify keeping around two ultraportables.

After looking at pricing on the TZ that I'm typing on now, it just became too obvious that modern Macs aren't worth what Apple charges. I paid $1100 for this TZ, which came with a 64gb SSD as well as a 250gb HDD. It also runs about six hours on a charge, as opposed to 3-ish on the MBA, and has a gorgeous carbon fiber lid.

The sad thing is that I'm more productive on my PPC Macs than on the MBA, because Office runs so much faster on the PPC platform. Office 2004 launches instantly on a G4, yet both 2004 (via Rosetta) and 2008 are dog-slow on modern Intel Macs.

Anyways, that's my rant. In a nutshell, I love PPC's. In the Intel age, I think it's just a better value to get a PC.

Apart from your last statement, I completely agree. I too have been pretty disappointed with most of apple's offerings since the intel switch. For me, there was always something that I liked about the wackiness of apple design coupled with their inherent simplicity. The colour machines for example made them so much less like computers, it made them feel more creative (if that makes sense). Then the move to all white was great as again it was just so different.

Moving to all aluminium however doesn't get me in the same way, its like my girlfriend says to me when she see's my mac pro/acd combo...
" well it works really well, but it looks like a computer, it would be better if it looked a little more 'apple like'".

For the mean time then, I have been trying to get hold of some of those iconic designs. So far I have picked up an indigo imac and a G4 digital audio powermac, am looking to buy a ruby imac, and am waiting for an indigo ibook G3 to arrive in the post.

 

[iMpathetic]

I usually find the people on LEM to be a bunch of wackos,

Hey! Shut up! I write for them!

 

[dmmcintyre3]

What happened to machines like the iMac G4 and 12 inch PB? The MBA is the closest to this class of design but it is DEFIANTLY form over function. The iMac is too. I would like a low end tower (like in the old days before the iMac) Apple has made all in ones with PCI slots before. (look at some old all in one PowerMacs such as this)

(Yes I like Low End Mac)

 

[Sehnsucht]

After looking at pricing on the TZ that I'm typing on now, it just became too obvious that modern Macs aren't worth what Apple charges. I paid $1100 for this TZ, which came with a 64gb SSD as well as a 250gb HDD. It also runs about six hours on a charge, as opposed to 3-ish on the MBA, and has a gorgeous carbon fiber lid.

The VAIOs are pretty tasty. Sony is actually the only PC manufacturer who can make systems that are both high quality and don't cause one to go blind from their fugliness *points at HP*

If I were going to Hackint0sh a PC laptop, I'd definitely want a VAIO. Many of them even have chiclet keyboards just like Apple's notebooks.

 

[coupdetat]

Yikes. I bought a Zune 120gb today.

My iPod Photo 60gb died... I went into the Apple store to try the iPod Classic and oh my god was it laggy! The iPod Photo's clickwheel was easily usable in the car without looking at the screen, because the movement was always responsive and predictable. The Classic, on the other hand, responded slowly and inconsistently.

On the other hand, I'm seriously considering picking up an iMac G4. I miss being able to use Apple Pages and Keynote, I've done some of my best projects on those two apps.

Anyways, I totally agree with some of the points made here about Apple's new offerings being competent but not "Appley". They're boring!

 

[Koodauw]

I can understand everyones nostalgia for old Macs, but really the intel Macs are some of the best as far as the notebooks go. I can understand issues about only glossy screens etc, but thats more of a preference issue.

 

[Heb1228]

They'll never beat the design of the flat panel G4 iMacs. Its the coolest computer ever invented.

 

[Ttownbeast]

Hell I am low end everything, I drove a 77 Chevy Luv pickup until I blew up the motor in 2006 and I still do most of my carpentry work with hand tools LOL

 

[dsnort]

Actually, I still find ALL PC laptops are ugly and clunky in comparison to Mac laptops. The PC laptops touted as being attractive look fussy or gaudy IMO.

So true. I recently considered a PC running Linux to replace my MacBook. After seeing them side by side at a Best Buy, I found out that the PC's are attractive in a "crack whore wearing a lot of makeup in poor lighting after a case of beer" kind of way.

Finally bought the UMBP. A "Mona Lisa" in a field of garbage.

 

[dsnort]

For the mean time then, I have been trying to get hold of some of those iconic designs. So far I have picked up an indigo imac and a G4 digital audio powermac, am looking to buy a ruby imac, and am waiting for an indigo ibook G3 to arrive in the post.

I have a G3 iBook Clamshell, a Cube, and just gave my G3 iMac Snow to my parents. It's amazing how capable these old Macs are, but eventually, you reach their limit, and need more.

They'll never beat the design of the flat panel G4 iMacs. Its the coolest computer ever invented.

My son wants one of these sooooo bad!

 

[chrismacguy]

I only wish Apple had made a 24" iMac G4, they are the coolest computers. ever.

 

[Doctor Doom]

a 24" would've been way too heavy. The 20" had a really heavy base to counter-balance the screen, any bigger and we'd be talking serious ironmongery

Do love the 20" though.

 

[chrismacguy]

Not saying it was practical... just really want one. Of course the ultimate would be a 30" version, but am guessing the base would be the size and weight of the titanic!

a 24" would've been way too heavy. The 20" had a really heavy base to counter-balance the screen, any bigger and we'd be talking serious ironmongery

Do love the 20" though.

 

[dmmcintyre3]

Now, how do you right-click a screen?

Put two fingers on it to right click. Do it all the time on my PB's trackpad.

 

[student_trap]

I have a G3 iBook Clamshell, a Cube, and just gave my G3 iMac Snow to my parents. It's amazing how capable these old Macs are, but eventually, you reach their limit, and need more.

Well I haven't stopped...Here's a run down of my recent old mac purchases:

Indigo imac
Cost: Free
450 mhz
256mb ram
20 gb hard drive
DVD (seems a little dodgy)
OSX Tiger

Ruby imac (screen flickers a bit)
Cost: £5
400 mhz
64 mb ram
10 gb Hard drive
CD ROM
OS9

Ruby imac (perfect!)
Cost: £21
450 mhz
640 mb ram
120 gb Hard drive
CD-RW
OSX Panther

indigo ibook clamshell (mint condition!)
Cost: £67
366 mhz
192 mb ram
10 gb hard drive
CD ROM
Airport Card
OS9

blueberry ibook clamshell (gift for my girlfriend, awaiting delivery)
Cost: £52
300 mhz
192 mb ram
6 gb hard drive
CD ROM
OS9

This stuff is just so addictive!

My son wants one of these sooooo bad!

Would love to get a G4 imac, but they go for quite alot of cash still

 

[TheReef]

…This stuff is just so addictive!…

I was like that once…except not for good looking macs, just any free mac I came across.

I've since reduced to a single Mac mini and Pismo.

It's so hard to turn down a free Mac though, even if you aren't to use it.

EDIT: Now look what you've made me done, I'm searching eBay for clamshell iBooks and G4 iMacs.

 

[student_trap]

Sorry about that, but those clamshells sure are gorgeous!

I'll post some pics soon of all the new editions to my mac family, including the modern ones (and the one i bought for my girlfriend) I'm up to 9 !

 

[Theclamshell]

i do miss the cool designs of apple