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Intel Ultrabooks Unable to Undercut MacBook Air Prices
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Nah I just looked at the main pic, didn't know there was a video, I should really view the articles properly on this site.
EDIT: But to be honest from a side angle with the lid closed I think they've done a good job at achieving the slim profile. But the lid, yikes!
He actually pointed out that he is not interested in an ultra thin product, therefore rendering it overpriced. He is simply commenting in the wrong thread. I'm over it.
I wish that Apple had kept the entry-level white MacBook, too. It was the best value proposition Apple had, particularly for college students and others who may want both an Apple product at a lower price and the flexibility of having a CD drive and other connections. The 11" MBA just can't fill that hole in the lineup.
However, that's not the same as being overpriced. Overpriced means that the intrinsic value is notably less than the value being charged. Obviously, the intrinsic value cannot be notably less than the value being charged if other competitors cannot make a similar product for less.
What's happening is that Apple dropping the lower priced notebook computer from its lineup, and you're upset that you can no longer get an Apple laptop at the price point and feature set that you want. I agree.
The point here is the MBAir design and form. Using the MacBook enclosure sort of defeats the whole discussion.
I think it's just ridiculous seeing the apple fanatics say they hate this machine then praise the Air.
Its almost an exact copy of the Air.
Its really nice and if you want OSX on it, you can have it. HACKINTOSH !
Its almost an exact copy of the Air.
Its really nice and if you want OSX on it, you can have it. HACKINTOSH !
I wouldn't feel so sad. As you imply, PC's own the corporate market, which is much larger than the personal computing market that Apple is beginning to gain significant market share in. Millions of servers around the world run Linux, Windows and a bunch of other OS's - and not Mac OSX Server. And the only way MacBooks and iMacs will make it into the business offices around the world as client machines is if they are running Windows or Linux (got to be careful with the term "PC" as Macs using the Intel chip are "PC"'s too).
Until Apple takes the enterprise seriously, say in OSX 11, the non-Mac PC will still be the dominant platform.
Nah I just looked at the main pic, didn't know there was a video, I should really view the articles properly on this site.
EDIT: But to be honest from a side angle with the lid closed I think they've done a good job at achieving the slim profile. But the lid, yikes!
Indeed, that's what I mean... You need to keep the lid closed to like it... And if you really want to open it, when it's on a table, you just can't... That's a design fault Apple easily solved, but the I guess, Intel just can't copy everything...
Are you comparing, ah, Apples and oranges here? Are you including software development expenses which is where Apple spends its R&D? Intel is a chip manufacturer and categorizes their R&D differently from Apple.
For the most part, Apple's R&D hardware development is in packaging and design. They do not do (for the most part) board or chip design.
MS R&D expenditures also include gaming (hardware and software). Plus they have wasted considerable money on Vista, to almost rescue it in Windows 7. Lets not forget the amount they threw away in Zune.
There is a good reason for this. Apple has 10's of billions of dollars in cash money. This gives Apple an complete control over their products. They can purchase parts in huge amounts, with the savings that intales. Because Apple pays in cash they exersise iron control over the manufactoring process. Compare a average tablet with an iPad. on the outside they look very much alike. Take them appart and you see the difference the iPad is fantasically well made inside and out. while tablets from others seem to have an out of sight out of mind construction quality. The return rate for Android tablets is much, much higher then Apple's iPad. 16% for the Samsung Galaxy Tab vis 2% for the iPad, with other tables it is as high as 30%. Apple's quality counts for a lot. Add the Apple ecosystem to the mix and you have a winning combination.
I personally don't mind it, they copied the Air pretty faithfully, but at the end of the day it's still running Windows. (unless you "Hackintosh it")
Seriously, why pay the same or more for this unit, only to hack it to run Mac OS when you can have the real deal, with OSX installed and a full warranty? It makes no sense.
If you want Windows in this kind of a form factor, it might be a perfect fit for some people.
The air isn't a new category product. Way back in '99, my first laptop I ever bought was a Sony Vaio Z505TR. I paid $2k for it, and its size is very comparable to the Macbook Air of today.
Back then, it was very expensive to go so small and it never really caught on. Later models of Sony's Z series grew so that they could put in more power at a lower cost.
I'm an Apple user through and through, but there have been other technically brilliant examples of full laptops similar to the air over 12+ years ago.
And you can have your Winbloz.
So funny... in the 80's, Dos fans hated the Mac because it had a toy interface. Then came Windows and it was "the biggest innovation ever'! Now Apple has set the bar high in software and hardware numerous times this century and all they can do is find something new to complain about.
Your just upset that you can't play the "Apple Tax" card with this one.
Ahhhh.... to my knowledge Apple does do it's own board designs, not just pretty cases. Also, the Zune was an OEM product, no MS hardware there and I'm pretty sure the XBox is also outsourced. It was in the beginning, not sure it still is.
Has anyone verified the original posters stats? Just looking at the job board at Apple Corporate, they sure do have a large number of openings for engineering (software and hardware).
This was the same comment made back when the first MacBook Air came out 3.5 years ago. The difference now is that it is no longer an underpowered, CPU-throttled device lacking connectivity. It is now a mainstream notebook. It's about time that mainstream notebooks got smaller. They were stuck at the bulky 5-6lb 1"-thick size for over a decade. 3-4lb ultraportables have been around for 20 years (the Sharp PC 6220 comes to mind). But until now they have usually been underpowered. The new Air, Vaio Z, Samsung Series 9, and the coming Ultrabooks change that. Remember, notebook computers are about portability. A 3lb notebook is more portable than a 5lb notebook.
If they did, would I have to buy the food from the App Store?
I'd like to see some actual reports and statistics before I could even start to believe that...
Cool...though I'm most excited for the revised MBP design. The only thing holding me back from a 13" MBA is the SB IGP...the 15" pro/air will hopefully bless us with dedicated graphics.
Just what I thought... hogwash.
I went and looked at Junes SEC filings and they spend $628 Million on R&D just in June 2011. So they are on track for spending over $7 Billion a year in R&D.
So much for they don't spend any on R&D.
Probably because of that last part in your post.
Yep, just keep following Apple. But give consumers a worse experience.
Winner.
What's worse than copying is copying poorly.
Resell
It's all about the resell for me, I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro 2.33, 3G ram and it runs just like the day I bought it, it,s earned me back what I brought it for and on eBay there selling for between £400-£500, this has been the case with nearly every Apple product ive bought then sold later, I'd like to see anyone do that with a 5 year old PC laptop.
It's all about the resell for me, I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro 2.33, 3G ram and it runs just like the day I bought it, it,s earned me back what I brought it for and on eBay there selling for between £400-£500, this has been the case with nearly every Apple product ive bought then sold later, I'd like to see anyone do that with a 5 year old PC laptop.
Same form factor, same/better specs - cheaper price. Bold statements.
When I see it - I will believe it.
Until then the value of their words are $0.00.
When I see it - I will believe it.
Until then the value of their words are $0.00.