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Not Sure about a Mac Anymore

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xflare

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 20, 2006
23
0
OK here's my story, I have been wating for some to switch, basically when Leopard was released and probably to a Mac Mini, a computer which Apple seem to be sorely neglecting. However, now i'm not so sure anymore, and the more I procrastinate the less appealing a switch seems. :(

It's not so much the 4 or so months delay to Leopard thats irked me, but the reason for the delay. I'm a little reticent to invest hundreds of pounds in new hardware/software when the company that makes that software running its computers considers a gimmicky telephone to be far more important. That doesn't instil me with a great deal of confidence in the Mac as a long term computing platform. It's computer business seems to be increasingly sidelined for more and more pricey gadgets.
 
the Mac as a computing platform isn't going anywhere. imo.

and there is absolutely nothing wrong with Tiger. its stable, fast and offers a lot in an OS. its not like it will become useless when Leopard comes out. there are people who are running panther still without issues.
 
I think this is the first time in Apple history, they had to delay something. I hate it also.

I've been wanting to change my iMac G5 for a couple years now. One thing I'll wait until September hopefully then they will have something about if you buy a mac you get Leopard for free (wishful thinking).

Plus another reason I've waited to long to change, hopefully by then I can get my hands on some new tech stuff that intel putting out.

It's all about waiting for the right moment.
 
i think its just that apple are becoming a big company after so many years of being a small company. i just hope they don't get desperate and start employing people who haven't got the same view as Jobs.

and also, i think this is one of the cons about the Intel switch; Intel's roadmap is publicly known, so everyone knows that there is something in development, so they don't buy the current product because something else is around the corner. it never used to be like that...
 
jesteraver said:
I think this is the first time in Apple history, they had to delay something. I hate it also.

I've been wanting to change my iMac G5 for a couple years now. One thing I'll wait until September hopefully then they will have something about if you buy a mac you get Leopard for free (wishful thinking).

Plus another reason I've waited to long to change, hopefully by then I can get my hands on some new tech stuff that intel putting out.

It's all about waiting for the right moment.
Click to expand...

They've delayed things before, not with so much retribution as this time, but they have.
As for the first post of this thread, it is true that the mini is in dire need of an update, and it will come soon, it's just logical. Apple is not going to abandon the Mac, they are currently focusing on widening their product range, but the Mac will be at the center of all of these. It is the heart and soul of Apple, and Tiger is a great OS, so go ahead, get a Mac, get used to Tiger and how the Mac OS works if you're not yet familiar. Then when Leopard comes out, be prepared for a few pleasant surprises.

Oh, will test driving Tiger, make sure you find the keyboard shortcuts to all the hiden gems, some of them purely entertaining, like slowmotion genie fx , expose, etc. :)
 
One thing by September / October most of the Mac line should have new intel processors (hopefully).

Mac Book / Mac Book Pro - Penryn
iMac - Penryn or Wolfdale
Mac Pro - some new 45nm

All speculation, yes. Thing is Apple would want to capitalize on the wait thats for sure.
 
xflare said:
I'm a little reticent to invest hundreds of pounds in new hardware/software when the company that makes that software running its computers considers a gimmicky telephone to be far more important.
Click to expand...
You have to realize that this "gimmicky telephone" is Apple's entry to a new market where they don't have a well established user base. They have to ensure that their entry to this market goes right. Leopard, on the other hand, is a product that is targeted to their original and strongest user base, where they can be sure that it will sell well no matter what :)
 
xflare said:
I'm a little reticent to invest hundreds of pounds in new hardware/software when the company that makes that software running its computers considers a gimmicky telephone to be far more important.
Click to expand...

The iPhone is a venture into a new market and needs all the resources it can get. If they just launched a half assed phone then it would be a flop and a waste of time and money that could of been used elsewhere. i.e. Leopard.

Investing more resources in iPhone and delaying Leopard is a very good move as it allows both products to have maximum resources available to them (just not at the same time).

Yes its dissapointing but it is good for us all.

Also I dont think the computer side of things is being neglected either. They have just launched an 8Core MacPro, recently upgraded iMacs and MacBooks and I'm pretty sure the Mac Mini will get an upgrade sometime soon.

The company is only so big. It cannot provide maximum resources to everything at once. Also being the leading innovator in most, if not all of its markets they need time to sit and think of new ideas too.

Delays are frustrating, but good news not bad.
 
I'm one of those people running Panther. I plan to upgrade to Tiger soon, but when I feel like it :D . It's all marketing tactics anyway. IMO, this move has nothing to do with their commitment to their computer line. As tecgnology gets more advanced, some projects will have to take a back seat for a limited amount of time while the new stuff is worked on. The iPhone is pretty revolutionary for Apple considering it is their first phone device. The same way Apple started a whole new generation with the iPods, they plan to do so with the iPhone also. If Apple is going to release a new product, they want it to be as close to flawless as possible. After the whole iPhone thing passes I see a huge update to the Mac line and of course Leopard coming in October. We've all been kind of dissapointed with some of Apple's decisions this year, so I think they'll hit us with a bigger Mac update than we'd ever expect...hopefully :cool: .

If I were you, I'd buy now. Like PlaceofDis said, Tiger is an awesome OS. All you have to do buy Leopard when it comes out if you really want it. To me the $129 I'll drop in October is better than waiting another 6 months.

Edit: Wow, when I started typing I would have been post #3 lol :eek: . By the time I hit submit, I dropped to #9 lol.
 
PlaceofDis said:
there are people who are running panther still without issues.
Click to expand...
Such as myself.

Threads like this make me despair. MacWorld's lack of Mac announcements was a disappointment for us all, as was the delay announcement, but the Mac platform will not be going anywhere any time soon. They're finally seeing some major market share come their way - so they're going to make all this fuss about the Intel switch, the seamless integration with Windows, the seamless integration with their digital lifestyle stuff (AppleTV, iPod and - yes - iPhone) only to chuck it out the window? Not likely.

If Tiger's too poor an operating system for you to make do with for six months, by all means buy a Vista machine.
 
Well I guess you shouldn't buy a regular PC because Microsoft delayed Vista for how many years? 2-3 years? At least Leopards delay isn't due to incompetence. I can't remember how long but seriously if your not going to buy a Mac based on these grounds then you should never buy anything from a company that has delays... :rolleyes:

I believe that getting the iPhone up and running is necessary. If it weren't for the iPod who knows were Apple would be now. Apple needs to have a firm foundation in their products in order to secure their future.

Nuc
 
You clearly didnt read my original post. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: It's not the delay itself, its the reason for it.... delaying the operating sytem to make way for a stupid telephone, which incidentaly you can't even buy in the UK and probably will never be able to.
 
xflare said:
You clearly didnt read my original post. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: It's not the delay itself, its the reason for it.... delaying the operating sytem to make way for a stupid telephone, which incidentaly you can't even buy in the UK and probably will never be able to.
Click to expand...

and again we all basically said that the mac platform isn't going anywhere.
if the reasoning behind the delay upsets you that much, what kind of justification would be acceptable? seriously?

there is nothing wrong with Tiger, and i'd rather them get Leopard right, then rush it out the door. the iPhone is a new project that has a lot of media attention. as said in other threads, delaying that would've hurt apples public image more than delaying Leopard.
 
Nuc said:
I believe that getting the iPhone up and running is necessary. If it weren't for the iPod who knows were Apple would be now. Apple needs to have a firm foundation in their products in order to secure their future.

Nuc
Click to expand...

And what does that say about Apple's computers then? That they have no future without expensive accessories? What will Apple do when the iPod bubble bursts? Even more worrying.
 
Some food for thought

As has been said. It's not the first time. And their ambiguity about release dates has always given them hedge room to shield delays, which are generally good things anyway. No one wins from a rushed product.

As for a gimicky reason for delay. Maybe. But mobile phones are a gimicky business. The core product has long since become commodity. We buy phones for style and tidbits now. And this is a huge market. One that protects their hugely successful ipod market. Read some of what's been written about phones as music players and how the ipod really stacks up in terms of market share in the larger more nebulous "music player" market.

And if stats mean anything, no phone has ever, EVER had the kind of interest, press and potential this one does. It could be massive in terms of sales and impact to the mobile phone industry. It honestly has the potential to reshape the industry when you look at how it will patner with services. It's worth diverting resources. Especially when the computer division is doing well, and Apple hardware continues its improvement direction. A cutting edge Mac Pro, pending redsigned iMac, inevitable redesigned MBPro and so on. And still time to play with the Apple TV - stay tuned to that one.

My best friend still has buyer's remorse over his XP Sony Viao everytime he sees my powerbook G4 in action...let alone my secondary MacBook. And Vista has hardly "rocked the world".

Towards the end of last year Apple ranked as the 7th largest music distributor in the world. That can only have increased since. Imagine that kind of impact on the vast global mobil telecom world with it's still unfolding potential.

The multi billion dollar ipod accessory market. The fact that 75% of 2007 US automobiles have an ipod specific option available from the maker.

I've gone on too long, but hope it's given you some things to think about. It's never been a better time to be a Mac owner. The Windows world has all its cards on the table, for the forseeable future, and can barely compare or admittedly trump in a few places. While Apple has a huge pipeline of amazing, drool-worthy, hardware and software across industries.

Pick your timing, but never doubt your decision to switch. You're unlikely to regret it. Apple has made a smart, short term decision on priorities. The right decision.

Yea, I know I'm sickenly biased. But give me some solid reasons not to be. It's a fun place to be and just keeps getting better.
 
They actually said Q4 of 07, I think. Then Asia in 08? Or maybe it was Europe 08, and Asia 09. Anyhow, it is coming to Europe.

I would hardly call the iPhone gimmicky. And if you really think that, you should find all Apple products gimmicky. Magsafe? iSight? Gimmicks right?

Please. I would rather Apple spend time on Leopard then release some crap version come WWDC. This is a smart move on Apples part and a good thing for Apple users.

And... the Mac isn't going anywhere. It is still the best computer on earth and will be best fit with all the things Apple is pushing out. iTV, iPhone, iPod, etc etc. People who buy the iPhone might come to the Mac. And the Mac has had very steady growth in the last year.

I don't think the iPod is pricey today, and that is one of the reasons Macs still exist today. Apple is a small company if they feel they need to shift resources to something so be it. If you enjoy Apple products you should support them, if not buy a Dell.
 
xflare said:
And what does that say about Apple's computers then? That they have no future without expensive accessories? What will Apple do when the iPod bubble bursts? Even more worrying.
Click to expand...

Well, you've just answered your own question fella! Step away now if you're so concerned about the Mac platform!!

Seriously, why would you want to invest your cash into something that may disappear overnight?? [Sarcasm...]

Go and buy your Mac now -- get a feel for Tiger and enjoy the experience until October, then buy Leopard for £100.00 [or around £60.00 if you're a student], it's not a lot in the grand scheme of things!!!

And relax... I don't even know why I'm rising to these threads!!

p.s. Arn -- could we cap 'em? It's becoming tiresome now... :rolleyes:
 
Two facts.

  1. True: Apple is more devoted to non-Mac products than ever before.
  2. Also true: Apple's Mac-related business has never been stronger.
 
Don't buy from Apple. They delay the release of their latest OS!

No, no, my friend. Microsoft is the way to go!

:rolleyes:


If you're worried about when Leopard will be released, buy a Mac now and stick with Tiger for a few years. Tiger is a very, very nice OS with more features than I will ever need, that's for sure. I've been using it for over a year and a half now and I'm still finding new things Tiger is capable of.

You won't be disappointed.
 
xflare said:
And what does that say about Apple's computers then? That they have no future without expensive accessories? What will Apple do when the iPod bubble bursts? Even more worrying.
Click to expand...
If apple hadn't made money from other ventures then I'm not to sure if Apple would have had money to invest in the development of new software and technologies. You have to have money to make money in the computer business. Apple is extremely innovative this is another reason it's a great company.

If you think Apple will just go away because of the reason for the delay then your sadly mistaken! Apple will and has gained a foothold into the computer market. I think you will see many people switching in years to come because of Vista. I use win XP on my Mac but I dare to let it see the internet connection but only for software updates.

Nuc
 
The iPhone is coming to the UK, of that you can be certain - let's just say Jobs didn't just come to London to talk DRM. Vodaphone have been chomping at the bit to get a piece of the iPhone pie.

And it's imperative for any company that they're able to reinvent themselves so as not to become stagnant. Which, thankfully, is what Apple seems to be doing. And it's working - Apple have been seen as this icon of "cool" in the UK since the first iMac, and it's kept through all the revisions, all the new lines, and I've never seen more iPods around than I have in the last few months.
 
xflare said:
What will Apple do when the iPod bubble bursts? Even more worrying.
Click to expand...

When that happens that is what the iPhone is for. people will always want their music with then, and now it is starting to move towards just one device instead of two, so Apple is getting on early instead of waiting until it is too late.
 
xflare said:
OK here's my story, I have been wating for some to switch, basically when Leopard was released and probably to a Mac Mini, a computer which Apple seem to be sorely neglecting. However, now i'm not so sure anymore, and the more I procrastinate the less appealing a switch seems. :(

It's not so much the 4 or so months delay to Leopard thats irked me, but the reason for the delay. I'm a little reticent to invest hundreds of pounds in new hardware/software when the company that makes that software running its computers considers a gimmicky telephone to be far more important. That doesn't instil me with a great deal of confidence in the Mac as a long term computing platform. It's computer business seems to be increasingly sidelined for more and more pricey gadgets.
Click to expand...

Good call, I am sure no one at Apple has thought of that. Enjoy your pc...:rolleyes:
 
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