Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

PowerBook Trade-in Program?

No one has mentioned this but Gateway has the same type of program (not sure if Dell does). They say something like you can turn in your old computer every year or two and receive a credit towards a new computer purchase.

The question is does Apple just give you the $700 or does it have to be applied to a future Apple purchase?
 
Re: ???????

Originally posted by elgruga
What kind of a marketing tactic? I dont get it.

And what the hell will Apple do with a bunch of 1 - 2 year old powerbooks?
Click to expand...

What did Apple do with my Premiere CD that got me $500 off FCP4? It is just a way to encourage people who were on the fence about getting new PB's to get one. I don't think we will suddenly be seeing hundreds of 500 MHz PB's in the refurb store...
 
Originally posted by Elektronkind
Old powerbooks are great for someone who needs Altivec in a portable package. Musicians on the go, for example.
/ek
Click to expand...

But how would it be superior to a new iBook which would have a G4 with Altivec but a faster processor? Not to mention you get a warranty on the new iBook that you probably wouldn't get on eBay.
 
Re: Re: ???????

Originally posted by pjkelnhofer
What did Apple do with my Premiere CD that got me $500 off FCP4? It is just a way to encourage people who were on the fence about getting new PB's to get one. I don't think we will suddenly be seeing hundreds of 500 MHz PB's in the refurb store...
Click to expand...

Thanks pjkelnhofer - I knew I was right when I said "marketing tactic" in my earlier post! And here these guys were making me second-guess myself... 😉

This is precisely what I was referring to in my above posts.
 
Sounds like a car dealership to me,

Buy this new car and we will give you $2000 trade in on your 1999 Lexus.

I'm just saying.
 
Originally posted by pjkelnhofer
But how would it be superior to a new iBook which would have a G4 with Altivec but a faster processor? Not to mention you get a warranty on the new iBook that you probably wouldn't get on eBay.
Click to expand...

Well, there's always the price point of older Powerbooks. There's also the screen real-estate.

But given that at this moment, in which there is no iBook with altivec, older powerbooks (even the 800/867Mhz models) are fine for most low to moderate use in DAWs.

And when it comes to music, I'd rather have a slower PowerBook with Altivec than a faster iBook without it.

/ek
 
Originally posted by Elektronkind
Well, there's always the price point of older Powerbooks. There's also the screen real-estate.

But given that at this moment, in which there is no iBook with altivec, older powerbooks (even the 800/867Mhz models) are fine for most low to moderate use in DAWs.

And when it comes to music, I'd rather have a slower PowerBook with Altivec than a faster iBook without it.

/ek
Click to expand...


I think you are wrong.
From the iBook page on Apple.com:

The world’s best-loved consumer portable gets an impressive makeover with a superfast PowerPC G4 processor with Velocity Engine

Velocity Engine = Altivec
 
Originally posted by pjkelnhofer
I think you are wrong.
From the iBook page on Apple.com:

The world’s best-loved consumer portable gets an impressive makeover with a superfast PowerPC G4 processor with Velocity Engine
Click to expand...

Ah yes, I forgot about the iBook G4.

Still, though, the lack of SuperDrive, DVI output (I know quite a few DVI PowerBook users who hook up Cinema Displays) and the propect of going from a 15" widescreen display down to a 14" normal format.

That, combined with smaller L2 cache of the iBook, would not lead me to believe that a current user of a 800Mhz or greater PowerBook would wish to trade up (or down, as it were) to that.

/ek
 
Old Lamps for new.......

Originally posted by ~Shard~


Dunno, thought my post was pretty clear on why I called it that, so I guess "marketing" wasn't the right word - sorry to tick you picky people off! 😉
Click to expand...

Not at all ticked off - you are correct, but it seems a bit odd.

I think that the inventory people and the marketing people arent talking at Apple......?
 
Trade inz

Hmmm and is this just a test for apple to see if people want to do trades then i havent read the artical yet will do in a second
 
Re: Old Lamps for new.......

Originally posted by elgruga
Not at all ticked off - you are correct, but it seems a bit odd.

I think that the inventory people and the marketing people arent talking at Apple......?
Click to expand...

This is a very good point - communication is key, and I wonder if this offer has something to do what that (or the lack thereof!)
 
I think you are all missing another, somewhat hidden, advantage from this move for Apple. The more old computers it gets out of the world, the more people will buy new computers. In other words, if there are less used PB's being sold on eBay etc due to this, it is more likely that some of the potential buyers of those used PB's might instead buy new ones from Apple.

Look at it this way, Joe has an old PB, he wants to upgrade to a new one, he can do either:

a) sell his old one to Fred, who is now happy with it, and buy himself a new one from Apple

or

b) give his old one to Apple, to get a discount on a new one, and Fred, finding no used PB to buy for himself, instead also buys himself a new laptop from Apple

Now, which of these do you think Apple would prefer?
 
xmas day evening - a bit bored, wife and kids at in-laws for another hour, so...

Alright. But wtf are they going to do with a pile of used PB's? Can you really repair warranty problems with used parts?
I think not.

So, Apple is buying back its own machines and dumping them in order to stimulate sales. Yes, I can see it.

Give the machines as a tax break to schools etc. Cool.

Can anyone smell G5 powerbook in all this?

Clear the inventory of old models and roll out the new G5!

My credit card cringes in anticipation!

Oh, btw:

Does anyone need any turkey leftovers......?
 
i would love to trade in my 667 pb, it has suffered from the heat and bad paint issue that lots of others did, i love the computer regardless. i wonder, and i doubt, if they would offer this to educational purchases.

the only thing that i wish is that apple would be a little upfront about this program, letting everyone in on the action vs keeping it virtually silent.
 
not dumping powerbooks

i doubt apple will be dumping these machines, as they only will accept ones in good condition.

why would they add this stipulation if the book were destined for destruction?
 
Of course they can use refurbished parts, al maufactures of drives does so with defective drives - remember that those G4 machines should be in good conditions to be able to trade in.
 
You guys are already talking about this as if it were already-announced fact.

It's funny how a cautiously stated rumor slowly morphs into gospel in these forums.

/ek
 
I called Apple to get in on this deal. They told me they hadn't heard of any deal and that they NEVER would give 700.00 back for a new PowerBook.
So, you have any ideas on who I should call to talk to about this... 'cause if its not on Apples web-site they won't even discuss with you!
Tom
 
Re: Re: ???????

Originally posted by pjkelnhofer
What did Apple do with my Premiere CD that got me $500 off FCP4? It is just a way to encourage people who were on the fence about getting new PB's to get one. I don't think we will suddenly be seeing hundreds of 500 MHz PB's in the refurb store...
Click to expand...

They recycled them or went to charity.

More then likely thats what will happen to theses older PB or they will be given to charity orgs.

There is new school charity org. around here that just gave all our local school used copies of Premiere. They all went on big network of Macs for Mass Com. students.

They also had used refurbs from Gateway, Dell, IBM and Apple computers as well.

Not including refurbs of printers from Canon, Epson, and HP.
 
Originally posted by stockscalper
No way I'm trading my problem free TI for a white spotted overheated AL pos.
Click to expand...

I actually haven't heard one person that has bought new 15 inch recently get spots.

So issue maybe already solved for new buyers.

My friend bought one a month ago and hasn't gotten any spots yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back