So does Apple just not want customers like me?

[FINNSWEDE]

I've been a supporter since I bought my first iBook in 2001 or something like that anyway. I've bought many computers, phones and accessories as well as recommended them to anyone that was buying a computer, I know I've been responsible for at least 3 people making the switch to Mac.

Anyway, now its been a few years since I've bought a computer because I no longer have the means to have a power mac and a laptop and buy a new computer whenever I feel like and what I have now is a macbook with 10.4 on it. Its becoming a little restrictive because I am running across things that won't work on it, like today I was going to buy an ipad, but it won't sync to 10.4. But there is no way to upgrade this thing without paying an exhorbitant amount of money to some gouger online for a copy of 10.5 because apple doesn't allow any way to officially upgrade any longer.

So I guess unless you are willing and able to buy apples latest offering as soon as it comes out, they want nothing to do with you? Is what I've said accurate, or am I missing something?

 

[ftored]

Can't you install 10.6 on it? I think that is about $29 from apple. 10.5 is two versions older than current so I would guess that when the stock ran out they didn't produce more. Don't take it personal, this is how computers are. Everything related gets obsolete and outdated instantly..

 

[balamw]

Can't you install 10.6 on it?

10.4 means a 2006 model at best, so it may even be a PPC Mac for which 10.5 is the latest version that will work.

EDIT: OK it could be an early 2007 model. My timeline was off. And he did say Macbook, so I take back the PPC comment.

OP if you tell us which model you have we can tell you if SL (10.6) will work well on it. Even my 2006 iMac runs 10.6 fairly well though 10.7 isn't supported on it.

B

 

[FINNSWEDE]

the way I understand it is that you can't go directly from 10.4 to 10.6, you have to have 10.5, but they don't make it possible to do.

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no, its an intel.

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Has the basic os changed that much? I mean, I know that way back in the day, going from os9 to os10 was a really big deal but it doesn't seem like this should be a big deal.

 

[balamw]

You can definitely install 10.6 or 10.7 without installing 10.5, but you need to migrate your data and apps manually.

B

 

[FINNSWEDE]

its 2.16 ghz core 2 duo. 2GB ram. according to the specs I see, my hardware should be ok.

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balamw, that wouldn't matter to me if I had to do that manually. If thats the case then that would be awesome.

 

[balamw]

10.6 should run decently on that. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A It runs fine on my 1.83 GHz Core Duo (no 2) iMac with 2 GB. If it were Unibody I'd probably spend another US$50 to upgrade the HDD at the same time.

Note too that iOS 5 will eliminate the need for any other computer to work with the iPad.

B

 

[iStudentUK]

I've been a supporter...

This kind of talk always makes me cringe.

Anyway, now its been a few years since I've bought a computer...

So Apple is going to care less about you because you keep products for a long time.

So I guess unless you are willing and able to buy apples latest offering as soon as it comes out, they want nothing to do with you?

Pretty much. People who upgrade frequently yield more profit. Producing items that date quickly keeps the money rolling in. Just like bringing you in to a whole ecosystem.

I can see why they Market themselves this way. But don't just believe the hype- consider which Apple products are useful to you and which have better alternatives.

 

[Demosthenes X]

FWIW, you're not the only person I've heard of with this problem. I've run into someone that bought an iPhone, then found they couldn't even sync it with iTunes that - surprise surprise - is not supported on Tiger.

Go figure.

She ended up buying a BlackBerry instead of an iPhone, fwiw.

I guess at the end of the day, though, there just aren't enough people in that position to warrant supporting old operating systems. Yeah, it sucks when you run into it, but that's business, I guess.

Fortunately, you can upgrade right to Leopard for $30, so all hope isn't lost.

 

[KnightWRX]

But there is no way to upgrade this thing without paying an exhorbitant amount of money to some gouger online for a copy of 10.5 because apple doesn't allow any way to officially upgrade any longer.

Am I missing something ?

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDAzOA&mco=MTc1MTEzNjY

To upgrade your Mac to OS X Lion, you must be running OS X Snow Leopard. If you have OS X v10.5 or earlier, purchase Snow Leopard now and install it on your Mac.

29$ gets you the new OS for your Intel Mac. 29$ other bucks get you Lion. Then iTunes can be installed.

What's exhorbitant about 30$ ?

 

[balamw]

Am I missing something ?

They've dropped the charade that 10.5 is required before installing 10.6 and no longer offer the "box set" they had been pushing on Tiger users.

B

 

[Demosthenes X]

They've dropped the charade that 10.5 is required before installing 10.6 and no longer offer the "box set" they had been pushing on Tiger users.

B

Yeah... that was an annoying line. The person I referenced ended up with a BB because she didn't want to spend $150 or whatever it was on the box set, even though the whole time she could have spent $30 and upgraded... :/

 

[sou1 so1di3r]

Or wait like 2 weeks when iOS5 drops, you don't need a computer to setup your iOS device

 

[cluthz]

Go but the $29 Snow Leopard upgrade.

It will work, and SL is faster and more stable than 10.4 on those old MacBooks

 

[FINNSWEDE]

oh, well don't I look like a fool. I would swear that when I looked, it said you needed Leopard and I actually talked to someone when I called Apple who said I would have to buy 10.5 from a 3rd party in order to upgrade at all. So no problems then. Thanks folks.

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This kind of talk always makes me cringe.



Are you kidding? Who doesn't support companies by buying and recommending their product if you believe it is superior to the alternative? You must be a wreck with all the cringing you have to do all day.