Successful people buy Apple products?

[MacHiavelli]

Interesting point of view here:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/168165-when-the-going-gets-tough-the-tough-get-an-apple?source=kizur

"The people who are succeeding are buying Macs, iPhones, iPod Touches and Apple's services and applications. A flight to quality is usually spurred by disruption and uncertainty. It's not about brand religion or pretty graphics. It's about survival and success when the going gets tough. It works for me, it has to.

A chef doesn't buy the cheapest knifes. A painter doesn't buy the cheapest brushes. A carpenter doesn't buy the cheapest hammer. And all the winners in the economy today -- those that have a say in what they use to do all the digital things so critical now to almost any knowledge- and services-based job -- need the best tools. And they will upgrade those tools just as fast as they can (hence the rapid adoption of Apple's Snow Leopard OS X upgrade in recent months)."

For me, my Apple products have turned out to be 'cheaper' in the end than my MS products: they offer more up time, reliability and speed and therefore greater productivity. Time lost waiting for MS products to work, is money lost .... day after day and week after week. My Win machines are the miles more expensive than my Apple products.

If greater productivity and therefore income is a measure of success, then I think the author of the article is just about right.

 

[MacHiavelli]

Here's someone who's clearly (only partially literate and) not successful .....



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/ybenjamin/detail?entry_id=50077

 

[eawmp1]

Are you actually debating YOURSELF?

Mac owners fall into to categories:
1) Those who do recognize the benefits of integrated OS and hardware, and enjoy the productivity this integration/experience allows. These user 'get' it.

AND

2) Those who want to look cool/trendy, and like the gimmicky products. The are the superficial Mac afficianados.

Unfortunately, Apple has is seemingly focusing attention on those in category 2, and spending less time addressing the wants/needs of those in category 1. But that is another subject altogether...

 

[alywa]

Are you actually debating YOURSELF?

Mac owners fall into to categories:
1) Those who do recognize the benefits of integrated OS and hardware, and enjoy the productivity this integration/experience allows. These user 'get' it.

AND

2) Those who want to look cool/trendy, and like the gimmicky products. The are the superficial Mac afficianados.

Unfortunately, Apple has is seemingly focusing attention on those in category 2, and spending less time addressing the wants/needs of those in category 1. But that is another subject altogether...

I don't know... I've owned apple products now for 24 years (my first was a IIGS back in 1986)... I don't think they are focused on gimmicks and trends that much at all... they are a business, and their primary goal is to make money, which they are doing hand over fist.

Look at their product segments...

Music / Media / Players: They are #1 by orders of magnitude over their competitors... this is in all categories... units sold, units in circulation, profit, brand recognition, ease of use, integration with 3rd party products (cars, cases, adapters, etc)... They have absolutely dominated the market. They didn't invent the mp3 player, but they invented the ecosystem that has allowed it to become ubiquitous.

Mobile Phones: New player, hit a home run the first release in terms of user satisfaction, adoption, and profits. They completely changed the game for how hardware makers deal with the carriers... they have broken stranglehold the wireless industry has had over the manufacturers for years... they paved the way for all of the other players app stores. They have defined what a phone should do, and what we should expect. Second to none in technology (touch screen, multitouch, ease of use when it comes to app loading, syncing, etc)... And they are still innovating. They are literally 1-2 years ahead of their closest competitors... Android probably has the best chance of catching up, but I fear they are going to be facing the same dilemma MS was with the "plays for sure" campaign... too many hardware choices / issues for programmers to deal well with, and lack of cohesion for distribution of both hardware and software.

Computers: This is the gripe for many people who have been with apple for the long haul... that it seems at times their core product is ignored for iPod / iPhone / commercials / retail stores / branding. Fact is... apple is a computer company. They may not always have the fastest chip or most ports, but they always have solid, cost competitive products. They run the best OS on the market (we'll see how W7 does). They make money on every sale. It is a long-term sustainable business model that we rarely see in the business world anymore. They aren't undercutting their own products with cheap netbooks, nor are they adding every gimmick, gizmo, or port to each machine. They are the epitome of high design meet high performance... they are a premium brand, and the #1 respected company in the world right now.

In closing... don't worry about the commercials, or "selling out", or "trendiness"... this is a solid enterprise with many great years ahead of it. They haven't forgotten their core... far from it.

 

[uuaschbaer]

Are you actually debating YOURSELF?

Mac owners fall into to categories:
1) Those who do recognize the benefits of integrated OS and hardware, and enjoy the productivity this integration/experience allows. These user 'get' it.

AND

2) Those who want to look cool/trendy, and like the gimmicky products. The are the superficial Mac afficianados.

Unfortunately, Apple has is seemingly focusing attention on those in category 2, and spending less time addressing the wants/needs of those in category 1. But that is another subject altogether...

Let me correct that for you.

Are you actually debating YOURSELF?

Mac owners fall into to categories:
1) Those who justify their craving for everything good, astounding and beautiful in this world with utilitarian reasons like the benefits of integrated OS and hardware, and enjoy the productivity this integration/experience allows. These user 'go along with' it.

AND

2) Those who want to look cool/trendy, and admit it. They are the honest Mac afficianados.

Unfortunately, Apple has is seemingly focusing attention on those in category 2, and spending less time addressing the wants/needs of those in category 1. But that is another subject altogether...

No worries, it's a common enough mistake . In all seriousness I am generalizing, my point is: so were you.

 

[alent1234]

i've had an ipod since 2003 and now have 2 iphones

Bought the ipod because MS's music strategy couldn't be trusted. the players were OK but MS seemed to change it's strategy, DRM encryption and branding every year back then. With Apple you could trust them that if you bought from itunes you could play it several years later.

iphones only became worth it after the 3G came out with Exchange support and the app store became a success

with the new Mac's if you compare the price to Dell/HP then it's worth it. Once you get Dell/HP upgraded to similar specs the price is the same as Apple but i'll give my money to Apple just because i trust their support and warranty a lot more. i've been burned by Dell and HP on consumer products before and will only buy them if i'm going for the cheapest product in the category.

i personally have no preference in using OS X or Windows. i'm currently on WIndows 7 x64 and like it. i just want the company to honor it's warranty. the hardware is no different on PC and Mac's. the value is in trusting the company on support.