I'll give my 0,02 , even though in a thread of this length, I do not expect anyone to notice.
I easily come off as a
-fanboy (apple-wh*re is more commonly used term here), because I have the full spectrum: From an iPod Nano (6th gen) on my wrist, through iPhones, iPads to
laptops and desktops.
The reason why I resent the being branded a fanboy is that I consider myself a critical consumer. Literally every time I am considering getting some new gear/replacing some existing gear, I shop around, assiduously.
- a recent example: after having originally gotten an iPad (1), to check whether it could be used for work, I identified two problem areas: processing power and screen resolution (I need to read a lot of documents and only my hindsight is 20/20). Being economically constricted I systematically went through the offering in high-resolution Windows- and Android-tablets. I even cut a deal with one supplier who rented the two most attractive units for a weekend so that I could field-test them. In the end I took a iPad Air (wireless), and I'll go on paying for 24 months, because it offered the only fluid solution.
- a current example: I am actively looking for a laptop to replace my aging 2010 13" MBP, I do not mind the weight so much, but the screen on that machine honestly sucks. I guess I could make do with a 13" MBA, but as I said, my eyesight is not what it could be, and I do not actually prefer smaller pixels unless they are "divided pixels" (as in retina). I have a big retailer situated between my office and my child's daycare and I go there two times a month, to sample the offering.
- I have to say I feel confused by the plethora of designs and idiotic model names of the offerings from manufacturers such as Sony, Asus, Acer, HP and Samsung. You might consider this to be a non-issue, but in my experience, it is not. Especially if you want to be able to DIY anything, the sheer number of variants becomes a problem (I recently tried to get some replacement parts for my venerable Thinkpad X40 and just sent my BP through the roof... I would not want to try it with a Sony SVP1321B6EB.AE1)
- In terms of design, many Windows laptops have taken great strides and the workmanship seems to have improved, but Apple's advantage lies in the combination of workmanship, components, integration and materials.
- Can I get it with XP? No. How about Win7? I admit being partial to XP, and I feel somewhat comfortable with Win7, but IMNSHO Win8 is worse than Vista. Whenever I have a touch&feel -session with some prospective gear, the anticlimax comes when I open the lid. I admit, I'm not as experienced with Win8 as with most others, and I'm sure I could learn, but why should I? WinXP was a no-brainer (coming from W2K), Vista was XP with added complications, Win7 was Vista + "lessons from Vista", but Win8 is pure pain. We have an IT support of sorts at work (you takes a ticket and you waits...), so I regularly have to help people who come knocking, and we have a wide range of systems, but I'm seriously considering hanging a paper on my door saying:
If you have trouble with your mac, welcome.
If you have trouble with Windows XP, Vista or 7, bring money.
If you have trouble with Windows 8, turn around.
- Touchscreens... On paper, it's an attractive proposition and I use a touchscreen daily (on my iPad), but I've yet to see an implementation in a laptop which works. The tracking is usually jittery (how can't they get that fixed), and especially if your breadwinner is to surf wikipedia-pages, you might like it, but the simple fact is that your hands are not resting on the bezels of your screen. They are below the keyboard, and your display is not made for fingers (I usually glare at people who dare leave fingerprints on my display). Besides, do this experiment:
- stretch out your secondary arm (you can leave the primary resting on your mouse/trackpad) until it goes horizontal with your shoulderline.
- now keep that arm there for a few minutes. Feel the strain? That feeling is your body's way of telling you that your arm actually weighs somewhat, and that you're straining your muscles. Soon your shoulders will start reacting too.
- Did you notice, that I did not mention Dell among the hardware I fondle? Well, the reason is, Dell seems always to have considered the finnish market unattractive, and machines are not available except by online order, but they have a hideous reputation for reliability and their customer service is basically a joke unless you're a corporate customer big enough for them to care a rat's behind...
RGDS,
