Cult of Mac: a blog about the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone - and the people who love them

39 comments

what I find amusing when folks get into the whole cost issue is that they aren’t comparing the full picture. When you buy a mac you are buying more than just some hardware and some software that came preloaded. Apple, at least in many areas, is running its own stores which means added services. You go into an Apple Store and buy a new computer and they will transfer your files from your old computer for free. yes there are a few restrictions re: system configs on the old one, but those likely are covered by 75% of the computers out there these days. If you went to a 3rd party company they would likely charge you at least $20 a hour for such a service and it’s a good 2-3 hours. so that’s like $60 you didn’t shell out extra. and then there’s the free workshops you can go to, those genius bar trips you can go to even without the whole Apple Care thing. the personal shopping where someone will sit with you for an hour just taking about what computer you should buy, even if you don’t buy it in the end.

those things aren’t available with a Wintel and they don’t come cheap. if you knocked all that stuff out the costs aren’t as far off as it seems.

Lucas, on March 20th, 2009 at 11:31 am

Well, owning a macbook, growing fond of Mac OS X, but beeing impartial of either system – mac or pc – better read the post number 2 of the Macsimum MacOSG Forum post. That seems to me the much more neutral and realistic observation.
So yes – Macs _are_ more expensive. And to debunk the value which always gets connected to iLife… Well – I don’t use it. I need real tools for production. And Lightroom or Photoshop have to be bought for both worlds on top of the underlying system if you like photography for example.

Sigh… looking for a desktop system, with core2duo between 2.4 and 2.96 ghz, 4gb+ ram and without attached glossy, limited range of brightness adjustment offering and uneven illuminated monitor…

Torsten, on March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am

Funny how Microsoft is bashing Apple for having a logo when Microsoft won’t allow anyone to sell a Windows computer WITHOUT the Microsoft logo, forcing companies to find creative ways around to keep an image (look at what Dell is doing with the Adamo).

Mike, on March 20th, 2009 at 11:37 am

The best part if the fact the competition is still talking about Apple, they dismiss them as the pesky fly but every interview they are thinking about it.

The part this idiot doesn’t seem to get is people will pay more then $500 bucks to get away from the virus laiden, spyware, maleware, slow my PC to crawl pc of crap OS that is Windows. Balmmy has zero innovations coming out since Gates stepped down. He has no idea what to do to counter Apple besides trying to copy them (see Windows retail stores) and still losing market share. Yes Apple has a long way to go to even touch the market share OSX has vs Windows, but people are not buying into the BS that a Windows machine is cheaper over time. People are finding repairs and the high cost of ownership with a Windows machine to make moving to the Mac very attractive.

BTW stop by your local Apple store any day of the week that it’s open and you will still be waiting in line to talk to someone, buy something or get advice. Soon as the line of people giving up their cash to Apple slows I’ll give what Ballmy a second look… actually no I won’t, he will still be an idiot making excuses vs doing anything original or innovative.

He probably keeps up with the Apple sales trends and news on his iPhone lol. Bill’s gonna be pissed!

JD, on March 20th, 2009 at 11:55 am

My Macbook Pro carried about a $300 premium over a comparably equipped Dell Latitude, and that’s not counting 3 years of Applecare or the stupid video adapters.

Matt, on March 20th, 2009 at 12:27 pm

Hopefully people have already stopped listening to that jackass… monkeying around on stage acting like a knob (developers, developers, developers…. nah sorry they’ve already jumped ship). Anyway, the stats about companies increasing their Mac purchases is good to hear. This myth about the cost of Macs will be buried soon.

Have his kids got a Zune? Poor kids!

Steve, on March 20th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

I don’t know that I would call it a myth, Lonnie. You are paying a premium price, that much is clear, and I haven’t been convinced that the premium is entirely justified.

The gist of the 3 articles you link seem to say (respectively):
1) Apple is not dropping prices
2) Apple might be cheaper long run due to lower support costs (possible), and higher quality user experience (this isnt a valid point in a TCO discussion, IMO, since it is unquantifiable)
3) Macs cost more up front, but only nerds can run a PC without going crazy, so its worth it. Again, long run, but also insulting to PC users’ aptitude, and ignorant of the perceived costs in regards to “switch-anxiety.”

These arguments hold little water in my opinion, and this coming from a lifelong fan, (and former Apple employee!) As we see Apple start to overtake the mainstream now, I think it is high time that they also started pricing competitively in the mainstream.

I built a quad-core hackintosh for about $1100. I put it in my studio, alongside several quad core MacPros. The MacPros are about $3000, and they are less capable machines! The funny thing is: I built the hackintosh not to compete with the MacPro, but with the iMac. I wanted a ~$1000 desktop, without a display, but with lots of fast storage for photos and video.

I fear that Apple is becoming slave to their own reputation for high design, as it seems to be harming their ability to offer a well rounded product line. In the portable market, design is crucial, as we see with the success of the iPod family, and the MacBook family.

Once you hit the desktop though, you need to change the rules. The Mac Mini is everything that is wrong with their desktop approach. What is the design problem that is solved by making it so small? Limited expandability? Notebook class components?

So yes, Apple is not suffering, but they are missing this crucial chance to capture many uninspired Windows XP/Vista/7 refugees.

Marco, on March 20th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

Look Macs are nice systems that offer excellent designs, but how hard is it to go to Lenovo’s WWW site or others and price out a comparable system, not to mention a more powerful system and compare the prices.

The facts, can you accept them?

Lenovo W500 priced on 3/20/09

Processor1 Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9600 (2.8GHz 1066MHz 6MBL2)
Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Business 64
Recovery DVD Microsoft Windows XP Professional US English RDVD
Display type 15.4″ WSXGA+ TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight
System graphics ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 with 512MB VRAM
Total memory 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
Keyboard Keyboard US English
Pointing device UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
Camera 1.3 Megapixel Integrated Camera
Hard drive 200 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption
Optical device5 DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
Card Reader 7 in 1 Media Card Reader
System expansion slots Express Card Slot & PC Card Slot
Bluetooth Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters10 Intel WiFi Link 5300 (AGN) with My WiFi Technology
Mobile Broadband Integrated AT&T Mobile Broadband Card (3G)
Battery 9 cell Li-Ion Battery (84wh)
Power cord Country Pack North America with Line cord & 90W AC adapter
Language pack Language Pack US English

41C9338 3 Year On Site Upgrade with 3 Year ThinkPad Protection

Total 2,462 – after discount $2039.40. PC laptops are routinely if not always available with discounted pricing as is the case today and most other days.

The Thinkpad W500 comes with:
a faster CPU 2.8 vs 2.66 ($150) – Macbook Pro 15.4 N/A
a fingerprint reader ($30) – Macbook Pro N/A
a higher resolution WSXGA screen that costs approx $50 more than the 1440 x 900 LED screen option, there is also the option for WUXGA. Both options not even available on a 15.4 Macbook Pro.
ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 with 512MB VRAM vs NVIDIA 9600M
200 GB 7200 RPM drive with Disk Encryption – Macbook Pro as priced in this comparison has a 250GB 7200 RPM drive without Disk Encryption – lets be generous and say the Macbook’s drive is worth $75 more, which it isn’t. Larger capacity drives can be added to either system.
W500 and Macbook Pro as configured come with 4GB DDR3 RAM, the W500 can be ordered with up to 8GB.
There are options like Blue Ray, RAID configuration, Display Port with audio support that works with standard cables etc. – Macbook Pro N/A
The Macbook Pro has a backlit keyboard, the W500 is lit from an LED above the keyboard, and is a spill resistant design with drains. The Macbook Pro comes with moisture sensors to insure you will pay if there is any damage due to moisture.
Which brings us to warranties:
The W500 as configured includes a 3 year, On Site, Accidental Coverage – You are covered no matter what except for theft.
Apple requires you to pay an additional $350 for Apple Care which is nothing but an extended warranty for defects for three years. So the Macbook Pro really costs at least $700 more and is a less powerful system as configured. So I can get a more powerful system, with more features and options for over $500 dollars less and if anything happens to it or breaks for the next three years a technician will be sent to my location and all repairs will be covered vs a Macbook Pro where you could easily be out of pocket several hundred dollars not to mention the cost of replacing the system.

Macbook Pro:

2.66 GHz CPU
4GB RAM
1440 x 900 LED screen
250 GB 7200 HD
3 Year Apple Care

$2,823.00 vs. $2,039

“The Myth” you guys at the Cult of Apple is in your heads, what on earth are you people smoking? Its making you totally blind.

Get Real, on March 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

What a blithering IDIOT … keep talking Steve… your helping MS die slowly and PAINFULLY.

George J, on March 20th, 2009 at 3:46 pm

From someone who has always built his own PC since he first started in the computer world; uh..Macs are DEFINITELY more expensive and have honestly NOT offered much to compensate for their pricepoint.

All I ever wanted from Apple was their OS; and now that its possible to get Leopard to run on mid-to-high-level homebuilt PC (thank you, Kalway, iDeneb and others) I am very happy indeed.

I did just buy a retail copy of OS X because I do believe Apple developers should be paid for what they’ve made and the pricepoint on their OS is right on the money so to speak

J Deveraux, on March 20th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

Also, I meant to add that I love building my own PC but ever since OS X came out, I’ve wanted the best of both worlds—now its possible!

J Deveraux, on March 20th, 2009 at 4:06 pm

Once again this is Ballmer blustering on comparing Oranges to Apples (pun intended!).
He has just proven that Microsoft is worried about Apple making inroads into their sales otherwise why would he be bad mouthing them?
They tried the same crap with the Linux guys.
Get over it Ballmer, you’re still king of the hill what are you whining about you baby?

Ian, on March 20th, 2009 at 6:29 pm

I think I have an interesting perspective to add here. I am an avid Mac user (24″ iMac, Dual Quad 2.8Ghz Mac Pro, Macbook Pro, iPhone) and Macs dominate my home personal computing yet I make my living working for Microsoft. That being said, Macs are more expensive than PCs. There are of course a ton of variables, but the brass tacks fall when it comes to perception. You can make a (valid) case for iLife being bundled and it’s value. You can make a (also valid) case about the Apple Store services. The reality is that when someone who has limited means to purchase a computer comes in to buy, with already created expectations about computers in general, they don’t expect quality bundled software or store offered services (this is even more so for the many many many places across the world that aren’t within 500 miles of an Apple Store, I am spoiled with several in Seatte, but was hundreds of miles away from one when I lived in Idaho a few years ago) so for someone who has no need to create music or videos, that doesn’t need a computer’s data imported, that basically wants to use the web, email, basic productivity, a PC is a better perceived “value.” The reality is that a quick jump to HP.com gives you a run down like this: 2.2Ghz, 2GB Ram, 250GB HD, integrated video, DVDRW, lan and wireless G, keyboard, mouse and Microsoft Works with a 18.5″ widescreen monitor and Microsoft Works. Without drawing comparisions in usability, it matches iLife functionality in every aspect with the exception of Garageband and iWeb (Windows Gallery, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker) and comes with a grand total price tag of $509. If we compare that with the latest Mac Mini you are at half the ram, half the hard drive space, an equivalent processor, no keyboard, no mouse, no monitor and no productivity software that compares with Microsoft Works at almost $100 more. Keep in mind we are talking perceived value to the end customer. Now I personally love the way the iMac looks and would chose it over a boxy PC, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s a better value. You can slice this problem a million ways and spin it like you can spin anything, but the reality is that Apple’s cheapest PC is $600 with no Monitor, keyboard or mouse (basically unusable at that price) Their cheapest laptop is $999 and their cheapest 15″+ is $1999, and they have a gaping hole in the lineup that forces the user to shell out over $3000 for any type of workstation. I love you guys, love the site and love my Macs, but it’s silly to say they are not more expensive. BMW wouldn’t try and say they are as cheap as Chevrolet.

Jason Burns, on March 20th, 2009 at 7:22 pm

My PowerBook G4 cost me about $2300 in 2002. It’s still going strong today. The iMac DV with a G3 processor, which I bought in 1999, and sold to my cousin in 2002 in order to buy the PowerBook, is still working as her main computer as well. You have to figure longevity into the equation.

dbwie, on March 20th, 2009 at 7:30 pm

First of all, it is more expensive. That’s a fact. Value is another story, subject to each persons opinions. For the average person surfing the net, or a student doing homework/research it really doesn’t matter which OS you use. I own many Apple products, but the blind following of Apple fanatics is wearing on me. Most are zealots for sure. There is room for everybody in this market, no need to constantly bash Microsoft. Competition is good for everybody involved.

Bernie Atkins, on March 20th, 2009 at 8:11 pm

It is the Gates household that doesn’t allow iPods, not the Ballmer residence. Though it is easy to confuse them, I understand.

Andy Misle, on March 20th, 2009 at 8:14 pm

Remember back in 2007 when Ballmer said the iPhone would not gain any significant market share? Today he is eating those words, The way he acted in the video showed that he was actually very scared. He has absolute no idea where the marked is going, I can still install OS X leopard on my 7 year old G4, show me a 7 year old windows PC which runs Vista!? People who have Mac’s usually have these computers longer then normal PC users, and they have more fun and do more things with them! Steve Ballmer is an oxymoron what comes out of his head also comes out of his a..

Guido, on March 21st, 2009 at 2:35 am

Maybe dancing-monkey-boy should ask for a raise so he could afford one of those logo’ed purty ‘puters. For that matter, how can anyone afford any computer (with or without said logo) in this tough economic environment. Get real, Steve.

fred edison, on March 21st, 2009 at 4:58 am

If Apple didn’t matter, Ballmer wouldn’t care.

Torley, on March 21st, 2009 at 7:22 am

In the past 6 months or so, prices on Wintel desktops and laptops have fallen significantly. Friends bought a wintel 15 inch laptop with intel core 2, 3 GB ram, 300 GB disk for $450. Add Linux to that machine and you have a nice functional system. That’s much less than a macbook costs, and macbook costs have not come down proportionally.
That said, comparing a macbook to a wintel laptop is an bannas vs. oranges situation as other commenters said. Price of oranges has fallen, bannas are still the same price.
In my home we have an iMac and a MacBook Pro (last year’s models), we really like them.

Dagny, on March 21st, 2009 at 9:54 am

Funny complaint by the company that gave us Windows Vista Ultimate where the tag ultimate really meant nothing except a price increase for the name Ultimate. Ultimate extras never really happened.

Also funny when you consider the price MS charges for the OS compared to OSX where you have family packs.

Jeffrey L Miller, on March 21st, 2009 at 10:16 am

I’m a windows user who is looking to replace my home PC, a 7-year old Gateway, running Windows XP. I’ve thought about switching to the Mac, and using the dual boot feature to run my collection of Windows software, while taking a look at Mac software alternatives. After pricing out a lot of PC and Mac options, I decided to go with a mid range Desktop PC. The higher cost of Apple hardware was one the main factors that kept me from switching. Much as I would have liked to try a Mac, I decided that experiment was a luxury I could no longer afford. I was going to give some price comparisons, but Jason Burns post above really makes the case. If you go with a Mac, you get a great OS, but you are stuck with Apple’s vision of how hardware should be executed, and you are stuck with their rigid progression of form factor, capability, and pricing.

Craig, on March 21st, 2009 at 10:46 pm

Apple’s workstation Xeon are cheaper than the equivalent Dell. This is probably the best comparison, as it is just a computer box with an OS. Let’s be honest, very few people build their own computer, let alone a Mac clone.

It is harder to say the iMac or Macbook Air are more expensive, as direct comparison is tricky.

The latest Macbook and Macbook Pro probably cost a bit more than Dell or HP. But we often have to pay a premium for beauty in life, so why should computers be different?

garham, on March 22nd, 2009 at 9:02 am

I’ve actually been in the market for an HTPC recently. Although the latest Mac mini running Plex is my ideal platform, with the economy being what it is, I decided to price out a custom-built system to get something equivalent on the PC side for less money.

Unfortunately, I can’t. Sure, I can get an b_tt-ugly ATX tower for chump change. But I want a small, good-looking case that can sit out next to my TV, and not have it look like a big PC box. And when I looked into uATX and miniITX, well, you end up paying just as much.

I’ll admit, you do have some options when putting together a custom PC, that you don’t have on the Mac (namely Blu-Ray support). But everything else was the same. As of yesterday, a comparable AMD-based miniITX system was $150 cheaper. And that was assuming running linux on the custom-built machine. If I had to pick up a copy of Windows, well, then there goes any price difference.

The other comparable, ready-built system, is the Dell Studio Hybrid. It actually has internals that match up to the last version of the Mac mini. I would rather have the latest mini, with better integrated graphics. But as for price, the Dell currently goes for exactly the same price as the new Mac mini. Granted, the Dell also has the Blu-Ray option, and also comes with 2GB of RAM compared to 1GB on the Mac, but I’d be maxing out the RAM w/ 3rd party anyway. Oh, and the Dell comes with a wired keyboard & mouse. Wired peripherals aren’t exactly my choice for an HTPC, so an upgrade would be required for any of the machines.

While the Dell @ $599 includes wireless networking, I did not see a mention of Bluetooth, which would require an extra USB port to be taken up, and a $20 adapter, for the keyboard & remote. My custom system price did not include wireless networking, which is included in the Mac. Either way, I plan on using wired networking for my machine.

The last portion required for my HTPC system is a TV tuner. While there are certainly more internal tuner card options available, small cases have limited space, so an external, USB-stick tuner would be used regardless, and also did not factor into which system would be more costly.

That said, for me, the pricing of the hardware did not really differ too much. And in the application of an HTPC, the Mac mini is really a good deal. When you consider all the specs, the form factor and design (especially given its application and placement in common area), and also when you compare both hardware AND software choices (both OS X, and Plex) – the Mac comes out as a solid deal.

I’ve settled on the MacMini 2.0 for my HTPC. After a 3rd party 4GB RAM upgrade, a 1TB FW800 external drive, a bluetooth keyboard & remote, and a USB stick tuner, I’m looking @ ~$900. And that’s the best package for this application that I’ve been able to put together, either part-by-part, or otherwise. The “Apple Tax” is a myth. You get what you pay for.

Ed, on March 22nd, 2009 at 11:15 am

not trying to stir, but late last year i was looking at getting a laptop for university, i ended up going with the windows option due to the price difference, i got my laptop (3gig of ram, 9600m GT, 2.0 ghz dual core, centrino 2) for 599 pounds (not sure in dollars), i had held of buying one as i was waiting for the apple laptop updates to hit, and when i saw them, i thought they looked absolutely stunning, especially the new trackpad, although they also went up in price, and due to exchange rates, the older macbooks went up in price too, the macbook pro, which also had the 9600m GT, and 15.4 inch screen, and a higher cpu (2.4ghz) and the 9400m aswwell, costs 1,369 pounds, which is almost 900 pounds more, and yes, it has a much better battery life, and mac osx IS very pretty, and there is the unibody construction, but to me it wasn’t worth the extra 900 pounds, though my friend chose to buy the macbook pro, and he’s very happy with it, and loves it to bits, though is now regretting spending so much money on it

chris, on March 22nd, 2009 at 3:18 pm

oops, i meant almost 800 pounds more, still a big difference though

chris, on March 22nd, 2009 at 3:19 pm

well here is how this FANBOY feels about this situation of “APPLE TAX”

SCREW THAT NOTION…

I came to the Mac platform just over 2 years ago…I was down on my luck…had recently had to move home to mommy’s house broken and sad…and trying to rebuild my life

I had no computer at all…my last one was an HP desktop (that had died on me in less than 3 years) that I got from Circuit Shitty only because the dummies gave me a credit card…maybe I caused them to tank…lol

I had been saving money for months so that I could get a laptop…and I could not afford to buy new from a retail establishment…so I decided to hit the pawn shops…I saw every brand PC laptop you can think of…disappointing…and many of them I could have bought a couple with the $600 I had to spend…but when I got to Value Pawn on Oakland Park and US-441 in Ft Lauderdale FL…I had to gasp

I knew that macs were more reliable…just from the less than stellar computer speak I had heard…but it was looking at it…an iBook G4 1.33Ghz…it was so bright and so clean and shinny and happy looking…I know happy looking but think of it…sitting next to PC’s that had been pawned?

and I had never used OS X before…never even explored it…and it was like I had been using it all my life…everything about it made sense…apps did what the apps were supposed to do…it just soared…fast and exciting…and they had it priced at $720…

I didn’t have that much money…so I was upset…but I also didn’t want to just jump at the first thing that touched, moved and inspired me…and when I say inspired me…I mean it!!!

I went on to other shops and saw a couple iBooks…even saw an, at the time brand new (almost), Macbook Pro…oh I wanted that one…there was no way I could afford it tho…lol…I was drawn back to that iBook…I had to wait to get it cuz I only had $600 and they would only go down to $650…but I put it in layaway…only a few days tho…cuz every dollar I had, went to going to get my baby…

and it was the best thing I had ever done…I fell in love it and the OS…it was like magic…never again was using a computer a hassle…or an upset or a drama…(PC owners know what I am talking about)

granted it was over 5 years old at the time…and I didn’t know better that I could have gotten it cheaper on ebay…but I never once regretted the price I paid or the jump into unfamiliar territory I took…

since then I ended up buying an iMac G4 and a G4 Cube w/23inch HD Display from ebay…and now my current Macbook 2006 version…and I am a FANBOY BIG TIME NOW!

I have 2 TV’s, multiple Airport Express, iPod’s and an iPhone…and will never spend any time on a PC again…unless I am helping my mother (cuz she won’t switch)

my point is…

iBook G4 2001
iMac G4 2001
Cube G4 2000
Macbook 2006

are all vital machines in my life and have been since the day I got them USED…

APPLE TAX MY ASS…what PC’s do you know that are almost 10 years old and can do just as much as the new ones can…can run pretty much all the same operating systems and programs that the new ones can and can be run 24/7 since the day you got them with little to NO problems at all…don’t lie now…

the fact is the only problem I have had with any of my Mac’s is my Macbook which is the youngest of the bunch…had hard drive issues a few months ago…but that was Samsung’s fault-NOT APPLES

I’m sorry to have gone on such a tangent about this but…all I can say is if I can’t afford to buy a new Mac, I will take a used one any day and will use it longer than you can use your new PC…BET THAT

scott, on March 22nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm

I work in an art shop at a major public university. Our art shop is completely Mac. (Most art shops at the university are Mac-based.) The rest of the university runs on PCs. We have 0 Mac IT support personnel because there’s really no need. We have gazillions of PC IT support personnel to keep all of those PCs running relatively-virus free, updated, and to solve operating system issues. In my College alone there are 22 support personal for the College’s network of PCs. Now tell me that, in the long run, Mac’s are more expensive.

Keith Diehl, on March 23rd, 2009 at 10:31 am

I think some of you are missing the important part of the issue. It shoudn’t be about how windows sucks, is hard to run, virus prone, any of that.

The issue is that Apple is not being price competitive with the PC market on their consumer level machines.

The comparative cost of entry into Macs is, IMO, too high. You have to separate your emotional attachment to an OS you know to be better, and understand a PC user who hasn’t made the switch yet, has years of experience and software invested in the Windows OS, and sees Macs as cool, but too costly to “try”.

It’s the perceived cost of entry into Macs that is the problem.

Marco, on March 23rd, 2009 at 12:59 pm

So with this whole issue I don’t personally think there’s that much to debate, about the facts at least. Macs are, on a hardware basis, very expensive. If you spent the same amount of money for say the top end iMac on individual hardware you’d get a lot more power. I think the real issue though isn’t about hardware.

And it’s not just about the fact you get Mac OS, though that’s obviously a boon. You’re paying for Apple’s design, and that’s the issue of contention with people who don’t like Macs. If you like the design, you don’t considering the premium that you are paying, to be such a premium. If you don’t like the design, you only see them as overpriced hardware. I just with the debate would end.

debu, on March 23rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm

ok…well everybody knows that Macs are cute and very nice on the eyes…

and the article is about the the myth that macs are more expensive than PC’s

and that is not true…yes the original cash out of pocket to have one in your clutches is HIGHER…but that is not just what people SHOULD think of or use as a determining factor in the purchase of a computer that for most of the world “is their link to the world” or “is how they make their income”

FACT–as I stated earlier in my last post

MAC’S JUST LAST AND WORK AND WORK AND WORK AND KEEP WORKING…

to me buying a computer is like buying a car or a home…it’s an investment in your future…and it takes doing the homework to get the best OVER ALL VALUE for your money…when you buy a car–you do homework on what the repair incidences are for that make and model…when you buy a house–you want to know about the schools and the value of the community…same runs true when you buy a computer…and especially in the economic times we are in now…

DO YOUR HOMEWORK…MACS LAST 3-5 TIMES LONGER THAN PC’S IF NOT MORE

MACS ARE MADE BY ONE COMPANY…AND ALL MADE TO THE SAME STANDARD

PC’S ARE MADE BY A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES…

therefore not a strong quality control…now if Microsoft made their computers for Windoze then chances are those computers would be just as reliable as Macs are…but they don’t…

if you are going to invest in a car that you knew you were going to have to buy a new one a year or two down the road…because you will have no other choice…WOULD YOU BUY THAT CAR…HECK NO YOU WOULDN’T…but you would be willing to pay a little more for a car knowing it was going to last you a number of years

Same thing goes for a computer…the fact is…MACS LAST LONGER THAN PC’S…they just do…and have a million times better chance of staying current and relevant for as long as you have them…not to mention the resale value is amazing…

like I said…I have 10 year old macs running the current operating system…and running it well…one of them is my main desktop and is also running as my house media server…with nothing upgraded (except software) or changed on it since it was created by the boys and girls in Cupertino

can anyone say the same for a PC? and they have not had to upgrade and fix over and over again

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR…
great looks
great OS
great reliability
amazing longevity
little to NO upkeep
and a joy to use…what else could you ask for when it comes to a computer…COME ON PEOPLE–COMPUTERS were put on this earth to make our lives easier…NOT MORE DIFFICULT

but PC’s doesn’t work that way…they just don’t…Apple knows what they are supposed to be…and that is why they make them the way they do

look at the iPhone 3.0 software…they could have put a lot of those things in the iPhone on launch…but they didn’t…and that is because they wanted to do it right…not just OK…which is what you get when you buy an apple product…can’t say that about Dell or HP

…you get it right…not just average…same reason why they wont be making a netbook…because we don’t deserve AVERAGE we deserve GREAT

ok I’m done for the moment…I’m sure someone will get me back on my soap box before I know it…peace

scott, on March 23rd, 2009 at 7:54 pm

and those talking about spending the same amount of money on a build your own computer…

DUH…DUMMIES…of course you are going to get a much stronger system…but the percentage of people that CAN or WILL be able to do such a thing is a minute number

fact is that once you buy Windows to put on the darn thing…you are right back to where you started…in excessive pricing…unless you build a hackintosh…which is bad and wrong…and not to mention illegal…(hehe do what you want…I have broken many laws in my days)

you just can’t just make assumptions like everyone can build a computer from scratch…it’s just not something the main stream world can do…I’m rather techie and I would not even attempt it…but I also don’t want a machine that HAS to run windoze…I want a machine that I can run windoze if I really really really really have to…and that is what I have…

don’t get me wrong…I have nothing against PC users…I have something against them when they spew crap about things they do not have all their facts straight

now I know there are some PC’s in the world that have never had a single problem and there are Macs out there that have issues too…but when it comes to a Mac having problems…all you have to do is get online and make an appt at the Genius bar at the apple store…and they will make your problems disappear…or at least make you feel like you are loved and appreciated as an apple owner…can’t wait to see how rude and unknowledgeable the employees are at the Windows stores…lol…ever tried to get free help at a best buy….lmfao

anyway peace

scott, on March 23rd, 2009 at 8:07 pm

oh and by the way…

APPLE doesn’t have to be price competitive with PC sellers for consumer products…

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY A MAC

YOU BUY A MAC BECAUSE YOU WANT PEACE OF MIND AND A COMPUTER THAT WILL GIVE YOU NOTHING BUT PEACE AND SERENITY…AND NOT TO MENTION LOVE

scott, on March 23rd, 2009 at 8:10 pm

Wow. This one brought the haters out of the woodwork. I didn’t think the PCzers (I came, I saw, I crashed) could get here with all the malware blocking IE.

imajoebob, on March 24th, 2009 at 8:56 am

Scott, you’re the reason why we have such a bad reputation. Mellow out, dude.

Matt, on March 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

how has anything I have said give us a bad reputation…I think what I have had to say makes it clear that we just want the same thing…and the fact is us mac users have a superior system to use period…

the OS and the Hardware work wonderfully together and more times than not they don’t for PC users…

and I know that for a fact…because I was a PC user for all of my life until the last couple years…

I am not one of those people that has no idea what I am talking about…I know I used PC’s for work and for play for all my life

I just state the facts…so Matt you can bite me…cuz I am not the one that gives us a bad name…it’s people like you that don’t care to defend ourselves against those that continue to bash us for what we believe in

I am not online bad mouthing PC users for being bad and wrong for being PC users…I am going to stand up and be heard when I continue to hear about how we Mac users are stupid for paying the APPLE TAX…because it is not true…we pay for quality the first time…and rarely have to invest anything more into our computers after they are bought…we don’t have to pay for Anti-Virus programs that bill you by the year…how screwed up is that…anyway I’m going to mellow out I guess for the moment…but believe me…I am not the reason we get a bad name

scott, on March 24th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

Macs ARE PC’s and PC’s are Macs.

I do love OSX though. I run it on my HP and on my Compaq!

Works Great!

jake, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:55 am

ok here is the TRUTH hope you fanboys can handle it:

macs are way more expensive. period. if you can’t get over it, study some advertising or something. they are mostly a status symbol so they can’t make them too cheap or it would negate their hold brand demographic. are they nice machines? sure i would hope so for that much coin. can pc’s do the samething cheaper? absolutely.

if you are arguing that they last way longer then you are just plain stupid and probably a newb to computers in general. components in both PCs and macs are made to last way way longer than you need. the box will be obsolete speed-wise way before its components give out. ask around to see how many cpus melt or motherboards fry. it’s pretty rare. in all likelihood your computer will be in the dump b4 it breaks.

in closing, the fact that you call yourself a CULT is problematic. its not the machine guys it’s what you do with it. get out of your mac orgy and let it go already cause no one gives a F*#%$K and we’re all tired of you thinking you’re better than everyone else. listen when the simpsons’ does a spoof on your brand it’s time to wake up.

cheers,
a normal dude

theTruth, on March 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pm

It’s just a computer, not a car! Expensive is a relative word. Less then $3000 and I’m sold, especially when it’s not made from plastic and covered in vendor stickers.

NewJohnny, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:49 pm