My first time in an Apple Store!
I have recently moved, and finally live near enough to an Apple Store (about a 30-40 minute drive) to visit it. (The previous state I lived in, SC, didn't have a single store) This was also my first opportunity to see current generation Apple hardware 'in the flesh', the only other Apples I've seen in person are my 17" iMac G4 (my first and so far only Apple), a G3 iMac and a B&W G3 PM. The store I visited was the Streets at Southpoint store in Durham, NC.
Overall thoughts - The store was nicely arranged, though not as large as I was expecting. Only one isle of software and two isles of iPod stuff, with the computers on the walls. One thing I was not impressed with were the 'associates', or whatever Apple calls their sales people. I assume they work for commission like in other computer stores, because they were just as annoying. There were 12-15 customers in the store, and I think we were almost outnumbered by the staff. I was asked at least 5 times in 10 minutes wether I 'needed help' or was 'finding what I was looking for', twice by the same guy! Most of the machines, particularly the iMacs, were covered in fingerprints too, not very surprising with Apple hardware though!
iMac Intel - The hardware specs obviously run circles around my G4, but I'm undecided on the look, not nearly as sexy as the 'Sunflower'. That chin has to go though, very ugly IMHO, I would gladly put up with a power brick in the next revision to do some surgery on the chin! The 20" looks particularly ungainly, like it's going to tip over any minute. (I know it's actually stable, but...) Still looks better than just about any PC out there though!
MacBook - Nice small form factor, screen is a bit small for me but appropriate for it's target market (students/business small portable). I was unsure of the keyboard but after typing some on one it feels OK. Undecided on the shiny screen though, it reflected the fluorescent lights in the store like a mirror, I had to tilt the screen way back to get a good view. I don't know if it would be better at home where the lights aren't normally on the ceiling, and I don't use my current notebook outside so that's not a factor, but it could be bothersome at college classes. Also, the screen on the white one I was trying out was unusually dim even with the brightness turned all the way up. Possibly due to being on display for some time, because the black one next to it was nice an crisp. I agree with the heat complaints though, the wrist rest areas were hot to the touch just running the desktop at idle!
MacBook Pro - Super sexy, but WAY out of my price range, so I didn't spend much time on it.
Power Mac - Just as huge as advertised
, the store only had one on display. Again, out of my price range, though it would make the 'Ultimate Mac'!
MacMini - Saw a G4 mini at Best Buy when they briefly carried them, so I was familiar with the form factor. Nice little machines, but I'm holding off for the next revision to see if the get the newer IG chip-set from Intel, or possibly an ATI 'semi'-integrated GPU (200M), since they blow any Intel Integrated out of the water. (a dedicated GPU would be ideal IMHO, but I don't expect that in Apple's consumer offerings anymore...
)
Overall thoughts - The store was nicely arranged, though not as large as I was expecting. Only one isle of software and two isles of iPod stuff, with the computers on the walls. One thing I was not impressed with were the 'associates', or whatever Apple calls their sales people. I assume they work for commission like in other computer stores, because they were just as annoying. There were 12-15 customers in the store, and I think we were almost outnumbered by the staff. I was asked at least 5 times in 10 minutes wether I 'needed help' or was 'finding what I was looking for', twice by the same guy! Most of the machines, particularly the iMacs, were covered in fingerprints too, not very surprising with Apple hardware though!
iMac Intel - The hardware specs obviously run circles around my G4, but I'm undecided on the look, not nearly as sexy as the 'Sunflower'. That chin has to go though, very ugly IMHO, I would gladly put up with a power brick in the next revision to do some surgery on the chin! The 20" looks particularly ungainly, like it's going to tip over any minute. (I know it's actually stable, but...) Still looks better than just about any PC out there though!
MacBook - Nice small form factor, screen is a bit small for me but appropriate for it's target market (students/business small portable). I was unsure of the keyboard but after typing some on one it feels OK. Undecided on the shiny screen though, it reflected the fluorescent lights in the store like a mirror, I had to tilt the screen way back to get a good view. I don't know if it would be better at home where the lights aren't normally on the ceiling, and I don't use my current notebook outside so that's not a factor, but it could be bothersome at college classes. Also, the screen on the white one I was trying out was unusually dim even with the brightness turned all the way up. Possibly due to being on display for some time, because the black one next to it was nice an crisp. I agree with the heat complaints though, the wrist rest areas were hot to the touch just running the desktop at idle!
MacBook Pro - Super sexy, but WAY out of my price range, so I didn't spend much time on it.
Power Mac - Just as huge as advertised
, the store only had one on display. Again, out of my price range, though it would make the 'Ultimate Mac'!MacMini - Saw a G4 mini at Best Buy when they briefly carried them, so I was familiar with the form factor. Nice little machines, but I'm holding off for the next revision to see if the get the newer IG chip-set from Intel, or possibly an ATI 'semi'-integrated GPU (200M), since they blow any Intel Integrated out of the water. (a dedicated GPU would be ideal IMHO, but I don't expect that in Apple's consumer offerings anymore...
)
Comments
Originally posted by iPoster
[B]
was asked at least 5 times in 10 minutes wether I 'needed help' or was 'finding what I was looking for', twice by the same guy! Most of the machines, particularly the iMacs, were covered in fingerprints too, not very surprising with Apple hardware though!
I understand how annoying that is, but cut them a break, retail - commission or not - is a mind-numbingly boring job, particularly for the caleber of folk who know and care about the hardware and software and were just looking for a "tech job".
Quote:
MacMini - Saw a G4 mini at Best Buy when they briefly carried them, so I was familiar with the form factor. Nice little machines, but I'm holding off for the next revision to see if the get the newer IG chip-set from Intel, or possibly an ATI 'semi'-integrated GPU (200M), since they blow any Intel Integrated out of the water. (a dedicated GPU would be ideal IMHO, but I don't expect that in Apple's consumer offerings anymore...
Methinks that you will not see a mini with independant graphics untill at least Macwold, they need the core2 Duo laptop chips to seperate the iMac and PB further from the Mini because as it standa now, even with IG, the Minis and Macbooks hold their own in Motion and are usable for Apature. If the Minis of today had seperate programable GPUs, even something like a 64 MB NV6100, it would be so close to the iMac that no one outside of the realm of uber speedfreaks and HD pros would think twice about the iMac...MacMini @ $800 + 20 inch dispaly at ~$350-500 lands you between $1150 and $1300 for essentially what Apple sells for $1699
For the Macbook v MBP: rince and repeat the Miniv iMac comparison.
I love the chin on my iMac. Seriously, once you use it for a while, it doesn't bother you in the slightest.
Originally posted by Flounder
The chin must stay!
I love the chin on my iMac. Seriously, once you use it for a while, it doesn't bother you in the slightest.
great place for sticky notes, like the bezzle of my CRT
Originally posted by a_greer
Methinks that you will not see a mini with independant graphics untill at least Macwold, they need the core2 Duo laptop chips to seperate the iMac and PB further from the Mini because as it standa now, even with IG, the Minis and Macbooks hold their own in Motion and are usable for Apature. If the Minis of today had seperate programable GPUs, even something like a 64 MB NV6100, it would be so close to the iMac that no one outside of the realm of uber speedfreaks and HD pros would think twice about the iMac...MacMini @ $800 + 20 inch dispaly at ~$350-500 lands you between $1150 and $1300 for essentially what Apple sells for $1699
For the Macbook v MBP: rince and repeat the Miniv iMac comparison. [/B]
I understand the reasoning behind it, but that doesn't mean I like it!