MacMall extends 48-hour flash sale on MacBook Pro with Retina BTO configurations [u]

I would have been more then happy to buy from MacMall... But MacMall now blocks my IPs for whatever known reason. I get 403s all the way (Access forbidden). I cannot even unsubscribe from their mailers now. So... my money went directly to Apple... for my 2.6/16gb MBP/r as of two days ago,

All I have to say is shame on MacMall. Good way to treat your customers.

-Michael

That's really odd. If you're happy to buy from them you might just borrow someone else's computer for a few minutes. Or try at home. Or use a smartphone or even call on the phone. Of course, if you've bought from Apple already then MacMall's offer is too late for you but good for Apple (and you, you lucky dog).

Wish I could afford. Even with this additional discoun,t which works out to about 4%, it'll continue to be just an aspiration for me. On the other hand, I hope MacMall decides to have a flash sale on the new iMacs when those come out. (Oh, when? when?!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPilya 

I would have been more then happy to buy from MacMall... But MacMall now blocks my IPs for whatever known reason. I get 403s all the way (Access forbidden). I cannot even unsubscribe from their mailers now. So... my money went directly to Apple... for my 2.6/16gb MBP/r as of two days ago,

 

All I have to say is shame on MacMall. Good way to treat your customers.

 

-Michael

You can also get better saving through education discount and i assume there is an enterprise discount?

But I ordered mine with the same configuration (2.6ghz/16gb).

I wonder if they will get it shipped out earlier than the 5 days. Or at least I hope it is ready on friday. I've read some people are having trouble with the LCD screen. So I hope I get a good screen (kinda hope it is a samsung screen, they don't have the burn-in problems, but I assume its a small amount of people). But the sooner i get it, the sooner i can make sure it working correctly and then install windows and get ready for classes

Does MacMall have a student discount similar to Apple's on top of this deal?

You have to spend $3600 to get a $160 saving? You can just go to the Apple Educational Store and get $200 off for a Macbook Pro with Retina display. Starting at $1,999. 

http://store.apple.com/us-hed/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro/select

Originally Posted by Ewan 
You can just go to the Apple Educational Store and get $200 off for a Macbook Pro with Retina display. Starting at $1,999. 

Except no, not unless you're an educator/higher-ed student.

Originally Posted by asma89 
you do know theres nothing that asks you guys to prove you're students or educators right? just type in a school name select it and enjoy shopping at ridiculous discounts xD

You do know that's fraud, right? And completely illegal.

And also incorrect; random audits allow them to remove all discounts before the order is placed. They'll even call you and tell you your order was placed at the right price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


Other than, of course, the fact that you state that you are entitled to the discount when ordering.
Some of us don't believe in lying to save a few bucks.

There are also plenty of other ways to save a few dollars on these machines. Amazon had a pre-order sale initially. Refurbished units will eventually be out. Some of their refurbished discounts are excellent, but I think an over supply of the prior generation, potentially due to their current return policy has left them with a lot of stock from the older generations. It used to be the kind of thing you would have to check frequently to find a really good deal. Now they consistently have 15" 2011 macbook pros listed in the $1200-1300 range. It's quite a difference, and these are still very viable machines.

As well, for California residents at least, Amazon does not collect state sales tax

until September 15, which can save up to 9.75%.   MacMall collects CA tax.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddawson100 

That's really odd. If you're happy to buy from them you might just borrow someone else's computer for a few minutes. Or try at home. Or use a smartphone or even call on the phone. Of course, if you've bought from Apple already then MacMall's offer is too late for you but good for Apple (and you, you lucky dog).

I have tried my iPhone, iPad, My home Mac, as well as a Mac at our local Apple IMC. which.... tells you that I am currently outside of the states (though would have used my CC / Address in the states). I believe that recently they started to block IPs outside of the US (wonder if Canadians have issue?). I guess I could have paid a little $$$ to a VPN provider.. but I wouldnt be so stupid to transmit CC information over one.

Yes, I am fully legit in using the Education discount for this purchase and I did. From my understanding of the article, the MacMall has these on hand so there is no wait for BTO? That would have been nice.

I ordered my Macbook retina from apple on saturday and the more i read into the "burn-in" issue. The more I am beginning to regret switching from windows to mac. If I get anything less than prefect, I may ask for a replacement and if that doesn't work. Screw Apple, its been 3 months and they should have been able to fix the LG display issue. I will stay with windows and may never attempt to switch again. Cause it appears to be more than a common issue. Its quiet common, but most people just don't look for it. 

If anyone has a rMBP with an LG display and it doesn't burn it, well then, please give me some good news. 

For 2500 (with education discount), it better be spotless. 

Seeing as I will soon be buying my 3rd iPhone and that i have caused 25+ iphone sales for apple through my friends and family. Apple should not want to disappoint. I may only be one customer, but if Apple keeps making silly mistakes, itll add up

Has anyone gotten notification of their Macbook Pro Retina shipping from MacMall with this promo? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


Seems like a silly reason to choose a computer platform. There are plenty of alternatives:
1. Ask to open the computer when you buy it and test it. If it has image retention, ask for another.
2. This site tells you how to identify the source of the display:
http://tengize.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/macbook-pro-with-retina-display-owners-suffer-from-burn-in-markings/
Ask to do so at time of purchase.
3. Apple Stores have a money-back return policy. Buy the computer and take it home and if it has a problem, return it.
4. Buy the computer and take it home and if it has a problem, return it for warranty repair.
BTW, 'burn in' is not accurate. That phrase is used to describe permanent changes to the screen. That doesn't occur here - what a small number of people are complaining about is a temporary screen memory issue.

I pray it is a small amount of people. On the apple forums I see quiet a few. So i pray you are right.

Getting a quality product is a good reason to chose a product. Though the reason the dell didn't come close is people appear to be having trouble with the Wifi.

But for 2500, DAMN, it better work and work well.

I custom ordered it, for school. So it'll take about another week to get it. Then i have to test it (which i knew how). Then if it doesn't work I have to start school without a proper computer cause god knows how long a replacement will take. But we will see.

I really hope the display works properly (kinda just hoping for a samsung screen so i dont need to worry about it) Because I REALLY like the laptop. Its an awesome design. Oddly, the retina display was like 5th on my list of why i bought it.

The term burn in is good enough   thats why it is in quotes

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


1,000 posts on a support forum means:
5 people who actually had the problem, but they posted 50 times each (their original post plus 49 responses to everyone who says "it doesn't happen to me")
25 Apple-hating trolls who never owned the product but post 10 times each under different names saying that they have the problem
300 people who say "it doesn't happen to me"
200 people who seem to have nothing to do but post lame "Apple sucks" messages on every forum they can find
Language is a very powerful tool. Learn to use it properly. Using terms that don't apply (even with quotes) does not contribute to understanding or solution of problems.

You can defend apple as you will, but clearly there is an issue that is above normal levels. I will surely reply my experience here once I get my retina. 

I'm sure there is some exaggeration in the truth, as i thought happened with the iPhone 4, but the iPhone is 200 not 2500 (at least through a carrier)

The language is just fine, if the laptop screen is retaining an image within just 20 minutes, i'm sure it'll get to the point where it is permanent(or at least seem like it). CRTs aren't even that crappy.

We shall see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


Another great example. All of the whining about the iPhone 4 was shown to be garbage. When tested by independent labs, the iPhone 4 had better reception than most of the competitor's phones - even when 'gripped'. Yet that didn't stop bloggers and whiners (most of whom didn't even own one) from acting like it was a major disaster - and here you are parroting the same nonsense.
Or, maybe you could learn something about how displays work and the differences between a CRT and an LCD.
Yes, people who aren't capable of critical thinking always want to stop the discussion when they really don't have a point.
There are millions of rMBP owners out there who are happy with their laptops and it has widely been reported as the best display on the market - by far. Now, there will be a very small percentage of lemons, and I told you how to deal with that. But you're suggesting that there's a massive problem that's so great that people should reconsider their decision to buy one - yet there's no evidence to back you up.
Once again, you said that the number of rejects was above normal levels. So please tell us:
1. What are 'normal levels'?
2. What is the incidence rate for this problem you are referring to?
After all, if you are claiming that it's 'above normal levels', you must be able to answer both of those questions, right?

Given that 2 laptops on apples floor have the issue, thats not good. 2 out of 2. I know that is not a very wide testing base, but thats enough for me to be concerned. Because when my hard drive broke within 2 weeks of owning my current computer, the 2nd one did not go bad. 

I understand the differences between a LCD and CRT but for 2500 dollars, its a safe assumption to say that it will get worse and permanent(which has been reported by those with issues).   You also have to realize, that most people would not notice this issue. Its like having a scale that says your weight is 2 lbs heavier except you paid 400 bucks for a scale. Its not a big issue but not acceptable for the price paid.

And i PRAY i am wrong and all your "points" are correct, but there seems to be more issues than i am used to with a product from apple. 

The iphone 4 has much better reception than the 3 (never used s GS) but there was certainly some level of an issue with the iphone (given why engineers used a modified setup with the 4s) additionally, steve made apple look stupid by "you are holding it wrong"

Anyway, you won't convince me that this is a few lemons because of the 2 out of 2    but i'll wait to get my retina and let you know how that goes

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


Seems like a silly reason to choose a computer platform. There are plenty of alternatives:
1. Ask to open the computer when you buy it and test it. If it has image retention, ask for another.
2. This site tells you how to identify the source of the display:
http://tengize.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/macbook-pro-with-retina-display-owners-suffer-from-burn-in-markings/
Ask to do so at time of purchase.
3. Apple Stores have a money-back return policy. Buy the computer and take it home and if it has a problem, return it.
4. Buy the computer and take it home and if it has a problem, return it for warranty repair.
BTW, 'burn in' is not accurate. That phrase is used to describe permanent changes to the screen. That doesn't occur here - what a small number of people are complaining about is a temporary screen memory issue.

If you want to turn up white papers on the topic, the correct name to use would be "image persistence". One thing that is unfortunately not mentioned by many of these claims is that it's usually a temporary effect. Modern displays shouldn't have trouble with lasting image persistence. Some of the older ones did have potentially permanent issues. I've seen quite a few 24" imacs with this. It used to be a problem with a variety of lcd display brands. I haven't seen it so much in recent years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seankill 

 

I pray it is a small amount of people. On the apple forums I see quiet a few. So i pray you are right.

 

Getting a quality product is a good reason to chose a product. Though the reason the dell didn't come close is people appear to be having trouble with the Wifi.

 

 

But for 2500, DAMN, it better work and work well.

 

 

I custom ordered it, for school. So it'll take about another week to get it. Then i have to test it (which i knew how). Then if it doesn't work I have to start school without a proper computer cause god knows how long a replacement will take. But we will see.

I really hope the display works properly (kinda just hoping for a samsung screen so i dont need to worry about it) Because I REALLY like the laptop. Its an awesome design. Oddly, the retina display was like 5th on my list of why i bought it.

 

 

The term burn in is good enough   thats why it is in quotes

Your words indicate that you likely budgeted an uncomfortable amount. I really suggest against doing this. It's a much better idea to avoid the new shiny things and just buy a quality item that you can really afford. I've dropped thousands on computers and related peripherals many times. If one of them gets a big scratch a month later, I don't care. If it's a dent, that is likely to annoy me. It's just a matter of whether it affects functionality or structural integrity. If something simply looks scratched up, it doesn't matter to me as it's just a tool. When these things become too seductive, people budget well beyond their comfort levels. In the case of the rMBP, you should remember that Apple tries to push out new things that are not necessarily well tested as mass market technology. Making  hundreds of thousands of these things is quite different from making prototypes. If this makes you nervous, the best suggestion would be not to buy a relatively new design. I tend to stick with what is stable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


Really? So please tell us:
1. What are 'normal levels'?
2. What is the incidence rate for this problem you are referring to?
After all, if you are claiming that it's 'above normal levels', you must be able to answer both of those questions, right?
In reality, people complain about stuff all the time that ends up being very rare. Apple, in particular seems to suffer from bloggers making mountains out of molehills. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone reported on some 'widespread' Apple problem - that ended up being a very rare event.
And it has nothing to do with 'defending Apple'. As I stated, if the screen doesn't work as it should, you should definitely take it back. So how is that defending Apple?
Great example. You thought it happened with the iPhone 4 - yet were apparently unable to confirm it - and no one else has reported on such a problem. That's the problem with these anecdotal complaints - there's no way to verify their accuracy.
No, it's not. 'Burn in' is permanent damage to a display. The complaints that you're referring to go away after a few minutes. There's absolutely no sign that it's permanent.

Burn in is somewhat colloquial, but it may have come from the crt generation term "phosphor burn". There are a lot of weird assessments on these things from people who know nothing about displays. Comparing it to their iphones or anything of that sort is a bad idea. Neither should be considered a reference grade source.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmm 

If you want to turn up white papers on the topic, the correct name to use would be "image persistence". One thing that is unfortunately not mentioned by many of these claims is that it's usually a temporary effect. Modern displays shouldn't have trouble with lasting image persistence. Some of the older ones did have potentially permanent issues. I've seen quite a few 24" imacs with this. It used to be a problem with a variety of lcd display brands. I haven't seen it so much in recent years.

Your words indicate that you likely budgeted an uncomfortable amount. I really suggest against doing this. It's a much better idea to avoid the new shiny things and just buy a quality item that you can really afford. I've dropped thousands on computers and related peripherals many times. If one of them gets a big scratch a month later, I don't care. If it's a dent, that is likely to annoy me. It's just a matter of whether it affects functionality or structural integrity. If something simply looks scratched up, it doesn't matter to me as it's just a tool. When these things become too seductive, people budget well beyond their comfort levels. In the case of the rMBP, you should remember that Apple tries to push out new things that are not necessarily well tested as mass market technology. Making  hundreds of thousands of these things is quite different from making prototypes. If this makes you nervous, the best suggestion would be not to buy a relatively new design. I tend to stick with what is stable.

 

Burn in is somewhat colloquial, but it may have come from the crt generation term "phosphor burn". There are a lot of weird assessments on these things from people who know nothing about displays. Comparing it to their iphones or anything of that sort is a bad idea. Neither should be considered a reference grade source.

You are 100% wrong and unaware of my money situation, i currently owe no one or no company a single dime and have plenty of money to stay on track to graduate debt free (due to scholarships, internships etc..) . I believe somewhere I noted that it was most of my EXCESS income, meaning I did not need it for school, car, etc....... But 2500 is a lot for a laptop and it best be the best. If the laptop wasn't working great for launch, then Apple should not put their name on it. 

I ran the same test on my laptop that they are doing on the mackbook pro to determine if they retain their image, and my laptop ran it prefect(meaning no retention at all). Keep in mind, this is a 6+ year old dell laptop. So, being a PC, shouldn't it be subpar to the macbook pro? 

Notice, I also said, it seems to me that the levels of issues seem higher than normal. Granted, I normally don't look into many Apple products except the iPad and iPhone. However, its like the assumption I made retaining to the dell PC that I considered getting over the macbook. A high amount of the reviews said that the computer had a wifi issue. Though, not everyone said that, there's clearly some issue that is fairly common that out of the box, this dell laptop has a wifi issue (though, i think that is a software issue with that pc).

In general, when you buy a fancy german car and pay a premium for it (which i will never do, even if i had 5 billion dollars), you expect it to be pretty damn good.

Anyway, my laptop is due to be in next tuesday or wednesday, which i won't be in town to get it until that wednesday anyway, on thursday, we all should return to this form and see what i can report. (hopefully that i got a samsung screen, but probably not)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta 


You misspelled "2 out of the several million sold". Furthermore, how do you know they weren't messed up somehow while on display? Display computers take a real beating.
I'm still waiting for you to support your assertion that the failure rate was 'more than normal.'
IOW, you don't have any facts, just fearmongering. That's what I said.

Additionally: Reporting, even one from this very website:

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/134985-apples-new-retina-display-dogged-by-image-retention-increasingly-unhappy-users#disqus_thread

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406360,00.asp

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/06/25/retina_display_image_retention_reported_by_new_macbook_pro_owners.html

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/27/some-retina-macbook-pro-users-experiencing-display-ghosting/

So, there you go.

sources and personal experience says: Macbook Pro Retinas shipped with a LG display have image retention issues. And it general, suck compared to a Samsung display.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ewan 

You have to spend $3600 to get a $160 saving? You can just go to the Apple Educational Store and get $200 off for a Macbook Pro with Retina display. Starting at $1,999. 

 

http://store.apple.com/us-hed/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro/select

IIRC the Apple educational discounts aren't cash back.  Last I checked they were all just against future App store, iTunes and etc purchases.  Best Buy has a legit student discount (just enter .edu email, get coupon and show up at store with ID) that works.  Given that the BB prices are completely in line with the rest, it's a good deal.

MacMall I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.  Used to use them decades ago and gave them a few more chances a few years ago with horrible results (used and re-shrink wrapped sold as new), stuff that didn't ship and then went out of stock, etc etc.  My personal experience with them has been awful and done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seankill 


On my retina. Well, the laptop that I ordered, they took 200 off the model, upgrades were cheaper and I got a 100 dollar gift card.
Saved 220 because of education discount and got 100 gft card

And if you have any issues at all you can bring it to any Apple Store and if it's the kind of thing you can demonstrate it'll be dealt with then and there, no denying that the sky is blue and all that.  If you had bought from MacMall and had an obvious, glaring legit issue you'd be SOOL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seankill 

You are 100% wrong and unaware of my money situation, i currently owe no one or no company a single dime and have plenty of money to stay on track to graduate debt free (due to scholarships, internships etc..) . I believe somewhere I noted that it was most of my EXCESS income, meaning I did not need it for school, car, etc....... But 2500 is a lot for a laptop and it best be the best. If the laptop wasn't working great for launch, then Apple should not put their name on it. 

 

 

I ran the same test on my laptop that they are doing on the mackbook pro to determine if they retain their image, and my laptop ran it prefect(meaning no retention at all). Keep in mind, this is a 6+ year old dell laptop. So, being a PC, shouldn't it be subpar to the macbook pro? 

 

Notice, I also said, it seems to me that the levels of issues seem higher than normal. Granted, I normally don't look into many Apple products except the iPad and iPhone. However, its like the assumption I made retaining to the dell PC that I considered getting over the macbook. A high amount of the reviews said that the computer had a wifi issue. Though, not everyone said that, there's clearly some issue that is fairly common that out of the box, this dell laptop has a wifi issue (though, i think that is a software issue with that pc).

 

In general, when you buy a fancy german car and pay a premium for it (which i will never do, even if i had 5 billion dollars), you expect it to be pretty damn good.

 

Anyway, my laptop is due to be in next tuesday or wednesday, which i won't be in town to get it until that wednesday anyway, on thursday, we all should return to this form and see what i can report. (hopefully that i got a samsung screen, but probably not)

I'm not sure I worded that very well. It's often more an issue of what you're comfortable spending on such a machine rather than what you can afford. I also agree that it's a lot to drop on a notebook. I didn't buy one. Regarding PCs, you are drinking the kool-aid there. There is nothing inherently inferior. You can spend a lot on a Windows PC or a Mac. There's nothing to say one must break prior to the other. In terms of Dell specifically, they have some okay products if you don't bother looking at their low end. 

I hope your next one turns out better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seankill 


You seem to be very rational with your views and words. (just a compliment)
I love my current dell. And have not gotten my retina yet.
I am comfortable with spending such money; however, if I buy a German car, I expect the premium to be worth it
Ordered it online via apple

Past experience makes me not want first generation products. Much of this for Apple is trying to get the latest thing out ahead of everyone else. The rMBP and possibly the inclusion of usb3 do quite a lot to prop up an otherwise potentially slow year in tech updates. If you look at Ivy Bridge, the jump is nowhere near what we saw with Sandy. The biggest gains are at the level of the 13" pro and air where integrated graphics are the only option and the clock speed bumps were noticeable. At the quad core level the overall core count was kept the same with the process shrink and the space gained was largely allocated to integrated graphics, even though these models are less dependent on them. I don't see this changing too much either in the next couple years. Even if programming allowed tasks to further be split up among discrete and integrated gpus, the macbook pros hit a wall on power consumption relative to what the chargers can deliver.

Regarding German cars,  AMGs are quite impressive in their construction. I find it fascinating how they plan out some of the blends and tertiary surfaces into something that can actually be manufactured. Anyway I hope your new computer is perfect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmm 

 

Past experience makes me not want first generation products. Much of this for Apple is trying to get the latest thing out ahead of everyone else. The rMBP and possibly the inclusion of usb3 do quite a lot to prop up an otherwise potentially slow year in tech updates. If you look at Ivy Bridge, the jump is nowhere near what we saw with Sandy. The biggest gains are at the level of the 13" pro and air where integrated graphics are the only option and the clock speed bumps were noticeable. At the quad core level the overall core count was kept the same with the process shrink and the space gained was largely allocated to integrated graphics, even though these models are less dependent on them. I don't see this changing too much either in the next couple years. Even if programming allowed tasks to further be split up among discrete and integrated gpus, the macbook pros hit a wall on power consumption relative to what the chargers can deliver.

 

Regarding German cars,  AMGs are quite impressive in their construction. I find it fascinating how they plan out some of the blends and tertiary surfaces into something that can actually be manufactured. Anyway I hope your new computer is perfect.

I agree, the only thing that Ivy bridge may do is save power for a laptop but benchmarks show little improvement in speed, except like you said GPU.

Apple put their name on it, so something as bad as that shouldn't slip QC. (Assuming the problem is a little bigger than normal, but i could be wrong)

I hope mine is prefect too, i love the design of the laptop and the retina display is pretty cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seankill 

 

I agree, the only thing that Ivy bridge may do is save power for a laptop but benchmarks show little improvement in speed, except like you said GPU.

 

Apple put their name on it, so something as bad as that shouldn't slip QC. (Assuming the problem is a little bigger than normal, but i could be wrong)

 

I hope mine is prefect too, i love the design of the laptop and the retina display is pretty cool

Displays are not a strong point for Apple. While some on this site like to deny it, they've always been hit and miss, and I've never really counted on getting a perfect one. If it's actually bad, I'll send it back. Looking at my current notebook that I've had for a while, I can definitely see unevenness toward the bottom with a black screen if the ambient light is dark enough. I don't really care. The notebook display isn't suitable for a lot of things anyway, and you only really see it if you're viewing a near black screen in a very dark room. As an example if you were watching a movie on it in a very dark room, you might see some unevenness around the black bars. Even if it bothered me and I took it in, trying to show that to the genius would be difficult.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmm 

Displays are not a strong point for Apple. While some on this site like to deny it, they've always been hit and miss, and I've never really counted on getting a perfect one. If it's actually bad, I'll send it back. Looking at my current notebook that I've had for a while, I can definitely see unevenness toward the bottom with a black screen if the ambient light is dark enough. I don't really care. The notebook display isn't suitable for a lot of things anyway, and you only really see it if you're viewing a near black screen in a very dark room. As an example if you were watching a movie on it in a very dark room, you might see some unevenness around the black bars. Even if it bothered me and I took it in, trying to show that to the genius would be difficult.

Well, at least you are honest.

I am currently typing on my macbook, first macbook, the screen looks great but i have yet to check for IR. With this hurricane coming in, its just not important enough ATM.

I do like the computer though