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Apple to sell $899 20-inch aluminum iMac to schools - Page 2

post #41 of 65
4/13/09 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpklock View Post

As an educator and education technology specialist in a very large (400,000+ students) district, I can say that Apple has exceptional customer service for my district-- including providing custom-installed software configurations, with backup images (a tremendous time and TCO savings when rolling out large numbers of computers across a relatively huge geographical area...) I haven't asked MacMall nor ClubMac if they can do that sort of service for us (and negotiating that sort of deal is handled by my central office, anyway), but I kind of doubt it...

Very fair point. I would expect nothing less from Apple. Thanks for the sharing your experiences.

You know, I'd be willing to bet they'd match any third-party seller's price. They do so at least on the consumer / individual sale.

And I agree, Macmall would be computer only, although at a very good price.
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post #42 of 65
4/13/09 at 6:21pm
You are once again embarking on an argument to nowhere.

Quote:
Originally Posted by teckstud View Post

We're talking desktops. How many desktops in the corporate, financial, & scientific worlds do not have a number keypad section?
A numeric keypad on a laptop is not only infeasible but highly impractical.
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post #43 of 65
4/13/09 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcarling View Post

I thought we had seen the last of 1GB Macs. Oh well. Someday....

The low end Mac Mini has 1Gb as well.

Configured at 2Gb RAM, AppleCare, iWork, and a larger disk and the Mac Mini is more than that iMac. Still no monitor, keyboard, or mouse.

Apple's next Mac Mini should up to 2Gb across the board and tack on a glide pad on the top of the unit similar to the Macbooks.
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post #44 of 65
4/13/09 at 6:38pm
For the record...

Apple does offer both keyboards for the same price. The keyboard without the numeric keypad is pre-selected, but you have the option of selecting the full length keyboard at no additional cost.

Someone asked what the part# was...according to Apple's website its MC015LL/A

The only thing I wish it had was 2GB of RAM and maybe only charge $69 per computer (when purchasing more than say 10-15 iMacs) for AppleCare. You spend $900 and then you have to plump down another $119 for 3yrs total warranty service, putting the iMac price back over $1,000 again.

Also, Apple thank god uses 1x1GB modules and not 2x512MB modules to get the 1GB total RAM. So upgrading wouldn't be as expensive and more effective.

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post #45 of 65
4/13/09 at 6:46pm
Personally, if I was an educator I'd be prone to get minis rather than iMacs.

If a screen goes, you swap it; you don't lose the functionality of the whole unit. They are also good for light server duty when required and easier to ship for servicing.

I see the iMac as better for the home and small office market.

Of course an educator would have to run the numbers on his particular situation, but my gut feeling is that the mini can lower your TCO.
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post #46 of 65
4/13/09 at 7:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post

How many millions of laptops are used every day for mathematical/statistical/ accounting/ finance...and don't have a keypad?
How do they do it?

Poorly.
I try to avoid spreadsheet editing unless I'm in my office with a keyboard attached.
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post #47 of 65
4/13/09 at 7:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LTMP View Post

Poorly.
I try to avoid spreadsheet editing unless I'm in my office with a keyboard attached.

Well, as Macxpress notes above, you can order the iMac with a standard keyboard, so it's a moot point.
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post #48 of 65
4/13/09 at 7:51pm
Honestly, an 2GB Memory version with 1.8Ghz and smaller HDD would be better. Since 2GB memory will dramatically improve the OS performance.

With 1GB, the 9400M already took 128 as Video Memory. So unless Snow Leopard do something to cut down memory resources, 1GB iMac will feel a little slow.
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post #49 of 65
4/13/09 at 8:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksec View Post

Honestly, an 2GB Memory version with 1.8Ghz and smaller HDD would be better. Since 2GB memory will dramatically improve the OS performance.

With 1GB, the 9400M already took 128 as Video Memory. So unless Snow Leopard do something to cut down memory resources, 1GB iMac will feel a little slow.

Which is a shame, since, as educational computers, these may well serve as many students introduction to the Mac.

I've run into a lot of people over the years whose impression of Apple hardware was formed by seriously out of date, poorly maintained machines in their high school computer lab.

You'd think Apple would see these machines as an opportunity to make a great first impression, but I guess not.
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post #50 of 65
4/13/09 at 8:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksec View Post

Honestly, an 2GB Memory version with 1.8Ghz and smaller HDD would be better. Since 2GB memory will dramatically improve the OS performance.
With 1GB, the 9400M already took 128 as Video Memory. So unless Snow Leopard do something to cut down memory resources, 1GB iMac will feel a little slow.

I mean I can see colleges needing more than 1GB but how many colleges provide computers for students when they would need that much, the students already have their own computers.

I believe these are targeted at High Schools and lower, where they are doing very little that would require more than 1GB and most likely wouldn't have anything to reference to to form an opinion that it is slower.

Also, if they need more than 1GB it would be cheaper to buy it separately and install it.
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post #51 of 65
4/13/09 at 8:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsNly View Post

Do school computers really need more than 1GB?

I think it helps. And it's not that expensive, $60 at OWC gets 4GB.

Quote:
Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post

Great price point, but I always think a 20" monitor is just too big for students. It reminds me of the "Easy" internet cafes you would see in Europe... almost like a factory with the ratio of human space to computer space.

If you were talking about the 24", maybe I would agree, it can seem big to people, but for the 20" I don't see how space is such a problem when the machine is about as wide as the shoulder width on an average adult, comfortable use requires still more elbow room anyway. Personally, as portability isn't an issue, I would take as much screen space as is affordable. For educational use, I just looked up some figures on recommended spacings for ergonomics and comfort, and the bare minimum recommended child-to-child spacing is about 45cm, about the width of the 20" machine.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alonso Perez View Post

Personally, if I was an educator I'd be prone to get minis rather than iMacs.

If a screen goes, you swap it; you don't lose the functionality of the whole unit. They are also good for light server duty when required and easier to ship for servicing.

I see the iMac as better for the home and small office market.

Of course an educator would have to run the numbers on his particular situation, but my gut feeling is that the mini can lower your TCO.

Personally, for my own machine, I do prefer a separate screen, but really, how often do screens fail?
I don't know if it's so clear cut on overall TCO. There are extra cables to manage though, monitor power, monitor video, monitor audio, making sure they all stay securely connected, plus probably an extra Kensington lock.
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post #52 of 65
4/13/09 at 9:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

The problem with lowering your pricing structure is that it's all but impossible to raise it again. If Apple migrates its price points downward in response to the current economic climate, they'll have trouble recapturing their margins once things get better.

Once world economies turn around and people start buying again, Apple will be in the best positioned to capitalise. They will have high sales combined with strong margins. Other companies may have the high sales, but with the amount of competition vying for the lower end market share, they will struggle to raise prices and gain good profits. I'd much rather be in Apple's shoes right now.
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post #53 of 65
4/14/09 at 12:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

which feature a display with a 3-inch wider viewing area.

That's an extra 3 inches diagonally from corner to corner.

Therefore, less than 3 inches wider. Less than 3 inches higher, too.
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post #54 of 65
4/14/09 at 2:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post

How many millions of laptops are used every day for mathematical/statistical/ accounting/ finance...and don't have a keypad?
How do they do it?

1) Lots of PC laptops have number pads. My wife's HP has one.

2)


These are really annoying to have to lug around though.

3) Until recently Mac laptops used to have an integrated number pad on the regular keyboard.

This is something Apple really needs to address, IMO. A number pad is a really important feature, and there is no excuse for not having at least one laptop model that has one. Not having one just reinforces the public's perception that Macs are just toys.
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post #55 of 65
4/14/09 at 5:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

Well, as Macxpress notes above, you can order the iMac with a standard keyboard, so it's a moot point.

I don't know. What about people buying from retail, or Amazon, or wherever and get the default no-number leypad keyboard by well..... default?

Those people are stuck with the no numeric keypad unless they cough up some more money. It still strikes me as a completely bizarre choice for apple to make.
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post #56 of 65
4/14/09 at 7:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flounder View Post

I don't know. What about people buying from retail, or Amazon, or wherever and get the default no-number leypad keyboard by well..... default?

Those people are stuck with the no numeric keypad unless they cough up some more money. It still strikes me as a completely bizarre choice for apple to make.

The keyboard with a numeric pad is considered a BTO (Build-To-Order). This is why you don't see amazon and places like that have the full sized keyboard.

An Apple Retail Store however may have some in stock with the full length keyboard.

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post #57 of 65
4/14/09 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsNly View Post

Do school computers really need more than 1GB?

Not really.
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post #58 of 65
4/14/09 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by macxpress View Post

The keyboard with a numeric pad is considered a BTO (Build-To-Order). This is why you don't see amazon and places like that have the full sized keyboard.

An Apple Retail Store however may have some in stock with the full length keyboard.

I realize that, and that's exactly the point I was making; this is why I think the numeric pad-less version as the standard is misguided. I mean, imagine someone ordering from Amazon and assuming a freaking desktop computer will come with a full keyboard with numeric keypad and then it doesn't.

I don't know what percentage of people would prefer a desktop keyboard sans number-pad, but it's gotta be extremely low.
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post #59 of 65
4/14/09 at 9:58am
I wondered if Macs were still faring at all in the educational system, other than niche - 'course I don't make the rounds and am not a .edu type, but just seems they dominated for a good while late 80s/early 90s, then disappeared..

Of course, it wasn't well balanced even then tho - journalism writing classes were on DOS with Wordstar, and we "graduated" to the MacBricks with Aldus for editing, layout, waxing and pasteup.

I suddenly feel ancient
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post #60 of 65
4/14/09 at 10:03am
The first computer I ever used was an Apple ][ GS in the elementary school computer lab. It featured this innovative new user interface device called a "mouse". I remember playing a game on it designed to teach kids how to use the mouse.

I don't remember if there was a numeric pad on the keyboard...

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post #61 of 65
4/14/09 at 11:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flounder View Post

I realize that, and that's exactly the point I was making; this is why I think the numeric pad-less version as the standard is misguided. I mean, imagine someone ordering from Amazon and assuming a freaking desktop computer will come with a full keyboard with numeric keypad and then it doesn't.

I don't know what percentage of people would prefer a desktop keyboard sans number-pad, but it's gotta be extremely low.

Right, but in context we were talking about the iMac being deployed in schools, where the BTO option isn't an issue.
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post #62 of 65
4/14/09 at 12:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

Right, but in context we were talking about the iMac being deployed in schools, where the BTO option isn't an issue.

Exactly! Schools will order the computers how they like anyways so I don't see this as a big issue. For regular customers, this may be an issue, but who knows!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flounder View Post

I realize that, and that's exactly the point I was making; this is why I think the numeric pad-less version as the standard is misguided. I mean, imagine someone ordering from Amazon and assuming a freaking desktop computer will come with a full keyboard with numeric keypad and then it doesn't.

I don't know what percentage of people would prefer a desktop keyboard sans number-pad, but it's gotta be extremely low.

Nobody really knows who wants a numeric number pad and who doesn't care about it. However, I bet Apple has a pretty good idea. So saying the average has got to be low is just an assumption because you use it? I for one rarely ever use it and couldn't care less about having it. At least Apple gives you the option of having either or.

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post #63 of 65
4/14/09 at 3:07pm
Here is the 17" that I almost ordered for my classroom. The 899 option is way better for me and will probably have to get two of them.

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post #64 of 65
4/15/09 at 9:32pm
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Originally Posted by mechengit View Post

Browser today like Firefox can eat up 200MB easily, especially when running several Web 2.0 apps or running the useless Flash at the same time.

That's why you don't use Firefox.
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post #65 of 65
4/16/09 at 7:40pm
So, compared to the $599 Mac mini (which would cost less for .edu), you're paying $300 for a 20" TN display? That's not a very good deal.
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