You may be right, but I've been really struck by all the positive responses around the web from folks once they'd held one in their hands.
Word of mouth sells more product than just about anything.
Quote:
The actual announcement got the usual range of responses, but the 11" in particular seems to have some mysterious power to cloud men's minds. I've lost count of the number of posts I've seen on various forums wherein the skeptical go to check one out and almost shamefacedly emerge with an Air under their arm.
I avoid this problem by not even walking into the mall where the local Apple store is located. No really the best way to keep the cash in the wallet is to avoid walking into the Apple store.
Quote:
There's just something really dead sexy about the combination of super rigid, solid feeling unibody design, feather weight, great screen, good keyboard and OS X. $999 starting price doesn't hurt, either-- it's just low enough to keep folks from walking away with disgust at the "Apple tax."
The Apple tax has never been as bad as some have implied. With respect to AIR how many machines are on the market that are reasonably comparable? Not many from what I can gather. The $999 starting price is of course a factor, price is almost always a factor, but the AIR is very good value for the money. This value for the money math is what will likely drive a lot of sales.
Quote:
I just have a feeling, anecdotally based as it may be, that the Air is going to have massive holiday sales. It's the new MacBook, for all intents and purposes, the cheap Mac notebook-- but instead of feeling like you're "settling" for the cheap Mac, it feels like totally top drawer all the way.
Well I'm not going to guess on sales mainly because I haven't personally talked to a lot of new AIR owners.
As to the MacBook I suspect you are wrong in one sense. I don't see AIR replacing the MacBook. Rather I see a new MacBook coming at a very aggressive price point. This item will come out as soon as the SoC suitable for it are on the market. I see a 6-700 dollar MacBook in the near future.
You see even at $1000 the AIRs really are expensive for many potential Apple customers. AIR dies have that ability to move people to spend more than they want but there is a huge segment of the market that rejects high prices even though they want a Mac deep down. The only trick Apple gas to accomplish is to keep quality high in the low cost machine.
Such a MacBook will do a couple of things for Apple, one is increase sales dramatically. The other is to put a lot of pressure on the cheapy laptop makers while still being very profitable for Apple.
You may be right, but I've been really struck by all the positive responses around the web from folks once they'd held one in their hands.
The actual announcement got the usual range of responses, but the 11" in particular seems to have some mysterious power to cloud men's minds. I've lost count of the number of posts I've seen on various forums wherein the skeptical go to check one out and almost shamefacedly emerge with an Air under their arm.
There's just something really dead sexy about the combination of super rigid, solid feeling unibody design, feather weight, great screen, good keyboard and OS X. $999 starting price doesn't hurt, either-- it's just low enough to keep folks from walking away with disgust at the "Apple tax."
I just have a feeling, anecdotally based as it may be, that the Air is going to have massive holiday sales. It's the new MacBook, for all intents and purposes, the cheap Mac notebook-- but instead of feeling like you're "settling" for the cheap Mac, it feels like totally top drawer all the way.
Yeah, and you just can't truly appreciate the design and style until you hold it in your hands.
I?m with addabox, I?m seeing a lot more demand for the new MBA that I would have thought for an ultralight notebook. I can see a lot of students wanting this for its portability. You?re obviously right that you get a lot more bang for your buck with the other Mac notebooks but I?d wager that they have a lot more performance than most will need.
That question of performance will be answered by looking at the used market in a few months. If people hold onto their machines or get very high resale prices then that is a good indication that performance is less than frustrating.
Quote:
The only caveat at this point may be the drive space, but I checked with several non-techy people I know (friends and family) and they?re all using under 25GB. Only the technical people I know that use torrents and newsgroup use more space than that.
I really hate this phrase "technical people". First off torrents are used by thieves in many cases. Also what is with the inclusion of newsgroups with torrents, there is a lot more to news groups than warez. Further what do either of these have to do with technical people if such an animal exists?
In any event disk usage is highly dependent upon what one does an installs. I know back in early 2008, when I got my MBP, it didn't take long to fill the disk to about 70GB. This via the install of apps. Yes this space usage is skewed a bit by the install of Eclipse, XCode and Open Office but highlights that space goes quickly before a large number of documents are even created.
Quote:
I hadn?t thought about it until you mentioned it, but both times I looked at the 11? MBA I took a double take to make sure it wasn?t the 13? model.
20 years ago I might have been very interested in the AIR. Now I would worry about how useful the tiny screen would be with these old eyes.
Quote:
I?d rather have either MBA than my iPad, but since my 13? MBP is my primary device there is little need at this point. Maybe if I upgrade to a desktop a MBA would fit my travel needs.
The competition between the AIR and the iPad would be a lot more interesting if the AIR had a built in 3G modem and antenna. Personally portability would be a big reason for either machine, that is somthing easy to carry and get on the net, but without the internal cellular potential AIR ends up a bit short.
Quote:
That?s one of the qualifiers that makes it impossible for me to call the MBAs ?netbooks?. Meaning, having a full-sized keyboard means that you can type all day without issue.
IPads Touch based keyboard is about as useful as many netbook keyboards. For people looking at AIR as a replacement for larger notebooks the keyboard has to be a big factor.
well, this shows that its faster, but this is access times, when you try running something CPU or GPU intensive, show me the benchmarks.
that being said, a lot of people wouldn't need this speed.
also, i believe a test was with flash, vs. w/ out flash, but no other add ons, i would say these tests aren't that great...
That was an aggregate score. This shows all of the tests. The new Macbook Airs blow the doors off the other models on the file copy test and unzip test, which is why they rate so well overall. That is, of course, because of the SSD. They also manage to keep up on the graphics- and memory- bound tests.
I have a feeling that Lion will support this type of setup natively.
When you create a new user account, it will also ask you which drive you want it on.
The 27" iMac already has the option for an SSD and a traditional hard drive.
The new SSDs apple is using in the MBA is extremely small and should find it's way into the MBPs.
Leopard and Snow Leopard support it already. I even have my ~/User account on the HDD so my Movies, Music, and other data folders can use this HDD. This is easily setup right from the User Accounts section of System Preferences. No hack needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard69
I really hate this phrase "technical people". First off torrents are used by thieves in many cases. Also what is with the inclusion of newsgroups with torrents, there is a lot more to news groups than warez.
I thought the comment was self explanatory. To reiterate, the average user doesn?t install or download excessive amounts of data that is stored locally. My use of ?tech? also shouldn?t be confusing to you. Surely I am not saying someone who it an aerospace engineer should be savvy with personal computers.
Someone doesn't get to nearly 20,000 posts on this forum by being an "AAPL hater".
Stick around a little while, go with the flow, and you'll catch the drift.
Personally I agree with justfine. Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 70 years old), but I'm of the old school that thinks "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" and IMHO I believe that the great majority of posters on this site are far too intelligent and savvy to use it. They don't need to in order to convey their opinion.
As a parent with two high school students I am seriously thinking of an Air as a Christmas present. Unfortunately to keep thing fair that means two of them With enough battery life to get through the day and with network storage at home they should work out fine.
You pick up the average netbook at BestBuy and you're likely to think "yeah, it's about all I can afford, I guess."
You pick up an 11" Air and you're likely to think "I wonder if I can scrape up a little more money so I can get this?"
The combination of size, weight, solidity, full size keyboard, excellent screen and OS X is just very compelling. I have no earthly use for one and I have to talk myself down every time I pick one up. Typically for Apple, a lot of little things go into a highly desirable whole.
For instance, i think I remember some people claiming that the Apple videos showing the 11" being flipped open with one hand were misleading, because the thing was so light you had to hold it down to get the screen up. But every one I've played with gets that exactly right, where it's almost effortless to lift the screen, but it stays exactly where you put it. Don't know if wear and tear will take a toll on this, but if it's designed like my MacBook Pro it seems to hold up pretty well. I think Apple may be the only CE company out there that would be willing to spend (what I would imagine to be) a great deal of time and effort to make sure something like lifting and orienting the screen is excellent.
fine post
my MBA buddies swear by the new mba yet they all own the ipad too .
ya know ..when you travel mile upon wasted mile year after year
Personally I agree with justfine. Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 70 years old), but I'm of the old school that thinks "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" and IMHO I believe that the great majority of posters on this site are far too intelligent and savvy to use it. They don't need to in order to convey their opinion.
Each to his own, I guess.
I hope I have a broader (and more forgiving) sense of humor than you seem to at 70.
I hate all these endless predictions of what apple will sell. What happens when Apple can't possibly live up to the hype that's being generated? Every week there someone saying something about ohhh well Apple is going to sell 40million of X and 20million of Y.... On some level I understand people want to predict what Apple will see but sometimes it just get's ridiculous and repetitive.
...Cautionary note, however. As an Apple investor I anticipate some excess in terms of stock price, though I also think Apple is a fine long-term investment. The company is well positioned with room for still more growth. Jobs has helped transform Apple into a multi-faceted behemoth managing to make a profit out of just about everything it touches. We're talking real earnings and a brand that is highly regarded by an important young demographic. It would take years, even if Jobs stepped down, for Apple to lose momentum.
I have lost count of how often I have been advised to get out of Apple since climbing on board in 2003. The sell-Apple advice has been a constant. Maybe I'll stay in too long but my gut is telling me it's not time to bail yet. Maybe I'll hedge my bets and move some of it (not that I have a lot of shares). Maybe I'll just sit tight and continue to enjoy the ride. It's hard to turn away from such a successful company with a ground-breaking product in its infancy. If Apple collapsed it would be a very bleak day for me and, I suspect, countless others. At this time, though, who among us could have said we saw it coming.
Can you simply just maintain a stop-loss at say $270? Are there any time limits to setting a stop-loss on all your stock of a particular company? Trading n00b here. Just wondering about my idea.
In 2011 to 2012 honestly the only thing that could go wrong is something happens to Steve Jobs or the US in general which leads to a panic selloff. So as long as you have a profit target in mind, the only thing to prepare for IMHO is something catastrophic.
Can you simply just maintain a stop-loss at say $270? Are there any time limits to setting a stop-loss on all your stock of a particular company? Trading n00b here. Just wondering about my idea.
In 2011 to 2012 honestly the only thing that could go wrong is something happens to Steve Jobs or the US in general which leads to a panic selloff. So as long as you have a profit target in mind, the only thing to prepare for IMHO is something catastrophic.
I'm not worried about a devastating blow to the company. About the most catastrophic event that I could imagine would be something happening out-of-the-blue to Jobs but he has already faced serious health issues and been out of the picture for an extended period because of it. It caused the stock to falter a little but didn't cause any real problems over the long haul. The reason, I suspect, is that like a good chess player, Jobs is plotting several moves in advance. I would imagine the people high up the food chain know what Apple's product mix will look two years from now. Another potential cause for concern would be an economic downturn but we've just gone through such a downturn and Apple flourished while others faltered. People these days would rather go without food and water than give up their portable electronics. Most importantly, Apple's profit is not a house of cards waiting for some shocking revelation to come undone. It's easy to imagine how it is that the company is making so much money. Apple sells millions of units with a solid profit margin. This is no Enron, i.e. a smoke-and-mirrors outfit.
So no stop-loss because I want to control when I sell the stock. By the way, I will sell the stock if I believe that the stock price is not justified based on the company's long-term potential. If the market goes crazy over Apple, that could easily happen but my judgement, correct or not, is that we're not there yet.
Nice post. My thinking about the stock price is that it could really be at $400 by the end of 2011. But Apple needs to build and sell about twice the volume of iOS devices (and appropriate increases in Macs). The global demand is there. They really could sell twice the number of iPhone4 and iPad, if they could make that amount and distribute it well enough.
The "weak point", if there ever was one, is that Apple at this stage simply cannot keep up with the demand for its most popular product lines.
The continual risk of expanding and building much more product is, however, loss of quality and damage to company image, support issues etc.
But like you say Steve and the top brass are looking at the next 5 years and have a pretty good idea of where they want to go. They are not going to rework all their plans just to sell more and more without considering whatever the bigger picture is for them. Which BTW can be extremely frustrating for anyone living outside the core markets they operate in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carmissimo
I'm not worried about a devastating blow to the company. About the most catastrophic event that I could imagine would be something happening out-of-the-blue to Jobs but he has already faced serious health issues and been out of the picture for an extended period because of it. It caused the stock to falter a little but didn't cause any real problems over the long haul. The reason, I suspect, is that like a good chess player, Jobs is plotting several moves in advance. I would imagine the people high up the food chain know what Apple's product mix will look two years from now. Another potential cause for concern would be an economic downturn but we've just gone through such a downturn and Apple flourished while others faltered. People these days would rather go without food and water than give up their portable electronics. Most importantly, Apple's profit is not a house of cards waiting for some shocking revelation to come undone. It's easy to imagine how it is that the company is making so much money. Apple sells millions of units with a solid profit margin. This is no Enron, i.e. a smoke-and-mirrors outfit.
So no stop-loss because I want to control when I sell the stock. By the way, I will sell the stock if I believe that the stock price is not justified based on the company's long-term potential. If the market goes crazy over Apple, that could easily happen but my judgement, correct or not, is that we're not there yet.
Comments
You may be right, but I've been really struck by all the positive responses around the web from folks once they'd held one in their hands.
Word of mouth sells more product than just about anything.
The actual announcement got the usual range of responses, but the 11" in particular seems to have some mysterious power to cloud men's minds. I've lost count of the number of posts I've seen on various forums wherein the skeptical go to check one out and almost shamefacedly emerge with an Air under their arm.
I avoid this problem by not even walking into the mall where the local Apple store is located. No really the best way to keep the cash in the wallet is to avoid walking into the Apple store.
There's just something really dead sexy about the combination of super rigid, solid feeling unibody design, feather weight, great screen, good keyboard and OS X. $999 starting price doesn't hurt, either-- it's just low enough to keep folks from walking away with disgust at the "Apple tax."
The Apple tax has never been as bad as some have implied. With respect to AIR how many machines are on the market that are reasonably comparable? Not many from what I can gather. The $999 starting price is of course a factor, price is almost always a factor, but the AIR is very good value for the money. This value for the money math is what will likely drive a lot of sales.
I just have a feeling, anecdotally based as it may be, that the Air is going to have massive holiday sales. It's the new MacBook, for all intents and purposes, the cheap Mac notebook-- but instead of feeling like you're "settling" for the cheap Mac, it feels like totally top drawer all the way.
Well I'm not going to guess on sales mainly because I haven't personally talked to a lot of new AIR owners.
As to the MacBook I suspect you are wrong in one sense. I don't see AIR replacing the MacBook. Rather I see a new MacBook coming at a very aggressive price point. This item will come out as soon as the SoC suitable for it are on the market. I see a 6-700 dollar MacBook in the near future.
You see even at $1000 the AIRs really are expensive for many potential Apple customers. AIR dies have that ability to move people to spend more than they want but there is a huge segment of the market that rejects high prices even though they want a Mac deep down. The only trick Apple gas to accomplish is to keep quality high in the low cost machine.
Such a MacBook will do a couple of things for Apple, one is increase sales dramatically. The other is to put a lot of pressure on the cheapy laptop makers while still being very profitable for Apple.
You may be right, but I've been really struck by all the positive responses around the web from folks once they'd held one in their hands.
The actual announcement got the usual range of responses, but the 11" in particular seems to have some mysterious power to cloud men's minds. I've lost count of the number of posts I've seen on various forums wherein the skeptical go to check one out and almost shamefacedly emerge with an Air under their arm.
There's just something really dead sexy about the combination of super rigid, solid feeling unibody design, feather weight, great screen, good keyboard and OS X. $999 starting price doesn't hurt, either-- it's just low enough to keep folks from walking away with disgust at the "Apple tax."
I just have a feeling, anecdotally based as it may be, that the Air is going to have massive holiday sales. It's the new MacBook, for all intents and purposes, the cheap Mac notebook-- but instead of feeling like you're "settling" for the cheap Mac, it feels like totally top drawer all the way.
Yeah, and you just can't truly appreciate the design and style until you hold it in your hands.
I?m with addabox, I?m seeing a lot more demand for the new MBA that I would have thought for an ultralight notebook. I can see a lot of students wanting this for its portability. You?re obviously right that you get a lot more bang for your buck with the other Mac notebooks but I?d wager that they have a lot more performance than most will need.
That question of performance will be answered by looking at the used market in a few months. If people hold onto their machines or get very high resale prices then that is a good indication that performance is less than frustrating.
The only caveat at this point may be the drive space, but I checked with several non-techy people I know (friends and family) and they?re all using under 25GB. Only the technical people I know that use torrents and newsgroup use more space than that.
I really hate this phrase "technical people". First off torrents are used by thieves in many cases. Also what is with the inclusion of newsgroups with torrents, there is a lot more to news groups than warez. Further what do either of these have to do with technical people if such an animal exists?
In any event disk usage is highly dependent upon what one does an installs. I know back in early 2008, when I got my MBP, it didn't take long to fill the disk to about 70GB. This via the install of apps. Yes this space usage is skewed a bit by the install of Eclipse, XCode and Open Office but highlights that space goes quickly before a large number of documents are even created.
I hadn?t thought about it until you mentioned it, but both times I looked at the 11? MBA I took a double take to make sure it wasn?t the 13? model.
20 years ago I might have been very interested in the AIR. Now I would worry about how useful the tiny screen would be with these old eyes.
I?d rather have either MBA than my iPad, but since my 13? MBP is my primary device there is little need at this point. Maybe if I upgrade to a desktop a MBA would fit my travel needs.
The competition between the AIR and the iPad would be a lot more interesting if the AIR had a built in 3G modem and antenna. Personally portability would be a big reason for either machine, that is somthing easy to carry and get on the net, but without the internal cellular potential AIR ends up a bit short.
That?s one of the qualifiers that makes it impossible for me to call the MBAs ?netbooks?. Meaning, having a full-sized keyboard means that you can type all day without issue.
IPads Touch based keyboard is about as useful as many netbook keyboards. For people looking at AIR as a replacement for larger notebooks the keyboard has to be a big factor.
well, this shows that its faster, but this is access times, when you try running something CPU or GPU intensive, show me the benchmarks.
that being said, a lot of people wouldn't need this speed.
also, i believe a test was with flash, vs. w/ out flash, but no other add ons, i would say these tests aren't that great...
That was an aggregate score. This shows all of the tests. The new Macbook Airs blow the doors off the other models on the file copy test and unzip test, which is why they rate so well overall. That is, of course, because of the SSD. They also manage to keep up on the graphics- and memory- bound tests.
Not so well at CPU tests.
If you want a good ultraportable (workstation) notebook then buy Sony z13. True, 50% more expensive but way way way better.
Imagine an MBP in ultraportable size&weight with better screen.
But then you're stuck with a nice piece of hardware that only runs Windows. No thanks.
I have a feeling that Lion will support this type of setup natively.
When you create a new user account, it will also ask you which drive you want it on.
The 27" iMac already has the option for an SSD and a traditional hard drive.
The new SSDs apple is using in the MBA is extremely small and should find it's way into the MBPs.
Leopard and Snow Leopard support it already. I even have my ~/User account on the HDD so my Movies, Music, and other data folders can use this HDD. This is easily setup right from the User Accounts section of System Preferences. No hack needed.
I really hate this phrase "technical people". First off torrents are used by thieves in many cases. Also what is with the inclusion of newsgroups with torrents, there is a lot more to news groups than warez.
I thought the comment was self explanatory. To reiterate, the average user doesn?t install or download excessive amounts of data that is stored locally. My use of ?tech? also shouldn?t be confusing to you. Surely I am not saying someone who it an aerospace engineer should be savvy with personal computers.
One under-the-radar item that could be a big seller for the holidays is the new AppleTV.
It almost could be a stocking-stuffer.
Apple could offer a customizable, special-price, package consisting of an AppleTV, HDMI Cable, iPad, Camera Connection Kit, iTunes Gift card.
iPad AirPlay to an AppleTV is pretty compelling for videos and slideshows.
.
Someone doesn't get to nearly 20,000 posts on this forum by being an "AAPL hater".
Stick around a little while, go with the flow, and you'll catch the drift.
Personally I agree with justfine. Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 70 years old), but I'm of the old school that thinks "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" and IMHO I believe that the great majority of posters on this site are far too intelligent and savvy to use it. They don't need to in order to convey their opinion.
You pick up the average netbook at BestBuy and you're likely to think "yeah, it's about all I can afford, I guess."
You pick up an 11" Air and you're likely to think "I wonder if I can scrape up a little more money so I can get this?"
The combination of size, weight, solidity, full size keyboard, excellent screen and OS X is just very compelling. I have no earthly use for one and I have to talk myself down every time I pick one up. Typically for Apple, a lot of little things go into a highly desirable whole.
For instance, i think I remember some people claiming that the Apple videos showing the 11" being flipped open with one hand were misleading, because the thing was so light you had to hold it down to get the screen up. But every one I've played with gets that exactly right, where it's almost effortless to lift the screen, but it stays exactly where you put it. Don't know if wear and tear will take a toll on this, but if it's designed like my MacBook Pro it seems to hold up pretty well. I think Apple may be the only CE company out there that would be willing to spend (what I would imagine to be) a great deal of time and effort to make sure something like lifting and orienting the screen is excellent.
fine post
my MBA buddies swear by the new mba yet they all own the ipad too .
ya know ..when you travel mile upon wasted mile year after year
that light weight option is fantastic .
9
Personally I agree with justfine. Maybe it's a generational thing (I'm 70 years old), but I'm of the old school that thinks "sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" and IMHO I believe that the great majority of posters on this site are far too intelligent and savvy to use it. They don't need to in order to convey their opinion.
Each to his own, I guess.
I hope I have a broader (and more forgiving) sense of humor than you seem to at 70.
.
One under-the-radar item that could be a big seller for the holidays is the new AppleTV.
It almost could be a stocking-stuffer.
Apple could offer a customizable, special-price, package consisting of an AppleTV, HDMI Cable, iPad, Camera Connection Kit, iTunes Gift card.
iPad AirPlay to an AppleTV is pretty compelling for videos and slideshows.
.
i bought 8 as gifts and shipped them as early xmas gifts . its a thrilling polished wonderful cheap product .
please take note
THE ATV 's remote will mess with ant apple computers near by ,
the fix was easy once you turned off the IR choice .
yet I now own a ROKU box >>very good
I own an ATV box >>very very good
I own a wii box w/ netflix piss poor at times
i own a XBOX 250G which is fantastic NETFLIX HULU and much more
but the best option which hold the highest promise is verizon FIOS TV online option .FIOS TV WINS IT ALL HANDS DOWN apple tv is a close second
rant is over
peace
9
PS there is a rumor of a amazon fios xbox TV and laptop merge for one price gets you all three in stung HD any where and anytime world wide
pps what exactly is air play??
But then you're stuck with a nice piece of hardware that only runs Windows. No thanks.
Stuck with Linux actually. It's not so bad
...Cautionary note, however. As an Apple investor I anticipate some excess in terms of stock price, though I also think Apple is a fine long-term investment. The company is well positioned with room for still more growth. Jobs has helped transform Apple into a multi-faceted behemoth managing to make a profit out of just about everything it touches. We're talking real earnings and a brand that is highly regarded by an important young demographic. It would take years, even if Jobs stepped down, for Apple to lose momentum.
I have lost count of how often I have been advised to get out of Apple since climbing on board in 2003. The sell-Apple advice has been a constant. Maybe I'll stay in too long but my gut is telling me it's not time to bail yet. Maybe I'll hedge my bets and move some of it (not that I have a lot of shares). Maybe I'll just sit tight and continue to enjoy the ride. It's hard to turn away from such a successful company with a ground-breaking product in its infancy. If Apple collapsed it would be a very bleak day for me and, I suspect, countless others. At this time, though, who among us could have said we saw it coming.
Can you simply just maintain a stop-loss at say $270? Are there any time limits to setting a stop-loss on all your stock of a particular company? Trading n00b here. Just wondering about my idea.
In 2011 to 2012 honestly the only thing that could go wrong is something happens to Steve Jobs or the US in general which leads to a panic selloff. So as long as you have a profit target in mind, the only thing to prepare for IMHO is something catastrophic.
Can you simply just maintain a stop-loss at say $270? Are there any time limits to setting a stop-loss on all your stock of a particular company? Trading n00b here. Just wondering about my idea.
In 2011 to 2012 honestly the only thing that could go wrong is something happens to Steve Jobs or the US in general which leads to a panic selloff. So as long as you have a profit target in mind, the only thing to prepare for IMHO is something catastrophic.
I'm not worried about a devastating blow to the company. About the most catastrophic event that I could imagine would be something happening out-of-the-blue to Jobs but he has already faced serious health issues and been out of the picture for an extended period because of it. It caused the stock to falter a little but didn't cause any real problems over the long haul. The reason, I suspect, is that like a good chess player, Jobs is plotting several moves in advance. I would imagine the people high up the food chain know what Apple's product mix will look two years from now. Another potential cause for concern would be an economic downturn but we've just gone through such a downturn and Apple flourished while others faltered. People these days would rather go without food and water than give up their portable electronics. Most importantly, Apple's profit is not a house of cards waiting for some shocking revelation to come undone. It's easy to imagine how it is that the company is making so much money. Apple sells millions of units with a solid profit margin. This is no Enron, i.e. a smoke-and-mirrors outfit.
So no stop-loss because I want to control when I sell the stock. By the way, I will sell the stock if I believe that the stock price is not justified based on the company's long-term potential. If the market goes crazy over Apple, that could easily happen but my judgement, correct or not, is that we're not there yet.
The "weak point", if there ever was one, is that Apple at this stage simply cannot keep up with the demand for its most popular product lines.
The continual risk of expanding and building much more product is, however, loss of quality and damage to company image, support issues etc.
But like you say Steve and the top brass are looking at the next 5 years and have a pretty good idea of where they want to go. They are not going to rework all their plans just to sell more and more without considering whatever the bigger picture is for them. Which BTW can be extremely frustrating for anyone living outside the core markets they operate in.
I'm not worried about a devastating blow to the company. About the most catastrophic event that I could imagine would be something happening out-of-the-blue to Jobs but he has already faced serious health issues and been out of the picture for an extended period because of it. It caused the stock to falter a little but didn't cause any real problems over the long haul. The reason, I suspect, is that like a good chess player, Jobs is plotting several moves in advance. I would imagine the people high up the food chain know what Apple's product mix will look two years from now. Another potential cause for concern would be an economic downturn but we've just gone through such a downturn and Apple flourished while others faltered. People these days would rather go without food and water than give up their portable electronics. Most importantly, Apple's profit is not a house of cards waiting for some shocking revelation to come undone. It's easy to imagine how it is that the company is making so much money. Apple sells millions of units with a solid profit margin. This is no Enron, i.e. a smoke-and-mirrors outfit.
So no stop-loss because I want to control when I sell the stock. By the way, I will sell the stock if I believe that the stock price is not justified based on the company's long-term potential. If the market goes crazy over Apple, that could easily happen but my judgement, correct or not, is that we're not there yet.