I think you have those backwards. US $1 was worth Cdn $1.60 but now is only worth Cdn $1.14. Right? If you change "now/was worth" to "used to cost / costs", then your original post makes sense
The only bummer about buying the G5 version is regarding the "rumored" movie store coming this year..
According to rumor, this Movie service may only be compatible with intel-based Macs.. Apparently the only DRM that the big Hollywood studios would allow is both hardware and software based.. Something that only the Intel Macs will be able to provide..
Again, this is only rumor, but it does sound plausible.. There are several stories i've read stating that apart from getting a faster chip inside the laptops, DRM and Hollywood are another major reason for the Intel switch.
I don't get it. Why is hollywood willing to access software-only DRM for music but insists on software + hardware DRM for movies?
Also, I haven't heard anything about Apple doing anything with the TPM except use it to prevent OS X from being installed on commodity hardware.
I don't get it. Why is hollywood willing to access software-only DRM for music but insists on software + hardware DRM for movies?
Hollywood and the music industry are not one and the same. A lot of them are owned by the same people, but that doesn't make them one big happy family. Even within one company there can counter-intuitive situations. A friend of mine works for kids WB. They shot a lot of their "back-lot" teaser footage on another companies space because the actual Warner Brother's back-lot wanted them to pay rent and it was too high for them to afford.
Also, one possible justification for bigger pain in the ass DRM for movies is the fact that a movie is a lot more expensive to produce than a song. Making them available in a downloadable form represents a much bigger risk to movie studios so they're bound to want to be mummified in security blankets.
Currently £1199 for the 20" iMac g5, vs. £1229 for the 20" iMac Intel. Subtracting VAT, that's $1813 in the UK for the iMac G5, and $1860 for the new Intel iMac. Thanks, Apple. Really.
20" Cinema Display is still a ridiculous £549 as well...
Don't blame Apple. They charge whatever the currency rate is. They don't have you pay any more there for the same percentage of profit than they do here.
Blame your government for adding those vast amounts of usually hidden taxes that you have to pay. Taxes that hurt low income people more than high income people.
I think you have those backwards. US $1 was worth Cdn $1.60 but now is only worth Cdn $1.14. Right? If you change "now/was worth" to "used to cost / costs", then your original post makes sense
yeah, i don't live there anymore, but the thing that really sucks is that prices have not been adjusted to the strength of the dollar. I was visiting a few weeks ago, and it seems that all prices are still hovering around the 150% of the US equivalent range. so if you're earning Canadian dollars, it's actually buying you LESS these days. I have no idea if these prices are set by the companies, or if there is a governing body to keep prices in line or what., but if the two currencies come any closer together, something's going to need to be done.
They also have all the G5 Powermacs with 20-25% off on the UK Apple Refurb Store which just happens to be open every day. Any significance (other than some very cheap Quads...)?
Don't blame Apple. They charge whatever the currency rate is. They don't have you pay any more there for the same percentage of profit than they do here.
Blame your government for adding those vast amounts of usually hidden taxes that you have to pay. Taxes that hurt low income people more than high income people.
I had already factored out the VAT. Sadly Apple always adds on another 10% to the price, it is never charged 'whatever the currency rate is'.
And VAT is never hidden in the UK, unlike sales tax in the US. "But the price tag says this!" ... so annoying.
I had already factored out the VAT. Sadly Apple always adds on another 10% to the price, it is never charged 'whatever the currency rate is'.
And VAT is never hidden in the UK, unlike sales tax in the US. "But the price tag says this!" ... so annoying.
Sales tax is NEVER hidden in the USA. In fact, it is illegal to do so! Tax is Always added onto the price of the goods at the end of the sale. If you are a different area than you are familliar with, just ask what the rate is.
When I was last in England, the VAT was already in the price of the goods. It can take some effort to find out just how much it is, as it varies with the type of item. In Some European countries it's worse, because they won't even tell you how much it is.
Sales tax is NEVER hidden in the USA. In fact, it is illegal to do so! Tax is Always added onto the price of the goods at the end of the sale. If you are a different area than you are familliar with, just ask what the rate is.
When I was last in England, the VAT was already in the price of the goods. It can take some effort to find out just how much it is, as it varies with the type of item. In Some European countries it's worse, because they won't even tell you how much it is.
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
The British system sucks because it tells you what you have to pay. IMO that's more useful than having tags that don't say what you are going to pay ultimately. Online companies usually show both non-VAT and VAT prices of course, as it is useful for businesses. However I guess most people don't have a need to know the non-VAT price ever.
Basically the systems are different, and suck to anyone used to the other system.
Again, this is only rumor, but it does sound plausible.. There are several stories i've read stating that apart from getting a faster chip inside the laptops, DRM and Hollywood are another major reason for the Intel switch.
They won't do it. There were 208 million PCs sold last year that don't have hardware DRM built in. 200 million or so the year before and so on. None of these would support a hardware based movie store. It'd be stupid.
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
The British system sucks because it tells you what you have to pay. IMO that's more useful than having tags that don't say what you are going to pay ultimately. Online companies usually show both non-VAT and VAT prices of course, as it is useful for businesses. However I guess most people don't have a need to know the non-VAT price ever.
Basically the systems are different, and suck to anyone used to the other system.
I would prefer to know the price of a product, up front, and have to add the 0 to 9% tax to that price (depending on where you are in the country), than to know that there is an often hidden tax up to 30% on the goods I'm about to buy.
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
I've never in my entire life seen a U.S. store that also had a tag that incorporated the sales tax.
When I was in NZ/AUS, I really enjoyed knowing the price you saw was the price you were paying. Especially in restaurants.
Plus, it varies here state by state what is exempt from sales tax. For instance, clothes are exempt from sales tax here in Minnesota, but not in Michigan (where I'm origonally from).
When I was in Britain, I liked that the price I saw was what I was going to pay. Of course, that's just one way of trying to slide that 17.5% VAT under your nose.
New iMac G5 20" for 699 or 750 $ right now... or a bit less sometime soon. That'd be asking for almost too much, I know, but MUCH less than a full 64-bit OS X which'd be really asking for too much. Or an OS X that'd run on non-Apple PCs... which'd be asking for really, really too much ;-) LOL
I would prefer to know the price of a product, up front, and have to add the 0 to 9% tax to that price (depending on where you are in the country), than to know that there is an often hidden tax up to 30% on the goods I'm about to buy.
VAT isn't hidden. If you're on the consumer UK store it quotes the main price with VAT and underneath without VAT.
If you're on the business store, it quotes prices the other way around since most businesses claim back the VAT.
IMHO that's much better than getting to the checkout and finding an additional tax added. You know what it is up front.
Comments
Originally posted by aegisdesign
The 20" iMac G5 in the UK is now £1049. Ie. they've knocked £150 off the price.
That's $1,590.916 without VAT so only about $100 more than the USA.
Ah, they did that after I looked.
That isn't a bad deal really, if you need a new Mac now.
I'll hang onto my iBook for now, see what comes out later this year and next year.
Originally posted by ciparis
I think you have those backwards. US $1 was worth Cdn $1.60 but now is only worth Cdn $1.14. Right? If you change "now/was worth" to "used to cost / costs", then your original post makes sense
I stand corrected
Originally posted by solsun
Great price for the 20" iMac G5..
The only bummer about buying the G5 version is regarding the "rumored" movie store coming this year..
According to rumor, this Movie service may only be compatible with intel-based Macs.. Apparently the only DRM that the big Hollywood studios would allow is both hardware and software based.. Something that only the Intel Macs will be able to provide..
Again, this is only rumor, but it does sound plausible.. There are several stories i've read stating that apart from getting a faster chip inside the laptops, DRM and Hollywood are another major reason for the Intel switch.
I don't get it. Why is hollywood willing to access software-only DRM for music but insists on software + hardware DRM for movies?
Also, I haven't heard anything about Apple doing anything with the TPM except use it to prevent OS X from being installed on commodity hardware.
Originally posted by JavaCowboy
I don't get it. Why is hollywood willing to access software-only DRM for music but insists on software + hardware DRM for movies?
Hollywood and the music industry are not one and the same. A lot of them are owned by the same people, but that doesn't make them one big happy family. Even within one company there can counter-intuitive situations. A friend of mine works for kids WB. They shot a lot of their "back-lot" teaser footage on another companies space because the actual Warner Brother's back-lot wanted them to pay rent and it was too high for them to afford.
Also, one possible justification for bigger pain in the ass DRM for movies is the fact that a movie is a lot more expensive to produce than a song. Making them available in a downloadable form represents a much bigger risk to movie studios so they're bound to want to be mummified in security blankets.
Originally posted by Hattig
Currently £1199 for the 20" iMac g5, vs. £1229 for the 20" iMac Intel. Subtracting VAT, that's $1813 in the UK for the iMac G5, and $1860 for the new Intel iMac. Thanks, Apple. Really.
20" Cinema Display is still a ridiculous £549 as well...
Don't blame Apple. They charge whatever the currency rate is. They don't have you pay any more there for the same percentage of profit than they do here.
Blame your government for adding those vast amounts of usually hidden taxes that you have to pay. Taxes that hurt low income people more than high income people.
Originally posted by ciparis
I think you have those backwards. US $1 was worth Cdn $1.60 but now is only worth Cdn $1.14. Right? If you change "now/was worth" to "used to cost / costs", then your original post makes sense
yeah, i don't live there anymore, but the thing that really sucks is that prices have not been adjusted to the strength of the dollar. I was visiting a few weeks ago, and it seems that all prices are still hovering around the 150% of the US equivalent range. so if you're earning Canadian dollars, it's actually buying you LESS these days. I have no idea if these prices are set by the companies, or if there is a governing body to keep prices in line or what., but if the two currencies come any closer together, something's going to need to be done.
Originally posted by melgross
Don't blame Apple. They charge whatever the currency rate is. They don't have you pay any more there for the same percentage of profit than they do here.
Blame your government for adding those vast amounts of usually hidden taxes that you have to pay. Taxes that hurt low income people more than high income people.
I had already factored out the VAT. Sadly Apple always adds on another 10% to the price, it is never charged 'whatever the currency rate is'.
And VAT is never hidden in the UK, unlike sales tax in the US. "But the price tag says this!" ... so annoying.
Originally posted by Hattig
I had already factored out the VAT. Sadly Apple always adds on another 10% to the price, it is never charged 'whatever the currency rate is'.
And VAT is never hidden in the UK, unlike sales tax in the US. "But the price tag says this!" ... so annoying.
Sales tax is NEVER hidden in the USA. In fact, it is illegal to do so! Tax is Always added onto the price of the goods at the end of the sale. If you are a different area than you are familliar with, just ask what the rate is.
When I was last in England, the VAT was already in the price of the goods. It can take some effort to find out just how much it is, as it varies with the type of item. In Some European countries it's worse, because they won't even tell you how much it is.
Originally posted by melgross
Sales tax is NEVER hidden in the USA. In fact, it is illegal to do so! Tax is Always added onto the price of the goods at the end of the sale. If you are a different area than you are familliar with, just ask what the rate is.
When I was last in England, the VAT was already in the price of the goods. It can take some effort to find out just how much it is, as it varies with the type of item. In Some European countries it's worse, because they won't even tell you how much it is.
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
The British system sucks because it tells you what you have to pay. IMO that's more useful than having tags that don't say what you are going to pay ultimately. Online companies usually show both non-VAT and VAT prices of course, as it is useful for businesses. However I guess most people don't have a need to know the non-VAT price ever.
Basically the systems are different, and suck to anyone used to the other system.
Originally posted by solsun
Again, this is only rumor, but it does sound plausible.. There are several stories i've read stating that apart from getting a faster chip inside the laptops, DRM and Hollywood are another major reason for the Intel switch.
They won't do it. There were 208 million PCs sold last year that don't have hardware DRM built in. 200 million or so the year before and so on. None of these would support a hardware based movie store. It'd be stupid.
Originally posted by Hattig
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
The British system sucks because it tells you what you have to pay. IMO that's more useful than having tags that don't say what you are going to pay ultimately. Online companies usually show both non-VAT and VAT prices of course, as it is useful for businesses. However I guess most people don't have a need to know the non-VAT price ever.
Basically the systems are different, and suck to anyone used to the other system.
I would prefer to know the price of a product, up front, and have to add the 0 to 9% tax to that price (depending on where you are in the country), than to know that there is an often hidden tax up to 30% on the goods I'm about to buy.
Originally posted by Hattig
The US system sucks because the price tags say $x, and you mentally have to add on the tax to find out what you have to pay. I'm sure some places actually put the tax inclusive prices on the tags as well, but the last time I was in the US that wasn't the case in the places I went.
I've never in my entire life seen a U.S. store that also had a tag that incorporated the sales tax.
When I was in NZ/AUS, I really enjoyed knowing the price you saw was the price you were paying. Especially in restaurants.
Plus, it varies here state by state what is exempt from sales tax. For instance, clothes are exempt from sales tax here in Minnesota, but not in Michigan (where I'm origonally from).
17" iMac s$2388
20" iMac s$2688 (used to be 3088 ), biggest slash in last 3 years, 400 bucks
bad that APPLE just price products based on currency rates, Dell prices are different in different countries (may be the offering too)
Australia (including sales tax [GST])
iMac g5 17" $1,999
iMac g5 20" $2,299
iMac CoreDuo 20" $2,649
for Australia, $350 price cut on the iMac for the g5 20". shipping shows ships within 24hours for iMac g5 20"...
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100th post, hope atleast few were useful posts
Originally posted by rok
just curious: when will we see a "I am infuriated... again!" thread from SDW?
Cruel man...
Originally posted by melgross
I would prefer to know the price of a product, up front, and have to add the 0 to 9% tax to that price (depending on where you are in the country), than to know that there is an often hidden tax up to 30% on the goods I'm about to buy.
VAT isn't hidden. If you're on the consumer UK store it quotes the main price with VAT and underneath without VAT.
If you're on the business store, it quotes prices the other way around since most businesses claim back the VAT.
IMHO that's much better than getting to the checkout and finding an additional tax added. You know what it is up front.