I am making it my JOB to play "expectations manager" here.
EXPECT $1099/$1399. iSight + more expensive chip + new design + early adopter premium = $100 premium. Plus maybe a larger hard drive and more RAM. $100 increase doesn't seem so bad for all that, does it?
My gut says the entry level model will be $1099 Core Duo with integrated graphics. You will see the price drop back to $999/$1299 when the MacBook Pro is revised with Core 2 Duo. At that time, you may also see dedicated graphics because the MacBook Pro will have faster chip to differentiate the lines.
That's reasonable. I'm not going to fight you over $100, but I still think they'll do it for $999.
That would be a mistake. One can easily purchase a core DUO laptop at dell for $750. I configured one with a graphics card for $1200. Apple can and should release a Macbook with a 1.66 ghz Core duo and intergrated graphics for $999.
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
It was entirely Apple's fault. When a spokesperson releases a press release to the media about a new product, the media doesn't get all excited about it in advance, because they expect something major from the company. When Apple holds a press event, it is telling them that there is something major here, so we want you to attend. The press then has to get an airline ticket from wherever they are, possibly reserve a hotel room, etc, to attend an event which turns out to have been better suited to a simple press release.
I don't blame them for being upset. This damages Apple's credibility. It's the boy who called wolf. We all know about that story.
If Apple is calling an event here for the new store, it had better be something big. While the store is important, it certainly doesn't rank a press event. I'm not even sure that I'll go.
If they use it to intro other major products, that's different. A series of MacBooks as well would count, possibly. If a new iPod was there as well, then it certainly would.
But, not for a store opening, even here, not any more.
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
At least, that's how I see it from Appleinsider's description.
Actually, I'd vastly prefer a Mac laptop with integrated Intel graphics and 2 buttons (actually, 1 MightyMouse-like button pad) than a laptop with dedicated graphics and 1 button. But really, as long as I'm asking, I'd like both.
Apple has started adding two button functionality already with the 17's. Looks like it's handled with software so hopefully it will get added to the 15's and will also be in the MB's.
Double click works either by tapping with two fingers or holding two fingers on the pad and pressing the button.
Quote:
Originally posted by melgross
I don't think Apple was burned. It was the press that was burned.
Apple has to limit their announcements to actual events, not to minor announcements. They should do what most other companies do: release products when they are ready. Not hold them back for events. Apple's stock is on a roller coaster now because of that.
They also lose sales days because they are holding back a product that would sell if they just put it out, and sent out a press release.
If the MacBooks are ready now, then they should be released. I daresay that Apple won't sell even one more, if they wait for some event to announce them, and they lose those sales for the quarter.
Well, the press got burned, and they weren't happy about it so they went negative and burned apple in their stories.
I agree that apple shouldn't have events unless they have something major to announce. And apple's stock isn't on a roller coaster at all, it took a dip in January and went up a bit when boot camp was announced. Other than that it's been very stable.
A product release requires coordination, they have to have all the background support ready for it when they ship, not to mention that delaying the announcment means greater supply at launch time and shorter waits for consumers. Losing sales days doesn't really cost them anything on a product that will be backlogged for a while.
Quote:
Originally posted by sandau
The $1099 model will most likely (imho) be Core Solo and integrated graphics -- and Apple will tout the 'battery life' it gets as a selling point, failing to mention that you can shut off a processor in a Duo and get the same result.
Not from what I've heard. I've heard that shutting off a processor actually hurts battery life.
If they do release a solo model, the only way they can justify it is by *dropping* prices. They have no excuse for not being able to ship a duo laptop for $1099 (and should be able to do it without raising prices).
It also needs to be mentioned that these machines run like crap with 512. Apple really should ship ALL intel macs with a gig minimum.
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
At least, that's how I see it from Appleinsider's description.
All they have to do is to announce the opening day and time. This is NYC. If the Times and WSJ, as well as the several other newspapers, and major news channels want to show up, they will. There would be no way that Apple would dream of preventing them from doing so. When an invite is sent out, it means that they have someting special on hand. The press is getting wary of those special invites, because nothing newsworthy has come out of them the last couple of times.
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
A product release requires coordination, they have to have all the background support ready for it when they ship, not to mention that delaying the announcment means greater supply at launch time and shorter waits for consumers. Losing sales days doesn't really cost them anything on a product that will be backlogged for a while.
The coordination is supposed to take place when they first know that the product will ship on time, a couple of months before. Having a big event does nothing to solve any of those problems. If anything, it just makes it worse. People who would have bought the product will do so anyway. By releasing the product when ready, and remember, I'm talking about when ready, not your assumption, then that would be best.
Apple's lack of product has nothing to do with production. At least, it doesn't most of the time. Apple has been accused, over the years, of being too timid with their forecasting, and deliberately producing less than they should have, from the fear that sales won't be as good as they should be. then there are shortages.
losing sales days is very important from a financial point of view, and all companies try to get products out as early in a quarter as they can, to take advantage of the sales boost. Apple is no different. Every time a product comes out late, or is under supplied, Apple takes a hit. that's what happened this past quarter, and what is going to happen this quarter as well.
Companies prefer to have a more evenly balanced sheet throught the year.
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
That's exactly right.
The idea that bad press is better than no press was made up by someone who only received bad press.
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
Yes, my thoughts exactly. Apple rode the press superbly last year and with MWSF06, but the Mini+HiFi announcement really lost some momentum. Time to fix that in a big way, in the house that Jobs built.
Apple has started adding two button functionality already with the 17's. Looks like it's handled with software so hopefully it will get added to the 15's and will also be in the MB's.
Double click works either by tapping with two fingers or holding two fingers on the pad and pressing the button.
When the Mighty Mouse came out I bought one straight away. I had an original series MS Intellimouse Explorer which was on its last legs, dropping out every once in a while and I'd never considered an Apple one button mouse for myself even though I do actually agree with the program design methodology behind it. I'm one of the minority who're perfectly happy with the Mighty Mouse, and I assumed that the same mechanism would be used in the new laptops to give them "1.5 buttons" too.
As far as I've heard this hasn't happened. Instead there's that two finger drag stuff which sounds good, but came out on the PPC a year or so ago. Nice, but no dice. Two buttons hidden with one button style is definitely the way to go.
The coordination is supposed to take place when they first know that the product will ship on time, a couple of months before. Having a big event does nothing to solve any of those problems. If anything, it just makes it worse. People who would have bought the product will do so anyway. By releasing the product when ready, and remember, I'm talking about when ready, not your assumption, then that would be best.
Apple's lack of product has nothing to do with production. At least, it doesn't most of the time. Apple has been accused, over the years, of being too timid with their forecasting, and deliberately producing less than they should have, from the fear that sales won't be as good as they should be. then there are shortages.
losing sales days is very important from a financial point of view, and all companies try to get products out as early in a quarter as they can, to take advantage of the sales boost. Apple is no different. Every time a product comes out late, or is under supplied, Apple takes a hit. that's what happened this past quarter, and what is going to happen this quarter as well.
Companies prefer to have a more evenly balanced sheet throught the year.
I'm not sure why you're not assuming apple isn't releasing the MPB when it's ready, and seem to think they're holding it for an event.
Having a release event isn't difficult for apple to do, and I'm sure they plan the event around the readiness of the machine, not the other way around. And in most cases, the machine hasn't shipped at the time of the announcement anyway (wouldn't that be a limitation of production and not forcasting?).
When the announcement precedes the machine actually shipping, there are no lost sales days. And when the machine does ship the day of the announcement, but in small enough quantity that it's generally sold out immediately and many customers have to wait for it, if the release is held a few days for the announcement, that's not really going to make a difference financially either.
So why do you think Apple is holding back releases of products that are ready to ship? And how long do you imagine these delays are? Days? Weeks?
By the way, the knee-jerk "NO INTEGRATED GRAPHICS" thing is quickly becoming this generation's "NO MORE ONE BUTTON MOUSE." 99.9% of you would NEVER know the difference, and the 0.1% that would can bloody get the higher level notebook (you may have heard of the MacBook Pro?).
Say it, brother! I wish all the gaming geeks whining about integrated graphics would go buy a PC and quit filling Mac boards with their incessant noise.
The article says the invitation is "very limited" -- that doesn't sound right for a big huge MacBook announcement.
It doesn't sound right for opening a freaking 20k sqft showroom / retail store, you can pack a lot of people in there, so why make it a tiny reception?
BTW: I think there are people that do want a smaller screen with a good graphics chip. Some rumors suggest that there will not be a 13" MBP, which is part of why there is lament about integrated graphics on the MacBook if there is a chance of no MBP counterpart.
Originally posted by fuyutsuki As far as I've heard this hasn't happened. Instead there's that two finger drag stuff which sounds good, but came out on the PPC a year or so ago. Nice, but no dice. Two buttons hidden with one button style is definitely the way to go. [/B]
What do you mean? This IS in the new MPB 17. Apple hasn't announced it or listed it on their site, but it has been confirmed by a number of 17 owners.
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
I wouldn't say Apple should be compared to Sony. They(Sony) aren't really an industry leader IMO. Comparisons to pc vendors is inevitable now that the hardware is the same or at least converging. Dell is an industry bell weather that's why I used them for comparison. You could use HP, or lenovo, much bigger players than Sony.
I don't think Apple will or even needs to match Dell(hp, Lenovo) feature for feature on price but they should be close. Obviously we can argue on what is close but $1500 for a core duo macbook aint close. I can see a $1099 price point that thataboy suggested. I reiterate, however, that Apple can and should release a core duo macbook for $999.
I'm not sure why you're not assuming apple isn't releasing the MPB when it's ready, and seem to think they're holding it for an event.
Having a release event isn't difficult for apple to do, and I'm sure they plan the event around the readiness of the machine, not the other way around. And in most cases, the machine hasn't shipped at the time of the announcement anyway (wouldn't that be a limitation of production and not forcasting?).
When the announcement precedes the machine actually shipping, there are no lost sales days. And when the machine does ship the day of the announcement, but in small enough quantity that it's generally sold out immediately and many customers have to wait for it, if the release is held a few days for the announcement, that's not really going to make a difference financially either.
So why do you think Apple is holding back releases of products that are ready to ship? And how long do you imagine these delays are? Days? Weeks?
Because, this is what Apple does. Do you think that their products are somehow magically ready the day of an event, and not before?
Forecasting is what all companies do to judge just how many machines they will need to produce in a given time. Apple has been constantly low on those projections. As I say, this has been a criticism of Apple going way back.
When I bought my 950, in 1992, I think it was, I had to wait over a month for it, because Apple didn't make enough. It's been stated many times that Apple either lost marketshare, or failed to gain marketshare, because they underestimated the sales numbers of their products. People, and companies, couldn't wait, and bought a PC instead.
Yes, my thoughts exactly. Apple rode the press superbly last year and with MWSF06, but the Mini+HiFi announcement really lost some momentum. Time to fix that in a big way, in the house that Jobs built.
The house that Jobs built will be opening the very next day!
[B]Because, this is what Apple does. Do you think that their products are somehow magically ready the day of an event, and not before?
"This is what apple does"? What kind of circular statement is that? It's true because it's true? When in the past has apple delayed a release of a product to coincide with an event? I could see if you were talking about one of the big annual apple shows, but that's not what this is.
To answer your question, no. I think they know approximately when the machine will be ready ahead of time, and schedule the event once they know that date. After all, much of the time they only announce the event about a week ahead of time, right? And in many cases, apple has an event to announce the new machine, and then the machines "magically" ship a few weeks later!
Comments
Originally posted by Thataboy
I am making it my JOB to play "expectations manager" here.
EXPECT $1099/$1399. iSight + more expensive chip + new design + early adopter premium = $100 premium. Plus maybe a larger hard drive and more RAM. $100 increase doesn't seem so bad for all that, does it?
My gut says the entry level model will be $1099 Core Duo with integrated graphics. You will see the price drop back to $999/$1299 when the MacBook Pro is revised with Core 2 Duo. At that time, you may also see dedicated graphics because the MacBook Pro will have faster chip to differentiate the lines.
That's reasonable. I'm not going to fight you over $100, but I still think they'll do it for $999.
Originally posted by backtomac
That would be a mistake. One can easily purchase a core DUO laptop at dell for $750. I configured one with a graphics card for $1200. Apple can and should release a Macbook with a 1.66 ghz Core duo and intergrated graphics for $999.
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
Froogle Search
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
Originally posted by atomicham
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
Froogle Search
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
Sony sells just how many machines?
Originally posted by melgross
It was entirely Apple's fault. When a spokesperson releases a press release to the media about a new product, the media doesn't get all excited about it in advance, because they expect something major from the company. When Apple holds a press event, it is telling them that there is something major here, so we want you to attend. The press then has to get an airline ticket from wherever they are, possibly reserve a hotel room, etc, to attend an event which turns out to have been better suited to a simple press release.
I don't blame them for being upset. This damages Apple's credibility. It's the boy who called wolf. We all know about that story.
If Apple is calling an event here for the new store, it had better be something big. While the store is important, it certainly doesn't rank a press event. I'm not even sure that I'll go.
If they use it to intro other major products, that's different. A series of MacBooks as well would count, possibly. If a new iPod was there as well, then it certainly would.
But, not for a store opening, even here, not any more.
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
At least, that's how I see it from Appleinsider's description.
Originally posted by Booga
Actually, I'd vastly prefer a Mac laptop with integrated Intel graphics and 2 buttons (actually, 1 MightyMouse-like button pad) than a laptop with dedicated graphics and 1 button. But really, as long as I'm asking, I'd like both.
Apple has started adding two button functionality already with the 17's. Looks like it's handled with software so hopefully it will get added to the 15's and will also be in the MB's.
Double click works either by tapping with two fingers or holding two fingers on the pad and pressing the button.
Originally posted by melgross
I don't think Apple was burned. It was the press that was burned.
Apple has to limit their announcements to actual events, not to minor announcements. They should do what most other companies do: release products when they are ready. Not hold them back for events. Apple's stock is on a roller coaster now because of that.
They also lose sales days because they are holding back a product that would sell if they just put it out, and sent out a press release.
If the MacBooks are ready now, then they should be released. I daresay that Apple won't sell even one more, if they wait for some event to announce them, and they lose those sales for the quarter.
Well, the press got burned, and they weren't happy about it so they went negative and burned apple in their stories.
I agree that apple shouldn't have events unless they have something major to announce. And apple's stock isn't on a roller coaster at all, it took a dip in January and went up a bit when boot camp was announced. Other than that it's been very stable.
A product release requires coordination, they have to have all the background support ready for it when they ship, not to mention that delaying the announcment means greater supply at launch time and shorter waits for consumers. Losing sales days doesn't really cost them anything on a product that will be backlogged for a while.
Originally posted by sandau
The $1099 model will most likely (imho) be Core Solo and integrated graphics -- and Apple will tout the 'battery life' it gets as a selling point, failing to mention that you can shut off a processor in a Duo and get the same result.
Not from what I've heard. I've heard that shutting off a processor actually hurts battery life.
If they do release a solo model, the only way they can justify it is by *dropping* prices. They have no excuse for not being able to ship a duo laptop for $1099 (and should be able to do it without raising prices).
It also needs to be mentioned that these machines run like crap with 512. Apple really should ship ALL intel macs with a gig minimum.
Originally posted by Thataboy
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
At least, that's how I see it from Appleinsider's description.
All they have to do is to announce the opening day and time. This is NYC. If the Times and WSJ, as well as the several other newspapers, and major news channels want to show up, they will. There would be no way that Apple would dream of preventing them from doing so. When an invite is sent out, it means that they have someting special on hand. The press is getting wary of those special invites, because nothing newsworthy has come out of them the last couple of times.
This is a new flagship store. Big deal!
Originally posted by Thataboy
Well keep in mind that Appleinsider labels this as a "briefing" with "limited" attendance. This is not a "big event." It is perfectly reasonable to hold a limited-attendance press briefing about just a FLAGSHIP store in midtown Manhattan with the glorious glass cube. It's a newsworthy event, so they want the NY Times to write something up nice to show up Friday, so the public can read it and check it out after work
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
Originally posted by minderbinder
A product release requires coordination, they have to have all the background support ready for it when they ship, not to mention that delaying the announcment means greater supply at launch time and shorter waits for consumers. Losing sales days doesn't really cost them anything on a product that will be backlogged for a while.
The coordination is supposed to take place when they first know that the product will ship on time, a couple of months before. Having a big event does nothing to solve any of those problems. If anything, it just makes it worse. People who would have bought the product will do so anyway. By releasing the product when ready, and remember, I'm talking about when ready, not your assumption, then that would be best.
Apple's lack of product has nothing to do with production. At least, it doesn't most of the time. Apple has been accused, over the years, of being too timid with their forecasting, and deliberately producing less than they should have, from the fear that sales won't be as good as they should be. then there are shortages.
losing sales days is very important from a financial point of view, and all companies try to get products out as early in a quarter as they can, to take advantage of the sales boost. Apple is no different. Every time a product comes out late, or is under supplied, Apple takes a hit. that's what happened this past quarter, and what is going to happen this quarter as well.
Companies prefer to have a more evenly balanced sheet throught the year.
Originally posted by minderbinder
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
That's exactly right.
The idea that bad press is better than no press was made up by someone who only received bad press.
Originally posted by minderbinder
If there's no MB release, all the NYT is going to write about is how apple failed to release the MB. Any "event" without a MB release is going to get panned by the press.
Yes, my thoughts exactly. Apple rode the press superbly last year and with MWSF06, but the Mini+HiFi announcement really lost some momentum. Time to fix that in a big way, in the house that Jobs built.
Originally posted by minderbinder
Apple has started adding two button functionality already with the 17's. Looks like it's handled with software so hopefully it will get added to the 15's and will also be in the MB's.
Double click works either by tapping with two fingers or holding two fingers on the pad and pressing the button.
When the Mighty Mouse came out I bought one straight away. I had an original series MS Intellimouse Explorer which was on its last legs, dropping out every once in a while and I'd never considered an Apple one button mouse for myself even though I do actually agree with the program design methodology behind it. I'm one of the minority who're perfectly happy with the Mighty Mouse, and I assumed that the same mechanism would be used in the new laptops to give them "1.5 buttons" too.
As far as I've heard this hasn't happened. Instead there's that two finger drag stuff which sounds good, but came out on the PPC a year or so ago. Nice, but no dice. Two buttons hidden with one button style is definitely the way to go.
Originally posted by melgross
The coordination is supposed to take place when they first know that the product will ship on time, a couple of months before. Having a big event does nothing to solve any of those problems. If anything, it just makes it worse. People who would have bought the product will do so anyway. By releasing the product when ready, and remember, I'm talking about when ready, not your assumption, then that would be best.
Apple's lack of product has nothing to do with production. At least, it doesn't most of the time. Apple has been accused, over the years, of being too timid with their forecasting, and deliberately producing less than they should have, from the fear that sales won't be as good as they should be. then there are shortages.
losing sales days is very important from a financial point of view, and all companies try to get products out as early in a quarter as they can, to take advantage of the sales boost. Apple is no different. Every time a product comes out late, or is under supplied, Apple takes a hit. that's what happened this past quarter, and what is going to happen this quarter as well.
Companies prefer to have a more evenly balanced sheet throught the year.
I'm not sure why you're not assuming apple isn't releasing the MPB when it's ready, and seem to think they're holding it for an event.
Having a release event isn't difficult for apple to do, and I'm sure they plan the event around the readiness of the machine, not the other way around. And in most cases, the machine hasn't shipped at the time of the announcement anyway (wouldn't that be a limitation of production and not forcasting?).
When the announcement precedes the machine actually shipping, there are no lost sales days. And when the machine does ship the day of the announcement, but in small enough quantity that it's generally sold out immediately and many customers have to wait for it, if the release is held a few days for the announcement, that's not really going to make a difference financially either.
So why do you think Apple is holding back releases of products that are ready to ship? And how long do you imagine these delays are? Days? Weeks?
Originally posted by Thataboy
By the way, the knee-jerk "NO INTEGRATED GRAPHICS" thing is quickly becoming this generation's "NO MORE ONE BUTTON MOUSE." 99.9% of you would NEVER know the difference, and the 0.1% that would can bloody get the higher level notebook (you may have heard of the MacBook Pro?).
Say it, brother! I wish all the gaming geeks whining about integrated graphics would go buy a PC and quit filling Mac boards with their incessant noise.
Originally posted by Thataboy
The article says the invitation is "very limited" -- that doesn't sound right for a big huge MacBook announcement.
It doesn't sound right for opening a freaking 20k sqft showroom / retail store, you can pack a lot of people in there, so why make it a tiny reception?
BTW: I think there are people that do want a smaller screen with a good graphics chip. Some rumors suggest that there will not be a 13" MBP, which is part of why there is lament about integrated graphics on the MacBook if there is a chance of no MBP counterpart.
Originally posted by fuyutsuki As far as I've heard this hasn't happened. Instead there's that two finger drag stuff which sounds good, but came out on the PPC a year or so ago. Nice, but no dice. Two buttons hidden with one button style is definitely the way to go. [/B]
What do you mean? This IS in the new MPB 17. Apple hasn't announced it or listed it on their site, but it has been confirmed by a number of 17 owners.
Originally posted by atomicham
Ugh. Dell again? Wouldn't you say that Sony is the maker that tries most to be like Apple and configures its machines most similarly? So, looking at Sony, the VAIO SZ140 is: 1.83GHz Core Duo, 13.3" screen at 1280x800, 4 lbs, both (!?!) integrated GMA950 graphics and Nvidia Go 7400 (128MB), DVD-ROM (not Write), 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, only Ethernet100, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard drive for: ~$1,600. The best price is $1,550:
Froogle Search
I hope Apple comes out with a nicely equipped, cheap MacBook, but I think realistically, the price will be around $1500 for the dual core. I hope I'm wrong, but I think people are hoping for too much at too little a cost.
I wouldn't say Apple should be compared to Sony. They(Sony) aren't really an industry leader IMO. Comparisons to pc vendors is inevitable now that the hardware is the same or at least converging. Dell is an industry bell weather that's why I used them for comparison. You could use HP, or lenovo, much bigger players than Sony.
I don't think Apple will or even needs to match Dell(hp, Lenovo) feature for feature on price but they should be close. Obviously we can argue on what is close but $1500 for a core duo macbook aint close. I can see a $1099 price point that thataboy suggested. I reiterate, however, that Apple can and should release a core duo macbook for $999.
Originally posted by minderbinder
I'm not sure why you're not assuming apple isn't releasing the MPB when it's ready, and seem to think they're holding it for an event.
Having a release event isn't difficult for apple to do, and I'm sure they plan the event around the readiness of the machine, not the other way around. And in most cases, the machine hasn't shipped at the time of the announcement anyway (wouldn't that be a limitation of production and not forcasting?).
When the announcement precedes the machine actually shipping, there are no lost sales days. And when the machine does ship the day of the announcement, but in small enough quantity that it's generally sold out immediately and many customers have to wait for it, if the release is held a few days for the announcement, that's not really going to make a difference financially either.
So why do you think Apple is holding back releases of products that are ready to ship? And how long do you imagine these delays are? Days? Weeks?
Because, this is what Apple does. Do you think that their products are somehow magically ready the day of an event, and not before?
Forecasting is what all companies do to judge just how many machines they will need to produce in a given time. Apple has been constantly low on those projections. As I say, this has been a criticism of Apple going way back.
When I bought my 950, in 1992, I think it was, I had to wait over a month for it, because Apple didn't make enough. It's been stated many times that Apple either lost marketshare, or failed to gain marketshare, because they underestimated the sales numbers of their products. People, and companies, couldn't wait, and bought a PC instead.
Originally posted by fuyutsuki
Yes, my thoughts exactly. Apple rode the press superbly last year and with MWSF06, but the Mini+HiFi announcement really lost some momentum. Time to fix that in a big way, in the house that Jobs built.
The house that Jobs built will be opening the very next day!
We will see something huge! This is NYC!
Originally posted by melgross
[B]Because, this is what Apple does. Do you think that their products are somehow magically ready the day of an event, and not before?
"This is what apple does"? What kind of circular statement is that? It's true because it's true? When in the past has apple delayed a release of a product to coincide with an event? I could see if you were talking about one of the big annual apple shows, but that's not what this is.
To answer your question, no. I think they know approximately when the machine will be ready ahead of time, and schedule the event once they know that date. After all, much of the time they only announce the event about a week ahead of time, right? And in many cases, apple has an event to announce the new machine, and then the machines "magically" ship a few weeks later!