Apple bumps MacBooks to Santa Rosa; offers 2.6GHz MacBook Pro

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  • Reply 101 of 162
    You have ten days to return, and can argue for a price adjustment.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Feynman View Post


    I just ordered my MacBook Pro 2.4 on Monday



  • Reply 102 of 162
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    Apple sells the "luxury experience???" Via the color black?



    I would call it that because of the texture, not the color. There are black notebooks everywhere, but I don't think anyone else has that nice texture.
  • Reply 103 of 162
    Here is a link for you that states the opposite:



    http://www.apple.com/macbook/specs.html



    It says, "Processor and memory

    2.0GHz or 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor

    4MB shared L2 cache running at full processor speed

    800MHz frontside bus

    1GB (two 512MB SO-DIMMs) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300); two SO-DIMM slots support up to 4GB."



    By the way, it said that at 7:30 this morning as well, when I first checked.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ouragan View Post


    Contrary to what AppleInsider states, the MacBook memory is still a slow 667MHz. It's another example of how the Apple CEO and VPs are more concerned about filling their own pockets with insane, demented, out of this world, lucrative stock option grants than offering a competitive laptop for the same price and features found in a Windows laptop.



    These features include a 15 inch screen and a lower overall price. But, then, Windows customers don't have to pay for a despotic CEO and his puppet, hand picked VPs.





    Quoting from Apple U.S.store:



    "The MacBook uses one of the fastest memory technologies available today ? 667MHz, Double Data Rate (DDR2), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM). It ensures high performance and reliability by synchronizing memory speed with the speed of the central processor so that data can be delivered continuously and more rapidly to the processor. And if both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM ? which is strongly recommended ? you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling MacBook to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps."







  • Reply 104 of 162
    Nice link, but it doesn't explain why what is included in the Mac Book is not the Santa Rosa platform. By reading the information contained in the link, the opposite seems to be confirmed: namely Apple is using Santa Rosa (as media groups are also saying).









  • Reply 105 of 162
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TerrinB View Post


    Here is a link for you that states the opposite:



    No, that does not state the opposite.



    ouragan got his knickers in a twist about the memory running at 667 MHz. He is quite right that it runs at 667 MHz. But quite wrong to get all pissy about it, because he has confused FSB (Front Side Bus) with memory speed. The FSB runs at 800 MHz, as AI states. No laptop with Santa Rosa/Crestline supports DDR2-800 RAM, because Crestline does not support RAM that fast.
  • Reply 106 of 162
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TerrinB View Post


    Nice link, but it doesn't explain why what is included in the Mac Book is not the Santa Rosa platform. By reading the information contained in the link, the opposite seems to be confirmed: namely Apple is using Santa Rosa (as media groups are also saying).



    It is simple. Santa Rosa is the codename for the latest Centrino, which is a whole platform. Merom CPU, Crestline Motherboard chipset, X3100 graphics chip, and the Intel wireless chip.



    The MacBook doesn't use the wireless chip, the MacBook Pro doesn't use the X3100 or the wireless chip. Therefore neither machines use the "Santa Rosa" platform.



    Not that Apple use any Intel cross-promotion, but if they did, they would not be allowed by Intel to put those "Centrino Duo" stickers on the MacBook or MacBook Pro as neither use the Centrino Platform. (See here and here, noting how both links make explicit mention of the wireless networking aspect of the platform)
  • Reply 107 of 162
    I actually do not think Apple is charging people more strictly because it can. Sure, that is part of it. However, I suspect market research tells Apple most people would opt for black if given the opportunity at the same price point as the white. To equalize the demand for both white and black, Apple charges more for the white. Apple doesn't want to be in a situation where it has a glut of white Mac Books lying around. Apple has done this in the past with iPods where it charges a premium for the most popular color. This allows it to keep up demand for other colors that people may not choose if their weren't a price difference.



    I think Apple learned from its mistake of offering many different colored iMacs at the same price point. People usually preferred on or two colors over all the rest. That left a ton of the less popular colors sitting around. That hurt Apple and consumers because it made it harder for Apple to refresh its product line because it had to wait for the unpopular colors to be sold.



    Apple's current pricing scheme probably solves that problem.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    You've got yourself in quite a pickle haven't you! You have your answer - Apple do it because they make more money that way - and yet you are still going on about it!







    There is no other reason besides "because they can". In fact it would be a really dumb business move to remove the premium given that people are willing to pay it.







    I agree with you on that one. A $125 premium doesn't seem worth it to me.



  • Reply 108 of 162
    This is based on a very simple business and economic concept - price discrimination. Google it.



    Simply put, a firm would like to charge each customer as much as that customer is wiling to pay for its good. The problem is that for most goods there is only one price and everyone gets it.



    Some firms develop strategies to get the people willing to pay more, to pay more. A few examples:



    1. Overnight stays on airlines. Airlines have two type of customers - price sensitive leisure travelers and non-price sensitive business travelers. Giving a discount for overnight stays, while highly annoying, allows the leisure travelers to choose a less costly option that most business people will not take.



    2. Early trains in France had no covers on second class trains. It was not a cost factor as a roof is cheap to install. It was a motivation to get some people to pay more for first class. It made it worth it, even though it required punishing the 2nd class customers.



    3. Some early inkjet and laser printers had chips in them to slow down the printing. This actually cost more to do. The reason was they wanted to sell printers at two different price points and the only way to induce people to pay more was to offer a higher speed of printing (solution: intentionally cripple and slow the speeds of some models and sell those at a slight the discount and a lower margin).



    4. Ever wonder why there are so many rejected clothes at factory discount stores. Sometimes it is intentional. It is a way to sell a few units to price sensitive customers without forcing yourself to cut prices for everyone else. Appliance stores used to intentionally whack the back of fridges and argue that they were not dented discounted fridges. Super cheap customers could buy those at a discount that other customers would not get.



    5. Early bird specials - price sensitive customers are disproportionally seniors that eat early. Charge them one price while charging everyone else a higher price.



    The differences between MBP and MB is one form of price discrimination. True you get more for a MBP, but still the price allows a higher margin for high end users. The budget line gets the more price sensitive consumers. Similarly, the black MB is a second instance of price discrimination allows you to find a few people that prefer the color and also want to stand out in the crowd and get them to pay more.



    Annoying, but this is why they do it.



    NOW THE UPSIDE: If Apple did not do this, they'd settle on compromise machines that were set at a middle price. So the budget consumers would either pay more or stop purchasing. In this way, you could say that MBP users slightly subsidize MB users and black MB buyers slightly subsidize white MB buyers. As I am a white MB users, I don't mind. GOOD FOR US
  • Reply 109 of 162
    I think I get what you are saying. According to you, Apple essentially took the Santa Rosa architecture and customized it. For the most part, it is the Santa Rosa, but it is missing something that supposedly (accordingly to the less then reliable Wikipedia) is required to be called Santa Rosa, which refers to a complete package.



    Splitting hairs is important sometimes, but I think it does more of a disservice here because most news services refer to the notebooks as being based on Santa Rosa, which is true. For non-techies, that allows people to find information on the architecture and learn about it. It also gives people a point of reference.



    Moreover, what you are suggesting can cause problems. For instance, if I took my Ford Mustang and installed custom CAMS, technically could we still call it a Ford Mustang, as it is missing factory installed parts? In context I think we can.







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    It is simple. Santa Rosa is the codename for the latest Centrino, which is a whole platform. Merom CPU, Crestline Motherboard chipset, X3100 graphics chip, and the Intel wireless chip.



    The MacBook doesn't use the wireless chip, the MacBook Pro doesn't use the X3100 or the wireless chip. Therefore neither machines use the "Santa Rosa" platform.



    Not that Apple use any Intel cross-promotion, but if they did, they would not be allowed by Intel to put those "Centrino Duo" stickers on the MacBook or MacBook Pro as neither use the Centrino Platform. (See here and here, noting how both links make explicit mention of the wireless networking aspect of the platform)



  • Reply 110 of 162
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    No... I'm saying Apple shouldn't charge a premium for a color. It's a color for Trogdor's sake, not a fashion statement (at least not to me).

    Dude, I don't even want Black. In fact, I'd rather have white. I'm just baffled by the situation. I don't understand why Apple would want to charge more for a certain color (aside from "because they can"); I don't understand why people would allow Apple to charge them more for for black; and, lastly, I don't understand why people would PAY more for black.-Clive



    It is two different materials. Get over it.
  • Reply 111 of 162
    I don't understand why people are defending the 'upcharge' for a black MacBook. Apple sells their iPods in a variety of colors for the same price. A black 8GB Nano is no more expensive than an silver 8GB Nano. If the marketing benefit is there, why is it not applied to the iPods?



    I've been wanting to switch to a Mac, and have been hoping for a MacBook Pro update. If you configure them pretty much the same with 2GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive, there's a $975 difference between the midlevel white MB and the higher-end 15" MBP. That's a lot for a dedicated graphics card, and the aesthetics like aluminum and LED screen. I'm hoping that this MB upgrade, being so quick and quiet, may leave room for a MBP upgrade before Christmas. I hope. Otherwise, the MacBook looks like the better deal right now. I just hate that chiclet keyboard, though...
  • Reply 112 of 162


    I am considering buying a base MacBook and upgrading it from merchants other than Apple. I spoke with one Apple Support person who told me that I will (not might) void the warranty if I upgrade the RAM myself (yeah right!). The second person I spoke with dispelled that myth, but did say that any problems stemming from a faulty installation of faulty RAM would not be addressed by Apple (very understandable).



    Please give me your feedback on the following souped-up MacBook (EDU Pricing) configuration. I think it works great and will result in a fast system. Any suggrestions for better upgrades, better sources for the upgrades?

    MacBook 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo White Apple.com\t $999.00
    Apple Mini DVI - VGA Adapter Apple.com\t $ 17.00
    iWork '08 pre-installed Apple.com\t $ 71.00
    Tax Apple.com\t $ 76.09
    2 x 1GB RAM 200-Pin PC2 5300 667 Mhz DDR2 RAM Amazon.com $61.62
    Hitachi Travelstar 7K200 200GB 7200 RPM SATA Drive ZipZoomfly.com $189.99
    TOTAL $1,414.70 (All shipping and taxes included)

  • Reply 113 of 162
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clive At Five View Post


    No... I'm saying Apple shouldn't charge a premium for a color. It's a color for Trogdor's sake, not a fashion statement (at least not to me).



    I'm not saying that it isn't wise from a monetary respect, because Apple CAN (and does) make money off of it. It's just very lame of them to do so. That's why it makes no sense to me. Why charge more for something so lame as a color.



    Look, it's a fashion thing. If I were to buy a MacBook, I would pop for the black model. If I really felt that it was too much, I wouldn't have to.



    I'm sure it cost them something. how much, no one here, despite any claims they may make, knows.



    And I really don't care.



    How about arguing about something important.



    Quote:

    I don't understand why people would allow Apple to charge them more for for black; and, lastly, I don't understand why people would PAY more for black.



    -Clive



    Then you have no fashion sense whatsoever.



    People have been paying more for what they consider to be more valuable since people became people.
  • Reply 114 of 162
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Combo drive, when it's almost '08, what a pancakes joke. Sometimes I really balloons hate apple.
  • Reply 115 of 162
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking View Post


    Combo drive, when it's almost '08, what a ? joke. Sometimes I really ? hate apple.



    Why the vile language?
  • Reply 116 of 162
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    What's the sales tax situation in Canada? Is there any? Is it included in the $1249 price?



    Here in ontario sales tax is 14% and is not included in price. So that macbook is 1423.86cad in total.



    Shit, I wanted a to sell my mbp, get a blackbook, a 24" imac and an iPod touch but since we've been getting so screwed on price these days I don't feel good buying anything.
  • Reply 117 of 162
    First off would like to say whats up to everyone, since it is my first post.



    Anyways onto bussiness.



    So from what I understand and yeah I'm lifting this from another website:



    "it's STILL not the Santa Rosa platform.



    The Santa Rosa platform requires THREE Intel components - the chipset, the processor, AND THE WIRELESS CARD.



    Apple upgraded their laptops to the Crestline chipset. It's not Santa Rosa if it doesn't have an Intel-branded wireless card in it. Apple's Airport Extreme cards are NOT Intel, and therefore these are NOT Santa Rosa.

    I so, so wish that at least one tech news site would get this right for once.



    Ref link:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrin...orm_.282007.29



    This is why with, for instance, Dell laptops, which put the little stickers for Windows and Intel on the palm rest, models ordered with Dell's TrueMobile wireless cards just have the Intel Core 2 Duo logo on them, NOT the Centrino logo on them. You can't call it Centrino (or any of the names referring to each revision of Centrino) if it doesn't have an Intel card in it."





    Anyways if someone could help that would be cool.



    Thx.
  • Reply 118 of 162
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core View Post


    Why the vile language?



    I fixed it for you.



    I'm mad because I was gonna get my gf an entry level macbook when they bumped it, now I gotta spend more money because I won't get her a cripled machine. And the superdrive model macbook is 1651.86cad after taxes which is 1,744.49usd. I tired of canadian consumers getting gouged and now I'm getting further raped over tech that any one else offers on any computer over 500 bucks. That's what grinds my gears.
  • Reply 119 of 162
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Restalot View Post


    Tax is added at the till... same as the USA. Apple is screwing Canadians as they think they can get more money and we won't complain. I can understand a brick-and-mortar retailer having inventory purchased at old costs but we all know Apple ships online orders to Canada from the same place as the US orders ship so this is just Apple being greedy.



    Even in iPod, Apple charges more in Canadian dollars than US dollars and the Canadian dollar is worth more. The only thing they have fixed is iTunes pricing...



    I don't think Apple is "screwing" Canadian customers intentionally and I'm sure this is something they're constantly debating internally. I mean honestly the value of the loonie being as high as it is against the U.S. dollar is a new dynamic for them, and everyone, to deal with. Why it was only 2003 when 1 loonie was worth 64 U.S. cents.



    It will take awhile for things to shake out. A sudden drop in price would be premature, it would provide the wrong impression.



    Edit: More to the point, back mid February 1 loonie would get only 83 U.S. cents. As of now 1 loonie will get $1.05 U.S. It hasn't even been nine months, give Apple a break! This is a sharp rise, a 22 cent difference is insane, and could be met with just as sharp a drop - or not. They're right to wait and if it matters that much to you, why not visit the U.S.?
  • Reply 120 of 162
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    This isn't just Apple. Everything that I see being sold that has the double pricing is charging more in Canadian.



    One reason is because pricing follows the conversions. It doesn't work in real time.
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