2. The decline in quality from either moving production overseas or a design philosophy that pushes designs to the limits of the components and sometimes over.
3. Giant hardware and the overt attacking of anyone who wants something more traditional/practical while experiencing the advantages of OSX
4. Product cycles that meet Apple's needs instead of the consumers. Case in point, GMA950 graphics in a supposedly premium machine when everyone else had upgraded months ago and don't get me started on the Mac Pro. it should have gotten CPU and graphics updates six months ago. while they're at it, they can also add more professional graphics options. There is no excuse for having to pay $1600 extra to get a graphics card that is not consumer level in a workstation. Then again, there's no reason to have a consumer level card in a workstation period, that's what desktops are for.
5. Little or no support for things that Apple executives do not do themselves. Yes, Jobs I know you think TV and games are a waste of time, but adding PVR capabilities to the Mac and putting a little effort into gaming will actually make you even more money.
6. Why is iWork not bundled with every Mac. the only company making extra money here is Microsoft. The vast majority of the time they're going to choose office. That, I families are none to pleased to find out that they're Mac can't do Little Johnny's homework without spending another $80-$150 when there windows PC would. Getting someone to buy a Mac one time is not the goal, having them buy second and third Macs is. I know a lot of Bondi Blue iMac users that went right back to windows.
Hi Bergermeister, I really empathise with your situation. As I said before, Apple should put you in charge of Apple Japan.
Have you considered getting a PC and buying Leopard separately to install on it?
The problem is not only Apple Japan. There are plenty of signs that overall Apple is declining at the moment by putting market share and profit before all else. They are going to get bitten in the long run, but those in charge will have made their money so they will just laugh and leave the mess to someone else. Selfish, irresponsible greed supported by every stock holder who does nothing about it.
The problem is not only Apple Japan. There are plenty of signs that overall Apple is declining at the moment by putting market share and profit before all else. They are going to get bitten in the long run, but those in charge will have made their money so they will just laugh and leave the mess to someone else. Selfish, irresponsible greed supported by every stock holder who does nothing about it.
You know, I really don't think it is that bad. Their customer service in the U.S. is very good, on the whole. It's just that they haven't twigged they should be treating everyone like that, not just U.S. customers.
Same here, I now buy nothing but Microsoft mice. They are also designed better both aesthetically and practically.
There was a thread about Apple buyouts before, maybe Apple should buy out Logitech. That way we get games controllers, webcams, mice, keyboards, headsets, universal remotes and so on.
Imagine this bundled with a Mac:
instead of:
While I am extremely unsatisfied with the Mighty Mouse, its design is in many ways superior to that sloppy, ugly, and overfunctional mouse. My Logitech mouse that I had before my Mighty Mouse, was ok, but was not all that ergonomic, was ugly, and had buttons that were fairly useless. The purity and simplicity of the MM is aesthetically better to me, but it looks uncomplicated and yet flexible. The Logitech mouse is boring and complicated, a lethal combination.
One thing not always brought up is that the buttons on the MM have different tactile senses for each of the buttons (except right clicking). One has the body click, the other clicks a ball, another squeezes, and you can scroll that ball too. That Logitech mouse has multiple clicks for each finger that also can't be executed by only one finger. There is no coherence in the design, letting it look like all the functions were tossed on in a frenzy to make it look compulsively high-tech.
Nonetheless, the Mighty Mouse was the first product that seemed to be a rotten Apple that I bought. Admittedly it still works really well for everything except scrolling down, but that is 20% of what I did with it. It saddens me, and I hope they will fix it relatively soon. Until then, Apple's not getting any money for that POS.
The seeming lack of direction on the Mini. if it goes in Jan 08 I will be sad, but if it doesn't go then FFS update the little guy and add an unambiguous line in the Stevenote along the lines of "we love the mini and plan to keep it as part of our lineup for a long time" seriously, or kill it dead! (OS9)
I don't want to take this thread down the xMac road, but I've been finding it really hard recently not to side with it being a good Idea, give me an easily upgradable cheaper than the iMac box with 3.5" drive space and ability to run 2 screens SOLD. I think if its priced the same as or just under the iMac then for those that want it the iMac becomes a nobrainer "upgrade" CHOICE - the CHOICE bit being important and echoing the comment above about doing whats good for the customer.
other than that I'm pretty comfy with where Apple is in a lot of ways, maybe thats the problem? there arn't any HUGELY obvious problems affecting say, 50% of the mac users?
Comments
2. The decline in quality from either moving production overseas or a design philosophy that pushes designs to the limits of the components and sometimes over.
3. Giant hardware and the overt attacking of anyone who wants something more traditional/practical while experiencing the advantages of OSX
4. Product cycles that meet Apple's needs instead of the consumers. Case in point, GMA950 graphics in a supposedly premium machine when everyone else had upgraded months ago and don't get me started on the Mac Pro. it should have gotten CPU and graphics updates six months ago. while they're at it, they can also add more professional graphics options. There is no excuse for having to pay $1600 extra to get a graphics card that is not consumer level in a workstation. Then again, there's no reason to have a consumer level card in a workstation period, that's what desktops are for.
5. Little or no support for things that Apple executives do not do themselves. Yes, Jobs I know you think TV and games are a waste of time, but adding PVR capabilities to the Mac and putting a little effort into gaming will actually make you even more money.
6. Why is iWork not bundled with every Mac. the only company making extra money here is Microsoft. The vast majority of the time they're going to choose office. That, I families are none to pleased to find out that they're Mac can't do Little Johnny's homework without spending another $80-$150 when there windows PC would. Getting someone to buy a Mac one time is not the goal, having them buy second and third Macs is. I know a lot of Bondi Blue iMac users that went right back to windows.
Hi Bergermeister, I really empathise with your situation. As I said before, Apple should put you in charge of Apple Japan.
Have you considered getting a PC and buying Leopard separately to install on it?
The problem is not only Apple Japan. There are plenty of signs that overall Apple is declining at the moment by putting market share and profit before all else. They are going to get bitten in the long run, but those in charge will have made their money so they will just laugh and leave the mess to someone else. Selfish, irresponsible greed supported by every stock holder who does nothing about it.
The problem is not only Apple Japan. There are plenty of signs that overall Apple is declining at the moment by putting market share and profit before all else. They are going to get bitten in the long run, but those in charge will have made their money so they will just laugh and leave the mess to someone else. Selfish, irresponsible greed supported by every stock holder who does nothing about it.
You know, I really don't think it is that bad. Their customer service in the U.S. is very good, on the whole. It's just that they haven't twigged they should be treating everyone like that, not just U.S. customers.
See this, for example.
Same here, I now buy nothing but Microsoft mice. They are also designed better both aesthetically and practically.
There was a thread about Apple buyouts before, maybe Apple should buy out Logitech. That way we get games controllers, webcams, mice, keyboards, headsets, universal remotes and so on.
Imagine this bundled with a Mac:
instead of:
While I am extremely unsatisfied with the Mighty Mouse, its design is in many ways superior to that sloppy, ugly, and overfunctional mouse. My Logitech mouse that I had before my Mighty Mouse, was ok, but was not all that ergonomic, was ugly, and had buttons that were fairly useless. The purity and simplicity of the MM is aesthetically better to me, but it looks uncomplicated and yet flexible. The Logitech mouse is boring and complicated, a lethal combination.
One thing not always brought up is that the buttons on the MM have different tactile senses for each of the buttons (except right clicking). One has the body click, the other clicks a ball, another squeezes, and you can scroll that ball too. That Logitech mouse has multiple clicks for each finger that also can't be executed by only one finger. There is no coherence in the design, letting it look like all the functions were tossed on in a frenzy to make it look compulsively high-tech.
Nonetheless, the Mighty Mouse was the first product that seemed to be a rotten Apple that I bought. Admittedly it still works really well for everything except scrolling down, but that is 20% of what I did with it. It saddens me, and I hope they will fix it relatively soon. Until then, Apple's not getting any money for that POS.
I don't want to take this thread down the xMac road, but I've been finding it really hard recently not to side with it being a good Idea, give me an easily upgradable cheaper than the iMac box with 3.5" drive space and ability to run 2 screens SOLD. I think if its priced the same as or just under the iMac then for those that want it the iMac becomes a nobrainer "upgrade" CHOICE - the CHOICE bit being important and echoing the comment above about doing whats good for the customer.
other than that
My mom bought an iBook about two years ago. After about a year, the optical drive failed.
Took it to an Apple authorized dealer (in Berlin, Germany). They wanted more than EUR 500 = $ 720 for repairing the optical drive. WTF ?
So, my parents (first time Mac buyers) are thoroughly turned off. I can't blame them.
-t