I'm not so sure about that. The mac mini has the guts (contrary to my sig I now own one instead of a macbook) but you still have to add a high quality screen, trackpad and keyboard. That alone will get you back up to macbook/macbook air prices. Also, from my experience, a lot of people who can't "afford" macs but want to experience OSX tend to either buy refurb or buy second hand on craigslist/ebay/etc. which gets them a macbook at a mac mini price.
if you are switching from a desktop PC, you don't have to buy a monitor or keyboard.
I'm not so sure about that. The mac mini has the guts (contrary to my sig I now own one instead of a macbook) but you still have to add a high quality screen, trackpad and keyboard. That alone will get you back up to macbook/macbook air prices. Also, from my experience, a lot of people who can't "afford" macs but want to experience OSX tend to either buy refurb or buy second hand on craigslist/ebay/etc. which gets them a macbook at a mac mini price.
Well im not sure about the refurb sales, it is really cool to see average weekly pay maps and average mac market share of the states. I've only found the maps once but they are identical. It is a fact that people who afford macs get them. And there are $500 pc's with an i series processor in them so it wouldn't be too hard for apple to be able to do something like that. The insides of the macbook are worth half as much as they were last year so it wouldn't be too hard to just lower the price like with the 3gs. Also, without backlit keyboard, terrible internals with a core 2 duo, plastice, no sd slot, and no glassy, its not like it would really compete with their other computers and the ipad is a different product all together.
still...i don't think it will ever happen. Apple probably sleeps happy knowing that if they're mac sales ever decline, a cheap mac would easily turn that around
The comparison should be what percentage of market share does each hold for computers that cost $1200 and up. As it is he is comparing apples to mangoes.
The only areas where Apple leads Microsoft are Revenues, EPS, Market Cap, Growth Rate and Customer Satisfaction (not to mention Security and Stability as well.)
Does anyone really think any of those are all that important?
Ballmer doesn't have any vision. Compare Ballmer with Steve Jobs. Ballmer likes to sit on his assets while Jobs likes to innovate and knock products out of the ballpark. There is no greater evidence showing Ballmer's lack of vision than his recent comments about Windows vs. Mac. You know what, it's not about that anymore. It's about Windows vs. Android vs. iOS. And Microsoft has no horse in that race, meaning we've already witnessed the beginning of Microsoft's decline. Hallelu!
The only areas where Apple leads Microsoft are Revenues, EPS, Market Cap, Growth Rate and Customer Satisfaction (not to mention Security and Stability as well.)
Does anyone really think any of those are all that important?
The one area Microsoft leads Apple is Dividend payments. Do any shareholders find those important?
So, in your words then .... it's the "smart" thing to do ..... but Apple shouldn't do it ..... please tell me that you're not studying "how to run a business" in college .... that would be too painful to hear.
Apple is Hardware maker, not a Software maker. For Ballmer to constantly compare MS against Apple in the Windows-Mac space is kinda ridiculous.
For illustration, Apple will gladly sell you a mac so you can run Windows on it. OTOH, MS would hardly be thrilled if you assembled a PC, but installed Mac OS X on it.
As a hardware maker, I think Apple is glad to be in the position where they make nearly 50% of the profits in the industry. I don't think they are too worried about their marketshare in that instance.
Truth be told, I run Windows on both my MBA and my iMac. I can honestly say that my Macs are the best Windows machines I've ever owned. Prior to buying my first Mac, I used to build my own rigs. That's high praise.
if you are switching from a desktop PC, you don't have to buy a monitor or keyboard.
trackpad? with a desktop? lame.
My post was in response to someone who said apple should sell a LAPTOP for the same price as a mac mini. I was giving my opinion on why that would not be possible while maintaining the same level of quality. Before you declare something "lame" try reading the post first.
Also, I have a magic trackpad with my mini and it is hardly lame. It's awesome in fact.
Truth be told, I run Windows on both my MBA and my iMac. I can honestly say that my Macs are the best Windows machines I've ever owned. Prior to buying my first Mac, I used to build my own rigs. That's high praise.
How many Macs that have been sold are still in use compared to how many PCs are in the recycle bin? And how often to people switch from Mac to PC?
If there was a reliable way to determine how many computers of each type are being used the "market share" charts would look very different I think.
And while Apple certainly needs certain amount of market share to ensure that third parties etc do not leave the platform - it is not the focus for Apple relative to profits. What MS may be missing is that each quarter their use base is eroded as more and more people switch to alternatives.
I disagree, Apple is a Software AND Hardware maker. They excel at both, which is what gives them their edge over others who specialise in one or the other.
Not to step on your toes, but as Steve has said numerous times, Apple is "the whole widget" maker. They make the software, the hardware, and they make them play nicely together so that the user has a complete, intuitive computing experience. My Macs have been the best example of technology getting out of the way of my work. For the last four Macs I've owned, I never once looked at the user manual; I just plugged it in, turned it on and started working/playing. "It just works"
Folks, quit getting worked up over Ballmer's jabs at Apple. That's a part of the game. In case you all have forgotten, Steve Jobs is known to take swipes at competitors. Remember "2011: Year of the Copycats?" Also, he derisively remarked back in October that the slew of 7-inch tablets coming to the market should come with sandpaper so that users can file their fingers so that they can type on those tablets. And he has publicly vilified Google and Adobe. It's the job of CEOs to talk up their own products and point out the faults in competitors' products.
It doesn't bother me in the least that Ballmer has panned Mac sales. I just feel bad that Microsoft's vast resources are going to waste because the guy at the top just has no idea how to run a company. Apple isn't even trying to unseat Windows in desktop computing. Instead, Apple has moved on. Apple has iOS, their cash cow. Microsoft has Windows Phone 7. There is talk about Windows 8 but as far as I'm concerned, until we see a live demo and a release timeline for it, it's nothing but vaporware.
Comments
I'm not so sure about that. The mac mini has the guts (contrary to my sig I now own one instead of a macbook) but you still have to add a high quality screen, trackpad and keyboard. That alone will get you back up to macbook/macbook air prices. Also, from my experience, a lot of people who can't "afford" macs but want to experience OSX tend to either buy refurb or buy second hand on craigslist/ebay/etc. which gets them a macbook at a mac mini price.
if you are switching from a desktop PC, you don't have to buy a monitor or keyboard.
trackpad? with a desktop? lame.
Well, except for:
iTunes
Pages
Numbers
Keynote
Final Cut Pro
Motion
Compressor
Logic Pro
Mainstage
Soundtrack Pro
Garageband
iMovie
oh yes...and OSX and iOS.
Other than those (and a few others) you are correct.
Everyone but iTunes only runs on Apple Hardware.
I'm not so sure about that. The mac mini has the guts (contrary to my sig I now own one instead of a macbook) but you still have to add a high quality screen, trackpad and keyboard. That alone will get you back up to macbook/macbook air prices. Also, from my experience, a lot of people who can't "afford" macs but want to experience OSX tend to either buy refurb or buy second hand on craigslist/ebay/etc. which gets them a macbook at a mac mini price.
Well im not sure about the refurb sales, it is really cool to see average weekly pay maps and average mac market share of the states. I've only found the maps once but they are identical. It is a fact that people who afford macs get them. And there are $500 pc's with an i series processor in them so it wouldn't be too hard for apple to be able to do something like that. The insides of the macbook are worth half as much as they were last year so it wouldn't be too hard to just lower the price like with the 3gs. Also, without backlit keyboard, terrible internals with a core 2 duo, plastice, no sd slot, and no glassy, its not like it would really compete with their other computers and the ipad is a different product all together.
still...i don't think it will ever happen. Apple probably sleeps happy knowing that if they're mac sales ever decline, a cheap mac would easily turn that around
The only areas where Apple leads Microsoft are Revenues, EPS, Market Cap, Growth Rate and Customer Satisfaction (not to mention Security and Stability as well.)
Does anyone really think any of those are all that important?
I think Steve is right 350 is bigger than 20.
The only areas where Apple leads Microsoft are Revenues, EPS, Market Cap, Growth Rate and Customer Satisfaction (not to mention Security and Stability as well.)
Does anyone really think any of those are all that important?
The one area Microsoft leads Apple is Dividend payments. Do any shareholders find those important?
do it:no
would it be smart:yes
So, in your words then .... it's the "smart" thing to do ..... but Apple shouldn't do it ..... please tell me that you're not studying "how to run a business" in college .... that would be too painful to hear.
Apple is Hardware maker, not a Software maker. For Ballmer to constantly compare MS against Apple in the Windows-Mac space is kinda ridiculous.
For illustration, Apple will gladly sell you a mac so you can run Windows on it. OTOH, MS would hardly be thrilled if you assembled a PC, but installed Mac OS X on it.
As a hardware maker, I think Apple is glad to be in the position where they make nearly 50% of the profits in the industry. I don't think they are too worried about their marketshare in that instance.
Truth be told, I run Windows on both my MBA and my iMac. I can honestly say that my Macs are the best Windows machines I've ever owned. Prior to buying my first Mac, I used to build my own rigs. That's high praise.
if you are switching from a desktop PC, you don't have to buy a monitor or keyboard.
trackpad? with a desktop? lame.
My post was in response to someone who said apple should sell a LAPTOP for the same price as a mac mini. I was giving my opinion on why that would not be possible while maintaining the same level of quality. Before you declare something "lame" try reading the post first.
Also, I have a magic trackpad with my mini and it is hardly lame. It's awesome in fact.
Apple market cap = 332 billion
Done and done.
Let's not forget Apples on hand cash asset approaching 70+ billion, and they are debt free.
Truth be told, I run Windows on both my MBA and my iMac. I can honestly say that my Macs are the best Windows machines I've ever owned. Prior to buying my first Mac, I used to build my own rigs. That's high praise.
How many Macs that have been sold are still in use compared to how many PCs are in the recycle bin? And how often to people switch from Mac to PC?
If there was a reliable way to determine how many computers of each type are being used the "market share" charts would look very different I think.
And while Apple certainly needs certain amount of market share to ensure that third parties etc do not leave the platform - it is not the focus for Apple relative to profits. What MS may be missing is that each quarter their use base is eroded as more and more people switch to alternatives.
Once you acknowledge an enemy, they've won. -- Sun Tzu (maybe)
Balmer is an idiot, and anyone with microsoft stock should be calling for his removal.
I would much rather Ballmer to continue running Microsoft into the ground, so please, let him stay ;-)
I disagree, Apple is a Software AND Hardware maker. They excel at both, which is what gives them their edge over others who specialise in one or the other.
Not to step on your toes, but as Steve has said numerous times, Apple is "the whole widget" maker. They make the software, the hardware, and they make them play nicely together so that the user has a complete, intuitive computing experience. My Macs have been the best example of technology getting out of the way of my work. For the last four Macs I've owned, I never once looked at the user manual; I just plugged it in, turned it on and started working/playing. "It just works"
trackpad? with a desktop? lame.
I personally would never go without my magic trackpad. It's been over a year sans mouse and am loving it. You should really give it a good go.
It doesn't bother me in the least that Ballmer has panned Mac sales. I just feel bad that Microsoft's vast resources are going to waste because the guy at the top just has no idea how to run a company. Apple isn't even trying to unseat Windows in desktop computing. Instead, Apple has moved on. Apple has iOS, their cash cow. Microsoft has Windows Phone 7. There is talk about Windows 8 but as far as I'm concerned, until we see a live demo and a release timeline for it, it's nothing but vaporware.
Also, I have a magic trackpad with my mini and it is hardly lame. It's awesome in fact.
<snark>Try playing Starcraft 2 on a trackpad!</snark>
But really, the trackpad is very intuitive. In fact, the only reason I use a mouse nowadays is to play SC2.