Can Apple outdo Vaio Mx

gafferino · June 8, 2002 9:16PM

<a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/mx/index.shtml"; target="_blank">http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/mx/index.shtml</a>;

Wow, this is a slick digital lifestyle hub. Outclasses the iMac by a long ways (it better for the price). Can the new Power Mac G# outdo this beauty? Sliding panel hides 1394 port etc.. on the front of the box. This is the first PC that made me drool. The picture doesn't really do it justice. If you can walk by one in person and not stop and look then you are a stronger person than me.

torifile · June 8, 2002 9:28PM

For $2799 I'd rather get an iMac and then the top of the line DVD player and stereo. I'm not all about these all-in-one devices, but that's just me.

It seems to be a fundamental difference between Mac OS and Windows OS things. For Apple, it's about do one thing and do it really well (e.g., iTunes, iMovie, iPod, Mail and the Addressbook [future revs.]) versus the do it all in one place (WiMP). I don't need my computer to tune into FM radio stations or t.v. stations. I've got a stereo and tv for that. Different philosophies, I guess.

[ 06-08-2002: Message edited by: torifile ]

speechgod · June 8, 2002 9:41PM

[quote]Originally posted by torifile:

I don't need my computer to tune into FM radio stations or t.v. stations. I've got a stereo and tv for that. Different philosophies, I guess.<hr></blockquote>

I agree. I don't even watch TV or listen to the radio anymore. I just listen to the Progressive stations found in iTunes' radio list. DT Rules!

bobthetomato · June 8, 2002 9:45PM

whatever

applenut · June 8, 2002 10:27PM

I agree, the MX is the first PC to make me truly jealous. It's a very nice design IMO and I was impressed when I used it. The software sucks hard though. The features are outstanding but if the software sucks then it's as good as a paper weight, and expensive paper weight.

Hopefully some of its features make it to the next PowerMac or something because it is nice

neutrino23 · June 8, 2002 11:12PM

You have got to be kidding. The total price on this monster is $3,400 (note that the monitor is sold separately). You could get two iMacs for this price (or three eMacs). Have you seen one of these? It has a built in minidisk with its own LCD display and little buttons to run this. All of these are throwbacks to a previous age. MD is dead now that we have iPod (and other MP3 players). The advent of MPEG4 just adds more nails to the coffin. Just because Sony owns some of this technology they are trying to push it. It doesn't mean that it is good.

Having said that, I'll grant that the built-in Tivo-like function sounds good. No idea if it actually works or not.

max8319 · June 8, 2002 11:52PM

over in japan, minidisc's are really big (that's what i heard). so, they'll probably be around for a while.

though i do agree that this is sony trying to push their technology, like the memory stick in nearly everything they make...

we'll just have to see if people actually buy this machine or not

ijerry · June 9, 2002 12:10AM

they make a tivo type device that works on the mac anyway, so that argument may now vanish.

eugene · June 9, 2002 12:38AM

The MX looks much more plasticky in person as well. I prefer the matte finish of the iMac and the face of the current G4 tower.

big mac · June 9, 2002 12:48AM

[quote]Originally posted by ijerry:

they make a tivo type device that works on the mac anyway, so that argument may now vanish.<hr></blockquote>

<off-topic>Which device is that? I've been scouring the market for one. The Formac doesn't count since it's much too expensive for casual TiVO functionality. </off-topic>

As far as the Viao is concerned, Sony does make nice machines compared to all the other PC cloners. However, all those extra features come at a price. One major additional drawback, from what I hear, is that once MS comes out with a new version of Windoze, all of those features cease to work. Unfortunately, I don't know if we'll ever see TV functionality built-in to our Macs; no third party wants to go after the market for some reason.

gafferino · June 9, 2002 1:39AM

[quote]Originally posted by neutrino23:

You have got to be kidding. The total price on this monster is $3,400 (note that the monitor is sold separately).<hr></blockquote>

I don't think price comparisons are sane when we look at the price of Power Macs. Who ever pointed out that the machine is crippled by its M$ OS nailed it. The styling is absolutely gorgeous though.

It amazes me that compaq, Dell and others can try to make stylish computers and fail so miserably. I think that there is actually a conspiricy going on here. All the decent inductrial designers got together and agreed the only PC manufacturer they would work for is Apple as they rely on this platform. Dell et al are stuck hiring flunkies and end up with the embarassing designs they try to push. I guess Sony doesn't have this problem across the pond.

Similar to all the decent gui programmers...

serrano · June 9, 2002 1:53AM

i've used these, not nearly as good as you're thinking.

bradbower · June 9, 2002 3:41AM

Oh, they're nice. They look very nice in person for a PC, and they have a veritable *ton* of ports, everything imaginable, they look VERY good to consumers, and they just have a plethora of so many neat drool-worthy features. The specs are okay, for the price.. not stellar or anything. But it is a Sony.. and among the best Sony 'digital lifestyle' computers you can get. A bit on the pricey side, yes, but we'd be hypocrites to bitch about such things.

When I get a PC in the next 4-6 months,, I will guaranteeably get one from this line.

Apple outdoes this machine versus the iMac or eMac or even some PowerMacs by being from Apple, possibly being less expensive, running Mac OS (X), having the digital hub apps, being differently styled (suits our tastes -- this is subjective), etc. But Apple doesn't outdo this machine by by much, especially if you're multi-platform like me and can appreciate both it and a shiny new G4 (come MWNY). They could learn to do a lot more like Sony has done with the MX to really make some models of their desktop line hit that 'sweet spot' that I hit when I hear about or see or use one of these machines.

sushiism · June 9, 2002 8:18AM

I'm a big fan of minidisc, wouldn't swap it for horrible mp3 quality any day. BUT a minidisc drive on a computer? UGH if they'd started doing it widespread years ago it could have been something great, really cheap way of storing a few hundred meg, but no

which is a real shame because it had alot of potential if they speeded it up on the pc drives. Thus because MD drives were never done widespread then this is really stupid, I mean its all well and good when your making it do all this amazing stuff for a week, but imagine about 2 years down the line MS has prolly upgraded windows (prolly with some cheap ME style remix) and then your minidisc drivers dont work oh and wheres sony then? laughing because they won't update them when they can just sell you another pc to make all this lovely stuff work again. and tv tuner @_@ radio @_@ whats the point? you can get higher quality streams from most if not all radiostations now off the net. Oh and of course , memory stick slot ¬_¬ thank god I didn't get a sony digital camera with that godawful memory stick nonsense, too big and too pricey if they were cheaper which they should be considering the huge size of them then it would be good but costing on average more than compact flash of the same capacity @_@ just go away sony. For that price I expect a sexy real computer not an all in one that will fall apart device wise after a year, which is why apple make the only decent all in one, because they can control everything in it and don't have to deal with another company's os which will break drivers.

I mean do we all remeber the first wave of unltra multimedia pcs? with all these dodgy things like radio cards and remote controls hahahha it was like spend 3 hours setting uop the radio card(yes out of the box it didnt work from the one i had to get working for a friend) then it was just "oh look it works, right lets do something else" haaah never to be used again, same with the tv card haahah and they basically just die after about a year of dodgy weird hardware. So methinks this vaio is for people with more money than sense (same applies to most sony products, the ONLY thing they make pretty nice is some headphones, but not sony groove ear buds BAH fall apart after 4 months of casual usage)

apple.otaku · June 9, 2002 1:29PM

[quote]Originally posted by ijerry:

they make a tivo type device that works on the mac anyway, so that argument may now vanish.<hr></blockquote>

Who does?

bradbower · June 9, 2002 3:25PM

[quote]Originally posted by sushiism:

I'm a big fan of minidisc, wouldn't swap it for horrible mp3 quality any day. BUT a minidisc drive on a computer? UGH if they'd started doing it widespread years ago it could have been something great, really cheap way of storing a few hundred meg, but no

which is a real shame because it had alot of potential if they speeded it up on the pc drives. Thus because MD drives were never done widespread then this is really stupid, I mean its all well and good when your making it do all this amazing stuff for a week, but imagine about 2 years down the line MS has prolly upgraded windows (prolly with some cheap ME style remix) and then your minidisc drivers dont work oh and wheres sony then? laughing because they won't update them when they can just sell you another pc to make all this lovely stuff work again. and tv tuner @_@ radio @_@ whats the point? you can get higher quality streams from most if not all radiostations now off the net. Oh and of course , memory stick slot ¬_¬ thank god I didn't get a sony digital camera with that godawful memory stick nonsense, too big and too pricey if they were cheaper which they should be considering the huge size of them then it would be good but costing on average more than compact flash of the same capacity @_@ just go away sony. For that price I expect a sexy real computer not an all in one that will fall apart device wise after a year, which is why apple make the only decent all in one, because they can control everything in it and don't have to deal with another company's os which will break drivers<hr></blockquote>

Holy crap. Please use more punctuation.

Also, I have a Sony digital camera that I just bought, and it has memory sticks, and memory sticks aren't big.. mine are not even the size of most sticks of gum! And not that expensive, either. I wouldn't mind if they were larger, or differently shaped, or whatever, because I have no need to ever take them out, and I barely ever swap mine. I just keep it in the camera and plug the camera in. But it would be nice to have a memory stick slot. I like the shape/size/appearance/features of Memory Sticks a lot more than all of the different compactflash and smartmedia and what the hell ever different types and readers and **** .

[ 06-09-2002: Message edited by: bradbower ]

hmurchison · June 9, 2002 4:10PM

That Vaio is already obsolete.

<a href="http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/2362"; target="_blank">New Vaios coming</a>

donny · June 10, 2002 2:43AM

All those slots and ports, and I have to add a flopy drive...*laughs* I guess Apple is leading the way.

More seriously, I think Sony is making some great PCs. After all, stever Jobs all but flat-out said the Titanium PowerBook was modeled to rival the Vaio laptop models. Spin them around real fast...it is hard to pick one from the other... However, I think a G4 tower is faster. I think it is designed as a core machine one can add such flashy options to as one desires or needs the options. I think PCs are trying to pick up sales and draw new markets. Therefore, we are seeing machines that do not quite have a place or demand, add a lot of promise for simplistic software and "cool" designs (as Apple is the industry leader....as shown by other adaption to the Apple model..if you do not see it you are not looking), and add or retract options to fit these things into a new PC model. It is cool looking, and I am sure it is a good machine. It is not a great machine, and I am sure, also, the software, software-hardware integration, usability, and ease of trouble shooting is not up to par to my standards.

Also, I think Apple would laugh at the thought in the title of this thread. It is not needing to outdo anyone, for it is the leader. Others may argue for many reasons, but as stated before, I think it is obviously the truth. You can add such features to a computer, and I am sure Mac providers will jump on after the technology has proven its place in finding a market. However, we can do the same thing without the clutter, and many people here have already mentioned other add-on devices that allow such usage. It is a mute question, but I did find it fun to type on about it for five minutes.

thanks...

[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: Donny ]

[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: Donny ]

greyisgood · June 10, 2002 10:54AM

*monitor sold separately

macubus · June 10, 2002 11:56AM

Apple has already outdone the Vaio. The minidisc idea would have been cool about 4 years ago, but since I've only seen one person use a minidisc player _ever_, I don't think it was an innovative idea to put it in the MX.

Most PC companies are waiting for Apple to innovate and then trying to be the first to copy it and bring it to the windows users. Like Gateway releasing a new white laptop in the last few days or Dell going to an all LCD monitor lineup. The reverberation of the colored iMacs is still flowing throughout industries (eg George Foreman Grills).

ijerry · June 10, 2002 7:26PM

yes I was talking about the Formac Studio DV/TVR for $999. It is expensive for tivo functionality, but the option is there. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />

Can Apple outdo Vaio Mx

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