Yeah, because it did so well the first time around.
Ah yes, the market never changes, that's why the shuttle PCs are selling so well.
Quote:
Let's all market a product that's really expensive to fabricate, and sell it below cost to... er... nobody.
You mean was expensive to fabricate. The cost of manufacturing a Mini-ITX sized mobo isn't much worse the anything else these days. And the case, if designed a little intelligently,
should cost less to make then the current Power Mac.
There are many things that Apple needs to do to increase it's marketshare.
There are many holes in the present matrix. While the low end is pretty well covered. By the E-Mac, iMac and the iBook. The only thing needed is a price dropoff about $100 on the eMac, $100-200 on the iMac and the iBook.
The needs of pro & semi-pro users are not as well covered. Let us take the portables. There are 2 things that portable users want above all else, low weight and long life, These can be somewhat mutually exclusive. The next need is computing power Apple has that well covered with the G4 and appears to be working on low power G5's for future models.
There are two markets that Apple is not addressing with the present lineup. The first is the person who needs the lightest possible computer because they will be carrying it all day, but need a reasonable size screen and will not have time to attach to a wall socket. I suggest for this user:
14" lcd screen
900Mhz G4,
1G/4G RAM (so that a RAM disk could be used keeping power consumption down)
NO removable devices (keeps weight and power usage down)
A battery or batteries that will do 9-12 hours based how they now judge battery life.
This setup allows for reasonable power for most people and good battery life.
The only thing that is missing is a notepad type screen with excellent script translation. (Apple has Inkwell which looks good). The reason I suggeat this is for the many people who need to take note while on the go such as reporters, doctors, nurses interior designers or even students. Anywhere where a notepad is used. This might have the side effect of keeping the legibility of handwriting from deteriorating any further.
pricing for none tablet version $1300
tablet version $2100
The next user is the semi-pro who need a reasonable amount of power but not all the capabilities of a tower but more than an iMac.
This could be a family of machines.
The Base Model
1 1 1.6Mhz G5
2 4 RAM slots
3 8X AGP slot (rather than having integrated graphics this will allow the user to put what he felt he needed to do his work)
4 1 PCI-X slot (incase there is a real need for something that would not make sense across the board)
5 1 10/100/1000 Ethernet port
6 2 USB 2.0 Ports (one in the front)
7 56k Modem
8 2 FireWire 800 ports (one in the front)
9 1 Internal hard drive
10 1 Combo drive or DVD-R+R SuperDrive
Middle Model
1.8 Mhz G5 Rather than the 1.6
Superdrive standard
top Model
2.0Mhz G5
6 RAM Slots
Larger hard Drive
Pricing
This is going to count on what the pricing for the iMac is assuming that the iMac is still an AIO.
The Base Model + $200 than the entry level iMac
Middle Model + $300 over the base model
Top Model + $300 over the middle model
The tower models could then be all dual CPUs With the
Base Model
Starting at
1.6MHZ G5
8 RAM Slots
the same as the present top end model
Middle Model
Dual 1.8 Ghz G5's
12 RAM slots
room for 3 internal hard drives
2 bays for removable devices (if I have a tower I shouldn't have to take up desk or floor space for tape drives or Immediate additional hard drive
All PCI slots PCI-X (At least 3)
Top Model
Dual 2.0 Ghz G5's
Larger hard Drive
more installed RAM
A Better video card installed
Pricing in comparison to the semi pro base model
Base Model + $600
Middle Model +500
Top Model + 400
I realize that the top model of the semi-pro line is less than the base Model of the pro line but remember people make decisions on more that price. The space they have is one factor there is others.
If apple wanted to go even farther that they could design a model that would take 2 2CPU cards giving the user 4 CPU's. Sort of a low end blade server.
I think the next iMac should be very similar to the high end one now available. Apple should include more RAM (about 512 MB), a larger HD (although 80 GB is pretty good), USB 2.0 (more than what is available now - say maybe five), and up the firewire ports to an 800 and a 400. The most important thing for Apple to do is DROP THE PRICE to compete with the wintel machines. The price is what has kept the iMac from being the winner that it was mean to be. AIO computers do have a following and Apple must cater to that group of users, whether they be students, consumers or businesses.
A trick that is often used by owners of older laptops is to get a PCMCIA compact flash reader and a 128-512 MB CF card, and install the OS on the card and boot from that. It saves battery life, because the hard drive doesn't have to spin up. Apparently it also provides faster virtual memory than a hard drive can provide. Having a compact flash reader built into a superlight long battery life iBook would be cool - the main problem is the media. It would take a $400+ 2.0 GB compact flash card to fit OS X, and that wouldn't be able to hold more than the OS and a few basic applications. Still, technology in that field is advancing. You can get a 512 MB one and install OS 9 on it, and it'll cost you less than $100 for the card and the reader combined.
I have a question for you folks, and I hope I don't get attacked for asking it. That said ...
Do you really want another all-in-one iMac to replace the current iMac next year?
of course! where esle are you gonna get an entry level g5 with a 17" monitor for $1799! I don't care about expandability (other than RAM) -- but I would like to see the ability to monitor span.
A trick that is often used by owners of older laptops is to get a PCMCIA compact flash reader ... Apparently it also provides faster virtual memory than a hard drive can provide. ...
Isn't flash memory limited to around 100K rewrite cycles before it starts to fail? Using it for virtual memory may be unwise.
A trick that is often used by owners of older laptops is to get a PCMCIA compact flash reader and a 128-512 MB CF card, and install the OS on the card and boot from that. It saves battery life, because the hard drive doesn't have to spin up. Apparently it also provides faster virtual memory than a hard drive can provide. Having a compact flash reader built into a superlight long battery life iBook would be cool - the main problem is the media. It would take a $400+ 2.0 GB compact flash card to fit OS X, and that wouldn't be able to hold more than the OS and a few basic applications. Still, technology in that field is advancing. You can get a 512 MB one and install OS 9 on it, and it'll cost you less than $100 for the card and the reader combined.
I think using flash memory is generally meant for older PowerBooks. I haven't heard of anyone with a newer system using them - normally I only hear about 1400s, 5300s, 3400s, or even older 68k PowerBooks like 190s and 540s. You know, ones that are old enough that the entire OS can fit on a 64 MB or a 128 MB card.
What apple needs to do is take the PBG4 of any size and cut off the monitor. Use the video out port for connecting any monitor people want. If an Iboon G4 can be had for 1099 WITH the LCD than an ibook (sans keyboard and mousepad) should come in at least $100 less. At LEAST $100 less. Then the consumer is free to purchase one of apples displays for at least $600 meaning that Apple would make MORE money since a $999 "slate" + 17" Studio display would run $1700 as opposed to the $1099 currently had for a low end iBook. And if THAT is too rich for people's blood then they could always get a different monitor. Would this be an expandible machine? No. But i don't think the form factor would attract people who "need" expansion "just like the Cube" but would like a small form factor and the ability to choose whatever monitor they want. What's more, since the video cards in these PB's are built to drive two monitors (the built in one plus an external) then there should be a second video port for that monitor so that consumers could have a dual montitor set up. This way Apple could satisfy the people who want a cheap Mac. They would need to do minimal R&D since that was mostly covered in developing the Ibooks and Powerbooks. And the purchasing of ADC monitors would give then HUGE margins. They just need to throw the DVI to ADC adpater for free, which they could afford with the margins they would have. THINK LC.
Comments
Originally posted by soulcrusher
Ditch the iMac. Bring back the Cube.
prices
1.4 GHz G4, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB HD, ATI Radeon 9000 Pro $ 1299
1.25 GHz G4, 256 MB RAM, 40 GB HD, any video cheap card $ 999
Yeah, because it did so well the first time around.
Let's all market a product that's really expensive to fabricate, and sell it below cost to... er... nobody.
That's a sure fire way to grow market share and profitability isn't it?
GET OVER THE CUBE ALREADY
The public has already voted with their feet!
Originally posted by Messiah
Yeah, because it did so well the first time around.
Ah yes, the market never changes, that's why the shuttle PCs are selling so well.
Let's all market a product that's really expensive to fabricate, and sell it below cost to... er... nobody.
You mean was expensive to fabricate. The cost of manufacturing a Mini-ITX sized mobo isn't much worse the anything else these days. And the case, if designed a little intelligently,
should cost less to make then the current Power Mac.
There are many holes in the present matrix. While the low end is pretty well covered. By the E-Mac, iMac and the iBook. The only thing needed is a price dropoff about $100 on the eMac, $100-200 on the iMac and the iBook.
The needs of pro & semi-pro users are not as well covered. Let us take the portables. There are 2 things that portable users want above all else, low weight and long life, These can be somewhat mutually exclusive. The next need is computing power Apple has that well covered with the G4 and appears to be working on low power G5's for future models.
There are two markets that Apple is not addressing with the present lineup. The first is the person who needs the lightest possible computer because they will be carrying it all day, but need a reasonable size screen and will not have time to attach to a wall socket. I suggest for this user:
14" lcd screen
900Mhz G4,
1G/4G RAM (so that a RAM disk could be used keeping power consumption down)
NO removable devices (keeps weight and power usage down)
A battery or batteries that will do 9-12 hours based how they now judge battery life.
This setup allows for reasonable power for most people and good battery life.
The only thing that is missing is a notepad type screen with excellent script translation. (Apple has Inkwell which looks good). The reason I suggeat this is for the many people who need to take note while on the go such as reporters, doctors, nurses interior designers or even students. Anywhere where a notepad is used. This might have the side effect of keeping the legibility of handwriting from deteriorating any further.
pricing for none tablet version $1300
tablet version $2100
The next user is the semi-pro who need a reasonable amount of power but not all the capabilities of a tower but more than an iMac.
This could be a family of machines.
The Base Model
1 1 1.6Mhz G5
2 4 RAM slots
3 8X AGP slot (rather than having integrated graphics this will allow the user to put what he felt he needed to do his work)
4 1 PCI-X slot (incase there is a real need for something that would not make sense across the board)
5 1 10/100/1000 Ethernet port
6 2 USB 2.0 Ports (one in the front)
7 56k Modem
8 2 FireWire 800 ports (one in the front)
9 1 Internal hard drive
10 1 Combo drive or DVD-R+R SuperDrive
Middle Model
1.8 Mhz G5 Rather than the 1.6
Superdrive standard
top Model
2.0Mhz G5
6 RAM Slots
Larger hard Drive
Pricing
This is going to count on what the pricing for the iMac is assuming that the iMac is still an AIO.
The Base Model + $200 than the entry level iMac
Middle Model + $300 over the base model
Top Model + $300 over the middle model
The tower models could then be all dual CPUs With the
Base Model
Starting at
1.6MHZ G5
8 RAM Slots
the same as the present top end model
Middle Model
Dual 1.8 Ghz G5's
12 RAM slots
room for 3 internal hard drives
2 bays for removable devices (if I have a tower I shouldn't have to take up desk or floor space for tape drives or Immediate additional hard drive
All PCI slots PCI-X (At least 3)
Top Model
Dual 2.0 Ghz G5's
Larger hard Drive
more installed RAM
A Better video card installed
Pricing in comparison to the semi pro base model
Base Model + $600
Middle Model +500
Top Model + 400
I realize that the top model of the semi-pro line is less than the base Model of the pro line but remember people make decisions on more that price. The space they have is one factor there is others.
If apple wanted to go even farther that they could design a model that would take 2 2CPU cards giving the user 4 CPU's. Sort of a low end blade server.
Originally posted by rustedborg
I have a question for you folks, and I hope I don't get attacked for asking it. That said ...
Do you really want another all-in-one iMac to replace the current iMac next year?
of course! where esle are you gonna get an entry level g5 with a 17" monitor for $1799! I don't care about expandability (other than RAM) -- but I would like to see the ability to monitor span.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
A trick that is often used by owners of older laptops is to get a PCMCIA compact flash reader ... Apparently it also provides faster virtual memory than a hard drive can provide. ...
Isn't flash memory limited to around 100K rewrite cycles before it starts to fail? Using it for virtual memory may be unwise.
Originally posted by Luca Rescigno
A trick that is often used by owners of older laptops is to get a PCMCIA compact flash reader and a 128-512 MB CF card, and install the OS on the card and boot from that. It saves battery life, because the hard drive doesn't have to spin up. Apparently it also provides faster virtual memory than a hard drive can provide. Having a compact flash reader built into a superlight long battery life iBook would be cool - the main problem is the media. It would take a $400+ 2.0 GB compact flash card to fit OS X, and that wouldn't be able to hold more than the OS and a few basic applications. Still, technology in that field is advancing. You can get a 512 MB one and install OS 9 on it, and it'll cost you less than $100 for the card and the reader combined.
Flash mem has REALLY SLOW WRITES!
here's what I'm talkin' about.