Possible reason for no new Macs last 2 weeks
Just as a thread starter to try and get a good conversation started: Does anyone think that the port closings up and down the West coast could be the reason Apple has not released the Macs rumored to be updated in October. It does not make much sense for Apple to let promos end with no new product after them. What intelligent buyer would buy a display or Powerbook he could have gotten one cheaper a week sooner? I do not know where Apple does their manufacturing, assembly, parts outsourcing, but I would assume it is Asia, which means those products cannot get into port, and the now postponed strike would be holding it up.
So do any of you think there is a tanker full of 30 inch Cinema Displays and 1.25 Ghz Superdrive Powerbooks achored out in the Pacific Ocean waiting for the port workers to get to work?
So do any of you think there is a tanker full of 30 inch Cinema Displays and 1.25 Ghz Superdrive Powerbooks achored out in the Pacific Ocean waiting for the port workers to get to work?
Comments
It says $2billion a day. $3000 of that 2 billion is probably the Powerbook I want to buy now.
Especially if they are holding up the new Macs!!
1. Links at bottom
2. Taft-Harley act is 50 years old, this is no recent expansion of government power (separate issue from whether it is right or not, that's fireside chat territory)
3. Apple store still has 1-2 day shipping on PB G4 800 MHz, so I'm skeptical they've had unexpected delivery problems
4. Apple often ships newly-released laptops FEDEX air straight from Taiwan through Alaska anyway
5. I really really want to see new powerbooks, if we don't soon then maybe that suggests Apple is holding out to make a major update
Recently Apple has had a tendency to ship new powerbook models directly from Taiwan by Fedex air (they go through Alaska then to the lower 48) when they are first released, presumably to get them on the market as quickly as possible. However this does add to their shipping costs, so they might have decided to put them on a boat this time and try to work on their margins. It would be typical for Apple to finally decide to save on shipping by putting them on a boat just in time for a dock lockout. However it sounds like Bush's order for a 'cooling off period' will be approved and go into effect soon, so I guess we'll find out pretty quick. I sort of doubt this is the holdup though for a second reason, Apple store still lists 800MHz PB's as shipping in 1-2 days, you'd think if they had planned to switch over to new models already and were held up by shipping problems that they'd be running out of the old models. Of course this doesn't mean I don't hope this is the only delay.
Re What dock strike, this has been major news every day for at least a week (in the USA), costing the US economy $2billion per day, you shouldn't have any trouble finding info on any US news site or news paper. Basically a labor/management dispute, then work slowdown, then lockout, now Bush is trying to end it with the Taft-Harley act which requires a 3 month cooling off period (basically temporary return to work).
<a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021009/ap_on_bi_ge/port_labor"; target="_blank">http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021009/ap_on_bi_ge/port_labor</a>;
<a href="http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/08/MN70145.DTL"; target="_blank">http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/10/08/MN70145.DTL</a>;
[ 10-09-2002: Message edited by: jmp ]</p>
Multimedia, mentioned MacOS rumors so I went and got the stuff and just posted it here. Pretty interesting. I thought I was being original but it looks like they may have beaten me to it. Those damn shipyard lackeys better get their asses to work ASAP! or I will throw some bows. Good job Multimedia, I had given up on MacOS rumors but I may have to check them more often now.
<a href="http://www.macuser.co.uk/news/news_index.php"; target="_blank">http://www.macuser.co.uk/news/news_index.php</a>;
I'm not sure if this link is going to work, so here's the jist of it from Macuser
"The shortage of key components could put off ongoing and planned shipments of DVD-RW and DVD+RW drives in the current quarter, with the delay likely to extend into next year, Taiwan's computer drive makers said."
"...That has cast doubt on the upcoming launch of rewritable DVD drives by Lite-On IT, Ultima Electronics and Behavior Tech Computer (BTC), while potentially jeopardizing production at several other makers."
There's not alot of details in this article. Anyone know if any of these mentioned co's are possible manufacturers for a mobile superdrive?
Still hoping there's going to be a new PB with superdrive (1Ghz + ATI 9000 + bluetooth) next week.
[ 10-09-2002: Message edited by: jmp ]</p>
This doesn't mean some new products aren't sitting in San Francisco harbour but may explain why promotions across a number of products have ended without being replaced.
Don't be paranoid. There's a thing called "a 90 day cooling off period". This law has been in effect for 40 years. When a strike threatens security and commerce and there seems to be no progress on ending it, the President can step in and order the parties to go back to work.
[ 10-09-2002: Message edited by: MacsRGood4U ]</p>
It was reported this morning that it's going to take 2 months for the 12 day west coast dock backlog to get caught up so everything we've been expecting soon may not show up much before MacWorld San Francisco 2003. It just depends where those drives are in the cue.
Even if they haven't been shipped from Japan yet, it's going to take longer for them to arrive because of this huge cue that has built up over these past 12 days. That includes things like the Pioneer DVR-A05 Quad Speed SuperDrive, the Yamaha External FireWire version of the CRW-F1, and the new PowerBooks that Apple has had to delay announcing because they're sitting on a ship that hasn't been able to be unloaded. So I think we're going to have to be extra patient about getting what we know is next.
Let's all remember that this was NOT a STRIKE by the workers but a LOCKOUT by management. Management did not negotiate in good faith and was willing to wait for the President to step in while Bananas and other perishable food rotted on those unserviced ships..
... because they have management, and the whole economy, over a barrel.
So don't have too much sympathy for these poor hardworking men, just trying to make another buck.
<strong>This isn't particularly on-topic, but if you read the articles on the strike, you find out that those longshoremen are making $100,000 a year, plus massive benefits (health insurance with NO deductible, for instance) to perform manual labor...
... because they have management, and the whole economy, over a barrel.
So don't have too much sympathy for these poor hardworking men, just trying to make another buck.
I guess only people who wear suits and sit on their a**es should make that much money, eh?
While peacefully sitting in the harbor, waiting for strikes to end, a large boat full of new goreous Powerbooks was happened to a stray outburst of violence causing it to sink
this was gonna be a better story but my mom is calling me for desert
<strong>
I guess only people who wear suits and sit on their a**es should make that much money, eh?
Not at all, but the reason for the slow down in work and eventual walk-out is because the Union opposes GPS technology to track all the containers - currently it's done by hand (with chalk and a clipboard) and a lot of stuff goes missing. Also, many dockworkers work what's called "half and half". Two workers do the same job except one works 4 hours while the other one screws around, then they switch.
This Union is loaded with corruption and adding the proposed technology would cause them to get their act together and this is the last thing they want to do.
The proposed new contract guarantees that every job was safe for life with an average increase in base pay to 114K/year.
The Union is totally in the wrong here. 1-2 billion dollars lost each day the work stoppage goes on is wacking our economy out even more than
it already is. Bush, by envoking ther Taft-Hartley Act at least gets us through the busy Christmas season, hopefully, no worse off than we already are economically.
Sorry for the rant. People just need to realize that the Union is wrong in this instance IMO.
Union opposes GPS technology to track all the containers - currently it's done by hand
(with chalk and a clipboard) and a lot of stuff goes missing. ]]]
Hmmm. you might want to add some balance. What's been going on with Enron, Tyco, Worldcom?
I'd say a lot more stuff went missing with them.
[[[Also, many dockworkers work
what's called "half and half". Two workers do the same job except one works 4 hours while
the other one screws around, then they switch. ]]]
And you know this for a fact?
[[[This Union is loaded with corruption and adding the
proposed technology would cause them to get their act together and this is the
last thing they want to do. ]]]
I hate to burst your bubble, but it's big-business (i.e. white-color workers) that have
vastly more corruption. Just look at all the billions in missing and essentially
*stolen* money that's coming to light. I'd say there is far more corruption in
white-color groups.
[[[The proposed new contract guarantees that every job was safe for life with an
average increase in base pay to 114K/year. ]]]
Again, do yourself a favor and hop on over to NPR and research the subject of average
CEO income as opposed to average hourly worker income. You might be surprised.
[[[The Union is totally in the wrong here.
1-2 billion dollars lost each day the work stoppage goes
on is wacking our economy out even more than
it already is.]]]
I think the scandals within the ranks of big-business these last months has generated
more total loss.
[[[ Bush, by envoking ther Taft-Hartley Act
at least gets us through the busy Christmas season, hopefully,
no worse off than we already are economically.]]]
Bush is not a good President IMNSHO. He doesn't give a damn about the citizens and is
only catering to the corporations. That's thanks to al the lobby $$ hitting capitol hill.
[[[Sorry for the rant. People just need to realize that the Union is
wrong in this instance IMO. ]]]
Unions are very effective in other regions of he world and corporation need to know when they overstep their bounds
because without the common worker these business would amount o nothing. When other areas of he world
go on strike almost entire countries are shut down until business decides to
cooperate fairly. Do some research. Look at some of the countries that have
a strong unionized work force
--
Ed M.
<strong>This isn't particularly on-topic, but if you read the articles on the strike, you find out that those longshoremen are making $100,000 a year, plus massive benefits (health insurance with NO deductible, for instance) to perform manual labor...
... because they have management, and the whole economy, over a barrel.
So don't have too much sympathy for these poor hardworking men, just trying to make another buck.
LOL, this bit about longshoremen pulling in $100,000+ per year sounds like another load o' bull courtesy of the right wing. Reminds me of the stories about "Welfare Queens" who purportedly drove around in late-model Caddilacs, all on the taxpayer's bill.
I'm not a rabid pro-union liberal, but I know bullsh!t when I smell it. If a longshoreman is making $100,000 a year, then it's on an 80 hrs/week schedule, 365 days a year, or damn near it.
Hmmm. you might want to add some balance. What's been going on with Enron, Tyco, Worldcom?
I'd say a lot more stuff went missing with them.<hr></blockquote>
Those are other issues - relavent, but we're talking about all the West coast ports being closed
[quote]And you know this for a fact?<hr></blockquote>
Yes, actually I do. It's a well known practice along with truck drivers having to slip the forklift operators a $20 or wait 2-3 or more hours to get their load.
[quote]I hate to burst your bubble, but it's big-business (i.e. white-color workers) that have
vastly more corruption. Just look at all the billions in missing and essentially
*stolen* money that's coming to light. I'd say there is far more corruption in
white-color groups.<hr></blockquote>
I understand that, you're not giving me any new information. The point is that it's selfish of the Union to directly screw with our economy basically because they do not want to make their operation more efficient via modernization.
[quote]Again, do yourself a favor and hop on over to NPR and research the subject of average
CEO income as opposed to average hourly worker income. You might be surprised.<hr></blockquote>
And again you miss the point. I'm happy that they make what they do, good for them! They just need to embrace the new technology and not jack the economy around in a "time of war".
[quote]I think the scandals within the ranks of big-business these last months has generated
more total loss.<hr></blockquote>
I agree with you, but this one we saw coming and GW actually thought about the Domestic problems first this time and made a move to stop the bleeding.
[quote]Bush is not a good President IMNSHO. He doesn't give a damn about the citizens and is
only catering to the corporations. That's thanks to al the lobby $$ hitting capitol hill.<hr></blockquote>
Again, I agree with you. I am no fan of Bush.
Unions are very effective in other regions of he world and corporation need to know when they overstep their bounds
because without the common worker these business would amount o nothing. When other areas of he world
go on strike almost entire countries are shut down until business decides to
cooperate fairly. Do some research. Look at some of the countries that have
a strong unionized work force<hr></blockquote>
I am a Union member. I understand them pretty well. I know the value of having a Union, but I also see the corruption that such power can create and I see it on a daily basis.
I'm not saying that Unions are bad by default, just that the dock workers Union is in this fight only for selfish reasons and you and I are going to pay for it in the end.
--
Ed M.[/QB]