“If there is a computer company more perfectly positioned than Apple is in the marketplace right now, it is probably worth buying. Leaving iPod aside and focussing purely on the new Intel Macintosh platform, Apple seems to hold all the cards, while the Dells, HPs, Acers, Lenovos and others flounder desperately looking for a way to differentiate themselves in a flat market,” Stan Beer writes for iTWire.
Think of it this way. Apple has just released a totally new product range that will not spur on sales from its own ultra-loyal constituency of Mac users but has opened up the possibility – in fact the probablility – of significant sales to an entirely new market many times the size of its own user base,” Beer writes.
“Apple now has personal computing platform that is comparable in cost to most of its competitors but is more functional, more inherently secure, has more plug and play features and, incredibly, more open. All the disadvantages that kept PC users away from the Macs of the past are gone. Both platforms share the same hardware and users can even share data between Mac and Windows applications running in different virtual Windows,” Beer writes.
“PC sales results from the current quarter should be interesting to see when they’re released. At a guess, overall results will be flat. However, Macintosh sales will probably have spiked while others have dipped or stayed the same. Meanwhile, Windows PC manufacturers will probably be shaking their heads and hoping that Windows Vista arrives on time in 2007 to give their sales a much needed boost. What may worry them, however, is knowing that Macintoshes will also be perfectly capable of running Vista,” Beer writes.
Full article here.
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Related articles:
iTWire’s Beer: My next notebook is an Apple MacBook – May 18, 2006
iTWire’s Beer: Apple’s new ‘get a Mac’ campaign misses, preaches to converted – May 04, 2006
Many believe Mac market share increases coming now that Apple Macs can run Windows applications – April 25, 2006
What I really want to do is get a new MacBook (Pro) once Merom comes out. I will run Parallels with a ghosted copy of my work laptop and then just use my personal laptop. I could then connect my Macbook to the 19″ flat panel monitor, using the Mac OS on my Macbook and using the externl monitor and a second monitor, running my work environment on that Window in full-screen mode.
That would be sweet!!
Check it out – he was able to use the phrases “perfectly capable” and “Vista” in the same sentence!
Mac heads need to realize that Apple as a computer company is a lost cause. They are trying to sell off the shelf parts for double the going rate and then force all the major applications to go through emulation to run. These computers do not integrate well into corporate environments and require three times as many administrators to keep them running.
Once vista comes out no one is going to want to purchase one of their stupid machines. Guess we will have to see how long the lemmings stick around as Apple stock continues to crash into oblivion.
Wait for the surge in stock price; my advice is to buy AAPL now.
ˆˆˆWhat a maroon!
Realist…
Are you really that dumb or do you just play dumb on this forum?
Mac Realist
Price out a MacBook Pro and an equivalent Dull (if there is such a thing). Doubtful it’s “double the going rate”. In fact most recent comparisons show them to be quite close.
Any coporation that needs “three times as many administrators” to administer a set of Macs has a group of boobs or idiots for admins or more likely a bunch of MCSE’s who know nothing about a Mac and so it takes that many to figure the Mac out – right before they all go “Oh now that’s makes sense!”
And, since Vista will likely run on a Mac like XP already does (not via emulation or virtualization) why would you want to shackle yourself with a machine from Dell, HP or Lenovo that can run such a limited choice of OS’s?
Get one that can run everything like my MacBook which I currently have OS X, Windows XP, two installs of Linux and solaris X86
“…but is more functional, more inherently secure, has more plug and play features and, incredibly, more open. All the disadvantages that kept PC users away from the Macs of the past are gone.”
Oh, so those are the reasons why pc users stayed away – I see. ‘Cause those features have never been available on a Macintosh before – right?
I guess ignorance isn’t bliss, but as long as some of the ignorant are trying to educate themselves, and most importantly, stop lying to the public, that’s all I really care about.
Bottom line: Buy more Macs, and not just to do fancy graphics on, (even though that’s a good reason too.)
Mac Realist,
You need de-programming – immediately.
The average price of a laptop across the industry is $1000. Apple doesn’t offer a laptop for under that average. That, in addition to the extra cost of buying a copy of Windows (let alone Parallels, if that’s your poison), and it becomes very clear that anyone in the Windows world lookng to switch to Apple would have to be among the most cost-unconcious consumers there are.
In short, I see no “renaissance” in the offing here – at least not in the near term. Apple MUST get it’s prices back down to their pre-Macintel levels. Otherwise, any additional functionality that their new computers offer to a possible switcher will be quickly diluted, and another opportuntity for market growth will be lost.
I say “another opportunity”, b/c their sales figures BEFORE the switch were off the charts – well ahead of the industry in general (i.e. marketshare growth for the first time in a while). There apparently was no need to ‘lure’ Windows users with x86, or Boot Camp, or virtualization technologies in order to have robust sales. But now that this is an obvious selling point, it seems to me that Apple is being foolish in ‘killing’ it, by making the price of taking advantage of it so damn high.
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“The average price of a laptop across the industry is $1000. Apple doesn’t offer a laptop for under that average.”
should say, “The average price of a laptop across the industry is under $1000. Apple doesn’t offer ANY laptop for less than $100 over that average.”
sorry – was in a rush
Mac Realist:
Really. Macs need 3 admins for every 1 PC admin? How did you come up with these numbers? Because at the company I work for, there are ZERO Mac admins. In fact, myself and another designer take care of the Mac stuff. There are 6 other IT folks that don’t know the Mac and probably don’t care to. But we’re doing just fine without them, thanks.
m
Odyssey67, don’t be simple-minded. What matters is sales growth going forward! It doesn’t matter if Apple saw sales and marketshare growth (however minor) before the transition to Intel . . . it matters that they have upside after the transition. As in, a HUGE potential pool of future customers. Exactly the ones who saw all of these “Not Intel/Not compatible/Can’t run Windows” kind of reasons not to switch.
Apple’s move to Intel (and general stock market malaise and Fed idiocy regarding interest rates) has caused a near-term decline, but the upside for long-term growth is absolutely AMAZING!
Think.
Only one “s” in focusing. Otherwise it’s fo cussing!
Odyssey 67…
Are you really convinced that getting OSX and the ability to run windows, the iLife software suite, no viruses, no malware, no spyware, the new power cord that makes your computer “trip” proof, an isight built in, and Apple quality isn’t worth an extra $100 bucks to regular every day people? (also – with the educational discount it’s only $49 more)
The vast majority of people I talk to that are shopping for a computer are windows folks, but are sincerely intrigued by the whole Apple experience, and are looking favorably at Macs now because of the compatibility issues being worked out, and the fact that they get to bring their windows security blanked with them. A few $$ more is not as big a hurdle as you think.
All of the windows users I know already have a copy of the software, legal or not. Most already run XPS2. The extra cost of supposedly buying a copy of windows is a red herring I think. Many of those who are running 2000 or earlier would have to upgrade their hardware anyway to run vista, so it’s a red herring to suggest that buying a mac would cost them extra to run windows. If they want to run vista, they’re gonna have to upgrade their hardware anyway.
Intel is garbage, might be fine for the lame butt office PC and a few portables.
But give me the Quad Cell+ Mac Pro with BlueRay anyday.
C’mon guys. You know Mac Realist is relying on John Gabriel’s theory. Ignore the fsckwad.
Odyssey67:
Analysts attritbute the decrease in sales because of people waiting for the new Intel Macs. Apple’s switch to Intel was not due to a ‘need’ to ‘lure’ people with ‘x86’, ‘Bootcamp’, and ‘virtualization’.
Look before you leap. Or stop and think before you stink up the forum.
Mac Realist + Reality Check = 2 ply butt wipe.
…nuff said.
Odyssey67 –
Not to be harsh, as your points are based on averages. Companies don’t sell averages, they sell products. Of the low-end, Apple chooses not to play. No 20 GB laptops with poor screens that lack bluetooth and wireless, along with lame industrial design and single-core or celeron processing products. This simply is not Apple’s market.
The markets Apple wishes to play in:
– Scientific
– Education
– Consumer
– Graphics
Apple is growing and winning market share in each.
Apple has no truly low-hanging fruit product, and when taking on products spec. for spec. they are as cheap – or cheaper – than the rest of it’s mainstream competition.
Add in the factors previously mentioned by “Jim – The Independant Voter” and the value of a Mac is well worth the entry price.
Again, Apple is selling value, not lowest price. I challenge you to go buy a Mac and use it for 13 days. If you don’t like it return it. But if you are truly without any computer biggotry in you, and can be intelectually honest with yourself, Tiger and Mac hardware will win the day for you. I use PC’s all day long, and go home to the Mac. OS X coupled with truly #1 hardware industrial engineering, is simply a fater, easier, better computing experience over the Windows/PC world.
~Steven
just to point out the obvious, Mac Realist is a troll, marked by the following features:
(a) using antagonising, belligerant language
(b) presenting a prejudiced point of view opposite to the spirit of this forum
(c) providing unfounded opinion where facts are required.
The purpose of his/her post is to provoke responses like: “Mac Ralist, you’re an idiot”, “Mac Realist, you really give me the Enderles” etc.
The best response, is, of course nothing. Do not respond to trolls, simply ignore them, they will get bored eventually and carry out some other pointless activity to fill out the dull, pointless lives.
Realist is a REAL HOMO.
Ignore the trolls!
Jake
“I challenge you to go buy a Mac and use it for 13 days. If you don’t like it return it”
I believe Odyssey67 IS a Mac user. He has strong opinions about things, but he’s not trolling.
Maybe Dell should start writing their own OS and apps?
Why are you laughing?