“It was not so long ago that Michael Dell was writing off Apple. Nine years ago, at Gartner Symposium, the founder of the iconic direct-dealing PC maker suggested that, if put in charge of Apple, he would shut the firm down and give any cash from the sale back to the shareholders,” Ben Tudor writes for Computer Reseller News (CRN).
Tudor writes, “Nine years later, Dell must feel as poorly as its balance sheet because the fortunes of the firms have reversed. While Dell flounders, Apple is riding a stock-market high thanks largely to the iPod, the most successful MP3 player ever.”
“Since Michael Dell uttered those fateful words, Apple has introduced the iMac, ditched its old operating system for a modern, Berkeley Standard Distribution Unix-based system that some believe puts Windows XP to shame, dumped IBM’s PowerPC chip architecture in favour of Intel and made consumers the world over drool for translucent plastic cases,” Tudor writes.
Tudor writes, “However, part of this turnaround is also because of the firm’s approach to overseas markets and the channel. Apple has had to go after different types of customer and it has done so by going direct. But a rising tide lifts all boats: talk to some old-school Apple resellers and they will tell you that sales to businesses have also boomed…”
Full article here.
Related articles:
NASDAQ sends Dell delisting notice – September 22, 2006
Beleaguered Dell’s OS-limited PC sales ‘declining rapidly below expectations’ – analyst – September 21, 2006
Fortune compares Mac vs. Dell: ‘you’ll get more for your money with Apple’ – September 11, 2006
Crave at CNET: Apple’s gorgeous 24-inch iMac should tempt you to switch – September 07, 2006
Mossberg: Apple makes ‘best desktop computer on the market’ iMac even more attractive – September 07, 2006
Apple iMac line gets 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processors; pricing starts at $999; new 24-inch model – September 06, 2006
Thurrott pits Apple Mac Pro vs. similarly configured Dell, figures out the Mac is less expensive – August 18, 2006
Microsoft Windows five times more expensive for users than Apple’s Mac OS X – August 15, 2006
Apple Mac Pro with/ 20” Cinema Display less expensive than Dell Precision 690 sans monitor – August 10, 2006
Digital Trends Review: Apple iMac 17-inch Core Duo ‘silent, beautiful, very fast and reliable’ – July 12, 2006
Seattle Times: Apple iMac is ‘so beautiful with its simple, yet elegant design’ – July 08, 2006
Mossberg: Apple’s new MacBook surprisingly inexpensive, offers vastly superior Mac OS X – June 08, 2006
Wired names best media center: Apple 20-inch iMac with Front Row – June 08, 2006
Review: Apple’s new iMac Core Duo ‘an outstanding feat of engineering, a high-precision instrument’ – February 16, 2006
Apple iMac the finest, most reliable, stable, elegant and intuitive personal computer available – February 14, 2006
Review: Apple 20-inch iMac Core Duo 2.0GHz – February 06, 2006
BusinessWeek: Apple’s new iMac Core Duo is an iMac on Steroids – February 02, 2006
Thurrott: ‘I highly recommend Apple’s new Intel-based iMac’ – January 31, 2006
Thurrott: ‘Nothing on Windows approaches the quality of Apple’s iLife ’06’ – January 31, 2006
Computerworld: Apple’s MacBook Pro ‘fast, really fast – looks like a real winner’ – January 28, 2006
InfoWorld: Apple perfects the desktop personal computer with new iMac Core Duo – January 25, 2006
PC Magazine review gives Apple iMac Intel Core Duo 4.5 out of 5 stars – January 20, 2006
Mossberg: New Intel-based iMac the best consumer desktop with the best OS and best software bundle – January 18, 2006
“some” believe puts Windows XP to shame? Try “anyone with a clue”.
Apple has introduced the iMac, ditched its old operating system for a modern, Berkeley Standard Distribution Unix-based system that some believe puts Windows XP to shame, dumped IBM’s PowerPC chip architecture in favour of Intel and made consumers the world over drool for translucent plastic cases
And it’s been too much of a wild ride lately, all the OS and hardware changes has made it very difficult to make a decision for longterm results.
I know some things wasn’t Apple’s fault, but some things they could have controlled.
For instance, good luck trying to find PCI and PCI X video cards for your PowerMac G5.
Where is SLI or Crossfire support for Mac OS X? (works for Windows on a Mac Pro)
Apple Pie for everyone. Apple certainly spreading the joy.
‘some believe’, makes it sound like ‘some believe, but of course most don’t’.
grrr…
…talk to some old-school Apple resellers and they will tell you that sales to businesses have also boomed…”
I CANNOT WAIT until I can switch my current (Windoze based) small business software over to a Mac. PLEASE Apple…start driving the small business software truck into 5th gear! I really don’t want to do that whole XP/OSX Bootcamp thing…its so sac-relige.
Business Software + Mac OSX = happy small business owners!
I can’t wait for the day that they stop attributing all Apple’s comeback to the iPod. Sure it had a role to play but OSX and Macs are the real star of the show.
You know what I think?
I think M. Dell should shut the firm down and give any cash from the sale back to the shareholders.
Ok, who else sees the irony of the Wal-mart ads on this page considering the flame-fest from this week-end?
George Ou going to prove “hack a MacBook Pro” right out of the box!
“No one will ever know the truth in this situation until a MacBook Pro that has not had the Apple Security Update or Apple Airport Update applied is exploited right out of the shipping carton in front of the mainstream press with mics on & videographers rolling.”
That’s precisely what I intend to do.
http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-10533-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=25534&messageID=478863&start=26
I’d laugh if he manages to hack it again even if the latest security update is applied.
Good going, make Apple pay attention to security again, extensivly test their stuff before release. We all win this way.
Elite hacker,
Go Fack yourself.
Sorry, change that a to a u. Spell checker not on for some reason.
You know, it’s funny.
As often as people mention the ads on this site, I must confess, I not only don’t read them, I don’t even notice them.
Usually Right:
I’m with you there. That, and the only I ads I see are Apple and Apple related.
Of course, it helps that I’ve got them blocked – I just block them in my /etc/host file
Is it time for another lesson on how to do that?
Yes, Apple is growing ahead of the industry. Mainly in its own market niche … consumers. I’ve been wondering when there’d be some spill-over into the Enterprise market, figuring SOHO would come first, then medium-sized businesses – according to the article it’s already started. Or, maybe, the article is talking SOHO and MSB and I was just mis-reading it to mean Enterprise. Still … it’s filtering up the food chain. Slowly. A few thousand sales in an Enterprise is hugely more significant than those same sales to a school district or to random consumers.
Ads? We don’t need no stinkin’ ads.
Firefox is your friend. Run the latest version, enable adblock, and enter “adpeeps” and “linksynergy.com” in your filters. No more MDN ads. With a little effort you can eliminate all ads on every site. Take back the interweb!
MDN MW = brought, as in this public service announcement brought to you by the only thing you need to see…
qka-
Sure. Although, I very rarely see those pop (under-whatever) either.
…and made consumers the world over drool for translucent plastic cases,” Tudor writes.
Ok, can anybody point out to me what Apple products currently use a translucent plastic case?
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He may be aluding to the first iMacs, but given that he’s already mentioned them once, it seems a bit redundant…
XP can’t cut a candle compared to any flavor of BSD.
Rainy Day
I think you have to hold a candle to cut it
‘morning all – I’m the author of that article. I have just put on my flame retardent Y-fronts.
It was great to read all of the feedback, good and bad.
I should point out that the readers I wrote for were resellers – and there are more resellers in the UK that <don’t> sell Apple kit than do. That does seem to be slowly changing, and it’s worth remembering that Apple made a few moves back in the day that upset its reseller base in the UK.
A couple of replies to some points:
1) The goodness or otherwise of different operating systems can depend on your point of view. Windows ME is proof that an operating system doesn’t need to be good to sell millions of units.
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Personally, I prefer Mac OS X and have used it since the Public Beta in 2000. I had to start using Windows again last November after a ten-odd year break, and it’s still slightly, er, squicky.
2) Success due to the iPod. Take a look at Apple’s financials over the past few years – they’re freely available on EDGAR at http://sec.gov under the AAPL ticker. The iPod has been absolutely key to Apple’s success since its launch. That’s not to say that OS X et cetera hasn’t helped Apple, but iPod has both brought in the cash and added to the company’s brand awareness.
3) Translucency. Fair cop, you’ve got me there! Guess I got a bit lazy. But hopefully everyone gets the point. It wasn’t just the software or theg uts of the machines that made the difference, it was also the wrapping.
If you’d like a little more context, it might be worth taking a look at CRN as a whole. It’s at http://crn.vnunet.com
Cheers,
Ben
You don’t know the history of translucency. I do. I know it doesn’t mean transparent. No one else here seems to know or care. That’s what’s wrong with America today. No one cares.
Translucency Expert, we all feel your pain.
Translucency Expert:
I care. You rock my friend!