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Hate to break it to you, but Apple's been using proprietary connectors from way back. They don't need any coaching from Microsoft.

Some tips: turn off 3G if you aren't using it (if your iPhone supports 3G), turn off Bluetooth if you aren't using it, turn your screen brightness down, use the button at the top to turn the screen off when you aren't using it, etc.

Or perhaps you just have a bum battery (or your battery is almost worn out). There are battery replacement services that can install a higher capacity battery than the original one, if you want to go that route.

iphonebatteryrepair.com

ipodjuice.com

welovemacs.com

"But what do you get in hardware? All sorts of things. For example: Magsafe connects don't exist on ANY PC laptops. Neither do any PC laptops have unibody cases."

First, we were discussing the Mac Mini not MacBooks. I'm not building my own laptop.

"A pen with a built in clock and a can opener isn't better than a good quality pen."

Your implying the pen with the built in clock is inferior as a writing instrument and projecting that inferiority on the PC I choose. You are assuming the components used in my PC are inferior quality to those in the Mac, and that is where your argument fails.

I can use the same components that Apple uses (aside from the pretty case) and still build my PC for less. So again, the difference in price has nothing to do with the hardware specs or quality and everything to do with OS X and the aesthetics.

"A good tool is a pleasure to use, is reliable, and has a solid company behind it offering excellent support."

The PC I am currently using is 4 years old and the only problem I have had is the DVD drive. It cost me $22 to replace it versus the $99 for the external SuperDrive or the $119 for the Lacie external drive. (I don't have a Mac, so I don't know what the actual service charge for replacing the internal drive would be from Apple, but you can order an official internal Superdrive here for $179 ON SALE!!!!)

Perhaps you should read this article, this website or maybe cruise through the Apple forums. Just because Apple products cost more does not mean they inherently last longer or run better. They still have problems just like all PCs.

Apple has a few black eyes over the years for how they have handled their customer support as well.

Yea, but this is coming from Apple, the company that has two-dozen different non-standard monitor connector plugs...I can't believe that they would honestly care about adding another annoying connector socket.

"I've done self repair on laptops before, and never even had a job come close to approaching this price."

Yes but that's self repair, if you did self repair on your apple it would be $55 for the part on eBay. Unless you're suggesting that you did self repair and bought the part brand new from the manufacturer. If you bought it "new" from a third party, I hate to tell you this but it wasn't new. The only place you can reliably get the parts new is from the company that made the laptop and even then it might be parts from a refurbished laptop or some old leftover parts that weren't quality enough to

"The part you quoted wasn't the model number I needed as well."

I know, it's not a part # it's a $400 laptop model from Dell, a Dell Vostro 1000.

The part number is WY383 you can see it on eBay -

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Dell-Vostro-1000-Laptop-Base-Bottom-Plastic-WY383_W0QQitemZ110185600884QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110185600884&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

It's "new" because the laptop is brand new probably never used, they just parted it to sell on eBay (it's worth a lot as parts, the LCD sells for the price of the laptop.) If you notice the part isn't being sold in the U.S. and it's selling for more than the same part for your Apple.

"No, I will not buy a used pan sight unseen online, that is ridiculous."

Why is that ridiculous? People do it all the time and get quality working hardware for a fraction of the cost it would be from the manufacturer. Not only that but you can see the photos, and you can contact the seller for more photos, you can also ask if they have a newer one or if they will accept returns. Most likely they'll have one in great shape, or you can find another place that's not eBay, I just used it as an example because it was the first result in Google.

If you want it "new" you can get it here -

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/MacBook-Pro-Bottom-Pan-15-Case---NEW-p-16909.html

That's as new as you're going to get it without going through Apple or if you don't mind getting a refurbished model

http://www.welovemacs.com/9227210r.html

Obviously you'll have to find your own part number (I don't know what model you have so I just picked the same standard 15" model.

Sorry to hear about the quality issues. These days I use a laptop, but the media pro keyboard that came with my G3 iMac remains my favourite, and the Matias looked like a super substitute now that Apple no longer offer it.

I like the Apple Pro mouse (for a one-button mouse); it doesn't feel that different from the old ADB mouse. The Mighty Mouse is the same shape, with added features.

My only complaint about the Mighty Mouse is that because the left and right buttons aren't separate buttons, if I try to right-click without first lifting my left finger off the button, it'll register as a left-click. Aside from that, it seems to work pretty well.

Many places carry RAM for Apple systems:

  crucial: http://www.crucial.com/mac/index.aspx
  newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCa tegory=551&name=Mac-Memory
  welovemacs: http://www.welovemacs.com/apple-memory.html

etc etc

In what sense do Apple-machines fuse form with function? All they did were pack up low-quality components in a expensive box; the form has nothing to do with the function in this case.

Uh...handles molded into the case?

How about cooling tunnels and minimized cabling interference instead of fifteen fans all running amok and bundles of spaghetti?

Maybe the best example now is the new Mac Pro - which has specs comparable to this machine, but manages to come off looking, sounding, and performing even better. Oh - and it's cheaper, too.

I wonder if you'd have signed your post if you weren't just trolling?

You know, they make an external RF remote for the iPod now.

It's not manufactured by Apple -- I'm not sure who makes it, actually, although when I'm done writing I'll try some Google searches -- but I've seen them in person. It's a little black receiver box that mounts flush to the bottom of the iPod (via the Dock Connector), and then has a pass-thru connection on its bottom, so that the 'pod can still charge.

Then it has a small remote control that you can put anywhere in the vicinity, and adjust the volume and do track skips and FF/REV. The remote isn't exactly ergonomically designed for steering-wheel mounting (if they were smart, they'd make one that was), but you could definitely use a little self-sticking Velcro and mount it on your dash, or on the back of your steering wheel, and achieve almost the same effect.

I can't personally vouch for the product having just come across it recently, but it seems pretty darn slick. I have a 40GB 3G iPod that I use almost exclusively in my car, and I agree that being able to skip forward and backward through tracks would make the whole experience a lot nicer. (Frankly that makes it as good as a CD Changer interface for me, since most of them don't show track names, and that's the next improvement you can make once you have track skip and volume.)

Links:
http://www.thinkdifferentstore.com/product_info.ph p/products_id/2052 I'm 95% sure this was what I saw.

http://www.welovemacs.com/p21.html This is an another example, although not as slick.

You might also consider the fact that you're exceptionally paranoid. They're almost certainly going to be giving the officers something similar to these wifi detectors rather than something that they can use to actually access the network.

Apple
Misc. desktops
KVM

You must be one of those Mac freaks by your response. I had an Ipod and I didn't like it for the reasons listed. My post was my opinion not the absolut truth according to humans.

Mmmm, vodka...

I want something truely portable. Ever try playing sports, physical sports, with an external hd strapped to your arm? IT SUCKS! Maybe if you were an actual athlete who worked out a lot you would have understood my post but your being so defensive protecting your precious mac product you can't even understand that it's my opinion. I'm just going to copy your type of response now that I think about it...

Eh.... ok. I go running with my iPod. I mean, I wouldn't recommend any contact sports for bringing the iPod along but biking, running and stuff are fine. The hard drive is very well protected and it doesn't get damaged if it's spinning up whilst the player is bouncing. If you drop it or something, maybe, but that goes without saying, even for solid state players.

Got Duct Tape?

Yes but I'd prefer to use something like this if I wanted to look like a dork with an MP3 player on my arm.

It's an issue if you're active in physical sports and not doing the nuckle shuffle on your piss pump while glancing at pron divx's with repulsive cheeto stains around your mouth.

I'd say that the iPod is appropriate for both sports and secret eating and masturbation to depraved sex acts. The solid state buttons and seamless case make it quite easy to clear of any accidental spurting man-juices. The ample rubber padding around the HD makes it great for time at the gym and "time at the gym."

Good for fucking you...that's not what I need hence my opinion as stated all through out my posts.

So you're dumping on the iPod why then? Because you don't need/want one? That makes no sense.

Once again refer to my being active in sports and not "net" sports. I'm sure playing any really active sport is condusive to strapping an external laptop to my arm with ducktape. Yea I wanna look like tech boy getting active...that's the look I'm shooting for plus I want to get hit hard enough to break my $300+ investment.

Wait, so you ARE playing contact sports with an MP3 player! We've been over this! Or are you projecting again?

What the fuck is apple paying you for this bullshit? I think you are Apple's equivalent of Iraq's ex-minister of information...or better yet...mis-information.

I guess I must be getting kickback from Apple too because I'd like to point out this site where you can get a do-it-yourself iPod battery replacement for $49 and this site where Apple offers to do it for you for $99

I'm sure you've met with every Ipod user in various town meetings, bbs discussions, and neighborhood teleconferences on a daily basis to compile your information right? Fucking idiot.

He has far more information than you have. Alert to any children currently reading Slashdot: Basic literacy counts. Stay in school.

Good for fucking you! It's amazing how people like you are all on Apple's dick. You pay them for a product, they don't pay you and you would take it in the ass from them if you could. I bet you can't even hold shit down anymore right? The Ipod is a product not a life altering event so get a fucking clue, a life, a preferably some sex from a non-animal species and wake the fuck up "Apple Bitch Boy":D

While the prospect of taking it up the butt from "Apple" as a collective, apparently, sounds quite appealing, I'll have to pass on the offer. The iPod is a good, solid product. From the sounds of it, the person you're speaking with owns an iPod himself. He's not sucking Apple's dick, he's calling you an idiot for decrying something you know nothing about. I

Yeah, that Althon box will cost you $4,000 over the next three years.

But there's still a year to go. The power supply could fail -- so I'd replace it for $20 or so.

These people want $180 for a Mac G4 power supply! (I hope that they can be purchased cheaper!) (it's also funny that this power supply looks very much like a PC ATX power supply.) These people want ~ $100 for G3 power supplies.

I'll believe that the average Macintosh power supply is of higher quality than the average PC power supply -- some PC power supplies are really cheap. But the price difference more than makes up for it -- and you can always get higher quality PC power supplies if you wish to pay more (but still less than for a Mac.)

There is one already.

It's called TransPod

FM transmitter/charger/mount. The works.

netbsd.

it's as close as you're going to get.

i installed it on my lcII - it's nice to see the latest software version of something running on a 10 year-old low-end machine - and it's been good training on hacking on my OS X machine's BSD guts. i'd only been exposed to linux (well, and solaris and hp/ux at school) before.

hell, it even runs X (as in X windows) at 1 bit color on the tiny 12'' apple monitor perched on top.. it's wicked slow, but it's fun to see netscape and a couple of xterms compiling things (don't bother, it takes overnight for simple programs), the little LC Ethernet card (from welovemacs.com) going crazy, hard drive churning away... ahh

*that's* how computers are supposed to be built :)