Apple @ MacWorld Tokyo

rschroeder writes "Apple updated several products at MacWorld Tokyo tonight (or tomorrow morning). A $499 10-gig iPod, with, get this, custom laser engraving on the back, ($49 extra) and vCard support. They also announced a $49 USB bluetooth module, shipping in April, with beta drivers availble today. Among other tricks, Jobs synced a Clie with a mac via bluetooth. Also a new 23" (1920x1200 )Cinema Display. Jobs also said they're raising the price of the iMac due to LCD and RAM cost increases. All this courtesy MacMinute.com's live coverage." Maccentral has several stories about Jobs' keynote at the convention.

Comments

Macs & Medication

[maggard]

Congrats - you put together a Frankenstein.

See one in a store? No. Going to see one in a store? No.

First off Apple generally uses pretty high quality components. Their LCD is a sight nicer then your $300 closeout special. Apple also integrates everything a hell of a lot better. Of course that's a lot easier when the OS comes from the same vendor (where's yours?) Indeed right there is half of the value of the machine, it runs MacOS X. And of course the included applications, not shovelware but good stuff that works with the hardware and works intuitively.

Of course there's also the point of the screen being on a pedestal. That's unique in the industry and totally rocks - it's amazing how seductive it is to have a display one can casually reach out & reposition, tilt, angle. It really does change the experience and some panel-on-pegs is not the same at all.

Then there's that whole service & support thing. You may disdain it but the iMac is the intro level computer and ask any real vendor - it costs, it costs a lot to support folks. Phones, websites, repairs, parts, trained folks, etc. You may be willing to spend half a day getting your CD burner to work; most folks just want one that works and if it doesn't a number to call and a quick & easy resolution path.

Am I a Macolyte? No. I have a few, and yeah the mac.com address (free, stable, fast, offers POP, IMAP, SMTP, WebDAV, HTTP, no adverts, can't beat that) but I've also a room full of PCs. Which do I recommend to folks? Depends on what they want to do and how they like to work.

For some things Macs are spot on, for others PCs are a better choice. Macs are price competitive (your apples-to-oranges comparison notwithstanding) as one long as one avoids the Apple memory. The iMac is a great intro or home machine, trivial to set up and fast enough. I also find the laptops to be good deals with rugged cases & long battery life. The G4s are fine machines though they do cost the dickens but if ya need them there they are. Depending on your business a Mac might or might not be appropriate, certainly in some fields a Wintel box is a much better choice, others a Mac fits the bill.

But you, you seem to have a chip on your shoulder. Fine. But don't go making stupid statements and not expect to get called on them. Nor come looking for an argument or to act out your frustrations at whatever. We've both had our say and at this point any further discussion would be almost like baiting those foamers one sometimes finds on streetcorners - just inane & embarrassing for all around.