Think Secret Predicts Sub-$500 Headless Mac

eadint writes "I have just read an article posted on Think Secret that discusses a confirmed $499 Apple box sans monitor. According to the article, this has been under development for almost one year and may be available towards the end of 2005Q1. The system is rumored to be based on a G4 with 256MB of RAM , 40-80GB HD with a combo drive (sorry, no SuperDrive). Although Apple has stated in the past that they have no motivation to compete in the sub-$600 PC market, this system was based on polls showing that more people would buy it after initial exposure to the iPod." "Confirmed" seems a strong word, but I hope this is more than wishful thinking.

Comments

Re:I'm willing to bet that

[squiggleslash]

You know, the Macs Apple does make aren't exactly the world's most reliable computers either. I've had a variety of Macs in my life, and each has had its little "quirks". The most "reliable" one of the bunch is probably the old B&W PowerMac G3 on my desk right now, and it has its little issues of occasionally not booting at all in a way I've never seen from any PC I've owned. My PowerBook is great unless it gets warm enough to have to run the fans, then the clock starts ticking and I know it's going to crash - not right away perhaps, but it will crash.

And, truth be told, I've bought $200 PCs (yes, I got a Wal*Mart box for playing around with) that were fine - completely solid, yet made from entirely generic components.

None of which is surprising. Apple makes machines using largely generic components, usually built (the entire machines, not just the components) by the same group of far eastern manufacturers who regularly churn out PCs, PCs that get badged by everyone from Dell to Microtel. It's not as if Apple is going through each chip giving it some quality test that the other manufacturers aren't, or that Apple is saying "Ok, we're only buying from QualChipCo because our experience with CrapFabInc was terrible" while Dell says "Hey, CrapFabInc may make unreliable chips, but who cares when they're 1c cheaper!"

I think there's a little too much snobbery in Apple enthusiast circles. Yes, you're paying a premium for Apple hardware, but that money is going into neat looking and feeling design and a quality operating system, not in hardware quality. Hardware quality is roughly the same with Apple as it is with everyone else. And some "cheap" companies seem to do better, more solid, more reliable, PCs - in my experience - than Apple anyway.

Re:PowerBooks

[Anonymous Coward]

Jesus, so Apple finally might release a $500 headless Mac and you STILL won't buy it unless it's $400? Fuck off. For every geek loser like you who likes to stand on that silly sense of defiance there are 1000 who will applaud Apple's bold move and buy one.

You? You just keep waiting. Apple won't care one bit about your business.

If true, this will be the end of Mac elitism.

[Ph33r th3 g(O)at]

No more will we mere PC users have to endure the disdain and scorn of those ostentatious people running a botique platform and making sure we know it. No more will we have to listen to the bogus car analogies in which PCs are equated to Kia Spectras and Apples to Mercedes.

Now that Apple will have realized that they must provide a product at a realistic price point to survive, and the hoi polloi will have invaded the club, I wonder to what platform all the black turtleneck wearing, conspicuous consuming, design bragging Mac effetes will migrate.

Re:Finally - make it an impulse purchase

[AstroDrabb]

Hey troll. I guess if someone doesn't say they love everything Stevie-boy does you get all emotional? Get a grip dude. Apple could be doing _so_ much better then they are now if Steve didn't want to keep Apple as a "Fashion statement" niche.

but I think Steve Jobs knows his business a little better than you do

No, I don't think he does. Apple could do so much more, yet they have _always_ been a small niche market with a market share that makes them obsolete. The Mac OS X with IBM's great PPC processor could be doing so much better if Jobs didn't have the "cult" mind of trying to make Apple a "fashion" statement.

Now run along and salivate over your life-size Steve Jobs poster.

Re:-1, Troll

[aichpvee]

Come back and talk to me when you have multiple desktops without paying for third party software or even having to install any. Also when you have window shade, easy drop to back, and sloppy focus with auto-raise. While all that jazz you can do with the F9 and F10 keys is cute, it's not nearly as useful.

The OSX interface is clunky with multiple applications at best.