After all my new shiny horse "works out of the box" and I don't have to teach it tricks to do what I want (installing drivers, reinstalling the OS every 4 to 12 weeks, being pissed of by Internet Exploder interferences... does all not happen on my Mac).
Someone swallowed the advertising Apple sells them. I have never had any of the problems you have had with Windows for well over 1.5 years since I got Win 7, and before that with XP I had to reinstall maybe once or twice in 4-5 years. I only did this because it was easier to start clean than uninstall all the crap I installed over time and didnt need anymore. Understandably, Vista almost made me switch as you seem to have done. Then I actually used Ubuntu dual booting XP alot. However, with XP I never had the same issues you describe either. It seems to me like you just don't know how to use anything other than a Mac, not that its "so much harder to use" anything else. Whatever, they got your extra dollars because you can't branch out.
My only complaint about it is the Intel integrated graphics (besides the cost of Apple in general that is). I am aware Sandy Bridge has advancements that direction but every time I have ever used Intel graphics its been a pile of crap. The Nvidia 320 at least can play Halflife 2 etc. pretty well. Really I suppose I am looking for a better 13 inch laptop for gaming. I am looking at some of the refurbished Macbook models from the previous generation. They look like they may be a pretty good deal over the next few months.
Generally speaking, if a manufacturer has a low production cost, the cost of the product goes down for competition. This is not so with Apple. They have successfully created a marketing campaign that has convinced everyone that it IS worth the extra dollars because "it just works". They basically took advantage of peoples frustrations with technology (which is actually a function of their own ignorance not necessarily stupidity) and made a product that convincingly is easier to use with flashy little eye candy incorporated. I can use my PC without any hiccups at all, its not a mac, so why can't they do the same? It didn't even take me very long to figure it out. It would probably take me longer to learn how to use a Mac like I can a Windows machine than it would make up for in the claimed productivity time people seem to think they get out of their Mac. Im not suggesting that people do not have a right to spend their money as they see fit, I am merely stating a fact that there are more cost effective and equally good products for purchase out there than Apple. I don't understand why Apple-heads come out in droves whenever someone criticizes the business practices of Apple. They charge too much, its obvious, and they don't care because one more person falls victim to good marketing and flashy design every day. My HP laptop is fucking gorgeous, "it just works", its sturdy as hell, super light weight, made of partially aluminum with a plastic bottom, doesn't slip around on smooth surfaces, and has ergonomic keyboard layout, doesn't get bogged down with use its designed for (i.e. not 3D gaming), has dedicated graphics for HD video, boots in about 30-40 seconds, and comes out of sleep in probably 20-30. Is it REALLY worth 500-1000 dollars more money to get an extra 20 seconds? I can install Ubuntu for free and get that. My laptop cost me 600 dollars and has more RAM, a faster and bigger hard drive, and same resolution screen as the 1200 dollar models Apple gave you before the update today (which isnt suprising since I bought it over a year ago). I think my laptop is lighter weight too. The Core2Duo is a better processor than I have, but doesn't cost 600 dollars more than the one I have. Really, the only thing that would make my laptop better would be the Magsafe but thats also not worth 600 dollars. All I am saying is, be honest. You buy Apple for the sexiness and nice OS, not because they make some superior product for functionality and sturdiness.
My HP updates do it all for me. A window just pops up and asks me to install the latest things and it happens behind the scenes. HP is getting a lot better, probably due to Apple, but all the same. I would say HP caught up pretty well. Apple has a tendency to spearhead into new markets and user experiences with high prices and then still hangs on to the price after everyone else caught up. The iPad is sort of a differen't story, since they can subsidize its sale with the app store sales, however if they didnt have it you know the iPad would cost an arm and a leg. I don't understand why people continue buying Apple after other manufacturers offer the same solution for cheaper, but maybe the fact that they have the newest thing first keeps people loyal customers.
There are 13 inch models from other manufacturers with discrete graphics that also are as light. Look at HP. My other argument stands, but I stand corrected as far as the "Took out the added expense... " part as it seems they did have to do so for other reasons.
Not really worth the 500-1000 dollar upcharge IMO. My HP ultraportable never gets in my way either. I turn it off it once every couple days just because I don't need it all the time. For example, when I am sleeping. Also, the build quality is as good as any Macbook I've ever used (My wife likes Macbook and owns a refurb one as I won't allow her to buy a new one because of the ridiculous cost). It has a brushed aluminum chassis with a plastic bottom, however it actually is nice this way as its super lite and has some rubber gripping spots on all four corners that blend seamlessly and keep it from sliding around on smooth surfaces. It also has a chiclet like keyboard that is actually easier to type on than any other laptop Ive used. It has buttons in places that make it extremely functional and ergonomic with the exception of the power button being a weird sliding button on the side. Still, its worth it because it cost me about 650 when it first came out at a special sale at Office Depot which actually was cheaper than HP sold them for on their website. I don't dispute that Apple brought something to the table with build quality a few years ago, but HP has totally caught up in their Envy, Ultraportable and Performance categories. If you need up-time install a Linux distribution. The sub 500-700 dollar notebooks are still crap depending on which manufacturer you get them from. I'm just arguing Apple isn't as good as everyone argues they are hardware and build wise, so people should really be arguing that 500-1000 dollars upcharge is worth the OS, extra aluminum, magsafe plug, trackpad and led backlit keyboard rather than saying they are superior in every way, because that simply is not true.
The effectively gutted the 13" line. They took out the added expense (and added functionality) of discrete graphics and are charging the same price as always. Trying to up their profit margin yet again. I don't understand why Apple can't actually try to compete with other manufacturers. Oh, wait, its because Apple-heads will buy anything they sell them at any cost.
Again, college students... a couple of years ago, everybody was putting fancy rims on their POS car.
I'm not going to seriously debate your assertion that all people who buy a Mac are buying it as a status symbol based on the fact that your entire sample seems to be based on college kids.
Use that big, fancy college brain of yours to realize that for many of the Apple market (it's not all college kids), it is about functionality. When you get out into the real world, and actually have a paycheck, you might understand that for many people, they'll gladly pay the premium to get what they perceive to be a better overall experience.
Part of what you should be learning is to see the world outside of your own self and how you've experienced it. When you go around making the categorical statement that all people with Macs have bought them as status symbols, you're completely seeing the world from the eyes of a college student and how you perceive life on campus.
The world changes when you're out in it, and one of the things is that messing around with a &*^%*& computer i your spare time is a waste of your time.
Dude, seriously, take a couple of humanities courses, date some hippy chick who smells like patchouli, broaden your horizons... and stop worrying about what other people buy. That's what I'd do if I was back in college.
I am not simply some University student. I am a PhD student. I have spent the better part of my life using computers for gaming, coding, productivity, and research. As a matter of fact, I currently work for a Lab doing facial recognition research, and guess who uses Macs? The students with wealthy parents who give them anything they want, and the professors that staple their names to your papers when all they do is edit them and give you a meager sum to live off of. And by meager, I mean I could make more money at McDonald's.
Having worked at Best Buy in the past I can tell you I have personally received an 80 percent discount on all cables and adapters while I worked there. That's where they make the money. You are better off going to a Microcenter or ordering online.
Its actually because Apple has a documented and real contempt for the consumer. They simply don't give a shit about you, because they know enough people will fall in line and buy up their products like little sheep. They will release a new product as they see fit, even if that means you just bought the old one with inferior hardware yesterday at the same price.
Uhhh. No. The iPhone is ridiculously expensive and not comparable to other offerings cost-wise. You can get a very powerful and functional Android phone for less than half what a iPhone costs. There also is no "similar specs on paper but a lot cheaper" in their computer market. Its MUCH BETTER specs on paper for competing manufacturers, and its a lot cheaper (500-1000 bucks cheaper). Compare the HP Envy 14 to the Macbook Pro 15 low-end. Apple never, ever, ever tries to compete with price / performance ratio with other manufacturers. The best time to buy an Apple product is after the first release, otherwise you are getting screwed more and more every day since they don't change their prices as the base component costs get cheaper, and they don't even bother trying to compete by offering more recent hardware developments in their products. The last revision of the Macbooks literally had no reason to put the Core 2 Duo in the 13 inch Macbook pro, especially at that price. You could have bought much better hardware at that time, for cheaper.
Those coders use a Mac because its as easy or easier than Windows but its Linux friendly. It also is optimized more than Windows however, you cannot say that Windows 7 is less functional than MacOS X, it just isn't as optimized and eats up too much CPU/GPU time and Memory. You can use pretty much all the Linux software you want on a Mac. I don't dispute that the operating system has many merits that make it better than Windows. I am saying that buying a Macbook is a not a purchase you can justify by simply saying "the user experience" is superior unless you are willing to say an operating system is worth a 500-1000 dollar premium upcharge. You can get the same features that a Macbook Pro has for less money, and you will actually have better hardware on the machine. An example is the HP Envy 14. Install Ubuntu on that sucker and you have just saved 1000 bucks and only have a few minor inconveniences. The iMacs and Mac minis are probably the best value Apple has, and you can lump the iPad in there as well. I know its hard to see, or maybe you are not exposed to it on a daily basis like I am, but Macs and Apple products ARE a status symbol. Its evident by the sheer volume of students on my campus that use it as one, the people that obsess over Apple products in the media, and the fact that people exhaust the supply of new Apple products that are released in massive lines around the corner of stores. Many times you will have students who in no way could possibly afford themselves to buy an iPad/iPhone combo or a iPhone/Macbook combo themselves, yet they act like they are part of some elite club of notebook users or part of some Apple subculture and try to show it off to their friends. What pisses me off is that Apple products became a status symbol. I actually have a very good reason that I would need a Macbook, much like the coders you mention, but I cannot afford one because idiots pay exorbitant prices for them in droves simply because IT IS a status thing. If you don't believe that the prices are too high, consider this. Even after the engineering and design, Macbooks and some other Apple products are still making more money on each sale over pretty much every other manufacturer out there. Why should this be the case if so many extra-cost features are added to the machine? If Macbooks would cost 200-300 dollars more than equivalently equipped laptops, I would pay it gladly. Unfortunately its more like 500-1000 or more. Maybe you are one of the few who use a Macbook as it should be used, but most people just get one because it makes them "cool".
Wrong. MOST people buy Apple because they are status seeking zombies. The fact that people obsessively report Apple news, flock to Apple stores every new release, and buy up all the stock overnight is evidence of that. The fact that kids on my campus tote their iPads with matching iPhone or Macbooks that daddy bought them around and treat them as status symbols is evidence of that. YOU are probably an exception. I would buy one for the operating system if I had money to burn because there are a lot of reason a Linux friendly OS that has good software support would help me with my work as an RA. I am considering an iPad to replace my current HP laptop ultra-portable (which by the way, is the best machine I have ever owned as far as ergonomics and ease-of-use go and even better than my wifes Macbook Pro from 1.5 years ago which I periodically use) simply because the cheaper iPad is a good value and I can write and organize math and engineering diagrams on it without wasting paper. I suspect the iPad 2 will be the best option for me since I suspect I will need a little more processing power. See? Im not some Apple hating zealot. I just think people artificially inflate the cost of their products because the demand is so high, for aforementioned irrational zombie reasons, and frankly it pisses me off because it makes it unaffordable for people that could actually get a good use out of the product rather than using it as some overpriced netbook.
Most of the new HP Performance models and Ultra-portables have a lot of emphasis on design. Also, the ENVY's are supposed to directly compete with Macbooks at about 800-1000 dollars cheaper for better or equivalent hardware (yes, it also has a metal unibody).
The hardware is the same hardware in other PCs. They don't just make all the parts and assemble them, its manufactured by some of the same companies making parts for HP, and Dell, etc. If you don't like windows, install Ubuntu on a HP Envy 14. You just bought a machine that uses a very good non-windows OS, got a better machine than the mid-range MacBook 15, and also saved about 800-1000 dollars.
You argument is completely refuted by how much Apple makes per PC and its comparison to how much other manufacturers make per PC. Guess what? Apple makes WAY MORE. If they truly had some superior features and construction, they would be making close to the same per PC, but they don't. Its because people like you buy them to be part of some elitist laptop user club but its just a made up idea Apple sold you.
Funny thing is, you really only hear this from people who have never owned one. I'm not sure that its because you're too ignorant to bother to realize that your statement is not always true and look or if its that people who have owned one change their minds afterwords.................. No you can't. The fact that you made that statement shows your entire post is pointless. You simply don't have any idea what you're talking about.
You are simply a pretentious and presumptuous idiot. I own a Macbook Pro, which I bought refurbished because Apple is a bunch of greedy twats. I am aware of the "refresh" but even then you can still get a superior machine from another manufacturer. If Apple really was worth the money, then why do they make more per machine they sell than any other manufacturer? I thought there were numerous costly features built into the machines! Apparently you haven't used Ubuntu in a few years, otherwise you would agree with me. Keep in mind Fancy graphics transitions != Superior user experience. Superior user experience = ease of use and ergonomics. MacOS has those for sure, but so does Ubuntu and I don't have to bend over for an ass reaming to get it. As far as the last part of your statement, you offer no counter argument or proof for your accusation, hence my accusation that you are an idiot.
Troll my ass. People defend Apple likes its their religion, when really all Apple is doing is cheating you. Why do they make more per PC than any other manufacturer if their are so many apparent superior costly features included? If you bought the Apple because its pretty and you have money to burn, be honest rather than lie about some bullshit "superior user experience". For the record, eye pleasing graphic transitions != superior user experience.
Im not talking about Windows VS MacOS. Im talking about how Apple makes more money per PC than any other manufacturer. They charge a premium for the exact same hardware configurations you can get elsewhere, slap a good OS in it, tweak some ergonomics, and then somehow make more money per PC than anyone else? If the reason you bought an Mac is because its pretty and had a good os and you have money to burn, say so rather than defending its "superior user experience". Install Ubuntu on a 1000 dollar HP ENVY 14 series. There. I just configured a PC with a aluminum/magnesium chassis, backlit keyboard, great OS, good (and free) software, a superior user experience, and its cheaper by 200-800 dollars and has better hardware specs than anything Apple currently has in its class (i.e. MacBook Pro 13 and lower end 15).
"You get what you pay for" does really apply to Apple. Their laptops are some of the highest quality machines I've seen, especially when surrounded by plastic creaking heavy systems at Best Buy. All the little things add up, like LED backlighting, huge touchpad, sealed in battery for longer life and so on.
Then explain to me why Apple makes more profit per Mac than any of the other manufacturers of Laptops and Desktops. The real reason people buy Apple is because they have money to burn, and yet they defend their choice as a rational one rather than one based purely on looks and hype. If you actually try some of the new HP's they are of the same caliber, easy to use, decent bundled software, sturdy metal chassis, light weight and all. However, Apple fanboy's are quick to trumpet "superior user experience" when its mostly bullshit. If you are anti-windows fucking install Ubuntu, its a good OS with a ton of free software. A person who knew what they were talking about would first mention "Well, MacOS is Unix based and CPU/memory efficient" as the first reason for buying a Mac, not the other crap. I don't dispute you cannot get good deals on Apple's sometimes, but thats generally rare and only reasonable people take advantage of it. I bought my wife a refurbished Macbook Pro for about 400 less than retail. It was a good deal.
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After all my new shiny horse "works out of the box" and I don't have to teach it tricks to do what I want (installing drivers, reinstalling the OS every 4 to 12 weeks, being pissed of by Internet Exploder interferences ... does all not happen on my Mac).
Someone swallowed the advertising Apple sells them. I have never had any of the problems you have had with Windows for well over 1.5 years since I got Win 7, and before that with XP I had to reinstall maybe once or twice in 4-5 years. I only did this because it was easier to start clean than uninstall all the crap I installed over time and didnt need anymore. Understandably, Vista almost made me switch as you seem to have done. Then I actually used Ubuntu dual booting XP alot. However, with XP I never had the same issues you describe either. It seems to me like you just don't know how to use anything other than a Mac, not that its "so much harder to use" anything else. Whatever, they got your extra dollars because you can't branch out.
My only complaint about it is the Intel integrated graphics (besides the cost of Apple in general that is). I am aware Sandy Bridge has advancements that direction but every time I have ever used Intel graphics its been a pile of crap. The Nvidia 320 at least can play Halflife 2 etc. pretty well. Really I suppose I am looking for a better 13 inch laptop for gaming. I am looking at some of the refurbished Macbook models from the previous generation. They look like they may be a pretty good deal over the next few months.
Generally speaking, if a manufacturer has a low production cost, the cost of the product goes down for competition. This is not so with Apple. They have successfully created a marketing campaign that has convinced everyone that it IS worth the extra dollars because "it just works". They basically took advantage of peoples frustrations with technology (which is actually a function of their own ignorance not necessarily stupidity) and made a product that convincingly is easier to use with flashy little eye candy incorporated. I can use my PC without any hiccups at all, its not a mac, so why can't they do the same? It didn't even take me very long to figure it out. It would probably take me longer to learn how to use a Mac like I can a Windows machine than it would make up for in the claimed productivity time people seem to think they get out of their Mac. Im not suggesting that people do not have a right to spend their money as they see fit, I am merely stating a fact that there are more cost effective and equally good products for purchase out there than Apple. I don't understand why Apple-heads come out in droves whenever someone criticizes the business practices of Apple. They charge too much, its obvious, and they don't care because one more person falls victim to good marketing and flashy design every day. My HP laptop is fucking gorgeous, "it just works", its sturdy as hell, super light weight, made of partially aluminum with a plastic bottom, doesn't slip around on smooth surfaces, and has ergonomic keyboard layout, doesn't get bogged down with use its designed for (i.e. not 3D gaming), has dedicated graphics for HD video, boots in about 30-40 seconds, and comes out of sleep in probably 20-30. Is it REALLY worth 500-1000 dollars more money to get an extra 20 seconds? I can install Ubuntu for free and get that. My laptop cost me 600 dollars and has more RAM, a faster and bigger hard drive, and same resolution screen as the 1200 dollar models Apple gave you before the update today (which isnt suprising since I bought it over a year ago). I think my laptop is lighter weight too. The Core2Duo is a better processor than I have, but doesn't cost 600 dollars more than the one I have. Really, the only thing that would make my laptop better would be the Magsafe but thats also not worth 600 dollars. All I am saying is, be honest. You buy Apple for the sexiness and nice OS, not because they make some superior product for functionality and sturdiness.
My HP updates do it all for me. A window just pops up and asks me to install the latest things and it happens behind the scenes. HP is getting a lot better, probably due to Apple, but all the same. I would say HP caught up pretty well. Apple has a tendency to spearhead into new markets and user experiences with high prices and then still hangs on to the price after everyone else caught up. The iPad is sort of a differen't story, since they can subsidize its sale with the app store sales, however if they didnt have it you know the iPad would cost an arm and a leg. I don't understand why people continue buying Apple after other manufacturers offer the same solution for cheaper, but maybe the fact that they have the newest thing first keeps people loyal customers.
There are 13 inch models from other manufacturers with discrete graphics that also are as light. Look at HP. My other argument stands, but I stand corrected as far as the "Took out the added expense... " part as it seems they did have to do so for other reasons.
Not really worth the 500-1000 dollar upcharge IMO. My HP ultraportable never gets in my way either. I turn it off it once every couple days just because I don't need it all the time. For example, when I am sleeping. Also, the build quality is as good as any Macbook I've ever used (My wife likes Macbook and owns a refurb one as I won't allow her to buy a new one because of the ridiculous cost). It has a brushed aluminum chassis with a plastic bottom, however it actually is nice this way as its super lite and has some rubber gripping spots on all four corners that blend seamlessly and keep it from sliding around on smooth surfaces. It also has a chiclet like keyboard that is actually easier to type on than any other laptop Ive used. It has buttons in places that make it extremely functional and ergonomic with the exception of the power button being a weird sliding button on the side. Still, its worth it because it cost me about 650 when it first came out at a special sale at Office Depot which actually was cheaper than HP sold them for on their website. I don't dispute that Apple brought something to the table with build quality a few years ago, but HP has totally caught up in their Envy, Ultraportable and Performance categories. If you need up-time install a Linux distribution. The sub 500-700 dollar notebooks are still crap depending on which manufacturer you get them from. I'm just arguing Apple isn't as good as everyone argues they are hardware and build wise, so people should really be arguing that 500-1000 dollars upcharge is worth the OS, extra aluminum, magsafe plug, trackpad and led backlit keyboard rather than saying they are superior in every way, because that simply is not true.
The effectively gutted the 13" line. They took out the added expense (and added functionality) of discrete graphics and are charging the same price as always. Trying to up their profit margin yet again. I don't understand why Apple can't actually try to compete with other manufacturers. Oh, wait, its because Apple-heads will buy anything they sell them at any cost.
Again, college students ... a couple of years ago, everybody was putting fancy rims on their POS car.
I'm not going to seriously debate your assertion that all people who buy a Mac are buying it as a status symbol based on the fact that your entire sample seems to be based on college kids.
Use that big, fancy college brain of yours to realize that for many of the Apple market (it's not all college kids), it is about functionality. When you get out into the real world, and actually have a paycheck, you might understand that for many people, they'll gladly pay the premium to get what they perceive to be a better overall experience.
Part of what you should be learning is to see the world outside of your own self and how you've experienced it. When you go around making the categorical statement that all people with Macs have bought them as status symbols, you're completely seeing the world from the eyes of a college student and how you perceive life on campus.
The world changes when you're out in it, and one of the things is that messing around with a &*^%*& computer i your spare time is a waste of your time.
Dude, seriously, take a couple of humanities courses, date some hippy chick who smells like patchouli, broaden your horizons ... and stop worrying about what other people buy. That's what I'd do if I was back in college.
I am not simply some University student. I am a PhD student. I have spent the better part of my life using computers for gaming, coding, productivity, and research. As a matter of fact, I currently work for a Lab doing facial recognition research, and guess who uses Macs? The students with wealthy parents who give them anything they want, and the professors that staple their names to your papers when all they do is edit them and give you a meager sum to live off of. And by meager, I mean I could make more money at McDonald's.
Thor disagrees with you.
Interesting its called "Light Peak" but is not fiber optic. Sounds like the almost dead Firewire to me.
Having worked at Best Buy in the past I can tell you I have personally received an 80 percent discount on all cables and adapters while I worked there. That's where they make the money. You are better off going to a Microcenter or ordering online.
Its actually because Apple has a documented and real contempt for the consumer. They simply don't give a shit about you, because they know enough people will fall in line and buy up their products like little sheep. They will release a new product as they see fit, even if that means you just bought the old one with inferior hardware yesterday at the same price.
Uhhh. No. The iPhone is ridiculously expensive and not comparable to other offerings cost-wise. You can get a very powerful and functional Android phone for less than half what a iPhone costs. There also is no "similar specs on paper but a lot cheaper" in their computer market. Its MUCH BETTER specs on paper for competing manufacturers, and its a lot cheaper (500-1000 bucks cheaper). Compare the HP Envy 14 to the Macbook Pro 15 low-end. Apple never, ever, ever tries to compete with price / performance ratio with other manufacturers. The best time to buy an Apple product is after the first release, otherwise you are getting screwed more and more every day since they don't change their prices as the base component costs get cheaper, and they don't even bother trying to compete by offering more recent hardware developments in their products. The last revision of the Macbooks literally had no reason to put the Core 2 Duo in the 13 inch Macbook pro, especially at that price. You could have bought much better hardware at that time, for cheaper.
Those coders use a Mac because its as easy or easier than Windows but its Linux friendly. It also is optimized more than Windows however, you cannot say that Windows 7 is less functional than MacOS X, it just isn't as optimized and eats up too much CPU/GPU time and Memory. You can use pretty much all the Linux software you want on a Mac. I don't dispute that the operating system has many merits that make it better than Windows. I am saying that buying a Macbook is a not a purchase you can justify by simply saying "the user experience" is superior unless you are willing to say an operating system is worth a 500-1000 dollar premium upcharge. You can get the same features that a Macbook Pro has for less money, and you will actually have better hardware on the machine. An example is the HP Envy 14. Install Ubuntu on that sucker and you have just saved 1000 bucks and only have a few minor inconveniences. The iMacs and Mac minis are probably the best value Apple has, and you can lump the iPad in there as well. I know its hard to see, or maybe you are not exposed to it on a daily basis like I am, but Macs and Apple products ARE a status symbol. Its evident by the sheer volume of students on my campus that use it as one, the people that obsess over Apple products in the media, and the fact that people exhaust the supply of new Apple products that are released in massive lines around the corner of stores. Many times you will have students who in no way could possibly afford themselves to buy an iPad/iPhone combo or a iPhone/Macbook combo themselves, yet they act like they are part of some elite club of notebook users or part of some Apple subculture and try to show it off to their friends. What pisses me off is that Apple products became a status symbol. I actually have a very good reason that I would need a Macbook, much like the coders you mention, but I cannot afford one because idiots pay exorbitant prices for them in droves simply because IT IS a status thing. If you don't believe that the prices are too high, consider this. Even after the engineering and design, Macbooks and some other Apple products are still making more money on each sale over pretty much every other manufacturer out there. Why should this be the case if so many extra-cost features are added to the machine? If Macbooks would cost 200-300 dollars more than equivalently equipped laptops, I would pay it gladly. Unfortunately its more like 500-1000 or more. Maybe you are one of the few who use a Macbook as it should be used, but most people just get one because it makes them "cool".
Wrong. MOST people buy Apple because they are status seeking zombies. The fact that people obsessively report Apple news, flock to Apple stores every new release, and buy up all the stock overnight is evidence of that. The fact that kids on my campus tote their iPads with matching iPhone or Macbooks that daddy bought them around and treat them as status symbols is evidence of that. YOU are probably an exception. I would buy one for the operating system if I had money to burn because there are a lot of reason a Linux friendly OS that has good software support would help me with my work as an RA. I am considering an iPad to replace my current HP laptop ultra-portable (which by the way, is the best machine I have ever owned as far as ergonomics and ease-of-use go and even better than my wifes Macbook Pro from 1.5 years ago which I periodically use) simply because the cheaper iPad is a good value and I can write and organize math and engineering diagrams on it without wasting paper. I suspect the iPad 2 will be the best option for me since I suspect I will need a little more processing power. See? Im not some Apple hating zealot. I just think people artificially inflate the cost of their products because the demand is so high, for aforementioned irrational zombie reasons, and frankly it pisses me off because it makes it unaffordable for people that could actually get a good use out of the product rather than using it as some overpriced netbook.
Most of the new HP Performance models and Ultra-portables have a lot of emphasis on design. Also, the ENVY's are supposed to directly compete with Macbooks at about 800-1000 dollars cheaper for better or equivalent hardware (yes, it also has a metal unibody).
The hardware is the same hardware in other PCs. They don't just make all the parts and assemble them, its manufactured by some of the same companies making parts for HP, and Dell, etc. If you don't like windows, install Ubuntu on a HP Envy 14. You just bought a machine that uses a very good non-windows OS, got a better machine than the mid-range MacBook 15, and also saved about 800-1000 dollars.
You argument is completely refuted by how much Apple makes per PC and its comparison to how much other manufacturers make per PC. Guess what? Apple makes WAY MORE. If they truly had some superior features and construction, they would be making close to the same per PC, but they don't. Its because people like you buy them to be part of some elitist laptop user club but its just a made up idea Apple sold you.
Nobody that is not an idiot buys Sony.
Backlit keyboard? Don't they have electric lights or torches on your planet, either?
I would mod this up but I posted already.
Funny thing is, you really only hear this from people who have never owned one. I'm not sure that its because you're too ignorant to bother to realize that your statement is not always true and look or if its that people who have owned one change their minds afterwords. ................. No you can't. The fact that you made that statement shows your entire post is pointless. You simply don't have any idea what you're talking about.
You are simply a pretentious and presumptuous idiot. I own a Macbook Pro, which I bought refurbished because Apple is a bunch of greedy twats. I am aware of the "refresh" but even then you can still get a superior machine from another manufacturer. If Apple really was worth the money, then why do they make more per machine they sell than any other manufacturer? I thought there were numerous costly features built into the machines! Apparently you haven't used Ubuntu in a few years, otherwise you would agree with me. Keep in mind Fancy graphics transitions != Superior user experience. Superior user experience = ease of use and ergonomics. MacOS has those for sure, but so does Ubuntu and I don't have to bend over for an ass reaming to get it. As far as the last part of your statement, you offer no counter argument or proof for your accusation, hence my accusation that you are an idiot.
Troll my ass. People defend Apple likes its their religion, when really all Apple is doing is cheating you. Why do they make more per PC than any other manufacturer if their are so many apparent superior costly features included? If you bought the Apple because its pretty and you have money to burn, be honest rather than lie about some bullshit "superior user experience". For the record, eye pleasing graphic transitions != superior user experience.
Im not talking about Windows VS MacOS. Im talking about how Apple makes more money per PC than any other manufacturer. They charge a premium for the exact same hardware configurations you can get elsewhere, slap a good OS in it, tweak some ergonomics, and then somehow make more money per PC than anyone else? If the reason you bought an Mac is because its pretty and had a good os and you have money to burn, say so rather than defending its "superior user experience". Install Ubuntu on a 1000 dollar HP ENVY 14 series. There. I just configured a PC with a aluminum/magnesium chassis, backlit keyboard, great OS, good (and free) software, a superior user experience, and its cheaper by 200-800 dollars and has better hardware specs than anything Apple currently has in its class (i.e. MacBook Pro 13 and lower end 15).
Whats it called when you make a poor decision but justify it for yourself afterward so you feel better about it?
"You get what you pay for" does really apply to Apple. Their laptops are some of the highest quality machines I've seen, especially when surrounded by plastic creaking heavy systems at Best Buy. All the little things add up, like LED backlighting, huge touchpad, sealed in battery for longer life and so on.
Then explain to me why Apple makes more profit per Mac than any of the other manufacturers of Laptops and Desktops. The real reason people buy Apple is because they have money to burn, and yet they defend their choice as a rational one rather than one based purely on looks and hype. If you actually try some of the new HP's they are of the same caliber, easy to use, decent bundled software, sturdy metal chassis, light weight and all. However, Apple fanboy's are quick to trumpet "superior user experience" when its mostly bullshit. If you are anti-windows fucking install Ubuntu, its a good OS with a ton of free software. A person who knew what they were talking about would first mention "Well, MacOS is Unix based and CPU/memory efficient" as the first reason for buying a Mac, not the other crap. I don't dispute you cannot get good deals on Apple's sometimes, but thats generally rare and only reasonable people take advantage of it. I bought my wife a refurbished Macbook Pro for about 400 less than retail. It was a good deal.