apple news/media reports
02/13/2006, 8:50pm, EST
Monday, February 13th
Apple charges premium for MacBook Pro
Apple's MacBook Pro is nearly $1000 more than a similar Dell notebook (after using a coupon) or just over $400 without coupons, according to a blog entry at ZDNet. While the debate rages, the Dell Core Duo notebook offers a larger 17-inch screen, faster graphics, and a faster optical drive. "pple lovers will always feel that the extra money is well spent and they will always believe they have the superior product. PC shoppers with more realistic budgets will always prefer the cheaper product (with mostly superior specifications) that can run all of their existing software. The difference is that the latter will always outnumber the former by more than 10 to 1. Apple has always managed to charge a premium for their hardware because of superior branding and a diehard fan base, but they will always be priced out of the main stream. A lot has changed in the last year with Apple Macintoshes running on an Intel Pentium M platform (which I predicted), but the more things change the more they stay the same."
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I just never get it, slam Apple for the hardware, slam Apple for the OS, but there is a hell of a lot to be said for a company that makes a complete package. I have never, never use a PC (to this day), that doesn't have OS/hardware issues, conflicts, whatever, there is always something. My mac just works and works well. Mac bashers will always deny this, but I have to use PC's, yep, that is a reality of the corporate world, but my mac is a part of me 'cuz I can do what I want to do without some lame message or obscure issue. The Apple machine, with the OS is a better machine, and worth more than a Windows machine with faster hardware, who has time for all that?
Please read a follow up response from a real reporter @ http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/02/13/pricecomparison/index.php?lsrc=mwrss
BTW: I'm a reader at both sites.
Does the author stop to think why Dell needs to offer $650 rebates just to unload their hardware (and why Apple will sell all MacBooks it can make at the "regular" price)? It's not that Apple "has always managed to charge a premium for their hardware," it more like Dell being forced to offer steep discounts.
My relative bought 3 NEW Dells for under $1500 and he lamented at the fact that each one has a dozen icons (yes a dozen) on his desktop that advertises some trial period software. Even the virus protection on his machine only lasts 30 days until he's "not protected".
What a bunch of crock. I spent a total of an hour and a half removing all that crap from 3 machines since he just doesn't have that kind of time or knowhow.
Nonetheless, I would rather pay the premium and put up with this over using Microsoft Windows and Dell PCs on an everyday basis.
This site is becoming less and less useful for realistic information. It's all about hype for hype itself. Guess what MacNN, there are other places we can get our Mac news.
Dan