27" Mac
 

I've spent a long time in PC's & reluctantly agreed when my wife insisted on a Mac...why am I always walking past the PC to use the Mac

Have I been 'jobbed' by Jobbs?

I checked out the 27inch MAC when we bought my sisters Macbook pro a couple months back. That baby is NICE!! I said that would be my next desktop if I bought a desktop...

But i'm leaning towards getting a macbook pro myself.

I went for a macbook pro back in March when my HP laptop kicked the bucket. Absolutely love it! The price is the only downfall really. My only other complaints are how it organizes pictures and that I can't close the lid and keep itunes running, otherwise it has worked flawlessly

Flame suit on, you may need it...

Desktop Mac's to me seem too over-simplified...
Although it rips when it comes to graphics and design...
The variety of programs it has compared to the PC's doesn't stand a chance.

Though, I really dig the Macbook Pros...
The designs (outer) are always so...nice.
I guess it just depends on what you grow up with..

However... the hardware...isn't worth the price you're paying.....

E-Revonut, what'd you do with the HP?
If you still have it and it's broken, I'll take it.. :D

My wife has an iMac and I hate it. When it works, it works well. But if anything goes wrong where things need to be replaced, better be ready with the KY when you go to the Apple store! It's essentially laptop innards where nothing is an industry standard size. So, a part that normally costs $50 on a PC would be closer to $200 on an apple product.

Case in point, my wife's mac recently came up with a bad PS. They wanted $170 for a new one (and it's piddly power-wise)! And the day she got it back, it mysteriously developed a bad inverter module (apparently for the backlight). They were nice enough to eat the labor, but that part was another $80.

Honestly, I don't see the big deal even with graphics. Nothing that a similar sized monitor on a PC would offer. Mac OS is just a flavor of linux, so nothing fancy there. And there are PC versions of the graphics programs (Adobe bloatware).

The hardware may be better (even that is questionable), but to me, the only thing you are spending all that cash on is aesthetics. So really, it's a very pretty and expensive machine that has no advantage over PC in any other way.

And Jobs is a piece of.... Well, let's just say the guys is soooo full of himself it makes me want to punch him in the face... twice.

Yeah..
I know everybody (even I did) thinks AppleCare is such a rip.. (and it really is...as long as you don't drop the freaking thing!)

However, my iPods have developed some pretty things.. I apply the ZAGG (InvisibleShield, which I love btw..) the moisture MIGHT drop into the home button once or twice.. :whistle: and wreak havoc with that.
You take it into the Store, they'll replace it as long as it's not under warranty.

A few my iPods have been "defected" where the screen will randomly flicker, they'll diagnose it, and just replace it. Now I'm sure it's not the same with actual computers since those actually cost a shiny penny..

Brian..
Parts are pretty much 5 times the price of a regular part..
However, some parts are pretty easily serviceable.
ifixit.com
Love it!

I have always had Apple computers. My father developed software on them, started me out on them young, and they just stuck. So I am pretty partial to them. I do have a PC now, which is the first non-Apple computer I've had since I was 5, and which I use almost exclusively for gaming. I also have a Windows partition on my Apple, but the HD2600 video card just can't cut it anymore with new games.

Here's the way I see the whole price vs. performance argument: people who tend to dislike Apple often argue that a PC can offer same specs for lower price. While that may be true, the fallacy is that this automatically makes a PC better or more desirable than an Apple.

People pay more money for a lot of things, even though it may offer no extra utility or performance. A designer handbag costs $1000, but does it function as a handbag any better than a $5 one from Walmart? A Mercedes might cost twice as much as a Honda with similar specs that can do the job just as well. To relate to RC, look at Xray, they tailor to people who want the high end and "luxury", but many would argue that a cheaper Ofna can win races just the same.

An Apple computer is the same situation. For whatever reason, people see some amount of value there above and beyond specs. It could be because of the name, it could be for the aesthetic value, and a whole list of other reasons.

The wireless mouse & keyboard are already starting to work sporadically...stupid white box of wires!

Yeah, my goal whenever I do get a Mac is to partition it for W7.. Or hackint0sh my current machine.. Or maybe I'll hackint0sh when I get a computer that is actually capable of such.

As far as the price thing goes, I still think they'd get much larger sales had they lower all their prices to under a grand.

It looks like the starting price for ALL their computers is about a grand.. Besides the Mac Mini, well, say drop that to $800, I'd bet a lot more people would feel better when they see two 0's instead of 3..
Hell, if it was a good 2-3 hundred bucks cheaper, I may even grab one..

Just my opinion

Very good point. Just like the stupid designer womens stuff (all of it is very overpriced) many people will pay out the nose to have a cool looking whatever in their house.

Almost everything falls into this category. Like the people who buy Harley Davidson bikes instead of the superior japanese bikes, or people eho just have to have Heckler Koch guns over a glock. Perceived value, and who am I to say anything about that!!!

I find that PC fits my desire to have user replacable parts, and could care less about style in 99% of the functional things I own. I currently have about 7 pcs, 6 desktop and 1 laptop scattered around my home and business, and have worked on almost all of them. I guess just go with what you know!!!

I have had the same Macbook g4 for going on 5 years now. I owned 4 pc's before that purchase, each had it's own respective year in which it lived and died. Wanting a regular computer, non laptop, we got the imac a year ago it is everything I could ask for and more.

When I bought PC's the second thing I always had to buy was Ant-this Malware-that. The second thing I bought for my mac was, nothing.

I feel this is something Apple brings to the table, regardless of what people say otherwise.

That and they truly are beautiful.

The lack of AV/malware is inherent in any linux box, whether that's a Mac or any other of a billion flavors of Linux. And really, that's only because malware writers want to get the most bang for the buck so are writing for Windows. If M$ stopped Windows tomorrow, there would be a new target OS.

My wife says Macs are for work and PCs are for play. I counter that with either platform can be used for both; it's just a matter of convenience (don't need emulators or the like on Windows). I too am tired of needing resource-hogging AV/malware software, but it's the way it is for now if you run Windows. So, the choice is 1) Use windows which can run anything on any system, but you have to deal with malware. Or 2) Use Linux/Mac and not worry about malware, but getting games to run takes some jumping through hoops. Pick your poison.

And yes, Macs are "pretty". No denying that. But like Linc, I prefer function over form for the most part. That and the lower hardware cost and ease of working on a PC is a big plus. To me anyway.

I think it just comes down to, are you smart enough for PC's..
I mean, most guys don't really get Virus's anymore..
Then again, my dad got one the other day and came to me asking if "Antivirus 8" was any good because he was about to pay for it..

I honestly think picking up one REPUTABLE AV that ISNT in stores would suit you best.
Take nod32 for instance (I love my copy...), I mention it in school, and everybody is like "DOODZ WUT U SMOKING? MCAFFEE IS DA BEST DAWG".. (I hope nobody uses McAfee here..)
It's just like what BrianG said. (or how I took it)
The more reputable something is (or popular), the more heat it's gonna get.
Things get by Norton and McAfee all day long, since the writers actually can bypass it. Whatever is used in the mass, they can get the biggest hit on.
Since nod32 is like Linux/any other distros, the writers don't really care whether or not their shenanigans can get past the other-name'd AV's/Malware catchers because the majority of the people don't use the other-name'd stuff.

Second, I think as long as you're not browsing pr0n (the sketchy stuff anyways), you're most likely safe from malware/virus's that includes clicking those random links that "magically" appear in your email inbox..

Oh well.

MAC vs INTEL
 

Well I have had a cusiosity for Mac for a long time, but because of the up front cost of their systems, and the rediculous cost of replacement parts I have stayed away from them. Mac is killing itself just by keeping the profit margines so high on their products. If they would just lower their pricing 20% I believe many more people would switch over just to try them out. We have 6 laptops, and three desktops in our home and none of them are Mac. Being very mechanically inclined I go with what I can work on and fix myself(novis), and for reasonable pricing for replacement parts.

Using that comparison to handbags was great. Just reading that confirms to me why the only people who stick with Mac are following a trend of people who want to be different or unique in some way. Just like owners of BMW's or other high priced vehicles that have very high maintenance costs. We all have to look at what advantages we can gain using one over the other, especially with our economy being what it is today. What real world advantages do Mac's offer over any other platforms for that exuberant pricing? NONE... So I guess I will stick with what I have until something changes to lure me over to the dark side.

I have been wanting to set up a pc with linux as I mainly browse. I do not play games or use any office type programs on my home pc. Just internet. I put win7 on it and seem to liker that alot more than vista, which I flat refuse to use. I was and still am a big xp fan, but I see the benefit on win7. Mainly stick with these OS as I know how to search around and pull the spyware and viruses out. I guess going to linux would cure that probelm...

Which browsers does linux support? I use IE8 at home, but have been using google chrome at work and like it slightly better.

You can run firefox and chrome on Linux...

I really dislike that generalization though. People always make comments like that to me when they find out I use Apple computers, when in reality I use them because I grew up using them, I'm comfortable with them, and I like them. I've been using them since 1990, long before they started pandering to the "I want to be trendy" crowd. Not all people who prefer Apple are trying to be trendy or unique. There are plenty of exceptions to that rule.

I had the laptop checked out, the mother board is shot and for the cost of replacement you can buy a new laptop with the same specs. I was able to have someone pull all my data fom the hard drive but essentially the laptop is a POS and not worth anything. It has been sitting here doing nothing, but I do have plans for it, those plans involve.....A Glock model 27 .40S&W, .223 Savage rifle, Remington 870 12 Gauge, Ruger 10/22, and a Ruger Mark II!!! I will post pictures of the carnage after I get a chance to go to the range!

PM'd... So we don't threadjack :D

I don't think it was really meant towards you though simple. It's just how people are. Apple spends a lot of money marketing through media and the like and many people do use them just to be trendy. It happens with everything though and not just computers. Just look at all the losers in their H2's for example.

I like what works for me, and while Apple has made strides they just limit me too much. The ipad in it's own right is a great device, but is still too limited in it's ability for it's price and what it does. The iphone is just not an option for me on many levels and I don't like being restricted to what software I use like Apple OS does.

I'll admit that I am not too computer savy. I don't want to know how to keep a computer alive for longer than a year. I should have to. If running Microsoft means I must know how to defrag and permanently rid myself of something that can harm it I don't want it. Honestly though, I don't do a lot on my personal computers. I do photography, and word docs, plus browsing/emails and the usual. I play around with adobe photoshop, and a few other programs if I get the time, but nothing major. I tried doing these things on a Microsoft based for a few laptops and by just doing that I still lost them. If I could run Microsoft and do these things without worrying about failure I would I am not one or the other, I just want a computer I know will turn on and off, and operate everyday no matter what. So I buy Mac.

If someone of similar computer knowledge asked me for a recommendation I would tell them Mac. My mom is one of them and know owns a macbook pro. Her prior computers all failed for something unknown to any of us.

I have to wonder how many Mac converts actually had quality computers running windows and not the bargain junk sold at big box stores? It's funny how many I know wouldn't spend 12-1500 for a quality PC but will shell out that and more on a Mac. I mean, your operating system is only as good as the hardware. You can't expect sub 500 dollar machines to last a long time.

I spent almost $1000 on my HP laptop, it was still a POS! I gave PCs a chance for about 8 years. The last one I bought was just such a pile of crap I wanted to try a Mac, I know people that have had them and loved them. I also know from owning the same ipod for over 5 years, that apple products hold up. I have also had an iphone since they came out, when you do encounter a problem their customer service is on par with Castle, they take care of you the first time and resolve the problem, rather than giving you a run around and leaving you without functional equipment for 6 weeks!

Why not. I don't see how better higher end internals protects a Microsoft from all those who spend their days trying to destroy them.

Better hardware creates a more stable environment for an OS. I do own an IT support company and can tell you, the issues we have typically revolve around hardware and not software. The Mac OS also has just as many problems arise as Windows. None of our clients using our support setup has ever had a virus either, so to me the virus argument is kind of null and void.

I also would never recommend an HP laptop to anyone, regardless. They have an enormous failure rate. However that has nothing at all to do with Microsoft, which is what Apple constantly tries to pit itself against.

Case in point my business partners HP laptop ran win 7 like crap, his macbook runs it very well, however my Dell XPS handles win 7 better than his macbook.

There is also more to a computer, especially a laptop, than it's core components which needs to be built correctly. Layout, assembly, cooling, wiring, and efficiency have a lot to do with it too.

Again, getting away from the big box laptop companies like HP/Compaq helps a lot. I have customers on 4-5 year old toshibas running win 7 perfectly. I also have another customer with a 5 year old Pro Star laptop (which is a top notch company, http://pro-star.com/ ) running win 7 and it has never had a single issue.

One has to understand that most computers sold in big box retail stores are mass produced by the lowest bidder and not made for much more than casual use. Even when you think you are getting a lot of features for a good price, just run the other way. Something has to be sacrificed.

I can agree with that. I got a gateway a long time ago, and as soon as I upgraded the CPU to one a little faster (and more power hungry), the PSU went south. So, it is obvious they do use the minimum hardware that will work, but is stressed and therefore doesn't last as long.

Which is why I really really don't want to get an HP, Dell, etc when I get a new PC. I can get a decent discount (work for the state), but it doesn't much matter if it's a piece of crap.

Building your own box with aftermarket parts is preferable, but 1) you have to make sure everything is compatible (not as much of an issue these days) and 2) you have to buy the OS seperately (this is included in the price of pre-built units). ibuypower.com seems to have quite a good selection of aftermarket level hardware, and they assemble it for you and load the OS (the OS costs extra).

Sounds vaguely like another industry I know :whistle:

I fit in the catagory of 'illiterate'. Last couple of years I've been using a dell laptop given to me by Mum. Only issue I had was when I let the anti-virus run out :oops:

The other day I got a mac for the wife. It's different to use of course, been scratching my head, but I don't have the knowledge to say one is better than the other.:neutral: I am ok with that :tongue:

I'll be one to admit Apples are not perfect in any way. They still have no means of using Castle Software! :grrrrrr:

Apple does two things extremely well. Marketing and quality control. However, I do think Jobs arrogance is starting to get the best of him and some other players success in the market has definitely rattled his cage. One will see how good of a leader he really is in the next few years. Companies with high quality standards do tend to become complacent and arrogant in their products and the iPhone 4 issues are a prime example. Rushing it through to market while ignoring RF engineers who told the the antenna was a problem was a key indicator of this and I expect more things to come out in the future. Another market problem I see with Apple is over saturation with their iPods and iPhones. Many people save up for a while to buy the latest one only to find a few months later a newer and better version for the same price.