Comments on: Apple needs to bring Mac prices down

Apple prices its Macs too high, according to Don Reisinger. But if it wants to truly gain market share, it should drop them as soon as possible.

[billcy]

Thank God Apple has such a low market share, imagine what it would cost to buy a computer if they were the dominant OS. They have never been shy about high prices and proprietary hardware addons. I'd rather have two Windows machines then one Apple. After all these years and pro-Apple media bias they still can't crack 10% of the market.

[Moped_Wrecker]

Apple can't help that 90% of the market is poor. If you can't afford something, you can't have it. So if apple was priced lower you would buy it?

[.michael]

People will buy macs for the operating system, not only for the better quality (my opinion) hardware. As apple advances, more people will switch to Mac. And for them, they are always releasing a new product with 2x the speculation and hype of most computing companies.

And can't you see where there growth is going? There expanding their shipping rates by thousands every quarter. All apple is doing is going up.

[khamin-senz]

i started repairing macs in 1991 and pcs in 1993. i started building my own systems in 1994 and became a software engineer the same year. in my opinion apple hardware is not better than any other computer. inside the components are basically the same. but the design makes the hardware look better than it is which is not a bad thing. but since the apple's supported hardware subset is smaller than mainstream pcs I think their QA is better. so you end up with a better product in the end.

in my experience anyone who says Vista runs without problems is not being honest. I've bought Vista systems [http://dell/gateway/etc..|http://dell/gateway/etc..] and i've built Vista systems and there's something wrong with all of them. Vista resource management isn't as bad as some say, but the performance is. i didn't get good performance until in put in 4G of RAM, 256MG Video, and 200GB HD. Even then the system still crashed 2-3x/week

For me, if you're buying Apple, you're not buying it for the hardware. You're buying it for the software experience. Things just work period. Apple really focuses on the quality of usability for its software. And hands down, OSX demolishes Vista in efficient use of resources. OS X is smooth with 1G of RAM with better graphics. Most Vista feaures are bad copies of something in OSX, windows search/spotlight, windows flip/expose, windows navigation/real unix navigation, etc....

i use a windows machine at work and OSX at home. Because frankly i write software and do network support all and by the time i get home, that's enough crappy Microsoft software for one day.

[darcydj]

Backward compatibility = Same old security holes. You will find that when Apple has a major change in OS versions there is a huge reduction in system vulnerability.

I am not familiar with the iPod interface you speak of but I am sure there was much more of a reason than to just make more money. I have several friends that have had iPods since day one and do not hesitate to replace the non working one with a new one within days. I have had my Vid Gen 5 iPod for about 3 or 4 years now and when it goes to iPod heaven it will be replaced with the most current iPod.

[Lemon5]

I hate how high strung Apple thinks of themselves. I have only used a mac like once, and it wasn't that bad. What i can't stand is that they are so expensive for what you get, and they are so crippled in what they can do. The reason they made boot camp is that they are admitting that not much runs on a Mac. Another thing is game developers stay far away from macs. I think John Carmack was the one who said that Apple doesn't even want to try with games on a mac. Sorry Apple, snobs don't excel in when they are the underdog. I hope you guys stay below MS.

[sanjayb]

I don't feel crippled using my Macbook Pro. I am not a gamer. Outside of games I am able to do the same things with my MBP as I did when I used Windows.

[Tinshield118]

I've owned both and a couple years ago it seemed that you could justify a Mac but now the price of PC's is so low you almost feel like an idiot even walking in to an Apple store. I just replaced my business laptop with a Vista one from HP. The biggest headache with it involves revamping domain policy, not an issue for consumers. Other than that I don't find it much more buggy than XP was at times. If I hear one more person complain about UAC as the main reason they don't like Vista I'll strangle them. Turn it off if it bothers you!

[Josh M]

The comparison between the HP laptop and the Pro was not a fair one. You can get a similarly equipped Apple laptop for 1800-2000 dollars, only about 600 dollars more. Quite a difference there.

[bigmc6000]

The author is obviously not a business major or apparently he decided to completely ignore that side of the point. Apple is making TONS of money, every single quarter is better than the last - continued growth is what the company and its stock holders want - not a massive onslaught of sales (with lower margins) only to be followed up by stagnant growth. Look at MS's 5 year stock trend - pretty boring huh? Apple, when it comes down to it, is a company and they want to make as much money as they can without sacrificing ANYTHING. In this case that sacrifice would be profit margin - look what happened when they said the profit margin was going to drop some (still above all the other computer manufacturers), the stock went down and thus, Apple's value went down. Also, Apple doesn't want to be #1, they are success because they are "the other OS." They don't have to worry about working with zillions of different hardware configurations, they don't have to worry about Anti-trust or monopoly law suits. They like exactly where they are and they are going to continue down that path because, above all else, owning a computer is more about an experience than it is about specs (at least to the overwhelming majority of people, most of which don't visit a site like CNet)

[RadioPictures]

I just bought a computer with Vista. There has never in the history of psychological brainwashing by the press and rather inexperienced users more injustice done to a perfectly good...and in fact some ways great...operating system. I have been professionally involved with computers at the machine code level for 35 years...I KNOW!

[leganx]

I never got why people pay premium for a name. It is not the hardware for sure, as it can easily be matched with other vendor for much less. Is it the OS, really? a $1000 worth OS?

[JoeD1979]

Even though I do no agree with you on your comment about how more often the not tech savvy people would run Mac, I agree with you what you say about price. My brother, loves Mac and always says that I should get one. However, I haven't had that much trouble with Windows, and personally, there is no way in hell I am paying $1,000 more for a system that is basically the same only with a picture of an apple on it. I would love to own a Mac, but I will NEVER buy one at the prices they are now.

[grpaul349]

Basically the same? Apparently you've never used OS X.

If you look at a comparable Macbook you'll find they are not that much more expensive - and offers so many things not available on any Windows PC.

[ripragged]

If you can't afford a Mac, you can't afford a computer. You can't run your el cheapo Wally World box with the most recent fully version of Windows. Can. Not. You certainly won't find a four-year old Windows box running any version of Vista.

I have four-year old Macs running Leopard. There is ONLY a full version. They run fine.

You can't even GET Vista to run on a four-year old non-Mac machine. I can run Vista on a four-year old Mac. (there are some hacks involved, but it can be done)

If you can't afford a Mac, don't buy one. But if you're going to call someone stupid for their choice of computer, get a mirror.

[hutchitl]

Personally I don't think Apples are too expensive. Maybe they're expensive if you think you have to have a macbook pro or a mac pro, but as for an imac or macbook, I think the price is worth it. for approximately 1400 I got a powerful laptop, light and thin. No bloatware, Ilife suite, enough RAM to make a top of the line os extremely fast and apple ware. I have never had a crash, programs don't freeze like they do in windows, and i'm not as annoyed with osx as I get with windows and the constant asking for permission to do anything. Overall the computing experience is the biggest sell. I'll be disappointed the day Apple cheapens itself in order to compete. If Apple lowers its prices or licenses its OS to run on non-apple software, I think there will be more viruses and the overall quality will diminish. So I will pay the extra money for the quality of my computer.

[seiboshen]

hahaha to the idiot that said he has 0 problems running VIsta for the last year. FANBOY!!! hahahah what an idiot. Seriously man, if you want to lie, might as well be a good one.

[smiles8584]

the reason that there are a lot more reports out there about vista crashing is the same reason why there are more honda in accidents then kia's. there are a alot more of them out there. i know all of 8 people that own a mac, i live with 2 of them. 1 has had to send her computer in twice due to separate problems and my girlfriends mac, which was bought the same time as mine and on almost all similar programs mine is faster and i use mine about 5 times more, her OSX cost 1700 my vista cost 1100. and yes the mac does crash.

this journalism in this article is horrible. i learned about this type of writing in college, when a writer makes a remark such as Let's face it -- the average tech-savvy person is well aware of the benefits of owning a Mac and more often than not, they will run a Mac or Linux box before Windows even enters the home. he is simply trying to trick the non tec-savvy user into thinking the mac is better. the true tech- savvy person knows better to be tricked. fyi i dont thing macs are junk, i just think they are like starbucks coffee, good coffee but really nothing special. now the trend is slowing down and the popularity has fallen greatly. apples time will come.

[Dalmatian28]

haha ...This is what you get when journalist tries to write technology article!!!!!! The problem with that is that you need to know what you are talking about! I guess they don't tech technology in their schools. I work in IT industry and the idea how Mac is somehow better than PC is bunch of BS. (ps. I own both Mac and PC) If all you are going to do watch movies and listen to the iTunes...I can agree with that! If you want to do real business and get job done, Mac's become bunch of incompatible useless junk! I get ten times more calls for Mac's than PC (per computer unit) from my clients! The trend now is that everyone is trashing everything related to PC yet the people that know most about technology are the one that admire what PC's have to offer and keep their mouth shot. We all know who owns Mac's!!!!
Unfortunately, "the creative types" also write this type of articles even though they aren't qualified to do so! Vista is not great OS but if installed on proper hardware, it can be pretty stable platform. You do need Core 2 Duo 2.6 GHz and up with 2 Gb or RAM. I am running it on my desktop since it cam out, I didn't have any major problem with it. My MacBook on the other hand, has forced me to run XP on it every time I need use any of our custom software that my company uses. I bought MacBook because I needed to know both OS's really well!
Now I think that is just over-priced, over-hyped MP3 player!

[cdtphilpot]

I'm a techie and an IT guy and our graphic design team uses Macs and everyone else uses PCs. Realistically I would take a Mac any day. For me it's about ease of use, of my Macbook and to me what has been an excellent experience since switching to Apple. I agree with the person before all these articles are pointless why can't people people just be content with letting users use what they like and want. After all I/we are paying for the Mac not you!

[Scottrosenberg91]

if they do lower the prices, i will by an imac. simple as that.

[ripragged]

At Dalmatian 28. Thank you.

If I was a Windows Fanboi, I would be really pissed that you're on my side. If I was Microsoft or Dell, I'd launch a literacy campaign among Windows users.

If I was a Mac fanboi, I'd quote your comments to show why. You haven't a clue how to use the English language.

That translates to looking monumentally stupid, which tells educated people exactly who likes Windows: semi-literate hacks. You're advertising for Apple with your grammatical car wrecks. As an Apple shareholder, I applaud you.

[ssskimmer]

Yes, a drop in price would certainly be welcomed, HOWEVER after reading several of the posted comments, I think that many of those who commented seem to LACK knowledge about what YOU REALLY GET when you purchase an APPLE. The savings you get with a PC may seem like a good deal at first, but you don't get much more than an OS and some generic applications so you spend a huge chunk of change on additional software programs. On the other hand, when you purchase a Mac all you have to do is take it out of the box, plug in a few things, and you ARE READY TO GO! Get online, publish a brochure, make a movie, compose your own music, surf the web, and so much more. NO EXTRA COST! Software that comes standard with a Mac can range from a user friendly OS and browser, photo, video, and music editing applications, iTunes, E-mail and calendar tools, just to name a few. I have been a believer in Apple since I started using a IIe back in the late 80's. When you go with Apple you get both QUALITY and QUANTITY. You don't have hidden after costs, repairs, viruses, programs to purchase, and software compatibility problems issues with a Mac like you often do with most PC's. The peace of mind you have when you own a Mac is worth every extra penny. Since Windows was modeled after Apple's graphic user interface, one can easily convert from a PC to a Mac. If you are comfortable using a Mac, you can find your way around in windows, too. Just a different layout.... If a PC can do something, you can bet that a Mac can, too because Apple probably did it first. Obviously, I am sold on Apple and have been since the beginning-- long before desktop computers even had hard drives. Any questions? Buy a Mac! It will be worth it in the long run. ssclarbo