Survey: Some iPod fans dump PCs for Macs

The popularity of the iPod could be boosting Apple Computer's financials in unexpected ways.

According to a survey of iPod users by financial analysis firm Piper Jaffray, Macs are basking in the reflected glory of the iPod, with some who own the music player saying they have already or are intending to ditch their PCs for Macs.

The research found that 6 percent of iPod users have made the switch. An additional 7 percent said they are planning to dump their old PC for an Apple machine, according to the survey.

Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray senior research analyst, said the iPod halo effect will make a difference to Apple for a while to come.

"We're in the very early innings of a multiyear trend," he said.

Among the factors influencing the PC-dumping crowd are ease of use, a focus on entertainment and the perception of better security.

The switchers, according to Munster, tend to be people who aren't necessarily techie types.

"A lot of people, with all due respect, don't understand the technology...They're people with money, not tech people," he said.

While Apple might see a healthy period ahead, to turn the advantage into long-term gain the company has to keep setting the design trends, according to the analysts.

"They've got to keep that 'cool factor' going," Munster said. "If they don?t, they're in trouble."

Jo Best of Silicon.com reported from London.

[David Arbogast]

That's it!

That's it! The world is changing! The iPod has become the ultimate Windows killer... people are moving in swarms... mass droves are headed to cash in their PCs so they can replace them with Macs... Music has conquered IT, and the iPod is vessle... the ultmate trojan horse, loaded with whatever payload iPod users can stuff on its little drive!

no, wait....

[Earl Benser]

What a dweeb !!!!!!!!!!!!

As usual

[Christopher Hall]

Apple Techie Horror Story

The article raises the point that many people who switch nowadays are people with money, but not necessarily very technologically adept. In my experience, I've found this to be true.

I was riding the Acela a few months back from New Haven and sat next to what could have been an Apple poster-boy. I'm talking iPod, PowerBook, wireframe glasses, short, disheveled hair, and an Apple shirt. Mr. Jobs would have been proud.

I normally enjoy the company of Apple users because I find them refreshing and fun to be around (when they aren't touting their "M$ is the devil" spin, that is). This one, though, was different. We didn't strike up a conversation because he was working and listening to music, but I noticed that he was editing what looked to be a company document on his Powerbook. After a few minutes, he pulls out a red ballpoint pen, marks the location of the corporate logo ON THE SCREEN, and goes to another part of the document to see if they line up.

On the screen!

If anyone ever took a pen to my laptop, I'd end up in jail serving eight consecutive life sentences.

Then, to remove the ink, he licks his thumb and smears it all over the screen. This, of course, only smudges the red ink and he has successfully reduced computer hardware from electronic art in action to a child's plaything. I was utterly shocked. This continued until he got off at New York and I think his departure dropped my blood pressure back into the normal range.

Really, though, that's the problem with "a computer on ever desk" thinking. You're going to get a lot of people out there who really shouldn't be using them because they haven't got a clue what they're doing. How many people do you know who confuse memory with hard disk space? How many people do you know who double-click internet links? How many people do you know who click-scroll instead of using the wheel (official pet peeve)?

[203129769353146603573853850462]

So what is your point?

Its become fashionable to bash people who arent computer savvy. I just dont understand this trend. Who cares if they dont know the difference between memory and their hard drive. Most people who drive a car everyday have no idea how to fix one if something goes wrong. Does this mean that they shouldnt be driving? If this guy wants to mark up his laptop with red ink, what difference does it make to you? To most people, computers are tools to be used, no pieces of art to be worshipped. Computers should just work for people, and if it breaks they take it to a repair shop, just like they do their car. They shouldnt have to know all the components or how their os works, it should just work. So get over yourself already. If some guy marking up his lcd with a marker makes your blood pressure rise then your headed for an early death my friend.

[Barak]

Mac Using Techie

I beg to differ. I've been a mac user all my life. My father is a
microbiologist and an advanced mac computer user. He has
been using macs ever since computers existed. Currently, our
emmediate family owns four iPods and six operating macs (two
are getting pretty old, only for email and web-surfing). I'm an
Apple power user, familiar with the whole operating system, as
well as some Unix and HTML. I plan to learn programming in the
future. True, macs do apply to the non-computer friendly
becuase of their ease of use, lack of viruses, stability and
coolness. But they also offer plenty to the computer savvy.
Anything advanced that can be done on Windows can also be
done on macs. Mac OS X's underlying Unix OS allows for endless
possibilities, as does the Developer Tools package that comes
with every OS. I also have plenty of techie mac acquantances.
Not all mac users are not computer savvy; not even close.

Count me in.

Actually, I'd been seriously interested in Applie since the debut
of OS X. Pruchasing the iPod reinforced the desire for a laptop.

My iBook does EVERYTHING I need to do. In a security sence,
that means running open source software (ethereal, snort,
MacStumbler, etc) and the PC market, unfortunately, seems to
think that anybody that wants a smaller laptop with a 12" screen
is a business droid who wants to spend an additional kilobuck
for the priveledge.

My 12" ibook, aside from being the idea size for the Bus
commute, is a seriously well equipped laptop for $1000.

[sanjef]

Recent XP-guru-turned-Switcher here!

I'm no techno-phobe... I've built many a PC and have been installing Windows since version 3.11 (as well as flavors of Linux) throughout the last dozen years. I clean the crud out of my friends' and family's PCs on an almost regular basis (it's starting to annoy me, actually - but I know it can't be helped much). I feel I know enough about the architecture, industry and the market of these devices that I've come to the rational conclusion of dumping my XP box in favor of a new 17" 1.8Ghz iMac G5 just a little over a month ago.

I had it with continually playing the Windows equivalent of "whack the mole" as I weekly needed to chase causes for system hangs, locked up USB ports, having to reboot to regain Internet access (because choosing to "repair" the connection wouldn't work), PocketPC sync problems, winword.exe process issues, etc. Since getting the iMac, I can honestly say that although I'm still learning my way around OS X (getting deeper as I go) and there may be a few things about Windows I miss (due mostly to familiarity), the benefits of having a computer that actually works far outweigh any perceived losses.

I didn't build the iMac - but was able to order it built to my specs. I didn't install OS X - but find it to be the most solid, attractive and out-of-my-way operating system I've ever had the pleasure of being in front of. Programs "install" by simply placing them in the Applications directory and "uninstall" when you drag them to the trash - simple, elegant, and no DLL or registry dependencies.

To sum it up, my entire family loves the iMac - and threatens me whenever I mention I miss aspects of XP. They quickly remind me of all the issues I had with Windows that I'd too soon forgotten. They tell me it's really nice having Dad (me) joining them on the couch - a luxury of free time the Mac has given me - and they don't want to lose me again.

Made the switch - switching back

When I first bought my iPod nearly two years ago, I also bought a Mac G4. Unfortunately, all the things that you hear about the downside of owning a Mac are true - and they are really not much easier to work with. I have had issues with Apple support not solving problems with the o/s, the power supply for my G4 was recalled (and I had to replace it myself), many websites don't work correctly, especially banking and other financial sites; sites that stream video like news and sports often aren't compatable. So, I just bought another Dell - my third. My Mac has been relegated to being a mini-entertaintment system to feed my iPod. And more importantly, I won't buy another Apple device. Frankly, I don't even like the way the iPod restricts my download services to iTunes.

[Barak]

You didn't give mac a chance

I don't know what your special circumstances were, but when
Apple, or any company for that matter issues a recall, they
replace the product for you. I've been using the mac all my life,
and only recently have I encountered a website that doesn't fullly
function with the mac. In the past when Apple's web browser
Safari was in beta and/or young, there were form sites that
Safari couldn't handle, but that was fixed over a year ago now.
Plus, there was and still is Internet Explorer for the mac, which
could handle all those sites. Apple has always ranked number
one in customer service and support in consumer magazines
(Consumer Reports and others), and their website just recieved
an award for being one of the top ten support sites in the world.
Can't really argue with those facts, can you? As for your
complaints about the mac being just as hard to use, just ask any
mac user who knows what they're doing and they'll tell you how
much safer, stabler and easier mac OS X is than Windows. When
you try something new, your whould always learn how to use it
and become familiar with it before you judge it. Just becuase a
mac doesn't operate like Windows doesn't mean it's worse. If you
had gotten to know it and understand it and stopped thinking
the close minded Microsoft way, maybe you would understand
how much better macs actually are.

Yeah mac is for more computer knowledge savvy.

You sound like you only use the computer to do the basics. Yeah the advance OS X is more for scientists and other tech savvys. For an older windows user. They may not be able to learn the unix system. But thats too bad. cause OS X is much superior to the windows and linux system.

G4 Power Supply Recall?

I also went through this recall. As I remember it was a voluntary recall to reduce the amount of noise the power supply made and there was not problem with the existing unit. So, you could have skipped it if you didn't want to do it.

It was also a very simple exchange service and if you didn't want to do it yourself you could get the local Apple Service Tech to do it for you.

They provided great instructions and all the tools and I did it myself in only a few minutes. SO, I'm not sure what you are complaining about with this.

Switching for MAC OS X.

Even though i just bought the ipod, the main reason i planned my switch to Mac is for its superior MAC OS X operating system.

[nobrainr]

Not the techie types?

Mac OSX has FreeBSD engine running underneath. I know a handfull of Berkeley EECS majors who prefer Mac OSX over XP. Go say that on Slashdot, they'll tell you different.

[rdupuy11]

He misses the point

To say that the majority of users isn't a techie type, is just to say that Apple's customers are exactly the same as Dell's, HP's, and all the rest....the majority of PC purchasers are not the techie types, thats the reality of the market.

If he's trying to imply techie's dont choose apple, he is mistaken. While it is a great, fun, easy to use computer, it's unix core underpinning's are very appealing to some techies...and it's why you see all the intensive research mathematics, bioengineering, and similar moving over to Mac OS X...its great to have a unix, thats also fun!

I've written many programs, had a career as a DBA, and I think I'm a techie type, and I have a Power Mac G5.

With all due respect, I guess the author of the article, just isn't a techie type.

[rdupuy11]

no ipod

p.s. I don't own an ipod either. I also made the switch for Mac OS X. (not really a switch, I have two computers, both platforms are kept current)

I would say, i'll never buy an ipod, but who knows, if they come out with a flash device, cheap enough, I occasionally have a need to carry around some audio...no point in saying never.

[technewsjunkie]

I agree. Stereotyping Mac users.

And I told the author that.

Everyone PC tech I know thinks Mac users are "pony tailed"
"graphics" know nothings.

[technewsjunkie]

Mac users are dumb, rich, graphics no nothings.

How many times have you Mac users been identified as these
stereotype.

I expect more from news.com.
Although I see the same names from the IT trades popping up
on news.com now. Heck, I dumped my subscriptions to some of
those because of their Windows centric views.

I bet you live in a blue state...

and wear a pocket protector.

I hope many make the jump ... and stay.

Recent developments in the INTEL camp should give overdue
credit to the Mac camp that GHz alone is no true measure of
computer power, something the Mac camp has advocated for
several years now. INTEL has recently started singing that tune
now that they have decided to abandon a 4GHz chip. See cnet
related story at http://news.com.com/
Intel+kills+plans+for+4GHz+Pentium/2100-1006_3
-5409816.html?tag=nl

MS Office is also available on the Mac and there is no lack of
available apps. In fact, on the multimedia space, Windows plays
second fiddle, and people who try iPhoto, iMovie and related
Mac apps (iLife) most of the time love it.

Security, either by true strenght or reduce numbers is great. I
worry a lot less about my Macs than my systems with XP and
2003 on them.

It just works. It's true, most pieces of HW is plug and go. No
driver disk, reboot, digital signature, Windows certified
nonsense. Apple drives technology in the market. Most things
we take for granted in the PC space were initially introduced by
Apple products. (See Craig Barret comments on USB, how hard
INTEL tried to push it for years and credits Apple really driving
acceptance in the market). Same with Firewire, LCD displays and
64 bit capabilities.

Mac users, dumb? Bah! I want to be as dumb as Java creator and
Mac user James Gosling. Also the fact that many at the NSA use
PowerBooks. Why? the common heritage with *NIX systems
gives it a powerful core, plus projects like Fink
(fink.sourceforge.net) give power users the best of both worlds,
the comercial, company backed sw and hw, and the best of
UNIX/Linux and many open source projects.

So c'mon, make the jump. I'm a Mac, Windows and Linux user
and I were force to keep one and only one ... I'll choose the Mac.

Some points to correct.....

I'd like to state first of all that I agree with all the posters that said a computer is a tool. Nothing to get hot and bothered over.

Only thing that bugs me is when people try to claim certain things as facts, when they are completly wrong.

Quote:"Apple drives technology in the market. Most things we take for granted in the PC space were initially introduced by Apple products. (See Craig Barret comments on USB, how hard INTEL tried to push it for years and credits Apple really driving
acceptance in the market). Same with Firewire, LCD displays and 64 bit capabilities."

- USB peripherals introduced in 1997. First Apple with USB - May 1998 (original iMac).

- LCD displays were available for PC's at the same time as for Mac's.

- 64-bit capabilities - ever hear of the Opteron processor (AMD) and 64-bit Linux (a true 64-bit OS)? Available before Apple's.

Initially introduced by Apple? Care to Google your "facts"?

And how does a company with 3% of market share drive technology?

[lingsun]

Percentage of ipod users??

It doesn't really give much information that a very small percentage of Ipod users are going to switch to Macs. What would be useful to know is whether or not Apple will increase it's market share significantly or not.

Mac OS X

I already made the switch even before getting my iPod. Mac OS X
has a security advantage that is vastly better than people are
aware. The Windows problem is that there is NO WAY to protect
the system core, the registry. Virtually every new worm makes
edits to it! It is like allowing root access to anyone who can see
the Windows computer IP. This kind of tactic can never work on
a Mac!
Tommy Hoyer
Miami FL

What the??

Just because you don't know how to do something doesn't mean you can't do it. Of course you can restrict the registry and I do it in my office for my Windows users.

doh!

'assetID' is a required parameter for CNETAssetKey

here are the facts

As reported here: http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=8713

Mac computer sales are dropping. So how is it this story is fact?

Apple's worldwide market share fell to 1.8% in the third quarter of this year from 2.1%, and dropped to 3.2% from 3.6% in the U.S., according to figures from research company Gartner. The numbers also showed dramatic declines in the quarter-to-quarter growth rate of Macs sold while Apple's Windows-based competitors saw double digit increases in the U.S and an almost 10% rise worldwide.

-1.8%? LOL. That is the lamest ever. I wonder what apple is doin wrong? Hmmm..let me see...is it the computers? is it the OS? probably not. IMO it's the attitude of its user base and the company itself. No one likes a crying little *****.

Bring on the trolling zelots.

[Earl Benser]

One fact you forgot....

Super cheapr PC's are quite common around the world as
hardware designs and software are pirated. When you can buy a
bootleg PC for $300 or so, that's tough competition for the
honest folks, no matter what platform you use.

And the general PC user is not technically sophisticated. The PC,
bootlegged or not, probably is as much as he can handle. SO the
world wide sales data are believable.

By the way, have you even made a serious attempt to see what a
Mac can really do? Maybe it's not for you, but I doubt that you
really know that.

[andrew.badge]

iPOD is trendy but it sucks

Sorry guys...the iPOD is cool and "trend setting", but it leaves a lot to be desired.

the only poeple who will be moved to apple by an iPOD purchase really don't know their stuff.

Who would change to Apple by buying a device that is unreliable (constant updates, rebooting), slow, restricted to 1 software package (itunes), aggreesive restrictions on software access (blocking direct music access).

and yes i do own one (40GB), but I'll never buy and ipod again...