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The New Apple Advantage

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Re: The New Apple Advantage

#171

Post by rrrazdan »

Steko wrote: post #77
wysiwtf wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure that X220 is similar enough to an Air, it doesn't look like an air and the design specs are quite bulkier: MacBook Air 11 inch: Height: .68 Weight: 2.38 MacBook Air 13 inch: Height: .68 Weight: 2.96 X220 12 inch: Height: 1.25 Weight: 3.6 I don't think it matters that you spec'ed it out to be slightly faster, I bet many of the people who want an Air-like notebook want the thinnest, cleanest, lightest note…

Apple had to send their engineers over to Intel to teach them how to build the chips they wanted for the Airs. They wanted lower Ghz.

Proof? Links?

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#172

Post by dlss »

achompas wrote: post #153
dlss wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the reply. It cleared up my misunderstanding -- I think HN readers don't do a good job thinking when it comes to Apple stories. (for those curious here is the breakdown of why pbreit is wrong: 1. The guy I was replying to is by definition an HNer, and was talking about buying an air over a sony SB due to reinstall concerns. My "how odd" was in reply / directly to him. 2. Macs aren't ready to use out of the…

With #2 you're being disingenuous. All computers need some work, but PCs require much more work to uninstall crapware. As for #3, only one of the laptops you listed fits comfortably in my girlfriend's purse. As for the Air's hard drive? She has zero complaints, and I doubt her (or many others) would notice tiny differences in sequential read times (which is, I think, a measure of app-opening performance).

Okay, last reply and then I leave you guys to the fate of irrational happiness paying more for worse hardware.

re 2: It takes an hour to reinstall windows. If you swap out the hard drive (so a vertex 3 in a MBP), this is something you have to do with an apple anyway. One hour is not "much more work". Don't kid yourself.

re 3: If the MBA owner does anything CPU intensive they will likely profit by upgrading to the x220. Look at the real world numbers (http://www.anandtech.com/show/3991/apples-2010-macbook-air-1...) to get a better picture here. x220 numbers are harder to show, as no reviewers saw fit to review with a good hard drive in it -- just compare with the MBP in that review and know that the x220 with a vertex 3 is between 2 and 10x the 2010 15" MBP on those benchmarks (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=6056&re...).

But really, I think you're probably right -- it sounds like a mac would be better for you

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#173

Post by statictype »

ugh wrote: post #55
jellicle wrote: post #53

What I grasp from this is that John Gruber and Peter Bright are just too dim to understand basic online stores. This qualifies for mockery from Gruber/Bright: > "Everyday Computing" But this is good understandable product description: > "The ultimate everyday notebook" (that second one is Apple's marketing copy for the Macbook Air). The low-end Macbook Air is $999 in Canada. Let's compare. I just priced a Lenovo X220…

So, you really wanna claim that Apple has an equally confusing product lineup compared to other manufactures? That’s a quite daring claim (and also some impressive misleading quoting you are doing there). Apple doesn’t ask you to decide based on non-sensical marketing blabber like that. They use it, sure, but it isn’t central in the decision process of the buyer. Go to their store and check out how they do it: http:/…

Until recently, Apple had a 13" Macbook Air, a 13" MacBook and a 13" MacBook Pro.

As a first-time Mac buyer last year I was certainly confused about the difference between the plastic MacBook and the MacBook Pro.

I find it hard to believe that simplicity of choice is a reason people buy Apple laptops.

If you're looking at the various MacBook models, you've pretty much already made a conscious decision to consider buying from Apple for reasons that had nothing to do with how many models were on display.

It was probably the reputation for good design, easy software, lack of shovelware, no viruses etc...

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#174

Post by n3m6 »

glenra wrote: post #96
microarchitect wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand these things are partly symbolic, but besides that is this really useful? I mean, is there a real business benefit to Apple by making Khan take the next immediate flight to China rather than the one a few hours later. Similarly, what was your friend doing that was so important that he couldn't wait to get a change of clothes? I personally do my best work when I'm relaxed and un-stressed. The apple enviro…

Speaking from experience as somebody who has done this sort of trip: Yes, it's hugely useful and there is a real business benefit. First off, we're probably talking about a time when there were only a few direct flights a day from SFO to the relevant airport so if he didn't go that afternoon he'd have to wait until the next morning so instead of flying through the night he'd be flying through the day - flying RIGHT T…

As a consumer of Apple products I can relate. Apple, has never introduced vaporware, and almost always ships on deadline. I think those little things goes a long way to establish credibility.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#175

Post by sambe »

Fluxx wrote: post #83
socratic wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But at this point, it seems clear to me that however superior Apple's design is, it's their business and operations strength — the Cook side of the equation — that is furthest ahead of their competition, and the more sustainable advantage."

Right, but you can't discount the vision that Jobs had to show Apple and everyone else that having products that are uncompromising on design + are solid technically will lead to great success.

"at this point" refers to their advantages now, not when it became clear to Gruber. It is not intended to discount anything that happened in the past.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#176

Post by yardie »

gergles wrote: post #135
rayiner wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a geek and I couldn't care less what WiFi chipset is in my laptop. I was shopping for a ThinkPad X220 for someone, and it had the option of the regular screen or the "premium" screen for $50 more. They don't tell you what the "premium" screen is or why you'd want it. I presume the regular screen is shitty. Can you even imagine Apple offering such an option? A $1000+ laptop with a shitty screen, with a $50 option…

Yeah, it's pretty crazy, isn't it? Apple would never charge for an upgrade from a shitty screen on a $1000+ laptop. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/40663/2011-09-09_2245.png

The point is the Lenovo screen doesn't say what Premium gets you. Only that it is a $50 option. Your pic has glossy, Hi-res glossy, and hi-res matte.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#177

Post by ojilles »

initself wrote: post #104
dlss wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What an odd way to decide which machine you'll use every day for the next year or more. A clean install is really easy -- maybe one hour if you sit and watch it, fifteen minutes if you use your old laptop while it's going... why would you let a cost of Setup time is part of the cost of a system. I'm sure that the apple machine isn't actually ready for you to use it out of the box -- if you're like most HN readers you…

Me personally, I wouldn't let the cost of one hour drive my buying decision. But Aunt Tillie sure would.

Never met Aunt Tillie, but my guess would be what's 1 hour for you is days work for her, if she'd be able to complete it at all.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#178

Post by specialist »

dlss wrote: post #90
jseliger wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, you really wanna claim that Apple has an equally confusing product lineup compared to other manufactures? That’s a quite daring claim (and also some impressive misleading quoting you are doing there). Apple doesn’t ask you to decide based on non-sensical marketing blabber like that. They use it, sure, but it isn’t central in the decision process of the buyer. One other point: all three Macs I've owned were ready…

What an odd way to decide which machine you'll use every day for the next year or more. A clean install is really easy -- maybe one hour if you sit and watch it, fifteen minutes if you use your old laptop while it's going... why would you let a cost of Setup time is part of the cost of a system. I'm sure that the apple machine isn't actually ready for you to use it out of the box -- if you're like most HN readers you…

Bioinformatic workloads, huh? Sounds important.

I don't believe you.

If it was major number crunching, you'd batch that crap on the fastest servers you could afford.

If it's interactive, the computer is waiting on you more than doing work.

Just admit it: you're a technophile that likes to fiddle with all the knobs. Fine. Whatever floats your boat.

But don't play stupid about the OP's article.

HP, Dell, Lenovo, etc. have TERRIBLE marketing communications supported by TERRIBLE product family line ups.

The OP's point (hello!) is Apple's simplified product family allows them to achieve better economies of scale then their competitors.

Very simple.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#179

Post by Steko »

jbellis wrote: post #154
Steko wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's 3.3 pounds with the 6 cell battery.

2.9: http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPo...

He links a picture that says 2.9+ lbs., which I'll guess is possible but reeks of dodginess given that 90% of the major reviews (cnet, pcmag, engadget, laptopmag, all quote 3.3 (or 3.5) pounds for 6 cell configuration, these are easy to find with google, here's one that weighed it himself:

http://www.studenttechguide.com/2011/08/lenovo-thinkpad-x220...

I'm guessing 2.9 pounds might be for the originally planned 3 cell battery version which may be offered somehow but is not configurable through the online order at lenovo.

Re: The New Apple Advantage

#180

Post by biot »

dlss wrote: post #145
pbreit wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because you are missing the point. The discussion is on basic marketing which implies to the general populace, not HNers who are comfortable re-installing their OS. And you preface with "How odd..." either unknowingly or just plain condescendingly describing 95% of the computer buying public. Then you fib that Macs are not ready for use out-of-the-box. Then you put forth the classic defense of exaggerating the value…

Thanks for the reply. It cleared up my misunderstanding -- I think HN readers don't do a good job thinking when it comes to Apple stories. (for those curious here is the breakdown of why pbreit is wrong: 1. The guy I was replying to is by definition an HNer, and was talking about buying an air over a sony SB due to reinstall concerns. My "how odd" was in reply / directly to him. 2. Macs aren't ready to use out of the…

Regarding #2: plug in your previous Mac's Time Machine drive and it takes two minutes to initiate a restore. All your apps and data are restored automatically for you while you sit back and have lunch. What's that process like on Windows?
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