The Computer for the Best of Us

[nfotxn]

An interesting little article that lightly dissects Apple's marketing of OS X Tiger to reveal their real market niche: elite users. iPods, high end digital cameras, consumer grade HD video editing, h.264 codec for the iSight. All their new technology revolves around expensive devices for expensive computers.

And that's not a bad thing at all. Every market needs their B&O or Mercedes. But I continue to lament an egalitarian alternative to Microsoft. In fact, in light of Apple's current and rather unrelenting drive up the market I find myself waiting for Microsoft. When they finally get their security affairs in order they can continue to lead as the computer for the rest of us. They will be able to deliver on a sub-$1000 modern computer with a GPU accelerated interface, data driven file system, flat panel screen and all that fancy new stuff.

Sure if you buy an iMac today you get all that stuff. But it's not affordable for most people in the market for a computer.

And Mac Heads, don't get smug about the usability just yet. Remember that Microsoft was able to take a giant leap in those terms with Windows XP. A similar leap is expected for Longhorn.

So Apple doesn't have a mass market product nor marketing that addresses a large audience. Any explanation at this point would be entirely speculative. We can only wonder if Apple ever intends to leave their kingdom and join the rest of us? And if that happens will they lose all of their cachet?

Comments

[thekingoftoday.livejournal.com]

When I bought my computer last year, I wanted an Apple badly. I spent $1800 on a Dell and a monitor. That would barely have gotten just the CPU from Apple. I wonder the same thing about Apple. They certainly encourage the cult following by making their product something either for the rich or something people have to basically change their lives in order to afford.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

Exactly. But all they've been doing for the longest time is masturbating the cult and really making no progress in the larger scheme of things. The one exception is the iPod which I think they plan on capitalizing on in the future? But it's all speculative from here.

See thing is their product is superior. But once they bring that product into the rest of the market by lowering prices suddenly they're actually competing with other market forces. Rather than creating a premium market that they can leisurely sip at for all eternity. That's hardly interesting or useful at all. Unless you make a lot of money.

[keanubear.livejournal.com]

I'm not rich, nor did I change my life to afford an apple.

I just chose to spend the money on it! It did mean putting off buying a new bass that I didn't really need, maybe that's changing my life, I don't know!

I just wanted something that would work, and run pro tools easily.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

I want a Mac Mini that runs the latest operating system properly. Is that so much to ask? I mean the graphics card doesn't support Core Image entirely. Add the pokey 4200rpm drive into the mix and the great value is pretty diminished. If the thing cost $100 less I'd be sold.

[chinacub.livejournal.com]

I think you're undermining your own argument when you use the advanced ("elite") features to dismiss Apple's cheaper computers. The Mac mini is just fine for most people's uses, even moderate Photoshop and video editing. A user that worries about Core Image and the RPM on their hard drive is an "elite" user, and will pay more for better performance on both sides of the Mac/PC dividing line. How many people are doing heavy lifting with Avid and 3D Studio Max with sub-$1000 setups?

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

US $1,199 gets you a 3.0 GHz high end Dell with a widescreen 24" monitor these days - that's not bad, not bad at all.

Fry's even had a [admittedly kinda crappy] laptop for US $499 last weekend.

Look, you can find plenty of stuff for way cheap these days in the PC space. Other than being pretty, there's no compelling reason for a GPU accelerated interface; a data driven file system, well, install GDS or MSN Desktop Search, and you're mostly there. You know the drill.

I guess what I'm saying is what you want is mostly already here - at least the important bits.

And I'd also suggest that Longhorn may not be taking a giant leap of any kind in re: usability. I haven't seen it, but it's not something Microsoft has historically delivered on. I hope I'm proven wrong.

[keanubear.livejournal.com]

Elite uses?

As a public school teacher / musician I don't really consider myself that elite. It was more expensive to get a mac but it has been worth it in the lack of problems I have had with the computer and the use I get out of it. No virus issues, etc. etc. blah blah blah... and you know what, it does look pretty!

For what I want to do (pro tools) the mac just works better.

I did have to make certain spending choices, and admittedly I am not getting a new computer anytime soon, but I just chose to spend my money in a certain way.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

And that's fine, you totally made that choice and it suits you. However I think it's unreasonable business to continue to keep powerful computing that much out of reach. In my mind no matter how much better Macs are they will still not be #1 in my mind. They're undemocratic.

[keanubear.livejournal.com]

Undemocratic? Is any consumer item democratic? I don't know of any free computers out there myself. Any consumer item is made so it turns a profit on some level. Even the cheapest things.

Apple is under no moral obligation to provide cheap computers for people. Now it would be unreasonable if Apple were doing something unfair, illegal, or harmful to people. What they do is sell computers that do cost more, to people willing to pay that price.

[sinnabor.livejournal.com]

Well, the computer for the rest of us has always been overpriced.

Or, put differently, if it's better, of course they're going to ask for more money. But we live in a country where the shitty service and low-grade products of Wal-Mart sell well.

But with that said, I don't think the Mac mini is a bad deal.

Longhorn will be an improvement in many areas, but I think it's lacking a single stand-out feature that would push sales to upgraders. Apple continues to make OS improvements that are smallish but kinda sexy and well marketed.

I wonder if there are parallels here with the browser market. IE wins, so development on it slows, so Mozilla/Firefox slowly crawls ahead, so IE suddenly needs to be improved... What if the same thing is happening with the OS's on a much slower timescale?

It's also important to note that Microsoft has done serious chunks of engineering to make PC's manageable in businesses, and Apple's not doing any of it. So MS is unlikely to lose that market. But I think the consumer world is a different thing entirely, and I'm kinda expecting Apple to show good gains in consumer market share.

[jawnbc]

Mac mini? Entry level iBook? Pourquoi pas?

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

For an entry level desktop or laptop most PC manufacturers are under-cutting Apple an awful lot. $500 gets you a Dell with a flat panel display. The price you pay for a 12" iBook gets you a 15.2" wide-aspect PC notebook. Sure the value added stuff from iLife isn't there.

[jawnbc]

It's a value versus price difference I think. For the extra $500 with the Mini (and an inexpensive flat panel from Future Slop, plus usb keyboard and mouse), I'd get:

-seamless support for hardware and the OS
-No virus worries.At.All
- a more user friendly GUI
- straightforward hardware expansion
- the only software expediture would be MS Office, which the academic/student/non profit version costs the same either platform

$ is $, but I've never had anything but heartache with PCs. Recently querrelle bought a lovely new Toshiba laptop, and it took about 6 hours to get the Bluetooth to work properly. With my computer it took 2 minutes. Ditto memory expansion, setting network settings, installing software.

When geeks start comparing PC's based on cost, that's usually 'cause they have both the knowledge and inclination to tweak such things on an ongoing basis. I don't.

My computer works for me, not the other way around. I've got better things to do with my time--like eat peanuts and watch Australian TV.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

My computer works for me, not the other way around. I've got better things to do with my time--like eat peanuts and watch Australian TV.

Amen.

[perlcub]

Right the feck on, brothah!

[perlcub]

I've helped all kinds of customers at my store, from the average Joe like you and me who saves for weeks to get a Shuffle to the Rich SOB who'll buy Logic Pro for his 8 years-old because "he thinks it'll be fun."

If a customer comes in wanting a new computer without the big bucks, I may suggest an eMac or Mac Mini. Sure it may seem underpowered when compared to some ATI 3GHz system, but if you spend a lot of dough for really high-level features that aren't being used, you aren't really capitalising on your invesment, are you?

Anyhoo there's a lot more to computers than monitors, drives and chip speeds... You know that.

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

There's definitely a lot more to it. The Mac user experience is really rich and awesome. However I still think they need to jump into a bigger pond and really start to market themselves to more users. The whole concept of the Apple Store with an design like some furniture porn interior solidifies the notion of a premium brand. Something totally undemocratic and elite.

[perlcub]

Er...

The stores are clean and organized, and yes that could potentially suggest a premium brand. But do Dell or HP have any similarly successful brick and mortar store filled with trained and certified specialists? And would you want to shop at any store that wasn't kept up? That there are so many Apple retail stores popping up (and the chain is only a handful of years old in retail) suggests they're doing something right.

And I couldn't disagree with you more about the "undemocratic" assertion, to the effect that appearances can be deceiving. The store appearance may suggest one thing, but what about the content therein? One-on-one personalized training sessions, free workshops, troubleshooting at the store, and so on suggest that Apple is more than a purdy logo.

For some reason I'm being reminded of other arguments of appearance versus inner content...

Anyhoo... I'm more in disagreement with the tone of the linked article than anything said here. Sure parts of the new Macs may appeal to elites, but they're also useful for common folk and that cannot be overlooked.

[jbear70.livejournal.com]

Apple is a niche product and as such they have developed a rabit following. It's a good product no doubt but I think they relish their position. Broadening their appeal I think will lessen their image of exclusivity. I share your desire though. Although I toil with an MS based product, it would be nice to experience the MAC difference. I had that opportunity, albeit limited, when Ron still lived here. It was an interesting machine to say the least.

[bigredlug.livejournal.com]

I've made my living from being able to tolerate Microsoft enough to work on them. For years, I have deftly turned aside the barbs of "how can you work with Microsoft when Macs are su much better?" To me, the truth is that Apple makes a better product only because they use proprietary parts and can write code 100% for their own hardware, which makes it expensive. For them to make an inexpensive computer, they will lose stability. I applaud them if they can find a way to keep the Mac a Mac and make it affordable, but I don't see how they could leave their kingdom and not lose the very thing that makes Mac Heads so loyal.