Apple's 17 " Mac Book Pro - what is the REAL deal here...
It is always a good idea not to rush with evaluations immediately after the release, so let's see what we've got here a couple of months post release of the 'new" Mac Book Pro.
First, for busy shoppers, in brief: the Mac Book Pro flogged as 'new' is not new, just polished up version of the stalled old piece.
It is an ordinary (very ordinary, mind you!) contraption, steady positioned in the grey straits of similar products.
And, yes, it is overpriced, as usual basking on old , faded glory. Don't bother. Full stop.
Now some details for seasoned computer users with more time on their hands.
They (from Apple Inc's marketing office) say the latest Mac Book Pro has much faster chip - 2.66Mhz
How faster? Well the previous Mac Book Pro model's chip is 2,5Mhz
It means the chip in the current unit is about 5% faster, that's all! But gullible punters never do maths, they just buy, don't they!
Further on, the body is made of what they call 'Precision aluminum. The new gold standard.'
One may wonder Is there any computer body made of non-precision aluminum and what is this new gold standard.
Well all this is marketese as usual.
The truth is that the body of Mac Book Pro is made using well known technology which makes production costs much lower. This may mean lower retail price, but as we know it is against the Apple's practice which, to put it politely, is about hype, keeping the price high and grabbing the money now. Instead of selling at lower price Apple Inc. realises higher profit. Simple as that.
This is not the only area where lower production costs are used for increase of profit margins. Very high increase, mind you!
Here are another examples:
If you want to buy Mac Book Pro with solid state drive instead of the obsolete motorised hard drive you have to pay extra 300 dollars at least. The reality is that solid state drive is much, much cheaper because Apple is doing bulk buy and any insider knows that when you bulk buy , say, 100,000 units the price per unit drops immensely. Result - almost all of your several hundred dollars are pure profit for Apple. Easy money!
The story with conventional 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive is the same, except that 5400-rpm HD bought bulk are even cheaper because are obsolete. Also, Apple has stored enormous amount of them and needs to sell them.
Want 7200-rpm HD - pay more, the same old trick.
That long life battery capable able of up to 8 hrs. web browsing and so on.
The key word here is 'up'. Translated from marketing lingo into plain English it means 'may go for under 8 hrs at best but don't count on it'.
To get even near 8 hrs. you have to set the laptop in a way that renders it practically un - useable. Here is what the small (the very small!) print on Apple site says: 'The wireless productivity test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing various websites and editing text in a word processing document with display brightness set to 50%.
We tried these settings, the 8 hr. lasting battery blurb is just another piece of spin. Advise to everyone - don't bother.
Evaluating whether the Apple 's 17 " Mac Book Pro is worth taking seriously in both technical and price-wise sense is easy.
1. Negatives. Here are some (but not all):
Software - strong and continuous tendency amongst software makers to stay away from Apple. Just go to a dozen software websites and shall see the familiar picture - majority of them offer Windows only stuff.
Also check how many of those electronic gadgets\appliances in the nearest store are truly Mac compatible.
Just one example - Cannon printers' software for Mac can perform only part of the tasks available for Windows machines. Disappointing picture but manufactures just do not take Apple seriously enough to invest in making their products fully Mac compatible.
The video card NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - not good enough for nowadays. Period
The ridiculous battery arrangement, i.e., hard to replace, need to be done in a repair shop for extra payment…
In contrast, see how easy is to remove/replace the battery of, say, Sony Vaio laptop and others.
The same for RAM chips. It is cheaper (i.e. profitable for Apple) to manufacture laptop body for Mac Book Pro as it is now but it puts hidden expenses (RAM, Battery replacement) on the user. Bad.
Windows compatibility is cute but makes little sense to use it when one has to spend even more money for Vista.
Inside info - selling the Mac Book Pro with Vista in the box sitting next to OSX disks at no extra charge is entirely possible from financial point of view but Apple has rejected the idea. No surprise here.
The current price $ 2,799 is arrogantly high and if one still wishes to buy a relatively decent 17 " Mac Book Pro
the extra costs will push price higher still. The old, money making "buy optional" trick!
For example:
Solid state drive. No need to explain why it is better, regardless of its smaller capacity in Gb. One pointer - think battery energy saved.
However for a 126GB solid state drive, you pay extra $300.
Eliminating the nasty and potentially harmful for the eyes glare of the screen.
Buy an antiglare screen protector, pay extra $50
Broadband is still not universally available everywhere, except in as they say Sth. Korea and Japan. So, for an external dial-up modem, pay extra $50.
Be warned - this modem is notoriously buggy and unreliable. There are many complaints on Apple's website about it but links to full text are mostly broken (by accident? )
It is a big issue this modem and be very aware that you may end up with a laptop with your dangling external modem unable to connect.
The software. Perhaps you want a decent word processing program (not half baked TextEdit ) like in old times when Apple Works was mandatory and free. Now for iWork you pay extra $50.
So, to have a reasonably equipped Mac Book Pro one has to fork out at least extra $500 making the final price $3300!
Mind you, this is a conservative calculation not including the extra cash you have to pay if need to replace a battery.
2. Positives:
OSX is still superior to any of the ridiculous shambles Microsoft call operational systems. Superior so far. However with the strong tendency amongst the Apple's software employees to bloat OSX with useless widgets/schmidgets and other so called improvements it is not sure for how long this superiority will remain.
Being optimistic, we are convinced that there is no chance Microsoft will make its operational system any better any time in near or distant future.
Yes, RAM 4Gb is relatively OK .
So, to sum it up, is 17 " Mac Book Pro's price fair? No.
It is a very ordinary machine, with plenty of possibilities for hardware troubles and the usual for all Mac computers software limitations.
The real, true price is no more than $800.
For a machine properly configured (see above)
real price is no more than $900.
Essential points to remember here are:
1. For Apple Inc. computer manufacturing is definitely a side show of no importance. No real research and development there, just make-up and gloss-over.
Only the marketing spin based on the ancient glory days is to be maintained together with ridiculous prise kept high in order to create false impression of superiority of the products (another old trick).
2. Future of Apple Co is set to be in flogging stuff like iPhones , iPods and similar gadgets. Reason - they are easy to make, deliver high profit margins and can keep the company alive for reasonable long period of time.
3. Apple Co is in a deep stagnation.
See, it's simple, folks!
And for those who still want to buy Mac Book Pro (or any other computer made by Apple) knowing the current way of thinking ( or lack of) in the company - you do it at your own risk.
In plain English, there is a lot of hot air in Cupertino. Hot air, complacence and one too many salary collectors whose main activity is to look busy. Got the idea?
Actually Mac Book Pro is a good laptop for the year 2001. However now is 2009
Simon Stone
Mac User for over 20 years
Macworld Expo - the comedy will definitely be on…
Whiffs of anticipation oozing from Mac users - what will be seen at Macworld Expo January '08…
After all, over the last few years, computers produced by Apple Inc. are far from shining example of technological excellence…
Look fellow Mac users, before setting your expectations at high, there is an often missed but very important fact - Apple Inc. is not much interested in computers any more. The change of company policy was signalled a few years ago with the change of the name from Apple Computer into simply Apple Inc.
This change was meant to reflect company's expansion into other products as the official line goes…
All these iPods, iPhones, they sell better, they are cheap to manufacture in the third world sweat-shops and profit margins are enormous compared to those of computers.
So, why really bother with computers let alone that vision, science, excellence stuff e.t.c?
Of course, the promotional spin habitually trumpets that vision, science, excellence stuff, but it's just that - spin.
Just look back at the pandemonium of hard selling about the Mac Air contraption, nowadays known as Mac Hot Air, disposable Mac and other nicknames less polite…
The changes of existing models are just marginal, cosmetic, practically close to none.
Sure, Mr. Jobs will keep dancing, prancing and describing Apple's computers with adjectives like 'fantastic' and 'excellent' but the fact remains - computers are on the back burner in Apple Inc. and will stay there. Even farther, in the freezer, to be precise.
The cheap to make and easy to sell iPod and iPhone are the real money makers for Apple and, as the people in the know will tell you, Mr. Jobs' (and therefore Apple's ) company policy consists of some rules not intended for outsiders.
Rules such as 'Spin hard, look cute and grab suckers' money now', 'Set the price higher' and 'Appearance is important, not the substance'
The policy based on such rules works well for Mr. Jobs.
Point to remember here , he is not really a computer guy, he is a salesman, a spruiker.
For the less well informed, that Apple computer as we know it from its heyday when it truly deserved superlatives, was not created by Mr Jobs but individuals like the other Steve. Steve Wozniak but let's not get into the past.
Steve Jobs is just into selling, mind you! Naturally, after those years rubbing into computer pros, he's accumulated certain technical knowledge and a personal vocabulary at certain level but that's about all.
The job Jobs really likes is spinning and selling stuff, not any kind of science or computer development.
Today, unfortunately, Apple Inc. employs too many spin'n-grab-the-money types like Steve Jobs.
Apparently, no true creative computer professionals with the proverbial spark in the eye are allowed around.
Here is an interesting parallel made by observers - the same 'spin hard…' mentality, self praising and complaisance drove the big three US automakers into the gutter where they are now. But this is a different topic…
Back to Apple computers - again, it is important to keep in mind that any brain activities in this area, are not encouraged and are not on Apple Inc. agenda at all.
Naturally the players in the industry can see this, made their minds long ago and act accordingly by just ignoring Apple as a serious computer maker. Just an example - Adobe's quiet, even polite, but steady way of giving a cold shoulder to Apple.
There are thousands of instances when manufacturers of computers, software and electronics just do not bother with Apple compatibility of their products. Ever bumped into some electronic devise useable with Windows, fellow Mac users?
Certainly there is a way to put Apple back on top, like in late '90s when first iMac appeared and pretty much stunned the public.
It certainly is possible to make similar bang now.
Let's focus on laptops just because they are the choice of majority users nowadays.
Here is the general idea for a laptop deserving the adjective 'excellent' because it shall definitely stick out of the current crowd:
1. Fitted with the latest model processor available. Clarification - current Mac laptops are not fitted so.
3. Guaranteed max. operational temperature over 100 degrees F (i.e. about 40 degrees Celsius)
Reason - current stated operational temperature indicates flows with proper cooling. To be fair, this is a long standing problem all over the computer industry not only for Apple - just go to the nearest store and touch the chip area of any laptop…
4. RAM - mandatory 2Gb off the shelf, with laptop designed in a such a way that RAM is upgradeable by the owner to 4 or 6 or 8 Gb, e.t.c in accordance with the further developments of the industry.
5. Video Card - mandatory 1Gb off the shelf , easy to upgrade by the owner when need be.
6. Ability to support 40 inch external monitor in both mirror and split screen modes.
7. Hard Drive - eliminated and replaced by a solid state (stick memory type) storage of at least 180 Gb. Designed as a clip-on, upgradeable/replaceable by the owner. Reasons - ATA HDs are dirty cheap for the manufacturers like Apple Inc. but are obsolete and energy hungry - nasty thing when longevity of the battery is a major issue for every laptop user. Solid state memory sold at wholesale prices to manufacturers is not as expensive as some sources keep telling you. There is no future for spinning HDs, a HD in personal computers is a last century stuff, like a floppy disk.
8. Keyboard - all mechanical parts eliminated. This goes with proper software ensuring there is no stickiness in keys' response.
9. Built-in dial-up modem (a news flash for dwellers of Jobs' ivory towers in Cupertino - as per year 2008, majority of web users have dial-up connection). Sure, blackmailing users to fork out extra money is fits well into Apple's company policy but it still looks, feels and IS shonky way to do business.
10. Built-in TV and radio tuners with proper software for downloading broadcasts. Reason - the civilised world outside Cupertino has free to air TV and radio!
It may come as a surprise for Mr Jobs and his subordinates but is true!
And, no, fear not that bad computer users will spend their lives stealing TV and radio stuff. They won't…
11. Built-in tablet for hand writing and drawing (think a Wacom tablet ). Supported by a truly working program, that is, a software that is able to promptly recognise your handwriting and transform it into typed text without endless errors.
There is a plenty of room for such a tablet to be incorporated and/or even be turned on/off as an alternative of the flat keyboard. Either way, no technical difficulties here just bright designers needed.
12. Built-in camera - capable of rotating in a socket, so it can point at different directions. Able to take at least 6 Mp stills.
13. Built-in universal card reader.
14. Doubled number of USB ports plus one FireWire port (regardless of the fact that FireWire is effectively dead).
15. In the box with the new laptop - mandatory extra battery.
16. Laptop is shockproof, able to survive fall from 2 meters, i.e, about 6 feet. Warranty 1 year, parts and labour included. This includes the monitor too, of course.
16. Pre-loaded software - a decent word processing/layout program. Something like AppleWorks and InDesign, not that TexEdit which could be rated as good but back in 1995.
A decent, repeat, decent image manipulation program. (a small detail - ever wondered what happened with GraphicConverter incorporation into Mac's software package…)
That useless trials and demos are to be dumped altogether. They are nothing but one of the many hard selling tricks used by Apple and proven to be immensely obnoxious.
16. Vista operational system included, ready to be installed and put to work instantly.
Well, these are just some improvements which if implemented can ensure Mac laptops are well regarded.
The realistic, i.e. not inflated price for a top of the range model at around $1100-$1300 (US dollars).
The lower end laptop, with smaller display, smaller graphics card and storage, with price tag under $1000 (US dollars).
The bad news - you will not see such computers coming from Mr. Jobs' Apple Inc. Ever. Remember, computers are on the back burner there and will remain so.
Now the good news - such changes/improvements are entirely within the capabilities of a computer maker like Apple Inc., both in financially and technically.
But there is more good news - Macs will not disappear from the shelves anytime soon! Reason - the Mac OS operational system.
See, it is not that it is so good, the programmers in Cupertino do their best to make it messier, clumsier and more pretentious. Apple's employees in charge for OS just keep confusing terms 'complicated software' and 'sophisticated software'. And as the Murphy law goes
the OSX steadily gets more complicated (i.e. messy) as opposed to sophisticated (i.e. intuitive, user friendly)
This said, however, OSX compared with THAT Microsoft nightmare and joke of operational system named Vista… well, you get the picture. Give me OSX any time.
And here is the prediction for what will be seen in January '08 - do expect to see ailing Mr. Jobs strutting his old stuff in a slightly new makeup, i.e., the same old dog-and-pony-small-town-glitter-spangled show.
No real substance will be offered but the show will be still mildly amusing if you are in that fun mood and inclined to laugh at a stand-up comedian making fool of himself…
So, enjoy the show but trim your expectations down, please.
Ray G. Mauser K.B.O.
San Francisco-New York-Sydney-Berlin-London
After all, over the last few years, computers produced by Apple Inc. are far from shining example of technological excellence…
Look fellow Mac users, before setting your expectations at high, there is an often missed but very important fact - Apple Inc. is not much interested in computers any more. The change of company policy was signalled a few years ago with the change of the name from Apple Computer into simply Apple Inc.
This change was meant to reflect company's expansion into other products as the official line goes…
All these iPods, iPhones, they sell better, they are cheap to manufacture in the third world sweat-shops and profit margins are enormous compared to those of computers.
So, why really bother with computers let alone that vision, science, excellence stuff e.t.c?
Of course, the promotional spin habitually trumpets that vision, science, excellence stuff, but it's just that - spin.
Just look back at the pandemonium of hard selling about the Mac Air contraption, nowadays known as Mac Hot Air, disposable Mac and other nicknames less polite…
The changes of existing models are just marginal, cosmetic, practically close to none.
Sure, Mr. Jobs will keep dancing, prancing and describing Apple's computers with adjectives like 'fantastic' and 'excellent' but the fact remains - computers are on the back burner in Apple Inc. and will stay there. Even farther, in the freezer, to be precise.
The cheap to make and easy to sell iPod and iPhone are the real money makers for Apple and, as the people in the know will tell you, Mr. Jobs' (and therefore Apple's ) company policy consists of some rules not intended for outsiders.
Rules such as 'Spin hard, look cute and grab suckers' money now', 'Set the price higher' and 'Appearance is important, not the substance'
The policy based on such rules works well for Mr. Jobs.
Point to remember here , he is not really a computer guy, he is a salesman, a spruiker.
For the less well informed, that Apple computer as we know it from its heyday when it truly deserved superlatives, was not created by Mr Jobs but individuals like the other Steve. Steve Wozniak but let's not get into the past.
Steve Jobs is just into selling, mind you! Naturally, after those years rubbing into computer pros, he's accumulated certain technical knowledge and a personal vocabulary at certain level but that's about all.
The job Jobs really likes is spinning and selling stuff, not any kind of science or computer development.
Today, unfortunately, Apple Inc. employs too many spin'n-grab-the-money types like Steve Jobs.
Apparently, no true creative computer professionals with the proverbial spark in the eye are allowed around.
Here is an interesting parallel made by observers - the same 'spin hard…' mentality, self praising and complaisance drove the big three US automakers into the gutter where they are now. But this is a different topic…
Back to Apple computers - again, it is important to keep in mind that any brain activities in this area, are not encouraged and are not on Apple Inc. agenda at all.
Naturally the players in the industry can see this, made their minds long ago and act accordingly by just ignoring Apple as a serious computer maker. Just an example - Adobe's quiet, even polite, but steady way of giving a cold shoulder to Apple.
There are thousands of instances when manufacturers of computers, software and electronics just do not bother with Apple compatibility of their products. Ever bumped into some electronic devise useable with Windows, fellow Mac users?
Certainly there is a way to put Apple back on top, like in late '90s when first iMac appeared and pretty much stunned the public.
It certainly is possible to make similar bang now.
Let's focus on laptops just because they are the choice of majority users nowadays.
Here is the general idea for a laptop deserving the adjective 'excellent' because it shall definitely stick out of the current crowd:
1. Fitted with the latest model processor available. Clarification - current Mac laptops are not fitted so.
3. Guaranteed max. operational temperature over 100 degrees F (i.e. about 40 degrees Celsius)
Reason - current stated operational temperature indicates flows with proper cooling. To be fair, this is a long standing problem all over the computer industry not only for Apple - just go to the nearest store and touch the chip area of any laptop…
4. RAM - mandatory 2Gb off the shelf, with laptop designed in a such a way that RAM is upgradeable by the owner to 4 or 6 or 8 Gb, e.t.c in accordance with the further developments of the industry.
5. Video Card - mandatory 1Gb off the shelf , easy to upgrade by the owner when need be.
6. Ability to support 40 inch external monitor in both mirror and split screen modes.
7. Hard Drive - eliminated and replaced by a solid state (stick memory type) storage of at least 180 Gb. Designed as a clip-on, upgradeable/replaceable by the owner. Reasons - ATA HDs are dirty cheap for the manufacturers like Apple Inc. but are obsolete and energy hungry - nasty thing when longevity of the battery is a major issue for every laptop user. Solid state memory sold at wholesale prices to manufacturers is not as expensive as some sources keep telling you. There is no future for spinning HDs, a HD in personal computers is a last century stuff, like a floppy disk.
8. Keyboard - all mechanical parts eliminated. This goes with proper software ensuring there is no stickiness in keys' response.
9. Built-in dial-up modem (a news flash for dwellers of Jobs' ivory towers in Cupertino - as per year 2008, majority of web users have dial-up connection). Sure, blackmailing users to fork out extra money is fits well into Apple's company policy but it still looks, feels and IS shonky way to do business.
10. Built-in TV and radio tuners with proper software for downloading broadcasts. Reason - the civilised world outside Cupertino has free to air TV and radio!
It may come as a surprise for Mr Jobs and his subordinates but is true!
And, no, fear not that bad computer users will spend their lives stealing TV and radio stuff. They won't…
11. Built-in tablet for hand writing and drawing (think a Wacom tablet ). Supported by a truly working program, that is, a software that is able to promptly recognise your handwriting and transform it into typed text without endless errors.
There is a plenty of room for such a tablet to be incorporated and/or even be turned on/off as an alternative of the flat keyboard. Either way, no technical difficulties here just bright designers needed.
12. Built-in camera - capable of rotating in a socket, so it can point at different directions. Able to take at least 6 Mp stills.
13. Built-in universal card reader.
14. Doubled number of USB ports plus one FireWire port (regardless of the fact that FireWire is effectively dead).
15. In the box with the new laptop - mandatory extra battery.
16. Laptop is shockproof, able to survive fall from 2 meters, i.e, about 6 feet. Warranty 1 year, parts and labour included. This includes the monitor too, of course.
16. Pre-loaded software - a decent word processing/layout program. Something like AppleWorks and InDesign, not that TexEdit which could be rated as good but back in 1995.
A decent, repeat, decent image manipulation program. (a small detail - ever wondered what happened with GraphicConverter incorporation into Mac's software package…)
That useless trials and demos are to be dumped altogether. They are nothing but one of the many hard selling tricks used by Apple and proven to be immensely obnoxious.
16. Vista operational system included, ready to be installed and put to work instantly.
Well, these are just some improvements which if implemented can ensure Mac laptops are well regarded.
The realistic, i.e. not inflated price for a top of the range model at around $1100-$1300 (US dollars).
The lower end laptop, with smaller display, smaller graphics card and storage, with price tag under $1000 (US dollars).
The bad news - you will not see such computers coming from Mr. Jobs' Apple Inc. Ever. Remember, computers are on the back burner there and will remain so.
Now the good news - such changes/improvements are entirely within the capabilities of a computer maker like Apple Inc., both in financially and technically.
But there is more good news - Macs will not disappear from the shelves anytime soon! Reason - the Mac OS operational system.
See, it is not that it is so good, the programmers in Cupertino do their best to make it messier, clumsier and more pretentious. Apple's employees in charge for OS just keep confusing terms 'complicated software' and 'sophisticated software'. And as the Murphy law goes
the OSX steadily gets more complicated (i.e. messy) as opposed to sophisticated (i.e. intuitive, user friendly)
This said, however, OSX compared with THAT Microsoft nightmare and joke of operational system named Vista… well, you get the picture. Give me OSX any time.
And here is the prediction for what will be seen in January '08 - do expect to see ailing Mr. Jobs strutting his old stuff in a slightly new makeup, i.e., the same old dog-and-pony-small-town-glitter-spangled show.
No real substance will be offered but the show will be still mildly amusing if you are in that fun mood and inclined to laugh at a stand-up comedian making fool of himself…
So, enjoy the show but trim your expectations down, please.
Ray G. Mauser K.B.O.
San Francisco-New York-Sydney-Berlin-London
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