What Apple product/s do you use?

[stealthify]

Exactly, but what I was getting at is that there's the MSRP from Apple, versus what they can usually be had at through third-party stores. The same third-party stores you'd often buy PC's at too (Best Buy, NewEgg, etc). If you buy anything from the manufacturer (PC or Mac), you're likely to pay more no matter what.

With just a little research, you can get the price of an Apple computer down to an acceptable range. It'll still be more than a PC, yes, but there will be some other values tossed in to make it worth your while.

[GTO Assassin]

HAHA - trying to get you Americans to atleast consider Apple is a popular brand and not just for the fanbois is like asking you to believe guns are bad. That just aint going to happen. You could put ALL the data right in front of your faces (or monitors) and you'de still be non believers, wait, scratch the non believers bit. I'll say arrogant. Your way or the highway right?

Scotty

[J-Groove]

Home Computer

Type: Home Built (planning on building a new one next year)
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Dual Core 3.00 GHz
RAM: 4 GB DDR2 (supports up to 8)
OS: Windows 7 64 bit
Screen: 21.5" Optiquest



Work Computer

Type: Apple iMac
Processor: Intel Core i7 Quad-Core 2.93GHz
RAM: 16 GB DDR3
OS: OSX Snow Leopard 64 bit
Screen: 27"



Work Laptop

Type: Apple MacBook Pro
Processor: Intel Core 2 duo 2.66GHz
RAM: 4 GB DDR3 (supports up to 8)
OS: OSX Snow Leopard 64 bit and Windows 7 64 bit
Screen: 13"

Apple IS NOT overpriced. It is a hell of a lot more expensive than a home built PC, which, surprise surprise my own money i go for a home built.

But Apple is very comparable to any of the larger PC name brands. Try to buy a Dell computer spec for spec with an Apple. You will find that the Macintosh is actually LESS expensive. One this with this comparison, you will have to look at Dell's "pretty" computers. The thing Apple does do is they put a lot of R&D and money into their design aspect. Dell and other top tier PC builders are now doing the same. These more "designer" computers cost a lot from every manufacturer.

Now all of my work Apple computers are purchased from Apple's refurbished store. As a smart consumer that is the best way to go. Brand new to you with full Apple warranty for HUNDREDS less than MSRP. My work computers costs less than other department's Dells in my office. How else do you think I get these approved for purchase? Also, I just upgraded more RAM in my iMac, did I buy it from Apple, HELL NO, I bought it from G.Skill off of New Egg, saved me 75%!!

Also, with Apple you need to look at full cost of ownership. Where there hardware is more expensive their software is not. Also, all of you saying they are so expensive are only looking at Apple.com MSRP prices yet comparing them to building a PC off of New Egg or Tiger. Well no shit it is going to be cheaper to build a home PC.

I hate these I Hate Apple threads, most of the haters seem to lack common consumer sense in their price comparisons. You all just like to think that all Apple users are the weird Hipster jobless weirdos and fail to see how many companies and professionals use mac OS as their job. Hint, yes it is the creative industry, but guess what, the creative industry makes awesome stuff.

-John

[BigTyla]

I have an iPod Touch that I use at work to listen to music, podcasts, and videos because I can't bring my cell phone inside (closed area). If I could though, I wouldn't even bother with it. I'd just load everything on my Droid. I hate that my music and videos have to be in a certain format on my iPod for them to work. For videos I have to go through the trouble of converting everything to .mp4 and then decrease the resolution just so they play (via Handbrake), and even then a lot of my videos break up during certain parts and the OS closes them out.

My Droid is totally different. It is much less sensitive about the format of the videos I throw on it. I can literally download a Youtube video, put it on my Droid, and be on my merry way. Plus the resolution on my Droid is a lot better than on an iPhone. Plus some of the Youtube videos I download are flv files, aka Flash, and we all know how Mr. Jobs feels about things like Flash and porn.

In other words, my only reason for having my iPod Touch is that I can bring it into my office. If I feel like exercising, I might take it along with me since it's a tad lighter and smaller than my Droid and I'd be much less pissed about destroying my iPod than my Droid.

Overall, I simply don't like that Apple tries to pigeonhole you into using the formats they desire. I should be able to use whatever format I want. That's why the open-sourced nature of the Droid appeals to me.

[MaelstromOC]

None.

I build my own computers, used to have a zune HD but sold it for an Archos mp3 player (waiting on them to come out with a smaller capacitive touchscreen model), and have an old piece of shit phone. If I were to get a smart phone it wouldn't be Apple anyway, unless I wanted to be behind the curve and pay twice the price.

Also, Apple computers are built on Foxconn motherboards. "High Quality" shit right there

I hate apple, I really do, though I do own an Ipod Classic 80gb (would have bought an Archos had I known of them at the time).

That said, Foxconn pretty much manufactures EVERY motherboard produced regardless of what company name is slapped on it lol. I guarantee you if you were to check through motherboards, almost all of them would have Foxconn on them somewhere.

And while I do understand that Apple is a popular brand, that still doesn't mean I should like them lol. That'd be like "Man, Justin Bieber is a popular artist, why can't you just understand that!" I do understand, but it's also one of the most horrible outrages mankind has produced Now, I'm not saying Apple isn't an innovative company... but the fact they've simply become one of the snobbiest companies out there and can still manage to get people to pay double what something is worth is just pathetic (and yet, completely amazing from a business sense haha)

Gotta love 'em and gotta hate 'em

[Jeremy C]

HAHA - trying to get you Americans to atleast consider Apple is a popular brand and not just for the fanbois is like asking you to believe guns are bad. That just aint going to happen. You could put ALL the data right in front of your faces (or monitors) and you'de still be non believers, wait, scratch the non believers bit. I'll say arrogant. Your way or the highway right?

Scotty

I put data in front you you that proved Apple is just a blip on the radar for popularity. I will give you the fact that wall st. has so overpriced their stock that they currently have a huge market cap, but I also believe wall st. lives in it's world and is only around to help the rich get richer on the backs of the middle class, so take that as you will.

As for the trying to pigeon hole it as American hubris - Your favorite tech company (and coincidentally, my favorite tech companies) are all American companies. Without "our way" you wouldn't have any of your overpriced trinket gadgets from the fruity company.

Edit:
http://www.thevirtualcircle.com/2010...-market-share/

Here's a link to an apple-centric website talking about market share. Seems in your region Apple enjoys an 8.6% market share. When less than 1 in 10 people buy your product over the competitor in a 2-man race, that's not what I would call popular. It's what I call "those other guys that keep my company from being broken up due to monopoly status." It's kind of like the the AMD/Intel thing - One controls that vast majority of the tech landscape and determines where the world is going to go. The other is there to keep the regulators from breaking up the big guy.

Stealthify - So tell me, exactly how are you going to put a Nehalem-based Xeon which is LGA1156 on to a LGA 771 based motherboard? I know Apple is magic and all, but I didn't realize they have anamorphic sockets for their CPU and Mainboards.

Bring on the Apple RDF club.

[stealthify]

Stealthify - So tell me, exactly how are you going to put a Nehalem-based Xeon which is LGA1156 on to a LGA 771 based motherboard? I know Apple is magic and all, but I didn't realize they have anamorphic sockets for their CPU and Mainboards.

Certainly if you're going to take the time to upgrade (and use the same Mac Pro case, which hasn't changed much over the years), you will want to upgrade more than just the CPU. All things considered, there are options out there to make it work (sans magic). For an easy upgrade, I was considering the X5365 since they are compatible pin for pin with my Mac Pro.

Have I needed to do it? No. The other, easier upgrades have been more than sufficient.

Anyway, and just to note - marketshare is such a weak argument. Of course Apple has a lower overall marketshare for desktop computers. I can tell you, just from observation alone, that the marketshare is certainly a lot more than it used to be a few years ago and it is continuing to rise. I find it ironic that some of the same people arguing that "Apple sucks because it doesn't have much of a marketshare" are the same ones vehemently proclaiming that they REFUSE to buy an iPhone or other Apple product because "everyone has one these days." Its with arguments like these that Apple can't win either way. These sweeping generalizations are ridiculous for any computer manufacturer.

[reallyxxxxxxloud]

Wow you guys crack me up. Its not the computer thats at issue here its the opperating system that sets these products aside.

If you were to compare these to vehicles:

Apple would be a Train built solid and hardly ever fails but you can only go forward or back as the tracks are layed out for you...
Linex would be a Plane with safe flying at decent speed there is the option of going where you want but its not an instant turn and difficult to fly and if it ever crashed it will hard...
Windows would be a 600kw 3000gt that you can take where you want when you want as fast as you want but be prepared for you'll be repairing bits all the time as you keep modifing it and crashing constantly...

Theres really no comparison as it depends on what you want to drive and what for!!!

[stealthify]

By the way, Tyler - take a look at the VLC app for your Touch. While Apple may not support the playback for all filetypes in their iPod app, they did NOT prevent app developers from being able to decode other video formats like the ones you may be interested in playing.

Also, if your workplace or gym grants WIFI access, you might want to look into the numerous streaming/live conversion apps that are available as well.

[BigTyla]

By the way, Tyler - take a look at the VLC app for your Touch. While Apple may not support the playback for all filetypes in their iPod app, they did NOT prevent app developers from being able to decode other video formats like the ones you may be interested in playing.

Also, if your workplace or gym grants WIFI access, you might want to look into the numerous streaming/live conversion apps that are available as well.

Thanks, I'll take a look into it.

We don't have WIFI at my work. Shit's on LOCKDOWN. When I say closed area, I mean CLOSED.