Can't These Other Computer Manufacturers Step Up?

[Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ]

You don't get what you pay for in Mac. The wife is all about Apple and I am shocked when she buys a new computer for over 2K or 3K. I look at the specs and all the hardware that is put in an apple and it is at least 6 months behind or in most cases a year. We have 3 macs in the house and my little ole' $800 pc kicks their butts. All hype and way over priced but people who have macs will tell you otherwise.

[mmmbeans]

it's funny, I used to build my own machines and customize cases and overclock etc etc. I used to laugh at Mac people and talk about how they were over priced and didn't run as much software and were ham-strung out of the box...

Then I started using them... I doubt i'll ever go back.

[fitty76]

Things apple does better than other companies;

hype

high prices

crippled software

and again.......hype

the ipad isn't technically superior to it's competitors, simply more expensive and alot more hyped.

I agree with you about hype. I'm a PC guy myself. But to say that the Ipod or the Ipad isn't technically superior to the competitors is just flat out wrong. Have you tried the other tablet computers? They don't ever measure up. And the Ipad is cheaper than all of them. And nobody made a MP3 player better than the Ipod.

[fitty76]

i'll pay extra not to have to wait 10 years for a functioning OS.

Enjoy Win7... you're going to be using it for a loooooooonnnnnnggggggg time.

I like Win7 too. Except yesterday I had to uninstall SP1 because my computer kept freezing up. Good thing a know something about computers. Nice roll out Microsoft.

[Zod]

Looking at the hardware specs on apple and thinking its equivalent to PC = fail.

Apple can write their code to specific hardware and concentrate on optimization of that exact hardware and squeeze the most out of it. PC makers have to use windows and account for an infinite amount of add ons and variables in the hardware.

Think about it, if you engineer something could you do a better job with a handful of hardware configurations and chip sets or thousands of them to accommodate?

[Zod]

Also, my ipad has replaced my laptop. Its probably the most useful piece of computer equipment I have purchased in a decade. I use it to read news, websites and email, the kids prefer the one dollar games on it to their 30 dollar DS games.

[SgtJoo]

Also, my ipad has replaced my laptop. Its probably the most useful piece of computer equipment I have purchased in a decade. I use it to read news, websites and email, the kids prefer the one dollar games on it to their 30 dollar DS games.

Again like I said if you play casual flash games (Ohwait no flash, I'll go buy the overpriced Xoom!) a tablet is OK. I'm not hating on apple (Although their PCs are overpriced to hell but we're not talking about that) I'm hating on the tablet as a whole. Like I said earlier at the price point you might as well build your own PC. I just don't see it fulfilling a function a phone or computer doesn't already serve. To each their own though. A lot of apple fanboys are snapping them up because they're 'cool'. Personally I'd just set fire to a wad of hundreds...

[TerriblePizza]

The new android tablets are pretty amazing. The thing with apple is, they have so much cash they can corner the market by buying up all the parts the competitors need. Last year, Apple purchased 95% of the 10 inch touch screen supply to make it really difficult for some to release a device to compete with the iPad. That's why the Galaxy Tab (the first real competitor) was only a 7 inch screen.

[TerriblePizza]

Also, my ipad has replaced my laptop. Its probably the most useful piece of computer equipment I have purchased in a decade. I use it to read news, websites and email, the kids prefer the one dollar games on it to their 30 dollar DS games.

This. I never take my laptop when traveling now. With Netflix and hulu, it's my tv too.

[fitty76]

Also, my ipad has replaced my laptop. Its probably the most useful piece of computer equipment I have purchased in a decade. I use it to read news, websites and email, the kids prefer the one dollar games on it to their 30 dollar DS games.

That's a great point right there.

[Davidson Deac II]

Apple's problem is that their pc's, tablets, etc... aren't business friendly. Great for home users perhaps, and maybe some small businesses, but most of the propietary apps used by medium and large corp's will not run on apple. And they aren't going to for the foreseeable future.

Sure, Apple is fine if I just want to read my email, but if I want to run remote desktop, or manage a switch or router or firewall remotely, or any one of a 100 other things that a corporation might require, Ipad and Apple in general doesn't work very well.

[Panthers128]

I guess it depends on the individual. Apple obviously has a market but I'll never prefer their product over my laptop or my nintendo DS.

I like my Ipod Touch that, nice mp3 player. I think that's their best product.

[Chimera]

I prefer the ipod because its the only thing I've found with the capacity I need.

[Lumps]

I like their ipods, I have a nano first gen from 2006. Has been through the wash multiple times, dropped, scratched, stepped on, under water in the pool... still works perfectly normal, this thing just won't die. Not many mp3 players will survive that. SO I tend to believer their computers are overpriced and hyped but their electronic and accessories are not. I know a lot of people happy with their iphone and ipads.