Macbook vs Netbooks

[DaemonSeid]

Apple has been facing a serious challenge to its energetic growth for the first time in several years. First the recession sent consumers running from its pricey products. Then a reinvigorated Microsoft launched an ad campaign, further cementing the price difference in consumers' minds, leaving Apple begging for them to relent.

Now the major firms are announcing their sales predictions for Apple's Q2 2009, and no matter how you cut it, sales are starting to cool for the company.

Despite the launch of new 13" and 15" MacBook Pros priced $200 below their predecessors and its October price cut of its entry level MacBook to $999, Apple failed to gain traction in the second quarter of 2009. According to market research firm Gartner, it recovered with a mere 0.3 percent gain in shipments market share, clinging to fourth place. Meanwhile Toshiba, in fifth place, charged ahead with a 1.3 percent market share gain.

Acer showed an incredible 6.2 percent rise in market share, thanks to the popularity of its netbooks, as it moves to challenge HP and Dell for the top spot. Dell saw a drop, but remains just a hair ahead

Link

Although it doesn't directly state it here, I think that part of the loss of momentum for Apple would have to be that netbooks are gaining ground and not only are they 1/2 the size of the Macbook and most Windows based laptops but also sell for 1/3 of what the lowest end Macbook costs.

Combine those with the recession that we are in and most people would apt to buy soemthign that costs about the same or less than their cellphone.

I think Apple's way out will be to release a netbook or tablet at a competitive price.

[sigmadiva]

I brought up a similar concern here: http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...light=netbooks

I really wanted a new Mac. My current one is ~ 6 years old, and in lap top time, that is ancient!

I did end up getting the Acer Aspire One 10 inch screen and I love it. It took a while to get used to the smaller keyboard, and it does not have a built in CD drive, it is external. I bought the Acer for the price mainly. To set up my whole system (lap top, purchase of external CD drive, mouse and carrying case, Word 2007 - Home Version) cost ~ 750.00. Still cheaper than a Mac.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Although it doesn't directly state it here, I think that part of the loss of momentum for Apple would have to be that netbooks are gaining ground and not only are they 1/2 the size of the Macbook and most Windows based laptops but also sell for 1/3 of what the lowest end Macbook costs.

Combine those with the recession that we are in and most people would apt to buy soemthign that costs about the same or less than their cellphone.

I think Apple's way out will be to release a netbook or tablet at a competitive price.

Do you think they're going to do that?

One thing that I love about Macs, but could come back to bite them, is the fact that very rarely do you HAVE HAVE HAVE to replace your Mac, even if it's old. My Mac is 6 years old next month and working like a charm (knock on wood). If I had purchased a similar PC laptop back in 2003, it definitely wouldn't have lasted 6years and I would have needed to replace it and its replacement too.

Right now, since people are stretching out things and not replacing unless absolutely necessary, the typical Mac user whose older computer is doing well isn't going to replace it when a new one comes out. PCs fall apart more often and owners are typically forced to get a new system. I think once the economy gets better, people who held off on getting a new Mac, or even the first Mac, will make their purchases.

[Little32]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Do you think they're going to do that?

One thing that I love about Macs, but could come back to bite them, is the fact that very rarely do you HAVE HAVE HAVE to replace your Mac, even if it's old. My Mac is 6 years old next month and working like a charm (knock on wood). If I had purchased a similar PC laptop back in 2003, it definitely wouldn't have lasted 6years and I would have needed to replace it and its replacement too.

Right now, since people are stretching out things and not replacing unless absolutely necessary, the typical Mac user whose older computer is doing well isn't going to replace it when a new one comes out. PCs fall apart more often and owners are typically forced to get a new system. I think once the economy gets better, people who held off on getting a new Mac, or even the first Mac, will make their purchases.

Hmmm.... This is not necessarily always the case. I have a Sony Vaio right now that I got in about 2003 and it is still working well. I am thinking about a new one (a pc), but just because I would like something more portable not because I need it.

Before that, I had a Toshiba that lasted from 1997 to 2003, so unless my two computers have been the exception...pcs must not be as fragile as all this.

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Little32

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

One reason that I've heard is that you can not 'right click' on a Mac mouse.

I think that one thing people may want to keep in mind is that I don't think netbooks are great if it is your only computer. Netbooks are good, as someone mentioned, for portability. I mainly use mine to type Word documents and surf the 'net. I still use my Mac and consider it to be my 'main' computer.

As for the lifespan of a Mac vs. PC, I think it comes down to quality of PC and how you took care of it. My school gave teachers a Gateway lap top to use in the classroom. I had mine for about 2 years before the screen started going bad. I mentioned this to our department IT guy and he suggested that I just don't use the Gateway anymore as it is not worth getting repaired.

[Elephant Walk]

I just bought a Netbook and love it.

But you need to own a regular computer too, because netbooks really are just for being on the run. They're kind of worthless otherwise.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

One reason that I've heard is that you can not 'right click' on a Mac mouse.

I think that one thing people may want to keep in mind is that I don't think netbooks are great if it is your only computer. Netbooks are good, as someone mentioned, for portability. I mainly use mine to type Word documents and surf the 'net. I still use my Mac and consider it to be my 'main' computer.

As for the lifespan of a Mac vs. PC, I think it comes down to quality of PC and how you took care of it. My school gave teachers a Gateway lap top to use in the classroom. I had mine for about 2 years before the screen started going bad. I mentioned this to our department IT guy and he suggested that I just don't use the Gateway anymore as it is not worth getting repaired.

You CAN right click on a Mac.

That's the problem with most Windows users is that they don't want to 'unlearn' Windows thinking long enough to simply put 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

ETA: sigmadiva...why did your screen go bad?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

You CAN right click on a Mac.

That's the problem with most Windows users is that they don't want to 'unlearn' Windows thinking long enough to simply put 2 fingers on the touchpad and click the button.

okay, okay....I'll try to learn something new.

ETA: sigmadiva...why did your screen go bad?

I really don't know why my screen went bad. One day it started getting fuzzy / color lines across the whole screen and it would freeze up. I'd turn off the computer, restart it, and it would be fine for a while.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Little32

Hmmm.... This is not necessarily always the case. I have a Sony Vaio right now that I got in about 2003 and it is still working well. I am thinking about a new one (a pc), but just because I would like something more portable not because I need it.

Before that, I had a Toshiba that lasted from 1997 to 2003, so unless my two computers have been the exception...pcs must not be as fragile as all this.

Plus, I do hear some rumblings of dissatisfaction from some of the Mac owners I know, with at least two of them saying that they are going back to pcs with their next purchase--though I could not give you their reasons why.

The only people I know who went back to PCs are either people who build their own computers on a regular basis, therefore knowing what they're doing, or those who have to buy computers for their offices and figure that the low cost is a reason to stock their businesses with PCs.

Most entry-level PCs can't handle the heavy-duty video and graphics that the entry-level Macs can. Since most of my work involves that, I had to replace my PCs in college on a bi-annual basis because they'd be obsolete. With my Mac, I've had it for six years and have put almost every major graphic/CAD/design program on it, and it still runs like the day I bought it. If you're doing basic academic work, you can probably keep a PC for a long time. My parents had their PC for about 8 years. It all depends on what you do with it.

[Little32]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Most entry-level PCs can't handle the heavy-duty video and graphics that the entry-level Macs can. Since most of my work involves that, I had to replace my PCs in college on a bi-annual basis because they'd be obsolete. With my Mac, I've had it for six years and have put almost every major graphic/CAD/design program on it, and it still runs like the day I bought it. If you're doing basic academic work, you can probably keep a PC for a long time. My parents had their PC for about 8 years. It all depends on what you do with it.

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Little32

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

I kind of feel the same way...you do so many upgrades on your PC only to still have it obsolete in < 5 years.

The last desktop I bought 2 years ago, just within the first year, I upgraded:

1. CPU to the highest standard on the board
2. the video card 2x ( I watch and record a lot of video)
3. Memory...of course
4. added an external hard drive (what most people should have now anyway.

The Mac, out of the box, the only thing I have done thus far is maxed the memory on the board and it handles the rest.

the G5 desktop can preconfigured and hasn't been upgraded since and still runs pretty much the same way.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Little32

Well, this is different. Most of the folks that I know who do graphic intensive work sing Macs praises. But I know quite a few that do this work who use and love pcs too.

Modern PC architecture (and the changing of Mac procs) has narrowed the gap significantly, but not necessarily on the "Best Buy" out-of-box/OEM models . . . especially with the floating-point/vector change-over for graphic design software. At this point, the preference for Macs is probably because that's what the majority of professionals started on.

Seriously, just like with automobiles, personal preference trumps just about everything.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

If I had purchased a similar PC laptop back in 2003, it definitely wouldn't have lasted 6years and I would have needed to replace it and its replacement too.

My lawschool laptop (a Dell 600m), purchased in the Summer of '05 is still working like a champ. Runs all the software I need it to and is still functional in every way except that it needs a new battery. I used the heck out of this thing and carried it with me in a soft bag full of big 'ol law books just about every day. It's survived the extreme Oklahoma weather and is really in fine condition.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Kevin

My lawschool laptop (a Dell 600m), purchased in the Summer of '05 is still working like a champ. Runs all the software I need it to and is still functional in every way except that it needs a new battery. I used the heck out of this thing and carried it with me in a soft bag full of big 'ol law books just about every day. It's survived the extreme Oklahoma weather and is really in fine condition.

Kevin, you should be able to find that battery online or on ebay. Dont wait too long because believe it or not, bad batteries on occasion can do nasty things to your motherboard.

[nikki1920]

I'm struggling with this right now. My old laptop died on me, (HUSH DS!!) and I've been eyeing a Mac for a while now. While I like the $1199 price, there are several comparable PCs for $300-$400 less. What I DONT like is the various crashes that my desktop has had in the past 4 years, averaging one a year. So I am in the market.