Blogger: Apple to Whack Dell in 06

[rosalindavenue]

Excerpt: "When’s the last time you sat in a room with a bunch of Linux/Unix nerds? Have you noticed what kind of computers they use? Sure, there are a bunch of PC-compatible laptops, but in many rooms I’ve observed that perhaps the majority of these users are using Apple Powerbooks. Why? Because people like nice hardware. Apple gained many of these customers without selling them on Mac OS X. They install Linux, BSD, or Darwin on their machine and otherwise continue their GTK/X-Windows/Whatever lifestyle as they did before. These users are the warning bell for Dell’s collapsing customer base. People who run Windows in 2006 will be doing so more and more often on Apple hardware."

I think this guy is probably eating Reality Distorition Field Christmas Cookies, but it would be nice if he were right.

LINK.

 

[NYmacAttack]

Excerpt: "When’s the last time you sat in a room with a bunch of Linux/Unix nerds? Have you noticed what kind of computers they use? Sure, there are a bunch of PC-compatible laptops, but in many rooms I’ve observed that perhaps the majority of these users are using Apple Powerbooks. Why? Because people like nice hardware. Apple gained many of these customers without selling them on Mac OS X. They install Linux, BSD, or Darwin on their machine and otherwise continue their GTK/X-Windows/Whatever lifestyle as they did before. These users are the warning bell for Dell’s collapsing customer base. People who run Windows in 2006 will be doing so more and more often on Apple hardware."

I think this guy is probably eating Reality Distorition Field Christmas Cookies, but it would be nice if he were right.

LINK.

Dell still has a huge amount of the market share. It would take a lot for Apple to challenge this. After all Apple has never recently held more than 10 percent of the computer market. Now if where talking about portable music players thats another story.

 

[wiggy4ever]

if they could drop their prices by about 20 percent, im sure they could greatly increase their market share

 

[BornAgainMac]

Doesn't Dell only have 17% marketshare. That doesn't sound a lot more than Apple. I wish I could remember the source of that figure.

 

[NYmacAttack]

Doesn't Dell only have 17% marketshare. That doesn't sound a lot more than Apple. I wish I could remember the source of that figure.

I'm pretty sure dells make share was 30 percent plus. Can't find a link though

 

[xy14]

I'm pretty sure dells make share was 30 percent plus. Can't find a link though

sorry, but you're wrong. It is 17.9%.. LINK

That means that Apple only has to get 4 times its current market share and Apple will become the king of computers!

 

[After G]

I for one would like to see Apple threaten Dell, so that Dell comes out with better stuff.

I would not like Apple to become #1 at the cost of quality though.
I'll pay the extra 20% if it means quality remains.

 

[maxterpiece]

I for one would like to see Apple threaten Dell, so that Dell comes out with better stuff.

I would not like Apple to become #1 at the cost of quality though.
I'll pay the extra 20% if it means quality remains.

Well i think the blogger's point was that Apple offers the quality that dell used to have and that brought dell to the forefront of pc manufacturers. The connection he doesn't seem to make is that Dell didn't become so dominant until after it started putting the cheaper stuff in its computers. It was when they decided they had to buy into the pricewars that emachines and "random PC box maker" encouraged that they stopped being a quality company, like apple is today, and it was also then that they began their ascent to #1 pc maker.

And in truth, they made the right choice as far as getting more money. It was at this same time that the idea of upgrading a computer fell out of the mainstream. Why buy a nice computer that can be upgraded when you can buy a cheapo computer now, then another one 2 years down the line for the same price as that one quality computer. Maybe the purist/geek still likes the idea of having quality components, but looking at it from the consumer's perspective, it made more sense to go with the cheap computer. The same goes for offices - it costs more to upgrade computers than to just lease cheapo computers and replace them every few years. These big corps would never have purchased fancy schmancy dells.

Anyway, there is some validity to the fact that when geeks switch to a certain tech, others sometimes follow, but right now the bottom line is people can't afford macintoshes. Mac Mini's are cool, but they are #1 not as cheap as PCs, and #2 hugely underpowered.... You could have purchased a computer in 2002 with more computing power than the mac mini... in fact you could buy a used 2002 computer right now w/ more power for about $100.

 

[wiggy4ever]

unfortanately, most people only want the bottom line price, and thats why so many chose dell

 

[Morn]

Apple has what a 3% market share compared to Dells 18%? Logistically I don't think Apple could even match dell in 2006 even if consumers were willing to buy as many Apples as Dells. Apple would need to drastically increase their production capacity before they could even think of taking on dell.

 

[Counterfit]

Has anyone ever been fired for choosing Dell?

 

[generik]

Anyway, there is some validity to the fact that when geeks switch to a certain tech, others sometimes follow, but right now the bottom line is people can't afford macintoshes. Mac Mini's are cool, but they are #1 not as cheap as PCs, and #2 hugely underpowered.... You could have purchased a computer in 2002 with more computing power than the mac mini... in fact you could buy a used 2002 computer right now w/ more power for about $100.

It really depends, the Mac Mini totally destroys the VIA Mini-ITX solutions. I am really itching to see them put (even the old generation) Pentium-M chip into that machine this coming MWSF. It will basically be the death knell to VIA's Eden line of processors.

 

[Morn]

Who can't afford a 500 dollar mac mini? Which is all you need to buy unless you are a first time user.

 

[840quadra]

When I do CTCP version on many of the IRC forums I visit, many of the users are running PPC equipment..

This isn't 50/50 yet more like 60/40 in the favor of X86, but there are many Linux using PPCers out in the world today

 

[wiggy4ever]

but the uninformed buyer feels that the 500 buck mini which is 1.25ghz will be much slower than the dell box they can buy which has a 3.2ghz proc

 

[maya]

Well i think the blogger's point was that Apple offers the quality that dell used to have and that brought dell to the forefront of pc manufacturers. The connection he doesn't seem to make is that Dell didn't become so dominant until after it started putting the cheaper stuff in its computers. It was when they decided they had to buy into the pricewars that emachines and "random PC box maker" encouraged that they stopped being a quality company, like apple is today, and it was also then that they began their ascent to #1 pc maker.

And in truth, they made the right choice as far as getting more money. It was at this same time that the idea of upgrading a computer fell out of the mainstream. Why buy a nice computer that can be upgraded when you can buy a cheapo computer now, then another one 2 years down the line for the same price as that one quality computer. Maybe the purist/geek still likes the idea of having quality components, but looking at it from the consumer's perspective, it made more sense to go with the cheap computer. The same goes for offices - it costs more to upgrade computers than to just lease cheapo computers and replace them every few years. These big corps would never have purchased fancy schmancy dells.

Anyway, there is some validity to the fact that when geeks switch to a certain tech, others sometimes follow, but right now the bottom line is people can't afford macintoshes. Mac Mini's are cool, but they are #1 not as cheap as PCs, and #2 hugely underpowered.... You could have purchased a computer in 2002 with more computing power than the mac mini... in fact you could buy a used 2002 computer right now w/ more power for about $100.

Same deal with repairing some electronic (usually kitchen electonic) which is more expensive than buying a new one.

In my span of owning many, many electronics I have only repaired a cordless telephone which was under warranty. Since the cost alone to repair would be more than to replace it with something new with more features. That being said I really liked this phone and didn't like anything else on the market.

 

[maya]

Who can't afford a 500 dollar mac mini? Which is all you need to buy unless you are a first time user.

If the next Mac Mini, can support a 30" Dell Display I will purchase it. Saying that, I do not see it supporting Dual-DVI. Make me eat my words Steve Jobs.

 

[maya]

Has anyone ever been fired for choosing Dell?

You might if you main PC is a Dell if you work for Apple.

Same deal with any automaker, if you work for Toyota and you drive in with a GM vehicle you are either strongly recommended to trade-in or purchase a Toyota or lose your job. Sad but true, many auto makers do it for reasons being.

Same with a banks. Reason being, if you do not trust the company you work for and they services, why should the customer(s). And I agree.

 

[yellow]

In comparision with the average Dell userbase, and the average Mac userbase, "UNIX/Linux nerds" are a mind-boggling minority.

So this blog is rather foolish.

Joe Bob Trailerdweller isn't going to buy a Mac or a Dell with Linux. He's sticking with the eMachineish El Cheapo, and Windows Vista. And THAT, my friends, is a very large portion of Dell's userbase.

 

[mkrishnan]

I should probably keep my comments about the validity in predicting the market based on a room full of Linux geeks to myself, huh?

 

[Eidorian]

I try to only get a new computer every two years. It's hard when your tech geek though.

Anyways, I go for the middle of the road. It's powerful enough and high quality. I do a few upgrades like RAM, Hard Drive, and optical drives. By the time video card or CPU comes around it's just time to buy a new computer for me. I'm not much of a gamer anymore so I can live with it. I still love my iMac's power for encoding video.

I've been bad lately with a new computer every year. I need to cutback and save or invest.

 

[Morn]

but the uninformed buyer feels that the 500 buck mini which is 1.25ghz will be much slower than the dell box they can buy which has a 3.2ghz proc

Does the average user even know what a ghz is? I think that a user might see more value in a mac mini... apple brand name... apple software.... ipod-like... cute smallness etc.