04-22-2006, 08:06 AM

Articles all over the internet are talking about how the delay(s) of Vista will cause consumers to seek "alternatives". But what they don't understand is that 90% of people don't even know what a Mac is. When holiday time comes, people will supposedly not want to buy a Dell because it has Windows XP instead of Windows Vista. It works in theory, but that's just not the reality.

04-22-2006, 08:30 AM

Outside of a small crowd I don't think people really care. XP, Vista, whatever. Forum regulars and tech geeks are not the majority. Due to advice from the geeks holiday sales might take a hit, but I do not see a mass migration happening that's for sure.

04-22-2006, 10:38 AM

I'm a senior in high school, and I can tell you that the people in my school graduating are having a very difficult time deciding whether they want to get a mac or a pc, and a much larger portion of them will be getting macs, so I think that mac targeting the younger audience will pay off in the end. As apple switches the younger community over, they will slowly gain market share. The teens get laptops, the parents go oh how cool! It's so easy! (like my mom), and then the parents eventually get desktops and such for themselves.

I don't think this speculation of more people moving over to macs is totally unwarranted. I've seen it start happening over the past 2-3 years of my high school education.

Smeshy

04-22-2006, 11:34 AM

I've also noticed that you very rarely see Windows PCs on TV.
To name a few,
In almost any commercial involving a website, the browser is IE for Mac OS 9.
You can also tell by what color the cursor is.
The computers on those "TBS Funny" commercials are flat-panel iMacs.
On Friends, Ross uses a Powerbook G4, and there is a Tangerine iBook on the desk in the back of Monica's apartment.
On Sex & the City, Carrie uses a Powerbook G3.
On Seinfeld, depending on the season, there is either a Performa or a 20th Anniversary Mac in Jerry's apartment.
On Bernie Mac, Vanessa's computer is an iMac G4.
On The Sopranos, Tony has an iBook G4.

Not to mention this article:
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,50441,00.html

04-22-2006, 11:43 AM

Haha, I love 24, that article is great!

Smeshy

04-22-2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by corysw

Articles all over the internet are talking about how the delay(s) of Vista will cause consumers to seek "alternatives". But what they don't understand is that 90% of people don't even know what a Mac is. When holiday time comes, people will supposedly not want to buy a Dell because it has Windows XP instead of Windows Vista. It works in theory, but that's just not the reality.

I don' know that it will make people choose alternatives, but it may make people just keep their money instead of making the new purchase. A new OS is often the catalyst for many to buy new hardware. This is likely to impact companies like Dell and HP more than MS. There will be a certain number who will look at a Mac, but not, I suspect, droves of them.

And I completely disagree with your hypothesis that "90%" of them don't know what a Mac is. The popularity of the iPod has changed that and many more consumers are a ware of the Mac platform since they bought their iPods in Apple retail stores. The iPods "Halo" effect on the Mac market is real and it's not slowing down.

04-22-2006, 12:47 PM

Few people I have met don't know what a Mac is. Most would see it as that other computer, the one that isn't a PC—and thats where the buck stops. Virtually none would know it runs Mac OS X.

That said a lost of interest in the Macintosh is still generated by a little curiosity on the part of a switcher. Otherwise it remains a known yet unknown entity it would seem to most!

Vicky

04-22-2006, 01:23 PM

"Most would see it as that other computer, the one that isn't a PC—and thats where the buck stops. Virtually none would know it runs Mac OS X"
Exactly. baggss - when I said they don't know what a Mac is, I didn't mean it literally, per se. I meant that they would just think it's another computer manufacturer like Dell or HP, completely unaware of the fact that they run an entirely different operating system. I just get upset when I think about how many people would be delighted to spend an extra $300 on a Mac, if only they knew how great OS X was. No viruses... no worrying about opening emails from people you don't know... no installing drivers... no stupid little animated dog thing when you're trying to type... no inexplicably superfluous product activation...

04-22-2006, 01:29 PM

I'd like to say that as someone who only recently ( last 2 years ) switched I would say that i would agree with the unknown quantity line. I was always under the impressions that Mac's were extremely expensive and offered no real benefits....now i feel like Dr Mac as i keep recommending my friends and family to make the switch.

Vista could work to really galvanise many people and the launch of a well featured Leopard could then help the PC user to move forward. On a off note one thing that Mac really do need to address if it wants to grab market share is to target gamers.

It is rubbish when i hear people say that gamers are not an important market or that Mac's are not about games. Gamers are a very important PC buying segment and i think that Dell's purchase of Alienware shows that it is a good, high margin market to be in. If only there was a way to run PC games via virtulisation at full boot camp style graphically accelerated speed, then i could see those who do enjoy dipping into some gaming being attracted. Failing that Apple should start working with someone like Nintendo to port the type of games that are making the likes of the DS sell by the bucket loads.

04-22-2006, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by corysw

Exactly. baggss - when I said they don't know what a Mac is, I didn't mean it literally, per se. I meant that they would just think it's another computer manufacturer like Dell or HP, completely unaware of the fact that they run an entirely different operating system. I just get upset when I think about how many people would be delighted to spend an extra $300 on a Mac, if only they knew how great OS X was. No viruses... no worrying about opening emails from people you don't know... no installing drivers... no stupid little animated dog thing when you're trying to type... no inexplicably superfluous product activation...

Ok, I can agree with that.

It is rubbish when i hear people say that gamers are not an important market or that Mac's are not about games. Gamers are a very important PC buying segment and i think that Dell's purchase of Alienware shows that it is a good, high margin market to be in. If only there was a way to run PC games via virtulisation at full boot camp style graphically accelerated speed, then i could see those who do enjoy dipping into some gaming being attracted. Failing that Apple should start working with someone like Nintendo to port the type of games that are making the likes of the DS sell by the bucket loads.

Games are a HUGE part of the PC market, I don't think there is any real debate on that. The Mac is good at the games that are available for the platform. Apple has never been big in the gaming world because they have chosen not to be, plain and simple. Apples not going to work with Nintendo or anyone else because they don't want to. That is just a sad truth.

04-22-2006, 04:46 PM

Time will tell.

04-22-2006, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by smeshy123

Haha, I love 24, that article is great!

Smeshy

I have to say I was quite proud seeing a Cube on the show when I watched it again a few months ago

04-22-2006, 06:14 PM

I think alot of people know who apple computer is but dont know what the **** mac osX is. Tons of people at my school use windows( mainly for games). Many say they think macs are pricey and useless

04-22-2006, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by smeshy123

I'm a senior in high school, and I can tell you that the people in my school graduating are having a very difficult time deciding whether they want to get a mac or a pc, and a much larger portion of them will be getting macs, so I think that mac targeting the younger audience will pay off in the end. As apple switches the younger community over, they will slowly gain market share. The teens get laptops, the parents go oh how cool! It's so easy! (like my mom), and then the parents eventually get desktops and such for themselves.

I don't think this speculation of more people moving over to macs is totally unwarranted. I've seen it start happening over the past 2-3 years of my high school education.

Smeshy

Since Bootcamp now exists, why would anyone ever want to buy another PC?

04-22-2006, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by caveatipss

Since Bootcamp now exists, why would anyone ever want to buy another PC?

Only one reason, the ease of changing out the parts. Personally all of my computer literate friends are getting to the point where we don't even want to touch an OEM PC. The quality just bites so hard and we can build a way better computer, most of us being gamers, for the same price.


Mac has always had that rep of not likeing even after-market RAM. It seems like it varies from computer to computer almost. Seeing reviews on Newegg.com (PC builders will know that site by heart) with one person saying this does or does not work with the Apple MacBook Pro (to name one) and then a review after saying, they are lieing it doesn't or does work with the Apple MacBook Pro.


Yeah, like some one is going to drop $200~ and then lie about if it works or not.