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Wiglaf
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Cambridge
Dec 2000
time: 23:15
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Checked internet prices the other day...
Gateway 1.8 GHz
Windows XP
512 MB RAM
80 GB HD
GeForce 3 64 MB Graphics
Soundblaster Live! With Dolby Digital Speakers
$1899
and then looked over at Apple's site...
dual G4 processors at 800MHz
optical mouse
256 RAM
Rage 128
40 GB HD
slightly over $3000
They can open malls, they can overhaul their ad campaign...but getting people to buy your computer starts with a reasonable price. When someone goes to a store and sees the fastest PC available for $2000, and then looks at a mac, which can run less software, priced at well over $3000...the decision is painfully obvious. Call it a supercomputer, call it elegant, and wrap it in a colorful box, but the only people who can afford macs are moms and dads (rich ones at that)...and that market goes to M$ almost by default.
Apple's fastest should match, if not beat, the prices set by Dell, Gateway, etc. The iMac revolution showed people were open to mac products - a dramatic price drop would probably do it again. I mean, sure, the Cube was pretty - but $2,400!?! Interest tanks right then and there.
I've noticed mainly because I'm looking at new computers, and I'm on a tight budget. Rest assured that I love macs and they played a far fairer game than MS since their creation - but apple had better get their act together in terms of pricing. To get out of the 5% marketshare hole, something drastic has to be done.
Although, if you check out www.apple.com, you can tell they're already taking steps to improve their financial position. Looks like it's working. 
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06-10-2001 06:46
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