The "Halo Effect:" iPhone Bolsters Mac Sales

[uncle_don]

I'm a life long PC user. I've never used a Mac. I love my iPhone, jailbroken of course, and I'm getting my first Mac on Saturday. I ordered a Mac Book Pro and it's ready for me to go pick it up. It's in another city and I can't travel until Saturday, but I'm rather excited.

[wstcoast]

Definitely! I bought an iPod, that made me buy an iPhone and this past Friday, that made me buy a Macbook Pro.

[TooSlo]

...You are paying a higher price for precision machined aluminum housing vs lower cost plastics used in PC. There's also the designer cost (there's no way a bunch of computer programmers can design such beautiful products )...

I beg your pardon about "lower cost plastics"

AnandTech: Evolution of Lian Li's SOHO Server Cases

I purchased that case four years ago and it's currently on it's third overhaul of my PC. Given mine doesn't have the "look at me" side window, I prefer the incredibly quiet case that allows me to run two separate raid arrays without any outside hardware.

Having a 6 disk raid 6 setup with 1tb drives is fantastic. I really don't need to worry much about overall storage for another year or so.

Secondly I have a separate Raid 1 array of SSDs for games and other fun things that I prefer quick access to. I only have 3 64gb drives set up here, so yes, space can be somewhat limited.

Those things alone make a case such as the Lian li a must-have if you are a serious media enthusiast.

...As for whether the mac motherboard is better than PC motherboards, research is still being done on this. At the moment, not much to support that mac hardwares are better...

I would be suspect to think that Apple is using better hardware than is available to anyone else. While I admit, the core i9 is an interesting setup, I'm quite content with my i7 that I've overclocked to 4ghz without breaking a sweat.

I would also be wary of thinking that Apple puts better quality memory in their machines. I would doubt that Apple is putting Mushkin Redline memory in their regular machines. I would also doubt the use of a better heat sink and CPU fan. Even with everything running, I barely break 32db.


In the end, the wonderful part is that I didn't need to do silly things like throwing an entire computer away when I upgrade. The DL-DVD burner that I've had for 4 years still works great, the case fans haven't stuttered a day in their little lives, and that's running 24/7! My raid card still works as well as day 1. I don't need a computer built into a monitor, because I have everything in the tower next to my desk. Since I haven't had to upgrade the case, I can still use the same matching furniture in my office.

So... someone sell me on this? Can a Mac in native trim share media out to all of my various devices in a simple manner like my PC can? How about hosting my own web and FTP servers? Sure you can run a virtual environment, but there's something ironic about saying "A Mac can do this much!" but then relying on Windows apps to actually accomplish it.

Seriously, I want to be wow'd, I just don't see the benefit. Please, someone help me understand how I can get a better rig than what I'm currently running for under 2 grand that will utilize my raid arrays and allow me to frequently game. Oh, and it has to be good with things like video chat since my wife and daughter enjoy talking to the in-laws.

Anyone?

[tsatryan]

I , too, fall into this category. I was a Windows user for as long as there has been Windows. Used CPM before that. As soon as the "pocket pc" came out, I had the HP Jornada. Moved to the HP iPaq. As soon as the pocket pc phone was available, out went the iPaq, and in came the Samsung i700. Then the i730. Got fed up with its horrible system and constant freeze-ups, and after the iPhone came out, figured I would give it a try, thinking I could sell it and return to WindowsMobile if I wanted to. I never wanted to. It worked from the get-go. I had the original iPhone, upgraded to the 3G, and now have the 3Gs. A year after having the first iPhone, I purchased a brand new 17" MacBook Pro, based solely upon my good experience with the iPhone. I have never looked back. I still use PC's when I need to - and I know my way around the PC, and I am the "go to" person for tech support wherever I am. But, now I am just as home on a Mac as on a PC, and always choose the Mac. I won't buy another PC. I am now a Mac.

[Melech518]

This definitely isn't the case for me. I got an iPhone back when the 1.1.4 firmware was out simply because it was jailbroken and not locked down at all. As time progressed I realized that Apple simply took all their ideas from the jailbreak community and called them their own, then tried to monopolize them. Furthermore, they charge 2-4 times as much as any comparable PC with the same hardware for nothing more than flashy looks and a dumbed down OS. There are ASUS laptops out there for $800 that destroy any MBP in terms of hardware.

I am completely in the same boat as TooSlo. I truly want to be impressed by what a Mac can do and what justifies the astronomical price. I've wanted to be impressed for the last 15 years by a Mac, but every year it just gets worse. Their business ethics have turned them into the exact thing they used to be against.

Past 15 years? Arent you still in high school?

[Melech518]

That still doesnt answer the question...

[snap1500]

I beg your pardon about "lower cost plastics"

AnandTech: Evolution of Lian Li's SOHO Server Cases

I purchased that case four years ago and it's currently on it's third overhaul of my PC. Given mine doesn't have the "look at me" side window, I prefer the incredibly quiet case that allows me to run two separate raid arrays without any outside hardware.

Having a 6 disk raid 6 setup with 1tb drives is fantastic. I really don't need to worry much about overall storage for another year or so.

Secondly I have a separate Raid 1 array of SSDs for games and other fun things that I prefer quick access to. I only have 3 64gb drives set up here, so yes, space can be somewhat limited.

Those things alone make a case such as the Lian li a must-have if you are a serious media enthusiast.



I would be suspect to think that Apple is using better hardware than is available to anyone else. While I admit, the core i9 is an interesting setup, I'm quite content with my i7 that I've overclocked to 4ghz without breaking a sweat.

I would also be wary of thinking that Apple puts better quality memory in their machines. I would doubt that Apple is putting Mushkin Redline memory in their regular machines. I would also doubt the use of a better heat sink and CPU fan. Even with everything running, I barely break 32db.


In the end, the wonderful part is that I didn't need to do silly things like throwing an entire computer away when I upgrade. The DL-DVD burner that I've had for 4 years still works great, the case fans haven't stuttered a day in their little lives, and that's running 24/7! My raid card still works as well as day 1. I don't need a computer built into a monitor, because I have everything in the tower next to my desk. Since I haven't had to upgrade the case, I can still use the same matching furniture in my office.

So... someone sell me on this? Can a Mac in native trim share media out to all of my various devices in a simple manner like my PC can? How about hosting my own web and FTP servers? Sure you can run a virtual environment, but there's something ironic about saying "A Mac can do this much!" but then relying on Windows apps to actually accomplish it.

Seriously, I want to be wow'd, I just don't see the benefit. Please, someone help me understand how I can get a better rig than what I'm currently running for under 2 grand that will utilize my raid arrays and allow me to frequently game. Oh, and it has to be good with things like video chat since my wife and daughter enjoy talking to the in-laws.

Anyone?

sorry, I failed to mention that I was refering to laptops. Desktops are made of metal of course.

[Melech518]

Don't worry, you dont even come close to bothering me. But a junior in college would make you around 20-21ish. So you have been waiting to be impressed since you were 5 or 6 by Apple? Ok, right....

I just love to get a rise out of people because I can practically do it in my sleep over here.

I do think it is funny how you deleted this part of your post however. You must have read it and realized how childish and immature you sounded.

[Melech518]

Also, despite the fact that I kind of like arguing with you over Macs and PC's I really have nothing against you. We're both just a bit arrogant so our personalities clash.

Agree to disagree for once? <3

Lol, I can agree with this statement