[123dave123s]

Personally I don't feel cheated, just regretful. I scoured message boards and asked everyone I could before I bought my Powerbook just four weeks ago. I don't know what 10 websites you were looking at, but there was no even remotely official info out there. Keeping the info close to the vest is part of the game.

It's a great computer, don't get me wrong. But if they don't find a way for me to upgrade (even at a cost) the "combo" drive with a "superdrive" then I am really going to regret the switch I made to Apple. It wasn't clear to me when I purchased it that the "combo" drive didn't burn DVD's. What the heck is the sense of putting iMovie on there if the HD won't even hold a movie of decent length? So I can use my digital camcorder to create .MOV files that are too big to save, email or for the web? Oh I know, so I can save it back to my camcorder with titles...big whoop.

I do disagree with the person who said Apple needs to speed up their cycle. They aren't really competing with the PC market from a technology standpoint so why should there be a new model with every monthly 33 or 67 mhz jump?

And for the person who mentioned Dell, after I bought my Dell laptop and they came out with a CD-RW drive I was able to upgrade with it's modular bay. Lets see if Apple really cares...

[LarryC]

Even though they have introduced new models and dropped their prices, they are still too much, my wife brought home a DELL catalog today and on the back they are advertising a laptop for $949 and it has a 1.7GHz P4, a 20GB HD 128MB of RAM and a free upgrade to a 24X CD burner. And it also has a built in floppy drive. I'm a Mac loyalist but Apple is still charging too much for what we are getting, especially for the lower model iBook IMHO. I must say that I am impressed with their new Power Books though, even if they are far from my current range.

LarryC

[Savith]

I just placed an order for my 12" 800mhz iBook. For all you that think you got "rip, mix, burn" images/icons/grin.gif You got what you orderd. You get what you need when you need.

[Nobody]

This topic is as old as the hills. No one is forcing you to stay with Apple and no one is begging you to go with Dell. It is a PERSONAL decision. We all know Apple's pricing structure...we all know Dell's.

I agree with your Philbert....

I feel cheated that my 2002 Vanden Plas has lost an enormous amount of value since driving it off the lot...but oh well...

[Nobody]

if you go to dell.com and try to get the laptop its $999. it has a bigger screen 14.1, and the free upgrade to a CDRW or a dvd drive, otherwise its exactly the same spec (that can be, i gave up on the intel/PPC chip argument a LONG time ago) so for the extra 0 dollars i would rather have the more transportable 12 inch screen and OSX than the CDRW or DVD drive.

[John61254]

There's noone who's boughten a MAC that hasn't had this experience. I've never thought of it as being cheated, just as rotten luck (or poor research) that I didn't wait an extra week or month or whatever.
The best way to avoid the feeling is buy the new model as soon as its out: then you'll have the longest time before you feel "cheated".
Of course I usually like to wait until any "bugs" have been discovered, or until the various resellers start throwing in extra printers, memory, etc. Usually by that time, though, the new model is ready to come out....so, there you go again!
That, my friend, is life. images/icons/cool.gif

[Nobody]

BOO freakin Hooo...lifes a bitch

[Nobody]

"ATTENTION, ATTENTION, PLEASE!

<taps microphone>

This is a public service announcement on behalf of Apple.

We are hereby announcing that in the future there will be an upgrade to your iBooks and PowerBooks.

We realize that these upgrades will cause your system to be 'older' than the newly released models, therefore your current system WILL decrease in value.

We cannot even promise that the price you paid for your particular so-called 'new' system will be the same as the price of the system we release in the future. For the record, you will probably have paid more.

YOU ARE NOW FORWARNED!"

I think that should prevent any bad feelings on the behalf of anyone in the future -- including threads about how people feel "ripped off."

Move along, folks!

[Nobody]

bump

[Nobody]

iTA,

Thanks man! Now I will sleep better tonight images/icons/grin.gif

Peter

[Nobody]

quote:

---

I think that upgrades should be announced beforehand so that, say, someone who is interested in buying a computer doesn't buy one the day before the upgrades come out. While people might not buy computers right before the update is announced, Apple would keep more loyal customers.

---

Are you insane, man? This would totally blow their profits in the meantime! That is the exact reason apple doesn't release all of its products at macworld, because people expect it to be release then, and they put off purchases. And, for the 'loyal customers' bit, give up that old saw. Apple is not your friend. It doesn't try to be.

It's just like the whining about .Mac. People complain about 'this is a serious mistake for apple'. Let's have it to old way: free iTools. Apple makes $0. Let's say a SINGLE customer signs up for the new .Mac. Apple makes $99. Which is better for apple? DUHHHHHHHHH! images/icons/grin.gif

[mike_cary]

I'm feeling quit happy now. I ordered an ibook for 1936 total including PSH on the 25th of October. Call yesteray and Apple told me it had already been upgraded to 800MHZ and I would be paying the current price of 1712.00 PSH. Oh an even though I'm getting a better Computer at a lower Price. Apple is giving me free Fedex nextday shipping. Think thats pretty good customer service.

BTW this my first MAC after 4 DOS/WIN Laptops
1990 Pacardbell 386 $1995
1992 ZEOs 486 $1995
1995 ThinkPaid P1-150 $1995
1998 HP AMD K6 433 $1499(still have this one it will be a Christmas Present to my Nephew (SP)

At the pace I buy new LAPTOPI will get a new (hopefully MAC) in 2005
G6 Proccessor 1.5-2GHZ
2GB Ram
256 MB Video Ram
120-200GB Hard Drive
Super DVD RW Drive
Built in Compact Fash slot

[Nobody]

Congratulations, Mike. You made out and Apple did you right! Welcome and ENJOY!

Print out a copy of your happy post so that for future reference you can refer back to it when you start to get a little miffed over newer models like some other people we know.

<wink wink>

[Nobody]

originally posted by smurfslayer2k4

quote:

---

I think that upgrades should be announced beforehand so that, say, someone who is interested in buying a computer doesn't buy one the day before the upgrades come out. While people might not buy computers right before the update is announced, Apple would keep more loyal customers.

---

And just how far in advance should these announcements be? If Apple announced them, say, one month ahead, I am absolutely positive the volume of whining and complaining would be the same as now, by the people who purchased systems two months before. So, announce updates two months in advance, and all those who purchased three months before would be crying and wailing about it.

It's a no win situation for Apple, so I agree with their stance of announcing updates only when they are actually available for order. And previous experience would indicate that their "loyal costumers" certainly aren't jumping ship because of this policy. They are in the business of selling computers, and have been doing so for a lot longer than just about any other PC maker, so they must be doing something right.