The genius of Apple

You can say what you want about Apple, but when they get it right, few companies can come close to what Apple delivers.

Last Friday my daughter ordered a new MacBook for me through one of Apple's many specialized programs. I ordered a 2 Ghz system with extra ram and a 120 gig hard drive.

Less than seven days after ordering the system, I'm typing this post on the new computer.  One of my friends who still worked at Apple called me this morning just after 9 am to see if I had received the system.  I was actually at the door signing for it.

FedEx tracking had this listed as the first step in the journey.

Jun 27, 2006       7:09 PM        Picked up       SUZHOU CN

The package made stops in Shanghai, Anchorage, and Indianapolis before arriving at my door in Roanoke, Va at 9:11 am this morning. That is an amazing coordination of resources, and it was only my first pleasant surprise.   Even the packaging amazes me.  The box is smaller and better designed than any I have seen. Of course not many folks care about packaging.

The next surprise came when I went to migrate everything from my 15" Aluminum Powerbook.  I bought my dual G5 in December 2004, and I couldn't get the migration software to work so I was prepared for failure this time.  Much to my surprise, I plugged the two systems together, and in around two hours, everything from my nearly full hard drive got moved over without a hitch.  I just went downstairs to my office to work and came back once to check on the migration.

So far the only thing out of the ordinary that I've had to do is change the time which for some reason didn't want to synchronize.  I set it manually once, then flipped it back to automatic and everything is now fine.

I've tried Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Excel.  I did not find Photoshop noticeably slower, but I use Photoshop for very basic things.  MS Excel after the first launch seems faster than it did on my 1 Ghz Aluminum PB.  Mail and iPhoto both seem faster.  Nisus Writer and Camino are also quicker.

All in all, I'm very pleased.  This system is less expensive than either the Aluminum PB I bought in August 2004 or the Dell Latitude D610 that I bought in September 2005. In my mind that makes it a great value.

My Apple friend sent me a link to this story just before noon.  The MSNBC article, "MacBook world's best laptop?" by Gary Krakow has this to say.

Quite frankly, this notebook computer is the best I’ve ever used.

At this point I would have to agree.  I just purchased and downloaded the Parallels software this evening so I will install Windows XP SP2 tomorrow and get my WebCEO and accounting software running on it.

It occurs to me how different this purchase was than my first computer purchase in August 1982.  That system, an Apple II+, was purchased through a reseller.  There were lots of third party things added including an Epson printer and software such Apple Writer II and dbMaster.  Eventually we added a keyboard enhancer to allow us to see upper and lower case on the green screen.  Then came more memory for Visicalc. (I still have an almost new copy) By that time I was actually working for the reseller.

This afternoon I talked to a couple of Apple resellers that I know.  Both understood why I didn't order my system through them.  It was basically pricing. I still believe Apple resellers can add tremendous value for those customers who aren't as comfortable with computers. I'm just not one of them.

I've said this a couple of times before and I really believe it.  The key to Apple getting out of the small market share rut is to figure out how to get beyond their BMW-Volvo market.  Apple needs to embrace blue collar America.  I think good resellers could be the key to success in this market because this isn't Apple's normal world.

Of course Apple has to stop shooting the resellers in the foot.  Apple resellers need to be able to make money without Apple pulling the rug out from under them.

While there are Apple stores in many major metro areas, the closest to us is nearly three hours away.  We have a small Apple reseller here, but it's pretty hard for them to compete with Apple.  Of course even the Apple stores couldn't deliver what I wanted.  They only had systems with 80 gig drives.

Perhaps the technology of custom manufacturing has made computer resellers irrelevant except for service.  Of course when I asked one of my reseller friends if they could get the ribbon cables for laptop screens so I could get my PB G4 fixed, he told me that they could no longer order that from Apple.  My only choice would be to ship my system to Apple.

He went on to say that he tells people that the only reason they keep selling Apple computers is so that they can have the great toys for themselves.  They of course have to make their money in other ways.

I look forward to writing more about my impressions of life on my MacBook Duocore system.  I think I'm going to have fun.  It's too bad more folks don't understand how good Macs can be.

Comments

[stet]

Er ... of course the retailers can't match your price if you're taking advantage of an illegal discount. The educational and large-group discounts are for personal use only, not for your dad.

[Ocracokewaves]

It means a little more when you accuse someone of doing something illegal if you actually know what you are talking about.

Since I was the person who drove the creation of the Apple Federal online store, I had more than a little to do with the terms and conditions. They haven't changed since I left.

This is what you'll find...

"The Federal Government Employee Purchase Program (EPP) is a benefit provided by Apple Computer, Inc. ("Apple"), to employees and contractors of all Federal Government agencies. The program is intended for personal use or for the use of family members and friends."

It goes on to say, "You may purchase or 'sponsor' up to six system bundles each calendar year (January 1-December 31). 'Sponsoring' means placing an order for a family member or friend."

The assumption that getting a lower price is illegal is just dumb.

[Mike]

The Apple packaging really helps with table-top demos here at VT. What other vendors do you know that pack up their demo units in original packaging and actually enjoy it? We had 3 MacBooks (white, black and 15" Pro) and one person could carry all 3 with the help of the built in handle.

And yes, the MacBook is often cheaper than a comparable Dell. I'm not sure about retail, but with the free 2GB iPod Nano available to back to school purchasesers, it's lots cheaper than a Dell. And on top of that, you get a $100 dollar rebate on a printer. Dells shipping is not always free either. Add the ability for a MacBook to run Windows and it really doesn't make sense for someone to get anything else.

[Call Cruncher]

I love the macbook. Thanks so much for the article. I look forward to your future work.

[one1step1]

I finally got my hands on on both the Macbook and Macbook Pro today for a reasonable amount of time, when I was in the apple store in Short Pump, VA.

I really like the Macbook. I tried typing for awhile on the Macbook, and I am not sure how I like the keyboard. I guess it seemed a bit strange to me - perhaps it was the height I was using it, or maybe it was the spacing of the keys. I am not sure, but I thought the keys would be softer, but I was surprised by how sturdy and snappy they felt.

Be sure to purchase Parallels before the 14th, because the 15th, I believe it goes to full price. It's definitely worth it. Be sure to install the 'Parallels tools' into Windows XP. It will make things work so much quicker, especially with the video.

[ocracokewaves]

Actually I find the keyboard itself very nice after I got used to it. it's bigger than the keyboard on my Aluminum Powerbook.

There are couple of things that could be improved. The first is edge of the shelf where your wrist rests. It's actually a little sharp and could be more rounded. Perhaps over time it will wear down a little.

I find the touchpad a little less sensitive or perhaps just different from what I'm used to having. I still playing with the adjustments but it is not quite as responsive as I want it to be when I click with it.

The computer does run warm. It doesn't appear to be hotter or cooler than my 1 Ghz Aluminum PB.

Still on balance I really like the MacBook, especially the price point.

I got the Parallels software before July rolled around, but I haven't installed it yet. Thanks for the advice on the installation.

[stet]

Sorry, I mistook the "Apple's many specialized programs" as deliberate omission, not flourish.

As far as "few companies come close" however, I'm not sold. Taking an order and then delivering something in a week is not splicing the genome.

Nor is putting a screen in the MacBook that has color ghosting and mouse trails ... unless this is some retro 1995 design they're rocking. (The keyboard, on the other hand, is my favourite since Saratoga)