Why does Apple make it so hard to give them my money?

[SSSnail]

Most people buy Apple stuff for work is because? You guessed it, WORK PAYS FOR IT SO THEY CAN LOOK "COOL" on company dimes while dicking around and not doing any actual work.

 

[ch33zw1z]

People aren't buying $2200 Macbooks because Macbooks have superior technology or superior value at the moment. MBP and MBA do have many things going for them; no one disputes that. I don't dispute that. It's just not specs and value.

It's not my intention to poke holes in your argument, but make sure that people are under no illusion as to what the primary shortcoming of Apple stuff is: it's expensive. Whether or not the price is worth it is up to you, but don't say "specs!" as a reason why it's worth it. When looking at specs alone, it isn't.

Often times people ask me what to get, and they bring up Apple. I tell them this pretty much. Apple provides and all-in-one solution, not build-wise, but a hardware and software solution that they'll support. And they'll support anything they put on their supported list. OSX is so easy to use a monkey could do it. But it comes with a price tag, so if you're willing to shell out 2x-3x what a PC costs, then go for it. Some go for it, others don't. I still support my friends either way....

 

[GotIssues]

Ok, windows based pc sales are shrinking and os x based ones are growing

Apple is gaining market share (and having lower market share to begin with), and a lot of that has to do with Apple's marketing. They are probably one of the best marketing companies to have ever graced this planet. That doesn't make the computers fundamentally better or cheaper.

Same basic functionality for the same basic tasks. And os x computers are sold at higher price points.

Same technology at higher prices. Which is exactly what started this argument was Alfa claiming they were not significantly more expensive. And in the course of putting together a flimsy argument, Alfa himself showed that they are, in fact, much more expensive for the same hardware.

People are even buying $2200 MacBooks to use at worK

How does that help your argument against price vs. hardware? Apple still charges much more for the same hardware, which is why they SHOULD give fantastic service, you already paid an arm and a leg for it.

I don't buy Apple computers because I'm a big price vs performance person. If you want to buy an Apple because you like x,y,z, that's fine, but don't try and pretend the price difference is from technical specs.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Often times people ask me what to get, and they bring up Apple. I tell them this pretty much. Apple provides and all-in-one solution, not build-wise, but a hardware and software solution that they'll support. And they'll support anything they put on their supported list. OSX is so easy to use a monkey could do it. But it comes with a price tag, so if you're willing to shell out 2x-3x what a PC costs, then go for it. Some go for it, others don't. I still support my friends either way....

Their software support for older products leaves a lot to be desired. Just try installing Xcode 4 on Snow Leopard, Apple pulled all of the downloads and now only offers it for Lion. If Microsoft tried to drop support for Windows Xp and Vista from Visual Studio people would throw a tantrum but when Apple does the same for a much newer version of OS X people don't have a problem with it.

 

[alent1234]

i read that if you have a fairly recent Mac, like from 2011 or 2010 you get Lion for free. just download the internet install upgrade to the EFI and resinstall the OS via the internet

 

[ch33zw1z]

Their software support for older products leaves a lot to be desired. Just try installing Xcode 4 on Snow Leopard, Apple pulled all of the downloads and now only offers it for Lion. If Microsoft tried to drop support for Windows Xp and Vista from Visual Studio people would throw a tantrum but when Apple does the same for a much newer version of OS X people don't have a problem with it.

I didn't know this, but then again...my xp with Apple products is limited. You're right, MS users would throw a shit fit.

OSX users just say, "Apple knows what's best", and shell out another 2k+ for another thinking that they're getting a good deal the whole time. D:

My brother dated a girl that worked at the apple store, I never even bothered arguing with her because it was like talking to a brick wall. One buddy came with her to hang out and started going on about how awesome Apple was because they're putting the GPU on the CPU package(this was in '09ish). I started in with "you know that Apple doesn't actually design/manufacture those right?" to which he stared at me like I was speaking jibberish. It was kinda sad how little knowledge they had of the products that were sold at their store. Only the "genius'" were anywhere reasonable to talk to, but lacked basic hardware troubleshooting skills if it wasn't in their documentation. At least they could RTFM, I'll give 'em that..

 

[blackdogdeek]

Their software support for older products leaves a lot to be desired. Just try installing Xcode 4 on Snow Leopard, Apple pulled all of the downloads and now only offers it for Lion. If Microsoft tried to drop support for Windows Xp and Vista from Visual Studio people would throw a tantrum but when Apple does the same for a much newer version of OS X people don't have a problem with it.

this is incorrect. you can still download xcode 4 for SL. you may have to be a registered apple developer but it is still available for download.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

this is incorrect. you can still download xcode 4 for SL. you may have to be a registered apple developer but it is still available for download.

I am a paid developer and when I checked yesterday every version of Xcode 4 specified that it was Lion only.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I am a paid developer and when I checked yesterday every version of Xcode 4 specified that it was Lion only.

When I log in to https://developer.apple.com/ and then click on the iOS Dev Center link I am taken to a page that has a link for Xcode 4.2 for Snow Leopard.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

the fact that it was internet explorer 8 made me barf. ^^

 

[blackdogdeek]

the fact that it was internet explorer 8 made me barf. ^^

i'm at work and can't download/install other browsers or versions

 

[Puddle Jumper]

When I log in to https://developer.apple.com/ and then click on the iOS Dev Center link I am taken to a page that has a link for Xcode 4.2 for Snow Leopard.

Thank you posting that, turns out the person who was supposed to add my Apple ID to our developer account dropped the ball. I stand corrected on Snow Leopard not being supported.

 

[Anubis]

they don't make anything i feel is worth giving them money for

thats why its hard for me

 

[Anubis]

the fact that it was internet explorer 8 made me barf. ^^

we still use 6 where i work, no other can be installed or even run from a USB drive

 

[CZroe]

I'd have to agree Logitech has great customer service.

Bought Logitech Z680 speakers on clearance for $200 and decided to build an HTPC with nForce2 MCP-T and a home theater to properly utilize them.
Moved and left them sealed in the box for 9 months while I built my home theater in a backyard accessory building.
Set them up and left them there for a couple months while I was busy with school and other projects.
Completed HTPC and finally used them. Noticed that one front speaker and one rear speaker only worked in analog mode.
Spent a little time diagnosing it over the next month before determining that something was wrong with the DD/DTS decoder. Also discovered a horrible screech noise during the test in digital mode.
Called them but couldn't get through on the weekend.
Called them that Monday and they required me to find and fax proof of purchase.
Found and faxed from evening shift at work on Tuesday and found that I was now one day outside of warranty.
Called in the morning and was told to go pound sand.

I couldn't get any help. I even I rattled off at least 20 Logitech products that I owned and couldn't believe that they weren't impressed enough to do SOMETHING. I spoke to a manager and they offered me an upgrade to Z-5500 speakers for exactly what I paid for these. $200

I, too, have had them send me replacements without requiring the defective product to be returned but that's not generosity: It's because they've done the math and know that paying money to ship something that isn't worth fixing is stupid. They get no "generosity points" for that in my book. Microsoft does this too.

 

[Joseph F]

Bought Logitech Z680 speakers on clearance for $200 and decided to build an HTPC with nForce2 MCP-T and a home theater to properly utilize them.
Moved and left them sealed in the box for 9 months while I built my home theater in a backyard accessory building.
Set them up and left them there for a couple months while I was busy with school and other projects.
Completed HTPC and finally used them. Noticed that one front speaker and one rear speaker only worked in analog mode.
Spent a little time diagnosing it over the next month before determining that something was wrong with the DD/DTS decoder. Also discovered a horrible screech noise during the test in digital mode.
Called them but couldn't get through on the weekend.
Called them that Monday and they required me to find and fax proof of purchase.
Found and faxed from evening shift at work on Tuesday and found that I was now one day outside of warranty.
Called in the morning and was told to go pound sand.

I couldn't get any help. I even I rattled off at least 20 Logitech products that I owned and couldn't believe that they weren't impressed enough to do SOMETHING. I spoke to a manager and they offered me an upgrade to Z-5500 speakers for exactly what I paid for these. $200

I, too, have had them send me replacements without requiring the defective product to be returned but that's not generosity: It's because they've done the math and know that paying money to ship something that isn't worth fixing is stupid. They get no "generosity points" for that in my book. Microsoft does this too.

On the contrary, when I requested service for my Zune HD, they required me to send it in.

 

[FM2n]

First they fixed my 2010 MacBook Pro screen for free, and now they fix my broken iPhone4 glass for only $30.

Why won't they just stop fixing things for so cheap and let me buy newer, slightly better products from them?

Because they know that if they don't fix it for you for free, you would go out and buy another apple, rip it apart and swap out the broken parts, then return the laptop to the store claiming you received a broken one. Only to break your original laptop in the process of installing the swapped hardware, resulting in a more costly repair for Apple to incur because they didn't see your cheapass coming from a mile away and I guess their revenue analyst has put this scenario into consideration and decided that in the end, it would be cheaper in the long run to just repair it at no extra cost. Oh, and by buying an Apple product, the cost of the product should earn you a 10 year warranty by default.