Beware Steve Jobs bearing gifts
It could be my purely functional tech knowledge or perhaps it is my abhorrence of all things Mac, but I don't know if I can envision Matt's argument of the Mac Mini as a Trojan horse bringing Macs into the homes of Joe and Jane Microsoft. Logically, it is plausible for someone to buy a Mac mini to use in concert with a PC, but, as Matt argues, this would mostly appeal to people with iPods or those who want to pursue multimedia editing.
So, in a word: students. My question is: while $500 is a cheap computer, who in that cohort has 500 bucks to throw around on a second computer? If they had $500 to spend on a computer, wouldn't their brand loyalties kick in and cause them to spend it on a new PC, rather than what amounts, for their purposes, to little more than an iPod accessory?
I can see the Mac Mini as a start, since the prohibitive cost of Macs must be what keeps at least some people from getting them. However, the benefits of owning a PC in a PC world, such as the interchangeability of software and documents plus an informal support network, give it an appeal that goes beyond the quality or price of the product. This gives PC's a circular appeal: people buy PC's because more people buy PC's. No matter how many e-mail worms you get, that chain is hard to break.
posted by Shaun @ 11:53 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I don't really think there are any brand loyalties to PC, or certainly not Microsoft in any case, at least not in the public at large. If there is, it's not nearly or the same breed of fanaticism that envelopes those in the cult of the Mac.
Who has $500 bucks to spend on another computer? The same people that could afford to be early adopters of iPods, especially those with the higher storage capacity. A lot of students that go to NYU, and for that matter, a lot of people in Manhattan. Hell, in Manhattan, the Apple store in SoHo is a popular singles pick-up point. (And wow that was awkwardly phrased.) In any case, it's a good stepping stone for those well on their way to full-fledged Apple "iDolatry." $500 is just another iPod. The couple grand needed for a full fledged G5 or nicely equipped notebook, is at least psychologically, much more expensive, and not merely another Apple add-on.
Whether or not Apple can break into the chain you've identified largely depends on marketing, I think. They've responded to some consumer concerns already by lowering the prices of upgrades, which is rare for Apple, which leads me to believe they're going to be putting their full might behind this. If the mini fails, they're basically going to be a niche computing and trendy consumer electronics company. If Apple can get people to start buying Macs, then more people will, because more people will have them. No doubt, a lot of iPod's power came from its trendiest. Moreover, in NYU's case, NYU is conditioning people to like Macs - look in the library or the computer labs. And if you look in the Starbucks or anywhere else around campus, you see a higher number of Apple laptops. The iPod started in the same way - it just trickled down to the masses in the last year or so, so it may take the mini some time.
Do I want a mini? Not really, I'm honestly not a fan of Apple's computers. Do I want it to succeed? Yes, because then maybe it will force the PC market (mainly Microsoft) to become at least somewhat better than it is. But I'm not holding my breath.
Apple rules. Shaun is blind.
Shaun's not blind. Apple is evil. I know it. Steve Jobs is just smarter about taking over the world than Bill Gates. Subtlety and aesthetics are his keys ruling the world.
Oh yeah, Shaun you should change the subject to Beware Steve Jobs Bearing Evil Gifts
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