The technology supplement to the Guardian published a letter from me today, concerning the “no clue” nature of Apple’s attitude to low-cost computer kit. You can read what they published here, but here’s what I actually wrote (note that they clipped out the bit about the difference between getting an extra gigabyte from Apple and getting it elsewhere, which is significant, because the difference is more than twice the actual cost of the RAM):
With regard to the lack of an update to the Mac Mini, the price and specification of this machine demonstrates how out of touch Apple are with the current state of the world economy. Prices start from £391 for a machine with a “combo drive” (meaning it can read but not burn DVDs), 80Gb of disk space and only 1Gb of RAM; updating to 2Gb nearly £50. In the real world, 2Gb of that type of RAM costs under £20 from Crucial, including delivery, and you can get a Dell with twice the memory, 500Gb of disk space, a DVD writer, a dedicated graphics card and a faster processor, which can be opened with a screwdriver rather than with decorators’ tools and upgraded easily, for £329. Apple are clearly not interested in selling computers to people on a budget, and since there will be far more of those around in the months to come, one hopes Steve Jobs will get out of the way or get a clue if the platform is to survive.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Charlie Brooker bashes Macs again
- Why I still haven’t replaced my Mac
- My letter appears in Standpoint
- Photoshop Ailments
- And I’m a Penguin (but my Mac’s well weapon)
“one hopes Steve Jobs will get out of the way or get a clue if the platform is to survive.”
I think that statement was taken to heart: Steve Jobs in now on extended leave due to ill health.
Looks like you have your closing wish…
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/24.....leave.html
…one hopes Steve Jobs will get out of the way or get a clue if the platform is to survive.
The first half of that statement may be sooner than expected.
You and I don’t see eye to eye on Apple, but I am sure you will join me in wishing Steve a speedy recovery. The man is a genius and he has been fighting illness for quite a while now. I hope he gets better during this leave of absence. Insha’Allah.
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
Shahid: Steve Jobs is the Ken Livingstone of the computer world - an autocratic figurehead who’s been in a powerful position for too long and has lost the plot. He and Apple have their heads too far up their own backsides with their lifestyle marketing, and they think computers are lifestyle accessories with a price tag to match. They are also sitting on the world’s best Unix platform and shutting most of the geeks out by overpricing the kit. They think they are an exclusive little club, and as long as I’m deemed unfit to join it, I can’t see why I should give a toss about their Dear Leader.
Actually, we do publish the full text of letters and blog pingbacks that we choose the printed ones from online.
So your full letter is online - just this evening (Sunday) - at http://www.guardian.co.uk/tech.....blogs-full
Charles