Willravel

(bear with me, it's a new idea for a thread series)

Let's say that you're basically a demigod at Apple, and your wish is the company's demand. You want the brand and company to succeed. What would you do in your position to fix problems that you see at Apple? Would you make the computers cheaper? Would you change the form factor? Would you develop more towers? Or would you head in the other direction, making them perform better and making them more elite? Would you make a 3g iPhone?

I'll start.
- First off, I'd probably take a long, hard look at the Mac Mini. It's been around for a bit, and it's been the same shape for years now. This is supposed to be the VW Beetle of computers, after all. I'd like to change the colors a bit to reflect the new lineup by changing the white top to matte black. I'd also like to add better performance.
Baseline: 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo, 1.5GB memory, 120GB HD for $399
Better: 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB memory, 320GB HD for $499
Not only that, but I'd want to finally provide a cheaper display that can be sold with the computer. I could simply repackage a Samsung in aluminum with an iSight integrated.

While I realize that I'd probably not make much money on these, it'd be good to establish a larger market presence and then simply adjust the prices accordingly once market share jumped (as it would).

- Second, I'd revisit the MacBook. No more black and white models, we've moved on to aluminum and it makes more sense. I'd rather it simply looked like a 13" MBP. I'd also like to add more education software, like FREE iWork (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote). I'd also bundle a case. The idea is to make this even more perfect for college students and young professionals who need a decent computer. I'd probably drop the prices $100 each, too.

- Third: MBP! This is Mac's God-computer. I'd upgrade the processors to 2.8 and 3.066GHz and make 3GB of memory the norm. I'd also throw GeForce 8800 GTSs in each of them and expand the possible HD to 500GB. I'd keep prices the same.

- Fourth, I'd probably change the commercials. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy them, but it fuels the raging fire of people who aren't fans of Macs. That's bad business. What I might do is open up emails from people who hate apple and directly answer their questions in commercials, honestly. Mac-hate is a big problem, and it should be overcome.



Okay, you're turn. BTW, don't just say "I'd quit and retire" or "I'd blow up the building". This is you actually in Steve Jobs' shoes.

filtherton

I'd design a sleek, molded plastic, brushed aluminum cubicle with a waste high glory hole and have one installed for me to stand in at every mac store in the world. That way, no matter where I was I could interact on a personal level with the hip young artists who use my products.

Jinn

I'd quit.

Oh, you added a rule that I can't say that.

I'd retire?

I think Steve Jobs and his company can go expletive deleted themselves.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

Willravel

Thanks for exemplifying what I asked people not to do.

Jinn

I suppose it wasn't directly his decision, but I had nothing against Mac until they started releasing their ignorant, lie-filled idiot-pandering monkey-fucking commercials.

I hope their whole product line goes to hell...

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

Willravel

Translation:

Jinn

Yea actually, you're right.

Oh and I'd also make a public apology for allowing that idiocy to be broadcast, in hopes of fostering more interest in the company.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

Willravel

Uh, oh... this is going in my signature!

Kidding. But seriously, why not just put this in the first place. Or hit the back button?

Ilow

surely you are not so weak as to be THAT influenced by any commercial.

__________________
"Religion is the one area of our discourse in which it is considered noble to pretend to be certain about things no human being could possibly be certain about"
--Sam Harris

Jinn

I am not, but most people don't know a computer from a hole in their ass, nonetheless the fact that a Mac is a "PC" too.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

Willravel

Holy shit it took 2 posts and a matter of hours for this to turn into an "I hate macs" thread. Can we grow up, please?

The_Jazz

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo