...WRONG!

Good Job Apple, go MacBook Air (redeeming the acronym MBA on a daily basis), can't wait to see what the next hardware announcement brings.

Now that you've seen that the MBA can carve out a new segment, how about an iMac-level machine with GPU slots next? I promise I'll keep recommending the iMacs to people as well, while finally having a machine that gamers can take seriously at a sub-1000 price point (low end model) could mean more sales. Bonus if the CPU is easy to change out and overclock.

I'm loving my MBA and glad to see it doing so well. I would however like to see the MacBook in Aluminum and with an actual GPU. I know it's getting close to the MBA in that case, but darn wouldn't it be nice? Maybe just stopping the fans going crazy on flash would be reason enough?

That's what I'm talking about baby!
Can't wait until Macs reach 33% of the US market... maybe in a couple of years from now?

"The market sometimes discounts this, but Apple's stores are key to what they do," Mr. Baker added."

And there you may have a lot of explanation as to why the global market share still lags much behind the US. Although there are stores coming to the bigger European cities, but mainly in the UK, we donʼt have one in the whole of Scandinavia yet, for example.
In the area where I live in Norway, with around 100 000 inhabitants living in a more or less urbanized environment, consisting of two smaller cities and lots of towns, there isnʼt one shop which have a dedicated Mac-department, for instance, so Macs are virtually invisible to the common man and woman. iPods are everywhere, of course, and one chain of shops, selling mainly electrodomestic appliances, have some Macs in some shops, but in between all the PCs.
And Norwegians are rich. There are many such areas spread around in Scandinavia and imagine how much the situation would have been improved if one would have actually seen Macs? But there are not even ads about them here.

I can understand that it isnʼt possible for Apple to expand faster outside the US, but maybe they should consider some co-operation of some sort? There are Mac-dealers around and some of them try to copy the design etc. of the Apple Stores, but they do not exist outside the largest cities - and those are few.

Well, just a few thoughts. I am sure we will see an improvement to this soon and I am convinced that the world is ready for a "surge" from Apple:)

Quote

DaiMac wrote:
Now that you've seen that the MBA can carve out a new segment, how about an iMac-level machine with GPU slots next? I promise I'll keep recommending the iMacs to people as well, while finally having a machine that gamers can take seriously at a sub-1000 price point (low end model) could mean more sales. Bonus if the CPU is easy to change out and overclock.

I don't think this will EVER happen. It would mean fewer sales and increased cost. Why bother to build in a feature that the vast majority of people will never use? I agree that Apple could be using better graphics hardware (although, again, dedicated GPUs will never be in a Mac Book) but they'll never put the ability to upgrade any processor in any of their products other than when you do BTO.

The age of the user modifiable computer is over; they are now appliances, widgets for lack of a better description. The age of disposability in computers is here with the exception of servers, and it won't be coming back. So if you're waiting for systems from Apple where you can upgrade the CPU and the GPU, particularly in a portable or consumer level system, get comfy, because you'll be waiting a long, long..... time.

Quote

Anonymous wrote:
Why bother to build in a feature that the vast majority of people will never use?

Well, considering that nVidia continues to post high profits every quarter in an ever tighter component market, I'd say you're underestimating the demand for dedicated GPUs. Go to Kotaku.com or another gaming site and ask people why they don't use Macs, 9/10 will cite the lack of GPU upgradability, affordable models, and DIY options.

So I think you're wrong, those days are far from over, and again I think the MBA demonstrated that Apple has the ability to introduce a new segment and not have it hurt sales of existing models.

Will Apple do it? I agree the chances are low, but I think you're being overly dismissive, especially given the enhanced profile among gamers Apple has gotten with the game announcements that followed the iPhone SDK announcement. Now, or at least in the next 3-6 months, is the PERFECT time for them to do it if they're going to.

Going to a gaming site & asking why people don't use Macs is stacking the deck. You are picking the group where the GPU is of primary importance. It would be like going to the Republican Convention and asking them if they like Hillary Clinton. Most folks want to browse, email and manage their music & videos.

The gaming market represents a fairly small(although admittedly lucrative) segment of the PC marketplace, and is splintered between PCs and consoles. Apple wants to keep their product line small & focused, so one of the groups that lose out is the gamers. From a personal standpoint I wish they would give gamers more reasonable options, but from a business point of view I am betting the smaller product line makes the most sense considering Apples overall market share(anywhere from 7-14% depending on whose numbers you trust).