But what is the question that answer is for? Is it that there aren't enough easy ways to get a high-end laptop? Or that there aren't enough choices in the high-end laptop market?
Alexey 2001 Honda CBR600F4i (CCS) 1992 Kawasaki EX500 http://azinger.blogspot.com http://bsheet.sourceforge.net http://wcollage.sourceforge.net --- On Tue, 9/2/08, Joshua Marinacci <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Joshua Marinacci <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [The Java Posse] Re: Mac vs PC - $1075 premium for a comparable Mac > To: [email protected] > Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 2:59 PM > So then it seems the answer is to turn computers into a more > consumer > friendly buying market. ie: reduce the number of available > models, > give them better names, maximize compatibility with the > most common > hardware/software/network-infrastructure/devices, then > focus on > advertising a few core features that are differentiators. > This makes > the choice an easier one for consumers by effectively > making the > computer a simpler choice (at least in terms of buying > one). > > Clearly Apple has done this, so the question is why > hasn't anyone > else. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult. > > - J > > On Sep 2, 2008, at 11:40 AM, Alexey Zinger wrote: > > > > > Coke and Pepsi have spent untold amounts of money on > advertising and > > continue to be at each other's throats, both with > their flagship > > brands and new ones (Gatorade vs Powerade). But soft > drinks are a > > lot simpler for the consumer to think about than > computers. For > > one, computers encompass software, hardware, and > surrounding > > infrastructure (network connections, devices they > integrate with, > > etc.). And those things can change independently from > model to > > model, from year to year, from place to place. > It's tough to nail > > down what features you can push on the consumer as THE > answer to why > > they should pay extra, when the consumer may not > understand it, may > > not care, or may be using your product or some of your > products in a > > totally unexpected way. Just think of iTunes running > on Windows. > > Is it good for Apple because it brings iTunes Store > revenue, or is > > it bad for them because it reduces the need for some > people to > > switch brands. Is it good for Apple > > because it shows Windows users how different Apple > software can be > > or does it detract people from Apple's products > for the same > > reason? I think the fact that Apple has to some > extent infiltrated > > the hipster generation and made it a bit of a status > symbol is quite > > remarkable. > > > > Alexey > > 2001 Honda CBR600F4i (CCS) > > 1992 Kawasaki EX500 > > http://azinger.blogspot.com > > http://bsheet.sourceforge.net > > http://wcollage.sourceforge.net > > > > > > > > --- On Tue, 9/2/08, Joshua Marinacci > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> From: Joshua Marinacci <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Subject: [The Java Posse] Re: Mac vs PC - $1075 > premium for a > >> comparable Mac > >> To: [email protected] > >> Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 1:37 PM > >> But why is this the case? There are plenty of > essentially > >> 'commodity' > >> products that have monopolistic competition and > don't > >> eventually > >> collapse to 0% margin. Coke and Pepsi sell for > many many > >> times the > >> price that pure costs would suggest. Automobiles > are > >> functionally > >> equivalent in that any given category has the same > basic > >> features (all > >> 4 door sedans will carry 4 or 5 people, all pickup > trucks > >> will carry > >> furniture and dirt, etc.). And yet BMW has > clearly figured > >> out what > >> things to improve in their cars that will convince > someone > >> to spend > >> twice as much or more for a 4 door sedan, even > though it > >> doesn't cost > >> them twice as much to produce (thus raising their > profit > >> margin). So > >> what have car and sugar water makers figured out > that > >> computer makers > >> haven't? Is there something intrinsic to > computers that > >> resist product > >> differentiation? Clearly Apple (and to some > extent Sony) > >> have proven > >> that it's not completely impossible. > >> > >> - Josh > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>>> > >>> My take on this is that most people don't > care > >> about those certain > >>> ethereal features, such as "overall > >> experience". Maybe it makes > >>> sense to care about that, or maybe it > doesn't, but > >> just like > >>> airlines are starting to feel a new hurt of > competing > >> on price and > >>> specific features alone because of the > internet and > >> product search > >>> engines like Google Products/Shopping, > it's harder > >> and harder for > >>> anyone to demand a higher price without an > extra > >> number of checkmark > >>> to justify it. The only other thing that > people seem > >> to be willing > >>> to pay for is brand name. Besides, no one is > >> impressed with a fancy > >>> laptop anymore. Long live fancy phones! (for > now) > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. 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