Well, Apple has done it again.
Remember when the iPhone was released, and then a few months later they reduced the price? An uproar of epic proportions arose when the people who had waited in line for hours realized that not only do they need to get a wee bit more of a life, but that they’ll have $200 less cash in their pockets to do so. Apple, in a slight mea culpa, offered $100 vouchers to those who had, obviously, overpaid for the privilege of being among the first to have one.
Yeah.
I don’t think that Apple really did anything unethical. They’re allowed to reduce their prices if they choose. But I’m not sure if it’s worth the bad taste that’s left in the mouths of the original buyers, let alone the rest of the computer-shopping world.
Well, for Christmas I bought my husband the new computer he’d been saving for. As a graphic designer/art director/production director he really needed a new one, as his old one was 7 years old and had been updated as much as it could be.
So, in early December I ordered the MacPro with an upgraded 8 core processor and 1G of RAM (or something, I’m computer illiterate), and plunked down $4000 for the privilege. He was in disbelief when he opened his present on Christmas morning (he’s quite familiar with my frugality). He was thrilled! I was thrilled that he was thrilled (though I tried really hard not to think of the $4000)! All was happy in our house! Yay!
Then, yesterday, I got a call from said husband. Apple has just announced the new MacPro, with the 8 core processor as standard, and 2G of RAM standard, and more things that are … better than what we bought. For less than we paid for the inferior version, 4 weeks prior. And they sent us an e-mail announcing it!
Husband was very unhappy. He wanted me to call Apple and see what they’re willing to do. I told him it would be better if he called, because my call would sound something like, “The computer we bought doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as we could have gotten if we waited a month! What bells and whistles? Um, the thingy that makes it go fast. And the whatchamacallit that does something else my husband needs!”
Besides, once again Apple did nothing unethical. But it sure left a bad taste in, well, several mouths.
He did call them, and they issued a $200 voucher that my husband will use to buy more RAM, so he’s happy.
If he’s happy, I’m happy. And, you know, that’s what I live for.
January 10, 2008 at 3:38 pm
With that $200 hubby will get another 4 billion bytes of memory for his computer, so I’m glad he’s happy too 🙂
Still, if you wait for the next rev of everything, you’ll never buy anything … it’s just the price we (all) make at one time or another.
Now, should I buy that flat screen LCD TV I’ve been lusting over for months, or wait and see what happens next week? ….
January 10, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Don’t buy RAM from Apple. It costs about double what it costs from other people.
Buy an iPhone, a new set of iPod speakers, anything but memory.
That was a great present, though. I hope he got you something equally wonderful!
D
January 10, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Well I am glad that they are sending you a voucher, but it still it sucks.
January 10, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I don’t view this as negative in any way. This industry moves forward constantly. You’re obviously not a Machead that visits Macsurfer every day. Otherwise you would have seen the upcoming Macworld that’s just around the corner. Apple people know not to buy until after the show.
That said, the $200 voucher is AWESOME and Apple should be commended for bending over backwards to make you a happy customer.
That’s technology. Buy what you can when you can and use it as best you can. Newer, better, faster, and cheaper is always right around the corner.
January 10, 2008 at 7:47 pm
You’re right, Art. I’m not a Machead at all. I’m not even a PChead. In seven years, when we’re ready to but his next computer, I will be sure to check macsurfer.com first. It never occurred to me to check for new issues beforehand.
I completely agree that Apple should be commended for their excellent service.
Thanks for the comment – and hello and welcome to all the macsurfer visitors!
January 10, 2008 at 9:12 pm
What a nice wife you are!!
BTW – I’ve buy RAMs from http://www.macsales.com/ for years….never had a problem. Prices are great too.
January 10, 2008 at 9:55 pm
The solution, frankly, is to buy when you need it and be happy with what you have. Your husband traded in a 7 year old machine for this. He’s probably a lot more productive than he was and that’s what’s important. If you do the, “Gosh, I should have waited” game, you can spend the rest of your days waiting for that new machine that’s “just around the corner.”
January 10, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Oh you silly woman, how dare you not know everything about everything! Tsk tsk.
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