[lynchburgwildcats]

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/08/apple...rosoft-8-to-2/

According to a report from Global Equities Research, more incoming college students are picking up an Apple computer than a Windows computer this year. Apple is not just edging out Microsoft either; Macs are beating out Windows machines at an impressive rate of 8 to 2.

I'm not 100% surprised by this, but I am a bit surprised at the 4:1 ratio considering how much more expensive Macs are. I guess the economy isn't that bad after all!

I'd definitely consider getting a Mac when I need to get a new computer ... if I didn't have to pay twice as much or more to get an equivalent Mac, in terms of hardware specs. I like what Apple does, but their prices are ridiculous - I just can't buy a Mac and justify it to myself at the end of the day as a smart financial decision.

[RubberMallet]

schools don't pay the ridiculous prices for apple that you the consumer does. they are also fairly idiot proof computers so managing 5000 devices can be a bit simpler. backend networking is still dominated by windows and linux and will be for some time.

[lynchburgwildcats]

schools don't pay the ridiculous prices for apple that you the consumer does. they are also fairly idiot proof computers so managing 5000 devices can be a bit simpler. backend networking is still dominated by windows and linux and will be for some time.

This article is talking about the consumer, not the schools.

I'd also be curious to hear more about their study considering the company that did it owns stock in Apple. Probably explains why they use the 8:2 ratio, since that sounds bigger than 4:1 even though it's the same thing obviously.

and the link didn't work so here it is again http://www.tuaw.com/2011/07/08/apples-b ... ft-8-to-2/

[SuperJon]

$1000 for a Macbook that'll last you 4-5 years easily or $600-700 for a PC laptop that'll last you maybe two years?

It's more expensive, but the Mac is the better investment. People with brains understand that, down economy or not.

[lynchburgwildcats]

$1000 for a Macbook that'll last you 4-5 years easily or $600-700 for a PC laptop that'll last you maybe two years?

It's more expensive, but the Mac is the better investment. People with brains understand that, down economy or not.

Every single windows computer I have bought has lasted me 4-5 years. At that point I normally buy a new computer regardless of how well the computer is operating. The last desktop I had, I had been using for 4 years. I got a laptop after that and agave my Dad the desktop which he continued to use for nearly four more years. $600 for 4-5 years is a much better deal than $1000 for 4-5 years - people with a below average IQ understand that.

And the current $1000 macbook is as weak as my old laptop was, which was four years old when I replaced it.

[flamehunter]

Apple has improved their distribution, which is helping this. College kids and graphic designers buy Macs...grown up's buy PC's. I still don't see that changing too much.

Except that as time goes on, college kids become the grown-ups. they are building a pretty solid base.

[lynchburgwildcats]

Apple has improved their distribution, which is helping this. College kids and graphic designers buy Macs...grown up's buy PC's. I still don't see that changing too much.

Except that as time goes on, college kids become the grown-ups. they are building a pretty solid base.

Exactly. The domination of the iPods and iPhones and the integration of iOS into OSX has been the biggest reason for the increased demand for Macs. iPods and iPhones are going to be used by older generations as well.

Only thing holding back Apple from getting a big market share is the prices for their computers. Of course, they don't need a big market share, so that doesn't really matter. Their prices and how much it would cost to replace software are the two major reasons why me switching to a Mac won't happen unless I start making a ton more money.

[RubberMallet]

$1000 for a Macbook that'll last you 4-5 years easily or $600-700 for a PC laptop that'll last you maybe two years?

It's more expensive, but the Mac is the better investment. People with brains understand that, down economy or not.

my pc's have lasted 6-7 years.

my macpro and macbook have all had to have major repairs in the past 2 years. its the same hardware. i believe apple puts together their computers "neater" than say dell or hp.

the article reads like a sales article. but i wouldn't doubt that apple was beating out microsoft in this market though. the iphone/ipod has completely dominated the market and college kids are gullible.

you still pay a premium for apple software essentially. meanwhile microsoft basically gives windows 7 away with a computer. ever go buy windows 7? its like 200 bucks.

i enjoy my apples they are nice computers to have on the lap when i'm watching tv.

[Sly Fox]

Some of you folks act like we Old Hags were never exposed to Apple. Many of us used IIe & MacIntosh gear a quarter century ago.

Yeah, it is great gear. But when you have a mortgage and the expense of kids it becomes considerably less desirable.

All that said, I am about to buy a MacBook Pro because I need a machine to run FCP. And I'm also buying an iPad2 for my wife. But I am doing both against my better judgement.

[TDDance234]

Some of you folks act like we Old Hags were never exposed to Apple. Many of us used IIe & MacIntosh gear a quarter century ago.

Yeah, it is great gear. But when you have a mortgage and the expense of kids it becomes considerably less desirable.

All that said, I am about to buy a MacBook Pro because I need a machine to run FCP. And I'm also buying an iPad2 for my wife. But I am doing both against my better judgement.

What a terrible life. You have to buy a MacBook Pro AND an iPad? It must be awful...

[LUconn]

I just watched a documentary last night that interviewed a bunch of apple nerds, like the original apple nerds who have stuck with them since the beginning. They said that apple marketing would have you believe that apple users are all young and hip but the majority of actual mac users (not gadget users) are 55+. It was just his circumstantial opinion in his mac circles but it makes sense if you think about it. Any younger mac users would most likely have had to make a switch at some point and that's a pretty difficult barrier for most people to get past. Only 1 out of 10 computer users in the 90s were mac users. That's like an entire generation who wanted nothing to do with apple.

[Sly Fox]

What a terrible life. You have to buy a MacBook Pro AND an iPad? It must be awful...

Trust me, it is not without a great deal of anguish. If Adobe could give me a better option than their current version of Premiere I would be all over it. But for work purposes (i.e. ROI), I have little choice but to buy Apple's overpriced hardware.

As for the iPad 2, my wife has worked herself to the bone this past year and this is her choice for a reward. Frankly I feel like I am getting off easy with her pick. She deserved much more.

[lynchburgwildcats]

$1000 for a Macbook that'll last you 4-5 years easily or $600-700 for a PC laptop that'll last you maybe two years?

It's more expensive, but the Mac is the better investment. People with brains understand that, down economy or not.

my pc's have lasted 6-7 years.

my macpro and macbook have all had to have major repairs in the past 2 years. its the same hardware. i believe apple puts together their computers "neater" than say dell or hp.

the article reads like a sales article. but i wouldn't doubt that apple was beating out microsoft in this market though. the iphone/ipod has completely dominated the market and college kids are gullible.

you still pay a premium for apple software essentially. meanwhile microsoft basically gives windows 7 away with a computer. ever go buy windows 7? its like 200 bucks.

i enjoy my apples they are nice computers to have on the lap when i'm watching tv.

Sounds like a sales article? Not surprising, the company that did the study owns Apple stock. Needless to say their is a conflict of interest there.

And I bought Windows 7 upgrade on a student discount for $50 I think. Windows 7 came out a year or so after I got my current laptop, so yeah I bought it instead of getting a new laptop.

[lynchburgwildcats]

And to be clear, I've owned 2 iphones, 6 or 7 ipods of differing type, as well as an ipad. I like their gadgets.

I've owned three different iPods and I to like their gadgets. I have to say though, if you want something like an iPod Touch (like I have), there really isn't any great alternatives to choose from to begin with though. Archos has some decent alternatives, but they have nothing on the iPod Touch. If I were in the market for any of the other iPod types, I'm not sure if I would pay the Apple premium for them since there are many other competitors. I would definitely shop around for a nano or ipod classic alternative before making my decision.