From a simply computer standpoint you are correct, mac machines are nothing spectacular on the inside, while they do have the “cool” factor down and a very high price premium apple PCs really bring little to the table beyond their physical designs at the hardware level.
There really isn’t a huge argument to own a Mac computer over another brand for most users. The OS is superior, though the aqua interface has pluses and minuses vs the MS alternatives. In fact many of the things Windows is touting as making 7 simpler are right out of OSx graphical interface. At the PC level, Macs are for the cool niche players more than anyone else.
The interface though, this is where apple generally shines, and there is no doubting that the user experience create by apple with the iPhone/iPod touch has completely changed how humans interact and expect to interact with electronics. Do drill down menus with a mouse and cursor or touchpad and cursor work? Certainly, but they are nowhere near the intuitiveness and elegance of the multitouch display.
iPad is not simply a tablet computer, it is a tablet computer that is extending the iPhone interface/paradigm to the portable computer. If this is successful, iPad will be far more than a “cool” gadget, but will become the market leader in a brand new segment, if it fails it will be an interesting discussion piece 30 years from now.
I admit the iPad hasn’t proven itself yet, but it certainly has the parts to be a very very significant whole. Touchpads, mice and drill down menus (at least the style most computer users are accustomed to today) may become “quaint” concepts of another time for most users.
Time will tell whether or not its a win or a dud... I suspect that if it works remotely as billed, Apple will become a market segment leader in the tablet space.
Anyone besides me remember HPs touchscreen computer in the mid 80s.
Just a touch before its time, I guess.
“The interface though, this is where apple generally shines, and there is no doubting that the user experience create by apple with the iPhone/iPod touch has completely changed how humans interact and expect to interact with electronics.”
Yes. Very true. Apple, for my money, is the worlds best operating system producer. Is it because they can control the hardware it runs on? Possibly. I’ve never been into the “cool” factor. I have to get to work and I don’t want my computer fighting me. That’s why I run Macs and have for years. But they do some things, even in the OS, that drive me crazy. Less crazy than PC’s I’m sure. :-)
From a simply computer standpoint you are correct, mac machines are nothing spectacular on the inside, while they do have the “cool” factor down and a very high price premium apple PCs really bring little to the table beyond their physical designs at the hardware level. Have you ever really looked at the engineering that goes into a Mac compared to the engineering that goes into a typical High End PC???
Mac Pro Internal Design with NO CABLES
Typical High End Windows PC Internal Design
Or how about the engineering that goes into one of the G5 iMacs:
G5 iMac internal Design
Dell XPS ONE internal Design
Not bad engineering, but it cost MORE than the same size iMac.
These are not just boxes that parts are tossed into... like the typical PC case.
In addition, Apple specs their parts to the OEM to be in the top 90% of quality range rather than just the general range of parts and pays a premium for that quality. So your claim is not entirely true.