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Apple Still Top Dog In Consumer Reports Tech Support Ratings; Wanted: Mac mini On Steroids; Proporta Perfora Leather Style Case For 13" Laptops; OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini External Drive; Problem: Making Consumers Crave iPads; ACU To Publish First Student Newspaper on iPad
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 11:29 AM ET | Article Link
Charles Moore's The Agenda -- What's Happening Today In The Laptop World

Apple Top Dog In Consumer Reports Ratings: Best & Worst Computer Tech Support

Consumer Reports Blogs' Nick K. Mandle says that how a computer looks, feels, and performs are all obvious considerations when shopping for a new model, but what many buyers might not think about, however, is the quality of support available should their new laptop or desktop go on the fritz.

Consumer Reports' latest ratings of laptop tech support and desktop tech support (available to subscribers) reveal clear winners and losers, with scores based on an annual survey from the Consumer Reports National Research Center this past January of over 7,000 desktop and laptop owning CR subscribers who weighed in on the ability of their computer's manufacturer's tech support to solve their problems, the communication and knowledge of phone support staff, how long they were placed on hold, and the quality of the company's online support.

CR also offers free guide to computer tech support.

Macworld's Nicholas Bonsack notes that 3,685 CR subscribers ranked Apple number one in laptop tech support and 3,711 ranked Apple number one in desktop tech support, and that Apple was not just the only company to earn the highest Consumer Reports individual rating for any category - it earned them for all four categories for both desktops and laptops! For laptop tech support, Apple scored 86 out of a possible 100, putting them above "very satisfied" (80) on average

And Electronista points out that these triumphs were far from being squeakers, with Apple absolutely dominating the CR Support rankings, beating Dell. Lenovo, et al. by 36 percent or more. While Apple's help scored 87 and 86 points in the desktop and laptop categories respectively, Lenovo, which came closest in notebooks, was still way back with just 63 points, and Dell even farther behind in desktops with a 55-point score.

As with when back in August, 1851, the schooner yacht America, representing the young New York Yacht Club, trounced the best racing yachts the British could marshall in their own waters and won the Royal Yacht Squadron's 100 Guinea Cup (which came to be known as "the America's Cup" -- last month brought back to the U.S. when the BMW Oracle syndicate led by Oracle's Larry Ellison, a former member of Apple Computer's board of directors, successfully challenged the incumbent holder of the Cup with their trimaran USA 17, beating the defending Swiss yacht Alinghi 5 handily), Queen Victoria, who was in attendance, asked one of her attendants who was in second place. The reply was: "Your Majesty, there is no second."

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Wanted: Mac mini On Steroids

9To5Mac's Seth Weintraub says his current computer configuration is hooking up a 13-inch MacBook Pro to a 30-inch monitor and using a wireless keyboard and mouse with it, which works OK, but lately he's been craving some more speed. And some more RAM. And faster disk access. And a better video card than the embedded Nvidia 9400M video.

But what are the Mac options? Seth could've bought a larger, faster MacBook Pro with SSD and discrete graphics card for more money but he likes the 13-inch MacBook Pro's form factor for travel.

OTOH, he just doesn't need a giant aluminum box full of expansion and hard drives.... just a built-in fast video card for a single (large) display...... Certainly the Hackintosh world is a tempting option with Core i7 PC boxes starting at just over $500. But Steh maintains that Apple could make a $1000 speed demon Mac Mini that would be the perfect upper mid-range computer, and goes on to define his feature wish list.

I have to agree. Good on Apple for continuing the mini in production (I've always considered it an "almost" portable) but as with their obstinacy in refusing to serve the phenomenonally expanding netbook category, why they have not tapped the massive potential market for a modular desktop Mac less powerful and expensive than the Mac Pro remains a mystery.

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Proporta Perfora Leather Style Laptop Case For 13" Laptops and MacBook

Proporta's new Perfora Netbook Case for netbooks and 13" or smaller notebooks like the three 13" MacBook models offers robust protection and a sharp, stylish finish. The handcrafted faux-leather exterior guards against everyday damage, scratches and knocks, and the contrast stripe and perforation detail design means that it cuts quite a dash in the process, whilst inside the luxury lining will cocoon your 'book in the finest style – and safety.

The Perfora Netbook Case is available in black, red and green and is suitable for your MacBook or any Netbook with a 13" screen.

Key Features

• Handcrafted from the finest quality faux-leather.
• Luxury lining and robust exterior guard against scratches and knocks.
• Adds little bulk to your MacBook or Netbook.
• Striking design detail and stylish finish. Available in red, black and green

MSRP$ 34.95

Currently marked down to $ 27.95

For more information, visit:
http://www.proporta.com/F02/PPF02P05.php?t_id=4513&t_mode=des

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OWC Announces Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini External Drive

Other World Computing (OWC http://www.macsales.com ) says its OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini is the first 2.5" 1TB "Quad Interface" bus powered portable storage solution on the market and available for immediate ordering with 10 models priced from $119.99. Featuring a "Quad Interface" of FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA interface connectivity for data transfer speeds up to 300MB/s, the fanless Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini delivers high performance storage/backup to Mac or PC users in a portable, brushed aluminum, no AC adapter required Plug and Play footprint.

In addition to the new 1TB model, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini is available in nine other "Quad Interface" models offering a variety of speed, capacity, and drive type options:

5200/5400RPM
250GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $119.99
320GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $129.99
500GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $154.99
640GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $189.00
1.0TB 5200RPM 8MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $299.99

7200RPM
320GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $144.99
500GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $189.99

Solid State Drive featuring the OWC Mercury Extreme Enterprise SSD
50GB SSD FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $299.99
100GB SSD FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $469.99
200GB SSD FW800/400+USB2+eSATA Storage Solution $849.99

All OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini models, including the new 1TB model, are available for immediate ordering from Other World Computing at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/EliteALmini/

eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB and are compatible with Apple OS 8.6 and later including the latest 10.6 "Snow Leopard"; and Windows 98SE or later operating systems; and come ready for Plug and Play ease of use with all supported interface connecting cables, a $200 retail value disk utility software bundle, and an industry leading three year complete solution warranty.

For more information on the complete OWC Storage Solution line, visit: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/

Portable & Bus Powered For Mobile Lifestyles
Measuring a compact 3.8" W x 5.5" L x 1.1" H, the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini offers storage capacity up to 1TB - enough space for up to 1,000,000 JPEG photos, 500 DVD movies, 76 hours of digital video, or 350,000 MP3 songs - in its fanless, aircraft grade brushed aluminum enclosure. Because it's bus-powered, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini doesn't require an AC adapter, which makes it ideal for in-the-field business professionals, creative/entertainment professionals, students, and anyone else needing to back up data, transport large files between computers, gain additional storage capacity, and even perform video editing and live music recording.

Built For Performance & Flexibility
Designed to emulate the award winning history of the larger desktop sized Mercury Elite-AL Pro, the new Elite-AL Pro mini portable storage solution features the fastest 2.5" SATA hard drive mechanisms up to 7200RPM as well as OWC's Mercury Extreme Enterprise SSD for demanding A/V, digital photography, professional music, graphics, general data, and Time Machine ready storage needs. With two FireWire 800 ports, users can "daisy chain" multiple devices, connect legacy FireWire 400 devices via the included 800 to 400 connecting cable, and can even utilize the fastest data transfer interface, eSATA, while bus powering via FireWire. The Mercury Elite-AL Pro mini can also be used with storage capable digital cameras and camcorders with FireWire and/or USB data ports for fast, on-location backups of images and video.

"We're very pleased to have our renowned Mercury storage line achieve another industry first," said Larry O'Connor, CEO, Other World Computing. "With the highest capacity and most interfaces in a portable design, our 'mini' delivers massive, professional grade data storage/backup to the modern mobile computing society."

For more information, visit:
http://bit.ly/b5HrYY

For more information on the complete OWC Storage Solution line:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/

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Apple's Core Problem: Making Consumers Crave an iPad

MacNewsWorld's Renay San Miguel says that Apple is faced with a new marketing challenge with the iPad, because it's trying to define a new category, and it's yet unclear whether the company has succeeded in convincing consumers to climb on board. Citing, along with several other analysts, University of Washington marketing professor Marcus Cunha Jr., the article notes that if Apple fails to execute the iPad's introduction properly, said , "it may be challenging to make it mainstream."

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ACU Plans to Publish First Student Newspaper on Apple's iPad

Abilene Christian University s student-run media staff announces its commitment to produce the first paper of its kind for Apple s iPad. Dr. Cheryl Bacon, chair of ACU's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, says students and faculty already are working to achieve this goal.

Paying close attention to the way young people consume news

"This is yet another opportunity for our students to make use of a cutting-edge delivery system -- the third version of mobile media delivery we have pioneered," Bacon says. She cites her department's track record: dissemination of The Optimist student newspaper via iPhone in the fall of 2007; adoption of an updated application in the fall of 2008; and now, ACU's preparation for delivery of The Optimist on the iPad this spring.

ACU's nationally recognized and accredited JMC department already has taken the first steps to establish an iPad Task Force. Its goal: to use dedicated faculty and student leaders from across campus to develop The Optimist's new digital publication platform. They will do so in the department's converged media newsroom, one of the only student newsrooms of its kind.

"We pay close attention to the way young people consume news," says ACU's Kenneth Pybus, faculty adviser of The Optimist. "They tend to use all the tools at their disposal to get information. With the iPad, we foresee the potential for an explosion in news consumption."

Professors Pybus and Bacon believe the iPad and its publishing platform will yield a marriage of audio, video and text unseen even since the advent of laptops and smart phones.

George Saltsman is executive director of ACU s Adams Center for Teaching and Learning. "The work we will do leading up to the formal debut of the iPad is an outgrowth of research that's been happening on our campus for three years," says Saltsman. "Our campus community is already riding the next wave of digital communication. Publishing The Optimist on the iPad means our students will be ready to work with this revolutionary technology in the marketplace the minute they graduate. For some of our students, that day is right around the corner -- so of course they'll have a major jump on not only their peers, but also on veteran software developers nationwide."

The aspect of this software development drive that most fascinates Bacon is how it could revive the publishing sector as a whole, and newspaper publishing specifically. "The news business must find a way to keep news delivery profitable. Remaking the model for news delivery is the single most important discussion in journalism under way today," she says. If our students and faculty, by being in the middle of that discussion, can help devise a profitable new delivery system, we will have accomplished something extraordinary.

For more information on ACU s mobile learning initiative, visit:
http://www.acu.edu/connected

To download the 2008-09 Mobile-Learning Report, go to:
http://bit.ly/4VT6st

bookmystique@pbcentral.com

iMacs on sale for up to $150 off MSRP, free shipping
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:29 AM ET | Article Link
Take up to $150 off the price of new 21" or 27" iMacs at MacConnection after applicable mail-in rebate. Shipping is free. Altogether, their prices are the lowest we've seen from any Apple Authorized Reseller.

- 27" 2.66GHz iMac: $1849 $150 off MSRP
- 27" 3.06GHz iMac: $1599 $100 off MSRP
- 21" 3.06GHz iMac/ATI graphics: $1399 $100 off MSRP
- Base 21" 3.06GHz iMac/NVIDIA graphics: $1099 $100 off MSRP

MacBook Pros on sale for up to $250 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:29 AM ET | Article Link
Take up to $250 off the price a MacBook Pro at MacConnection after mail-in rebate. Shipping is free.

- 17" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2249 $250 off MSRP
- 15" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2089 $210 off MSRP
- 15" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1799 $200 off MSRP
- 15" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1579 $120 off MSRP
- 13" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1399 $100 off MSRP
- 13" 2.26GHz MacBook Pro: $1119 $80 off MSRP

Their prices are the lowest we've seen for these models from any Apple Authorized Reseller.

13" 2.26GHz MacBook available for $899, $100 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:29 AM ET | Article Link
MacConnection has the 13" 2.26GHz White MacBook on sale today for $899.99 after a $65 mail-in rebate. Shipping is free. Their price is $100 MSRP, and it's the lowest we've seen for this model from any Apple Authorized Reseller.

Optional bundles include a Targus carrying case plus an all-in-one HP Deskjet F4280 printer, both for free after mail-in rebates.

MacBook Pros on sale for up to $210 off MSRP, no rebates, free shipping
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:28 AM ET | Article Link
B&H Photo-Video has MacBook Pros on sale today for up to $210 off MSRP. No rebates are required. Shipping is free, and there is only NY sales tax. B&H will also include a free copy of Parallels Desktop 5.0:

- 17" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2288.95 $210 off MSRP
- 15" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $2149.95 $150 off MSRP
- 15" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1849.95 $150 off MSRP
- 15" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1625.95 $74 off MSRP
- 13" 2.53GHz MacBook Pro: $1429.95 $70 off MSRP
- 13" 2.26GHz MacBook Pro: $1148.95 $50 off MSRP

Mac minis available for up to $30 off MSRP, no rebate
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:27 AM ET | Article Link
B&H Photo-Video has Mac minis on sale for up to $30 off MSRP with free shipping and only New York sales tax:

- 2.53GHz Mac mini: $769.95 $30 off MSRP
- 2.26GHz Mac mini: $574.95 $25 off MSRP

Mac Pros available for up to $220 off MSRP, free shipping, no rebates
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 9:26 AM ET | Article Link
J&R has Mac Pros in stock today for up to $220 off MSRP including free shipping. No rebates are required.

- 8-core 2.26GHz Mac Pro: $3078.88 $220 off MSRP
- 4-core 2.66GHz Mac Pro: $$2299 $200 off MSRP

Mac mini w/Snow Leopard Server available for $948, $51 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 8:11 AM ET | Article Link
ABT Electronics has the 2.53GHz Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server in stock for $948 including free shipping. That's $51 off MSRP, and it's the lowest price we've seen for that model. No rebate is required.

64GB iPod touch in stock for $353, $46 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 8:06 AM ET | Article Link
Walmart has the 64GB iPod touch on sale for $353.54 at their online store. That's about $46 off MSRP, and free site to store shipping is available.

Save $350 with Apple refurbished iMacs
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 8:02 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store is now offering Apple Certified Refurbished late-2009 iMacs for up to $350 off MSRP. An Apple one-year warranty is included, and shipping is free. We don't expect some of these units to be in stock for very long:

- 27" 2.8GHz Quad-Core i7 iMac: $1849 $350 off MSRP
- 27" 2.66GHz Quad-Core i5 iMac: $1699 $300 off MSRP
- 27" 3.06GHz iMac: $1449 $250 off MSRP
- 21" 3.06GHz iMac/ATI Graphics: $1299 $200 off MSRP
- 21" 3.06GHz iMac/NVIDIA Graphics: $999 $200 off MSRP

Apple offers refurb 2009 Mac Pros for up to $500 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:56 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store is offering Apple Certified Refurbished 2009 Mac Pros for up to $500 off the cost of new models. An Apple one-year warranty is included with each Mac Pro, and shipping is free. The following configurations are available:

- 2.26GHz Mac Pro: $2799 MSRP $3299
- 2.66GHz Mac Pro: $2149 MSRP $2499

Refurbished Apple Wireless Keyboard available for $59; save $20
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:55 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store has Apple Certified Refurbished Wireless Keyboards available for $59. That's $20 off the price of new models.

Apple refurbished iPod touch in stock for up to $60 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:54 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store has Apple Certified Refurbished current-generation iPod touches now available for up to $60 off the cost of new models:

64GB iPod touch: $339 $60 off MSRP
32GB iPod touch: $259 $40 off MSRP
8GB iPod touch: $169 $30 off MSRP

Shipping is free, and an Apple one-year warranty is included.

Apple refurbished iPod nanos available for up to $30 off MSRP
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:51 AM ET | Article Link
The Apple Store is now offering Apple Certified Refurbished current-generation iPod nanos for up to $30 off the cost of new models. An Apple one-year warranty is included, and shipping is free:

- 16GB iPod nano: $149 $30 off MSRP
- 8GB iPod nano: $129 $20 off MSRP

Contour RollerMouse Free -- 'Book Mystique Review
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:28 AM ET | Article Link
by Charles W. Moore -

I use a variety of pointing devices with my Macs, having been afflicted polyneuritis, myofacial pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia for years. Pain levels tend to wax and wane, with my choice of hardware for pointing and clicking depending greatly on the degree of wrist and arm pain I’m experiencing at any given time. On better days, I’m inclined to use conventional mice and/or the trackpad in my laptops, but when the pain is really getting me down, one pointing device I find more comfortable and less irritating is Contour’s RollerMouse rollerbar -- a whole different breed in terms of point, click and scroll body-English, in many ways more akin to laptop trackpad — another category of Central Pointing Device (CPD) — than to conventional mice and trackballs. Read More...

Contour RollerMouse Free -- 'Book Mystique Review
Thursday, March 11 2010 @ 7:28 AM ET | Article Link
by Charles W. Moore

I use a variety of pointing devices with my Macs, having been afflicted polyneuritis, myofacial pain syndrome, and fibromyalgia for years. Pain levels tend to wax and wane, with my choice of hardware for pointing and clicking depending greatly on the degree of wrist and arm pain I’m experiencing at any given time. On better days, I’m inclined to use conventional mice and/or the trackpad in my laptops, but when the pain is really getting me down, one pointing device I find more comfortable and less irritating is Contour’s RollerMouse rollerbar -- a whole different breed in terms of point, click and scroll body-English, in many ways more akin to laptop trackpad — another category of Central Pointing Device (CPD) — than to conventional mice and trackballs. Read More...

The iPad As Your In-Between Mac?; MacBook vs. HackBook: You Get What You Pay For; The Rise of Netbooks Charted; iPad: Is It A Computer?; Back to A Comfortable Place with OS X; Macs Cost Less to Manage Than PCs - A Lot Less
Wednesday, March 10 2010 @ 11:51 AM ET | Article Link
Charles Moore's The Agenda -- What's Happening Today In The Laptop World

The iPad As Your In-Between Mac?

Low End Mac's Dan Bashur notes that once again at his iPad intro event last month Steve Jobs openly dismissed netbooks as cheap notebooks made with cheap components, so it's obvious that releasing a netbook is definitely not on Apple's priority list, advising that we expect anything smaller in clamshell laptops from Apple than the 13" MacBook Air anytime soon, adding that those who own a 12" PowerBook G4 should feel privileged that they still own the ultimate portable Apple notebook with its 10.9" x 8.6" footprint.

So, with a glut of notebooks, iPods, and more already out there, do we really need an in-between device? Dan thinks you're going to want one, and while the iPad may not replace a 12" PowerBook as a fully functional ultra-compact device, it will definitely have a place in your home as the in-between Mac that can do your light duty everyday tasks that you have typically reserved for your notebook, observing that being able to do everything a typical netbook and e-reader can do and much more - and far better - from the comfort of your couch or bed with the ease of simple touching and finger gestures will definitely make the iPad something on everyone's wish list this year.

Well, maybe. I remain convinced that the ideal setup for reclined computing is a small conventional laptop or netbook on a Laptop Laidback stand, which still gives you a real keyboard and trackpad for human interface.

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MacBook vs. HackBook: You Get What You Pay For

Low end Mac's Andrew Fishkin notes that with the iPad launch rapidly approaching, there have been a flurry of articles about netbooks and used iBooks and PowerBooks as potential alternatives, the operative argument being: "Do you want your $300 to $500 OS X portable as small and light as possible, or do you want it to 'just work' with OS X as only a real Apple machine does?"

Observing that the dominant theme is the $300 to $500 part, Andrew thinks the common answer is that no matter what, you get what you pay for, and that if you want a new machine at that low price, it will be cheaply made, have poor ergonomics, and, of course, require Hackintoshing and will be quirky once OS X is installed.

On the other hand, the used Mac alternative will be bigger (albeit not much bigger if it's a 12" PowerBook), heavier - as in much heavier - and unless you want to add another $100 or so for a new battery, will have horrible battery life.

Andrew notes that processing power is remarkably close between a new Atom-powered netbook and the very best of the 12" PowerBooks (1.5 GHz G4 PPC), but neither is adequate for anything beyond the typical "netbook uses" of email, word processing, web browsing, and such. Your editor takes issue with that last point, finding that even older G4 Mac laptops can do a fine job with stuff like light-medium image editing, scanning, disk burning, and so forth, but there's no denying that a new Intel Mac is far livelier.

Fishkin also suggests that there are some great Hackintoshable PC laptops that are newer than G4 PowerBooks - even some brand new models - and more powerful than a netbook while being just as small and light, such as Lenovo's 3 lb. ThinkPad X6, which has a keyboard far better than found on any netbook, a display that OS X won't be strange with, and a fast Core 2 Duo with 9 hour battery options, and if you get it with the "ThinkPad" wireless card instead of the Intel card, WiFi will work with OS X out of the box, showing up as an AirPort Extreme card in the menu bar, and that would be his machine of choice over any netbook or used PowerBook for a small, cheap OS X machine, although personally he's partial to his MacBook Air.

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The Rise of Netbooks Charted

If you are of a mind that netbooks are just an ephemeral flash-in-the-pan fad fueled by the global economic recession, check this out.

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iPad: Is It A Computer?

This Computerworld blogger says it seems obvious that the upcoming Apple iPad is a computer, but many people - both Apple supporters and haters - seem to feel passionately that it's not a computer. So what is it?

The author observes that for most people, computer means PC - able to run a real operating system, connect to peripherals, etc., so the iPad isn't a PC - just a huge iPod... unless you think the iPod is a computer, but contends that the iPad is a computer, as are the iPhone and iPod, even the iPod Nano. They store, retrieve and process data, they're electronic, and they're programmable, albeit a very simple, easy to use, and relatively inflexible computer, compared with a Mac, Windows, or Linux PC, but still a computer and says that arguing otherwise is silly.

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Back to A Comfortable Place with OS X

At Low End Mac again, Simon Royal says he's been out of the Mac world for a few months, having decided after ten years as a dedicated Mac fan that because most of what he does is based online, it didn't matter what OS he used, and as long as it supported the preferred browser he could use any OS he liked on a low-end PC running Windows XP, Puppy Linux, CrunchBang, or Xubuntu.

So why did Simon return to Mac? Hardware was a big factor he says, as did the Mac's superiority in navigating around your system, noting that the Finder in OS X is a dream to use, which cannot be said for Explorer in Windows. He observes that Nautilus - the GNOME file manager in Ubuntu - or Thunar, the Xfe file manager in Xubuntu - both now have more in common with Mac OS X than they do Windows, which I why Ubuntu/Xubuntu would be his second choice of operating system. He missed the the simple approach of OS X and the whole "it just works" feel of the Mac.

However, perhaps the clincher was the hassle of keeping Windows secure from viruses and malware, which just isn't such a big issue with Mac or Linux.

Consequently, with a 500 MHz G3 iBook he's happy again running OS X and back in his comfortable place.

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Macs Cost Less to Manage Than PCs - A Lot Less

In response to a survey conducted by the Enterprise Desktop Alliance, 260 IT administrators from large organizations with both Macs and PCs responded that Macs are less expensive than PCs to manage. In some categories such as troubleshooting, user training and help desk calls, three times as many administrators said that Macs cost less to manage.

29% of the respondents cited lower total cost of ownership as one of the key reasons their organization buys Macs. Overall 45% cited lower total cost of ownership, ease of technical support, or both, as a significant factor in their Mac purchases.

The full survey inquired about buying plans, IT management and administration issues, and the cost of managing the systems. Related to the cost of managing Macs, the survey asked the respondents to estimate the relative cost of a number of factors including: software license fees, time troubleshooting, user training, help desk calls, system configuration, and supporting infrastructure (servers, network, and printers).

"Administrators in organizations that have both Mac and PC platforms have the experience to determine whether managing Macs is less expensive," said T. Reid Lewis, CEO of Group Logic, and president of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance. "The members of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance provide products and services that make deployment and management of Macs easier to do."

The respondents were given the option to select from a range of cost differences. Not only did the administrators predominantly say that Macs were less expensive, in all but one category the majority of administrators who said Macs cost less said they were more than 20% less expensive to manage than PCs. Of those who asserted that PCs cost less, the majority always asserted that PCs were between 0 and 20% less expensive to manage than Macs.

The respondents noted the following:
* Software license fees - 23%-PCs Cost Less, 47%-Cost the same, 31%-Macs Cost Less
* Time troubleshooting - 16%-PCs Cost Less, 19%-Cost the same, 65%-Macs Cost Less
* User training - 16%-PCs Cost Less, 36%-Cost the same, 48%-Macs Cost Less
* Help desk calls - 16%-PCs Cost Less, 29%-Cost the same, 54%-Macs Cost Less
* System configuration - 25%-PCs Cost Less, 24%-Cost the same, 50%-Macs Cost Less
* Supporting infrastructure - 25%-PCs Cost Less, 38%-Cost the same, 37%-Macs Cost Less (servers, network, printers)

About the Survey:
Conducted from December 15, 2009 until January 15, 2010, over 520 individuals from around the world responded to the online survey. This survey sought the perspective of enterprises and large-scale installations such as universities and government agencies. We excluded from the results all but the respondents from organizations with both Macs and PCs whose sites had 50 or more servers or over 100 Macs. Relative to management cost questions, in our reporting we excluded the responses of those who selected "Don't know" or "Not involved in cost calculations," which left 260 respondents for this section of the survey. See press release: "Enterprise Desktop Alliance Survey Reveals 66% of Enterprises Expect to Increase Mac Systems" (EDA Survey (PDF)).

Enterprise Desktop Alliance:
http://www.enterprisedesktopalliance.com

EDA Survey (PDF):
http://bit.ly/c5I4ia

Complete Survey Summary:
http://enterprisedesktopalliance.com/survey_results.html

bookmystique@pbcentral.com

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