A recent post by Michael Heilemann on the BinaryBonsai, led me to think about those “oh so necessary” features that Mac’s are missing:
[quote]I wrote previously about the many useful features Apple notebooks lack, such as 6-in-1 media readers, dedicated multimedia buttons, and dual headphone jacks.[/quote]
I’m a PC user. I always have been. I’ve used Mac’s before and would like to own one at some stage.
Multimedia keyboards? They’re on every keyboard I currently use in this house and it is only on the rarest of occassions that I will actually use buttons on the multimedia keyboard. I prefer to do it the manual way.
They don’t make things easier. Infact, the multimedia keyboard I currently have attached to my laptop (It’s a Belkin Wireless Keyboard & Mouse Combo) does not even function properly with Winamp. Winamp is my primary application for listening to music, i’m not going to change to Windows Media Player just so I can use a multimedia keyboard. Just for the sake of it I am also developing a program which will allow me to use my multimedia keys with Winamp. A good reason not for multimedia keys to become a standardised thing and a requirement? I believe so. They’re never going to be compatible with every piece of software.
Okay, the card reader. I recently purchased an 8 in 1 USB card reader (It was only $15). My fathers new laptop (on which I currently am writing) has a built in 8 in 1 card reader. That is another thing I don’t find as being a necessity to have. I’ve used it a total of about 1 time. Considering hooking my camera up to the computer has the same effect, I don’t bother taking the memory card out, then finding the little slot to stick it in. Sure, it’s a nice thing to have because you can read cards that will not fit in a camera you own, or you don’t have to own a camera to be able to read memory cards, but I wouldn’t call it a necessity!
Dual headphone jacks? Now tell me, what majority of the PC users actually make use of dual headphone jacks (that’s if their PC has them to start off with). I myself use a splitter running out of my laptop as I like to have two sets of speakers running but the amount of people who would do something like that is proably a minority. One standard jack is enough for most, for the others you can just buy a splitter for around $5AU.
Paul also mentions about how Apple “copied” their iPod layout applying it to the iMac. Wow. Cool.
Comments
Michele (January 4th, 2005, 9:28 pm)
I have a Mac and I don’t feel these lacks.
I use an app to control iTunes with the keyboard, I bought a card reader to read my CF and I can use a splitter to have two headphones out.
saralk (January 5th, 2005, 2:07 am)
interesting article you linked to, most of it was negative to the iMac, saying it lost its way. And I agree, the original mac was meant to be a pc that everyone could use, and afford. But has now slipped into the thick-frame-glasses-wearing-nterior-designer group of people.
sockie (January 30th, 2005, 9:10 pm)
There’s a reason for the price… There’s no PC that’s anything like the iMac. Exclusiveness and style costs. When the mainstream market is dominated by PCs, Apple’s only way to really thrive as it does is to do special stuff.
Besides, Apple’s got affordable computers too - the eMac and now the Mac mini. And both of them are still cooler than the average PC.
But then again, they’re G4 with close architecture. :-/
Anyway, Apple’s products cost here over 30% more than in the US, so I do see your point.