First iPods, Now Computers: Apples Are In

Following iPod Craze and Concerns About PCs Crashing, More Students Buy Macs



By Owen Hearey

Columbia Spectator Online



September 22, 2004





When Jordan Ledy, CC '08, went shopping for a new computer, it took a little prodding from his mother for him to consider a Macintosh.



He'd used Windows-based computers for much of his life, and he was a little concerned about leaving the PC world. But now, after having his new Apple Powerbook for little over a month, he's enthusiastically joined the bandwagon.

"Macs are the shit," Ledy said. "They're the easiest to use and Apple's interface is just so slick. [By comparison] XP looks like Fisher-Price." Ledy isn't the only one who's fallen in love with Apple. According to market tracker IDC, in 2003 Apple sold 193,000 Macs to people in colleges and universities, a jump of 17.7% over the previous year. If you only consider laptops, the computer of choice for most new college students, Apple sales to higher education grew by 58.5% in the same period.

For many students, the decision to get a Mac is about one thing: music. Ever since Apple released it's industry-standard iPod, audiophiles have been joining the Mac crowd in droves.



Even though Apple enabled iPods for PCs last year, there is some evidence that iPods are functioning as a "gateway product" for consumers to switch from PC to Mac.



In an effort to catalyze this effect, Apple introduced a $200 iPod rebate over the summer for students who purchased an Apple laptop. At the Columbia University Apple Store, that effectively brings down the entry-level iPod's price to $69. Students can still take advantage of Apple's "Cram And Jam" rebate until September 25th.



Among the other possible reasons for the rise in sales is ease-of-use. Macs' Unix-based system software is much more stable and less prone to crashing than PCs' Windows software, many say. The sales surge comes at a time when Microsoft is scrambling to react to increasingly frequent and damaging virus attacks. For many computer users, the difficulty of switching to a new operating system is made up for by the safety and ease of the Apple environment.



"With PCs I always had problems with compatibility," says Dana Balitzer, CC '08. "I haven't had those problems with Macs. It doesn't breakdown."



Furthermore, for most laptops, Macs are comparatively priced or even cheaper than their competitors. Currently, both Apple and Dell offer discounts to Columbia students for computer purchases. With the discounts factored in, a standard 14" Apple iBook laptop with a 1Ghz G4 processor, 40GB hard drive and a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive costs $1200. A comparable Dell Latitude costs $1730.



"It was far cheaper than the equivalent [PC]," said Deborah Beim, CC '08, who debated whether to get a Mac or a PC over the summer. "Everybody who I talked to said they were far easier to use."



For people in certain professional fields, however, there may not be a choice between platforms. Macs are widely known for being the premier platform for individuals in the arts, especially those involved in graphic design. Conversely, PCs are known to have an edge in data processing and programming. However, for the wide majority, including most students, it's merely a question of preference.



Despite Apple's growing popularity, the company still holds only a 3.7 percent market share in the overall personal computer market. The "Wintel Empire", it seems, is a little harder to break down than limited successes on college campuses might suggest. Brett Chung, SEAS '07, is one student who wasn't swayed by Apple.



"I considered buying a Mac, but I don't know it as well as the PC. I stuck with the more familiar computer," he said.