Protect Insurance Companies PSA
Because health care totally makes sense as a for-profit enterprise…
Banned from TV Family Guy Clip
This clip is excellent and a wonderful example of the liberating power of the shared social anarchy of the internet. Censor your media into the ground. Restrict it’s form and it’s function. Don’t, however, cry when this only hastens your obsolescence.
Investigating the Apple Tax: Part I – The iMac
Apple earlier this week refreshed their desktops across the board. The all in one iMac, the spartan Mini and the workstation Mac Pro all got some new hardware. Does this hardware come at a premium? Is there an Apple Tax, a premium charged on hardware, unavoidable due to Apple’s closed platform? Consider the iMac, Apple’s flagship desktop line, available in all inclusive package with either a 20″ or 24″ LCD.
Base 20″ iMac
Processor: 2.66Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 2GB 1066 DDR3
Video: Integrated GeForce 9400M
Hard Drive: 320GB SATA
Monitor: Integrated 20″ LCD
Other features: Keyboard, Mouse, DVD Burner, Mac OS 10.5
Price: $1199
Fully Loaded 24″ iMac
Processor: 3.06Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 8GB 1066 DDR3
Video: ATi Radeon 4850 512MB
Hard Drive: 1TB SATA
Monitor: Integrated 24″ LCD
Other features: Keyboard, Mouse, DVD Burner, Mac OS 10.5
Price: $3249
Now, Mac OS 10.5 retails for $129, the Mighty Mouse and Apple Keyboard retail for $49 each. So we’ll round this up to $230 and credit each iMac. This gives us adjusted prices of
Base 20″ iMac
Original Price: $1199
OS/Accessory Credit: $230
Adjusted Price: $969
Fully Loaded 24″ iMac
Original Price: $3249
OS/Accessory Credit: $230
Adjusted Price: $3119
Now, for comparision, I’ve composed 2 systems from parts at Newegg.com. For each I’ve tried for a rough approximation of the hardware in the iMac. I’ve created “Wish Lists” for each to share them.
20″ dwotMock
Processor: 2.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 2GB 1066 DDR3
Video: GeForce 9400 GT 512MB*
Hard Drive: 320GB SATA
Monitor: Acer 20″ Widescreen LCD
Other features: DVD Burner, MicroATX Motherboard, MicroATX Case, 500W Power Supply, no OS
Price: $629.91
24″ dwotMock
Processor: 3.06 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 8GB 1066 DDR3
Video: ATI Radeon 4850 512MB
Hard Drive: 1TB SATA
Monitor: Acer 24″ Widescreen LCD
Other features: DVD Burner, MicroATX Motherboard, MicroATX Case, 500W Power Supply, no OS
Price: $1005.90
Savings over Adjusted Price
20″ dwotMock vs 20″ iMac
$339.09
24″ dwotMock vs 24″ iMac
$2113.10
Verdict? Well there’s certain concessions to be made, for certain. System building may not be for everyone, though it is certainly more simple that most would imagine. It’s not without it’s challenges, no one enjoys DOA parts and not everyone can troubleshoot a build gone bad. Off the shelf systems like the Mac often come with support, which I suppose someone has found useful sometime, though I couldn’t provide any evidence to support that conjecture.
There’s also the issue of Mac OS. No Apple Hardware, no Mac OS, right? Not quite. While Apple has certainly made their position clear with litigation, Macs run on standard hardware and there is an active underground scene dedicated to running Mac OS on non Apple hardware. It may not be for the Technophobe, but it’s certainly not impossible. Check out Lifehacker’s amazing Hackintosh guides.
That said, the 20″ dwotMock / iMac showdown gives the dwotMock a $339 edge, or 35% of the adjusted price. System building certainly has some financial benefit.
The 24″ dwotMock / iMac matchup, however, is a blow out. The dwotMock’s $2,113.10 edge is 68% of the loaded iMac’s price. For the cost of a loaded iMac you could build 3 equally spec’d PCs.
Check back later this week for our Mac Mini comparison.
Worst Roommate Ever!
The compiled epic odyssey of Martin Random and the Roommate from Hell. A terrifying journey into the heart of darkness, a tale of stubborn resistance against encroaching madness, a cautionary tale for renters everywhere. Tarantulas, Saxamaphones, Drug-fueled depravity and massive amounts of fecal matter.
Mr. Chi-City, YouTube King
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcRWADEln80[/youtube]
That’s Mr. Chi-City, though it should be King Chi-City, fighting for your rights, with the power of YouTube, dioramas and comedic genius. Be sure to check out his celebratory McDonalds world first or perhaps tour his stocked refrigerator and learn it’s secrets.
No Son of Mine Plays Oregon Trail Like That
“Listen, son, we need to have a talk. This isn’t going to be easy for either of us. You are not my son. I’m sorry, I know this will come as a blow to you. But the fact is, no son of mine plays Oregon Trail like you do.”
Simply brilliant.
Timothy McSweeney’s Internet Tendency: Short Imagined Monologues
Don Reisinger takes on CNN’s Election Failogram Tech
Don Reisinger of CNET’s Digital Home breaks down the reasons why CNN’s hologram election gimmick was a sham.
Dear Red States…
A classic letter from 2005 that remains highly relevant today. Granted Eliot Spitzer may not be quite the same name drop, but it mostly holds up.
“We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.
We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss.
We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.”
Sounds like a good deal to me.