Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Humor
How much will Macworld really cost me?
No. I'm not traveling to Macworld. But I was mentioning to the husband that I was probably going to buy an iTV after it gets announced and/or introduced at Macworld. "Right," he replied. "And how much is that going to end up costing us?" So I sat down and started to figure out exactly how much that $299 gadget (assuming free shipping) would make a dent in our finances. Here's how it works out.
If you give a girl an iTV, she's probably going to want to be able to hook the iTV up to the TV with some good quality cables. So figure another $50 for those cables...
And if you give a girl an iTV and cables to hook it up to a TV, she's probably going to start thinking about replacing that old 27-inch unit with a shiny new high def widescreen plasma or LCD system that would run, oh say, maybe $1500 on a good sale...
And if you give a girl an iTV, with a cable to hook it to a shiny new HDTV, and you really think about it, she's probably going to want need to get a rockin' sound system for another two grand or so, right?
And if you give a girl an iTV, with cables, HTDV and a rockin' sound system, she's going to totally need at least a new $2500 Mac Pro with tons of disk space and 802.11n to connect to that iTV and a year's worth of (high def?) iTunes movies and TV shows, at say $500-ish?
And if that girl is rockin' out with her iTV, cables, HDTV, sound system, Mac Pro, and iTunes goodies, she's totally going to need a new, more comfortable couch. So let's say about $500, give or take.
So at just 300 smackeroos, that iTV is quite the bargain in comparison, isn't it? And that doesn't even begin to cover the $49 for the iLife 07 upgrade. And the iWork 07 upgrade, and... So anyway, how much is Macworld going to cost all of you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Scott said 3:06PM on 1-03-2007
iLife '07 - $79 (I think $49 is the edu discount)
Leopard - $129
iTV - $299
Cables - $50ish
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Total - $557
Ouch. And that's not even buying anything particularly fancy. Maybe I'll hold off on the iTV for a little while - I just bought an 8-gig nano.
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John said 3:06PM on 1-03-2007
It would be much cheaper and simpler, Erica, if you simply gave a moose a muffin.
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Brian Polensky said 2:25PM on 1-03-2007
Hopefully not that much as I just got my new refurbished MacBook in the mail today! Yipppeeeeee
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dabrainiac said 7:08PM on 1-03-2007
Actually, nothing.
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Rishabh Kumar said 2:31PM on 1-03-2007
My Macworld costs (assuming my Macworld wishes come true)
iPod 6g: $350ish
iLife: $49
Leopard (maybe?): $129
Total: $530
I have a T-Mobile Sidekick stuck in a 2year contract, and if the Apple phone doesn't have instant messaging, I'm sticking with the Sidekick.
I don't need an iTV, I have a DVI to HDMI adapter for my TV to hook up my Macbook Pro to the TV. Also, I have an Xbox 360, and with Connect360 I'm fine.
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Josh* said 2:36PM on 1-03-2007
Won't your new Mac include iLife 07?
Well I'm planning on getting a Pro notebook immediately, and an iPod in a month or two. I already own an HDTV which I'll hook my notebook up to, negating the need for iTV.
I don't actually expect any major announcements on the notebook front, I'm just waiting so I get iLife 07 for free with it. Applephone... meh. Everyone forgot about the "true video iPod" in favour of that new rumour it seems.
And who knows, if Leopard gets a release date I might just wait until then and get that bundled in to the regular price too.
So an MBP, 5G / RED nano (not sure yet), Applecare and a nice new laptop bag, taking into account my university discount... Macworld will cost me around £1800.
Dashboard tells me that's $3500... that's the UK for you.
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Mark Rickert said 2:43PM on 1-03-2007
2x $49 iLife 07
Total:
$98.
I too have a 360 and Connect360 to do my media streaming to partner with my Media Center PC (read: Free Tivo) so my media streaming needs are pretty much taken care of.
Rishabh, what's your gamertag? It's very rare that i find other Apple fanboys on xbox live.
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Ruminator said 7:06AM on 1-04-2007
Good emulation of the kids books...but you should have ended with "And if that girl gets a new, more comfortable couch, and an new tv, she's going to ask for an iTV to go with it." ;)
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adam jackson said 2:43PM on 1-03-2007
Well I'm going to Macworld so let's add 2 grand for hotel, flight for me and my writers then 400 dollars in macworld passes then I'm throwing a party while at macworld ( http://upcoming.org/event/116848/ ) then I have to pay people to do things for me at macworld, photos and such
so it costs me about 4 grand for macworld this year. sponsorhip has helped the cost plus I had to buy a macbook core2duo and a new camera for my coverage oh and that treo 700w for organizint my macworld planning. yea its gonna cost a bit to go.
but live keynote coverage is gonna rock! http://dailytechtalk.com
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Randy said 2:53PM on 1-03-2007
As my den begins a total remodel next week, that new iTV is going to cost me about the same. Although I'll probably swap out that Mac Pro for a Macbook Pro.
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Colostomy Bagpiper said 5:58PM on 1-03-2007
if you give a USB mouse a browser cookie....
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e:leaf said 5:32PM on 1-03-2007
All I need is the iTV and to figure out some way to integrate it into my entertainment setup. I have a switch, but it's full!
I also have the 360 and Connect360, but I don't have a reliable way to get my videos in to WMV (as if I would want to do that anyways) so that I can stream them to my setup. I would prefer to use an iTV for that, but as I said, I need to fnd a way to integrate it. :(
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Jason said 3:16PM on 1-03-2007
Why do you need expensive cables?
It's all DIGITAL! So you can use cheap ones, or leftover ones from your toy closet. Not to mention the iTV should come with at least some cables already.
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hesse00 said 3:16PM on 1-03-2007
ill prolly end up buying an iTv, iPhone ( god i hope that happens), and a new ipod if there is one. i wont need a new hdtv because my roommate got one before he started school last year.
but i am going to throw a surpriser into the mix: iTunes 8. now dont laugh but if an iphone and an iTv come out. steve would prolly make some changes for those new products. it would also bring Hi-Def to the store.
overall though. i could careless about the iTv shipping or lepoard release date being pushed up. i just want to hear about the iPhone but knowing steve, he will hint at it and leave us waiting like he did in september with iTv
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Grant said 5:34PM on 1-03-2007
No need for iWork upgrade as I don't use it anymore. Use the Pro apps, so no need to upgrade iLife. No need for iTV. Even if my dream came true of an iPhone, which there is no chance of, I won't be one of the complaining masses of early adopters. Would love a new Cinema Display, but won't drop the change for them, no matter how cool they are. Don't use Airport for routing and won't have an iTV that will need streaming video, so won't need the new Airport Base Station. My MBP C2D is not going to be obsoleted and is more than sufficient, so won't need the Oct-Core Mac Pro. Not going to MacWorld, so don't need airline tickets, hotel room or expensive Cali fare for meals.
So far, so good.
Then there is Leopard. I will take one please. Oh, Delicious Library 2 utilizes Leopard? One please. TextMate 2 also, hm, one please. Meant to get that FW800 Lacie drive with plenty of room for a while, now the OS will utilize it? One please. Throw in a few more upgrades to Leopard-Only apps and voila, at least $500. But then there is the mind-boggling, completely unforeseen, way ahead of its time, Steve Jobs is amazing, announcement of something that I just have to have right NOW or I am going to DIE! So bump my MacWorld cost up!
MacWorld 2007: $750-$3500 (estimated)
Mac Addiction: Priceless (Like a crack habit)
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SubGenius said 3:33PM on 1-03-2007
Leopard $79
iLife 07 $49
iWork 07 $49
iTV $299
iPhone priceless
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Peter said 3:33PM on 1-03-2007
hmmmmmm, sounds like the story "if you give a mouse a cookie". if so, it should be "if you give a girl an itv, then you you have to get new cables. if you give a girl new cables then you have to get a new tv. if you give a girl a new tv, then...."
if you're going to copy something for paraody sake, do it right.
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Zeke said 4:43PM on 1-03-2007
This is why hardware and accessory makers LOVE Apple. (...and developers... and content distributors... heck, even PC manufacturers!)
They make an in-demand device at a moderate price that demands tons of accessories to recharge them, amplify them, personalize them, and fill them with content.
I got a $399 iPod a couple of years ago, and it drove me to buy cases, chargers, audio cables, and lots and lots of music. From an economic perspective, it's a really great business decision and pretty much everyone benefits.
Unfortunately, it makes the accessory market suck for non-mainstream devices. Ever try to buy a case for a Rio player?
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Ben said 4:32PM on 1-03-2007
iTV: $300
Mac Mini, loaded $1249
Mini Stack 750gb $495
Misc. cables $50
MacBook Pro $3647
w/ applecare and 20" display
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Total: $5741
My wife's gonna kill me...
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peekytoe said 3:58PM on 1-03-2007
#9 -- regarding cables.
GOOD cables don't have to be EXPENSIVE. (read: monster cables, the most overpriced product in modern history.)
but don't be fooled -- even though (almost) everything is digital now, a cheap cable will drastically degrade your picture quality.
go to monoprice.com and get some EXCELLENT cables at very good prices. (and no, i don't work for them.)
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