[idlewords]

Amazon's role in the oligopoly is running much of cloud computing. It comes down to this:

- Google and Facebook capture all the value in online ads

- Amazon, Google and Microsoft control the cloud

- Apple and Google have a duopoly mobile OS

- Apple and Microsoft dominate desktop OSs (sorry linux bro)

- Facebook essentially controls online political advertising, and its founder is gearing up for a run at office

Even if the pyramids were made by happy, paid, unionized workers with a good health/mummification plan (which seems a stretch), they were a terrible misuse of resources.

[johnsmith21006]

Actually Chromebooks have already passed the Mac in the US and growing at 38% YoY versus the Mac is flat.

https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/11711714/chromebooks-outs... Chromebooks outsold Macs for the first time in the US - The Verge

Heck we have.

http://9to5google.com/2016/06/20/chromebooks-taking-over-mac... At Apple CEO Tim Cook's old high school, they are selling their ...

[fhood]

This is sort of a silly argument though. Mac and Chromebook don't really exist in the same space. One is ultra high-end and one is decidedly budget conscious.

[oh_sigh]

There is some overlap. Many people buy Macs, and use them as essentially internet browser machines.

[mbrumlow]

I don't think it is so silly. The owners of the devices still use them for general computing as a desktop. Also, I am fairly sure the vast majority of apple's laptops sold are the "low end" versions such as the Macbook and the Air. Lets also not forget you can get some fairly pricey chrome books. The last one I bought was $2100 which out specked most of apples offerings with the exception of storage.

But beyond that if people don't want "high end" and are buying "low end" that still does not change the argument. Chromebook uses is growing and apple laptops usage is not, so maybe apple is providing a product people don't want... And that is sort of the point the parent made.

[fhood]

My point was that Chromebooks are eating away at the market formerly catered to by netbooks. They aren't really useful as full fledged machines to the average user. I don't believe that the people who are buying Chromebooks were ever in the market for a apple laptop.

As an aside, why did you buy a Chromebook that was that high spec?

[logfromblammo]

MacBook Pro (14) is the ultra high-end model.

MacBook Air (A1466) seems to be the closest competitor to Chromebook Pixel (Google), which is at the top end for Chromebooks. These both seem prohibitively expensive for the type of computing that the mass-market seems to prefer.

MacBook (A1534)... I have no idea why anyone would buy it in lieu of a cheaper, faster MacBook Air.

Other models of Chromebook, like ASUS C202 or Samsung Chromebook 3, have lower price points, that Apple has never realistically tried to compete with. What Mac would you ever be able to buy with $160 (2017 dollars)?

[microtonal]

MacBook (A1534)... I have no idea why anyone would buy it in lieu of a cheaper, faster MacBook Air.

I am guessing that is the MacBook 12"? For many good reasons: the 12" is much more compact and lighter than the MacBook Air, it has a Retina display, it does not have big, ugly bezels, it has much faster SSD storage than the Air, and it is fanless.

My wife has a MacBook 12" and loves it. I had a MacBook 12" (moved to the Pro 2016) and I miss the form factor and the weight of the 12".

[fasquoika]

Aren't a large number of those owned by schools?

[dexterdog]

Isn't that how Apple established a good chunk of its business years ago?

[psyc]

I'd say it's a bit of an optical illusion that we even think of Apple being in the same class as Microsoft for desktop OSs. Isn't it something roughly like 90/10 in Windows' favor?

[idlewords]

At least. But I include it because OS X is the only other "real" consumer OS on the market.