Are Mac users smarter? Fri Jul 12, 7:41 PM ET Ian Fried Those who surf the Web using a Mac tend to be better educated and make more money than their PC-using counterparts, according to a report from Nielsen/NetRatings. The study also said Mac users tend to be more Web savvy, with more than half having been online for at least five years. And the Mac faithful are 58 percent more likely than the overall online population to build their own Web page and also slightly more likely to buy goods online, according to the report. "With above-average household income and education levels, the Mac population presents a very attractive target for marketers, both online and offline," the research group said. TS Kelly, director and principal analyst at NetRatings, said that his company decided to publish the study after noticing the differences between the demographics of Mac owners compared with overall PC owners. Kelly said Apple Computer is a client, but he said Apple did not commission the study nor was it made aware of the results prior to the report's publication. Kelly said the greater affluence and education level of those who surf using a Mac is attributable in part to the company's comparatively pricier machines, as well as to their perception as a status symbol and their greater market share among those in the publishing and design industries. "Any time you lower a price point you always see a broadening of the audience that is probable to buy it," Kelly said. "Apple customers may be educated, but our customers are smart enough to have chosen Gateway, which offers the best value," said Brad Williams, a spokesman for the PC maker. Apple has been aggressively targeting PC owners in its latest ad campaign. Although Apple sales typically represent less than 5 percent of the overall U.S. personal computer market, 8.2 percent of Americans who surf the Web at home do so using a Mac, according to the study. Nearly all the rest of those who go online--89.4 percent--do so using a Windows-based PC. Nielsen/NetRatings said that 70.2 percent of Mac users online have a college degree, compared with 54.2 percent of all Web surfers. That, combined with their longer surfing histories and their greater willingness to buy products via the Web, makes Mac consumers a prime catch for marketers, Kelly said. "In many cases that is a market advertisers are looking at when they are promoting new products or upscale products," Kelly said. A representative for PC maker Dell noted that it doesn't seem to be lacking for customers and that half of those customers buy their PCs over the Web--a sign that Windows users are also adept online. The study notes that although there are clear benefits to marketing to Mac owners, it can be tough to target them specifically. Once upon a time, marketers could target personal computer users as a whole to reach a more-educated, higher-income base, however the demographics of those with a personal computer have become more similar to the demographics of the overall population as personal computer penetration has grown. Kelly said advertisers can still reach upscale crowds in other ways, such as targeting those who have a broadband connection.
I would be Mac user if I had the cash to afford one. As soon as I get a good job and make it rich, I'll get all of the Mac's. Be it Desktop, be it Notebook.
That's alright. I will stay behind the group that appeals to the blue collar working man, rather than those rich, snobby Mac users.
Depends on what you ultimately want to do with it. I own a Mac, and I've used Windows....I'm not being a militant Mac user here. I can't stand using Windows. MS Office is okay, as is IE and OE, but the only problems I ever have with my Mac happen when I'm using a MS application. Its whatever you want, but I personally will never spend money on a Windows-based machine as long as Apple is still in business.
95% of my computer-using life has been on IBM clones/ PC's. My home has 2 of each as well. I have used a Mac for the last few years - they are by far superior. Much more stable, more powerful/capable, etc. Apple is finaly realizing that they need to go beyond just promoting the look - it has created a false perception that they are "just toys." OSX is especially amazing because it is friendly to novices, but is written such that those "in the know" can truly customize (not just desktop colors and wallpaper, either) and program, etc. I did something really stupid once on my Mac that would have completely fried my PC - so that it would have had to be wiped clean - reformatted, etc...I fixed my Mac by myself with minor techniques. So, yes, I think it is true.
I only surf on the Internet and use fairly simple office functons (email. word processing, etc). I don't do too much beyond the basics. I am tempted by the promises of greater stability and simplicity of operation. Damn those commercials...
I would be tempted to use a Mac, but one of the main programs I use isn't available for Mac users. It wouldn't effect 99% of computer users, but it would me. Perhaps it has something to do with the company being run by ex-Microsoft people. Now let me ask you a question: Do you think I've ever had any trouble with this piece of software?
Linux users are smarter than all the others <img src="http://www.hardocp.com/images/news/1024081144m4MwkJN43l_1_1_l.gif">
If any of you are even slightly considering switching, I would recommend that the next time you feel like heading to CompUSA or Microcenter, find the Apple rep there and just ask him/her to show you a Mac and what you can do with it. You might be pleasantly surprised. Searching for the differences online will also turn up a ton of useful information, but nothing beats seeing it for yourself. Ask about the iApps like iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto, etc. The only time I would not recommend a Mac is if you are a serious hard-core gamer or a programmer. In games, like most applications, 99.9% of the major titles are available....I've never had any trouble finding what I want and/or need, but you do have to wait awhile longer for stuff to be released for the MacOS. Concerning the higher price of a Mac, in my experience the quality and stability of the MacOS, to say nothing of the included software and especially the over-all lifespan of a Macintosh make the slightly higher price more than worth it. Just my $.02.
