CrunchGear

Apple updates the hardware stealthily because it wants to clear out the old inventory without offering a price reduction. The packaging remains the same for some predetermined period of time. So if you buy one today, you are gambling with either getting the old model or maybe lucky enough to get the new model. But you can’t contest it if you receive the old version because at the minimum, you received what the packaging displayed as contents inside.

Also, glad that Apple is switching out the optical drive. No kidding, I bout the higher end version of the Core Solo model back in June to run some basic system monitoring at work. Straight out of the box…the optical drive was completely non-functional. Had to spend 2+ hours on the phone with Apple to get an approval code for servicing. Had to drive 45 minutes each way to the Apple authorized service center and then waited 2 weeks for the repair to be completed before I could even use my brand new Mac.

So, Apple should really rethink those commercials with Justin Long stating, “its ready to go right out of the box”. It left a bad apple taste in my mouth.

I’m not seeing how this isn’t a huge deal. Aside from the drive changes, which are prety major themselves, you’re talking about adding an extra freaking core to this thing.

Also, I noticed that you guys scooped Gizmodo on the iTunes movie downloads story. That’s a first in the brief history of CrunchGear (far as I know, anyway), and it bodes well!

@Greg

Eventually, Apple will change the package and tout the upgrade. But if they added the new model with its own packaging to the shelves next to the old models, which one would you buy at the same price? The new one I’d guess. So, consumers would want some kind of discount for buying the older inventory and Apple does not like to discount their goods. So Apple takes this approach until the retailers report back to Apple that the old serial numbers have been depleted.