Will Apple's Back-to-School Season Be a Disaster?

"Almighty Apple"? You folks are off your rocker. Globally, Macs account for less than two percent of PC sales. How in the world do you consider that to be "almighty"? TT should adopt a logo similar to Apple's which of course illegally stole its name and logo from the Beatles. TT, design a brain with a bite out if it. Perfect!!

@rabrams: "It's a bit disappointing that Apple's big promotion and push to "Back-to-Schoolers" is that you get a free iPod with a purchase of a MAC." - It's actually their biggest back to school promotion ever. You really don't know Apple, do you? - "Furthermore, the price of their cheapest laptop is significantly more than an equally equipped PC." - Quite the opposite. If you price out a Dell with equal components, Apple comes out very competitive. Apple isn't in the buisness of make cheap computers that will break in six months. - "but they should've lowered prices, at a minimum before the back to school season started." - Why? They are growing Mac sales YOY at 30% to 50%. There is no need to lower prices with such success and demand.

Apple fanboys: cool your jets. We know y'all are an emotional bunch but take a Quaalude or something before you get giddy and wet yourself.

In a word, "No." See, that was easy.

Guess this lousy piece of so-called journalism is why aapl is up 4 bucks today. Charlatans, shills, knownothings. This kind of nonsense is EXACTLY why everyone should ignore these analysts and so-called experts. They are either raging idiots or have some hidden agenda, as I suspect is the case in this instance.

I am not a conspiracy freak but after a while you start seeing things... Two days prior to the new iphone launch you start hearing rumors about Steve Jobs health. etc.... What's up with that? Where did that come from and at that time? Rumors floating around that were posted just in time? This stuff happens over and over again. Personally, I am starting to believe that this is mostly Rupert Murdock driven. He is competing against itunes and the best way to compete is to make AAPL look bad. I could be wrong but hey, think of it as blog reporting.

This guy is delusional.

This guy is an idiot! He has no idea what he is talking about - Apple is not an aspirational product! People go to Apple because their products (hardware and software) work better than any others - higher satisfaction rates, best usability, most stable, bundled software... students need computers for back to school and Apple is hands down the preferred brand and will remain so. The stores are packed! As with most so called "analysts / reporters" they neither know or understand this company, its products, its markets or its customers!

It's very obvious what Yahoo stooges try to do to Apple every chance they get.

Apple is offering a Macbook and iPod touch combo for $1,000. Any college student in his or her right mind is snatching up one of these before Apple sells out of Macbooks. The company is selling these by the boatload. It seems, though, that Apple will run out of Macbooks during this quarter as it transitions to a new, improved Macbook, and that transition could dampen sales in the short run. Then sales of the new Macbook, which will have trick and cool new features, will skyrocket once again.

This guy has no idea what he is talking about. Electronic makers and computer makers (except for Apple) have been suffering for the past two years. Comparing trends of PF Chang's to Apple is just idiotic. This website is constantly negative on Apple. I have been hearing the same pessimistic reports since I bought in at $11 (with split) in Jan 04. I'm glad I never take these BS stories seriously. Time will prove them wrong, as it already has.

Kedrosky is a loser

there should be less computer sales to kids. apple is doing more equipping of colleges with their products, one way to entice kids to come their colleges. school districts are now equipping with macs. no data available by me, just looking at our very large school district and reading scores of articles on apple signing deals with colleges. colleges are even giving a macbook to incoming freshmen. i think when accounting is done it will show in back to school sale more in enterprise sales. plus, i see no slowdown in either of our apple stores, traffic always solid to heavy. see lots of people heading out the door with iphones, laptops, desktops. i guess there's no recession here!!!

this guy looks dumb, i wouldnt trust my money w. him, nor would i ever listen to this guy again.

I think someone is hurting after having shorted Apple, and these people are working for them. I am on a college campus, fairly large one, and I have never seen so many apple laptops, as much apple anything as there is now. I'd say there are at LEAST 10 times more Apple logos on campus than there were just 2 years ago. Correct, they didn't answer the question. Apple's numbers will be unbelievable this year. Similarly priced notebooks (generic PCs) can't compete, can't boot, sleep, run nearly as fast, are weak on design and support, fit and finish, etc.. Students today understand this unless they are total windows fanboys.

what's FUD?

My two daughters needed new computers (for college) and for the first time I bought Apples. I refuse to use/migrate to Windows Vista or have to pay more to use XP! My daughters both love using the Apples, the price was great for me....they were VERY easy to start up..came with great rebate deals for a printer and ipod. No complaints. Keep going Apple as long as MS continues to make dumb product/service decisions.

This is a load of cr-- from the usual suspects. Our granddaughter is off to her first year of college with her new MacBook Pro. It is the recommended machine for incoming students at her school.

The line in front of the Apple store on 5th Ave in NY is 200 people long from 9am to about 1:00pm everyday. How do I know? My office window overlooks the line. Perhaps Paul should take a walk over... His summations and based on sheer conjecture and a Pavlovian need for ears and eyes gotten only by sensationalistic headlines. So sad his career choice, trading his integrity for clicks. Sarah is none too much better, her excuse is that she doesn't know better, I'm sure

some people just don't realize that the Mac OS blows Windows out of the water for the average computer user and that's why the next quarterly report will be another one that reflects the bulls' sentiment regarding the stock and laptop sales it's obvious when people are too lazy to try a Mac and see why it's better (and why everyone who uses one thinks so) and I also can't believe this guy made a national broadcast, it's like T.O. or Rodman of investing haha