1. I agree, I am completely miserable over it and have even though of hackintosh myself.
2. I agree, but I bought the very first Mac Mini, my price was USA $499.00 as I bought it inside the USA at the time and brought it back with me on a plane to Australia. :P
1 Part B) I'm angry, but more so that I can't be angry at Apple like my first reaction was when I heard about the prices. I have to be angry at the Aussie Dollar value and the world economy play on the Aussie Dollar value... so I'm even angrier because I cannot be angry at what I was originally angry at! :P if that makes sense.
I have been saving up for a new Mac so I have to decide what to do. I will probably get it this time but then not buy another one for a few years longer than I planned to after getting this next one. My mac is a original mini which I opened and modified to run at 1.5Ghz.... it does the job but its the graphic card pulling it down with Leopard. I switched it back to Tiger and it runs like a champ.
Let us take Aussie Dollar pricing back to reality.
#1.) Australia adds 10% GST on top of the prices. USA does not add sales tax on the prices. If you order in the USA online you have a good chance of never paying sales tax (most cross state purchases do not get taxed - lucky bums!)
So the formula to take off 10% GST is Aussie Price * .9 (we want 90% of the Aussie Price.)
Then we put the result into a google search for the current real time currency conversions. "X,XXX.XX AUD IN USD"
Then we compare the answer to the prices on the USA apple store.
Mac Mini 2.0GHz : 120GB is $ 1,049.00 Aussie Dollars
1049 * .9 = 944.1
944.1 Australian dollars = 606.20661 U.S. dollars
USA Mac Mini 2.0GHz : 120GB is $ 599 US Dollars
You are paying $7.20 USD more for a Mac Mini in Australia than buying the same unit in the USA.
Lets take iMac as example.
iMac 24-inch: 3.06GHz = $ 3,699.00 Aussie Dollars
3699 * .9 = $3,329.1 with the taxes removed
3329.1 AUD in USD
$3,329.1 Australian dollars = $2,137.61 U.S. dollars
USA Apple Store price = $2,199.00 U.S. dollars
You are *SAVING* 61.39 US Dollars buying the iMac in Australia than in the USA, its cheaper here!
Macbook Pro 17 - 2.66GHz with AppleCare Protection Plan
Aussie Dollars = A$ 5,078.00
5078 * .9 = $4,570.2 with the taxes removed
4570 AUD in USD =
4 570.2 Australian dollars = 2 934.52 U.S. dollars
USA Apple Store Price = $3,148.00 U.S. Dollars
You are *SAVING* $213.48 U.S. Dollars buying the 17 inch Macbook Pro with AppleCare in Australia than in the USA. It is cheaper here!
Will Apple's Mac mini and iMac Pricing Mean More Hackintoshes?
Will Apple's Mac mini and iMac Pricing Mean More Hackintoshes?