14 DAY TRIAL // Apple pulled its online store down for maintenance on Wednesday night. The exact purpose of the move is recently revealed in a report which mentions the addition of a feature called “compare Macs”.
In usual manner, Apple has quietly added new functionality to its web site, particularly the area where customers can review offers and purchase Apple products - the Apple online store.
By pulling the store down for maintenance on Wednesday night, Apple was able to include a feature called “compare macs” which, as its name implies, allows customers to line up several offers and compare them side by side.
Useful descriptions are offered for each computer in part, including a short list of specs.
For example, this is how the company describes its recently-launched Mac mini.
“Mac mini is the compact computer with plenty of ports to connect the peripherals and devices you already have — including your HDTV.
“Powered by a 2.4GHz or 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Mac Mini delivers next-generation NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, up to 8GB of memory, and up to 500GB of hard drive — all in an exceedingly thin package.
“The unibody also features a SuperDrive, Bluetooth wireless technology, and a removable bottom panel to add even more memory.”
An interactive web app is then provided for customers looking to alter the original configuration a Mac ships in.
For example, a customer may want to add more memory, a larger hard drive, or opt for a higher-clocked CPU.
Additional software to be included with the shipping Mac is also available as a configure-to-order option.
Users of the new feature can save altered configurations for an even more comprehensive comparison.
To view saved Macs, users must sign in with their Apple ID.
Not surprisingly, Apple also lets customers compare Macs by how friendly they are to the environment.
