
$699 Apple Pro Wheels - onewhonknocks
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MX572ZM/A/apple-mac-pro-wheels-kit
======
kyledrake
The Apple apologists are going to call this a marketing stunt, but
functionally it's just the inevitable conclusion of a platform monopoly that's
extremely hard to leave. All it really does for me is send a very strong
message about what Apple thinks about its customers, but I'm not really the
type that enjoys spending $5000 on a $1000 computer for it's Veblen good
aesthetics and the joys of trying to get my linux production software to run
on their tortured unix.

If Apple's profit margins are coming from extremely expensive business
computers and high end phones, there could be some brutal earnings reports in
their future. Will be interesting to see, but given their current war chest I
suppose they could just buy their way into the current valuation for a while
with dividends and buybacks.

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thdrdt
Note that they don't have brakes. There are reports of Mac Pros wandering
around on floors that are not completely level [1].

[1]
[https://twitter.com/MKBHD/status/1232708514625310721](https://twitter.com/MKBHD/status/1232708514625310721)

Edit: it looks like they are mounted with pins that are almost the same size
as normal wheels. So I guess you can also go for $2 wheels available at your
local hardware store.

~~~
cm2187
Perhaps there will be a $2000 version with brakes?

~~~
unixhero
Apple Pro Wheels 2

Revolutionize your office flexibility by using the brand new wheel brakes.

Keep your Mac Pro near you, apply the breaks. Never stop imagining.

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Jonnax
How many people are talking about these wheels?

It's like "have you seen how much Apple are charging for their Mac Pro
wheels?!?!"

And people are becoming aware that the Mac Pro exists.

~~~
tobyhinloopen
Yep. Like the monitor arm but better.

Especially because they are released with time in between for maximum
effectiveness. I bet they will release another useless $1000 option next in a
few months. Idk, a $1200 black case or a $600 mouse or something.

Oh! An external wireless keyboard with touchbar and touch ID for $400! That
would be a great move. I bet people will actually buy it as well.

~~~
AmericanChopper
I paid close to $400 for my current keyboard, and it’s just a ordinary
mechanical keyboard, no fancy features. I’m very happy with it, and how much I
paid for it.

~~~
me_me_me
Was it a custom or semi custom job? You can get amazing keyboards for 200,
just wondering what it is.

Anyhow even if not custom/limited run product, you paid x2 not x10 of the
cost.

~~~
AmericanChopper
I wanted a very specific Filco model. It was out of production, and I had to
order it from overseas, which drove up the cost a fair bit. I probably did pay
about 2x the original price for it, but I’m not really sure because it was
never sold in the US as far as I know. Filco make high quality keyboard in any
case, and they’re not exactly cheap under normal circumstances.

My point being that I knew what I wanted to get, and I was happy to pay that
price for it, even if some (or a lot of) other people would think that’s
ridiculous. I think I’ve gotten more value out of it than I paid for it in
$$$. If charging high prices is what it takes to convince people to produce
high quality products, then (for certain products) I’m happy to pay them.

------
fabioyy
its a marketing move.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TfLVL5GeE4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TfLVL5GeE4)

~~~
bilekas
Aghh Linus... Now my feed will be full of him again!

~~~
mercer
What's the deal with him?

~~~
bilekas
Ah he's not bad to be fair, but everytime I watch even just 1 video, YouTube
seems to think I want to binge every min of his videos.

There are a few YouTube personalities that have that effect.. And it takes a
while to clear out that feedback bubble.

------
bilekas
Innovation still taking place.. They said don't reinvent the wheel.. Well
Apple proves once again.. To think different.

~~~
gyre007
It takes the courage to use a revolutionary design.

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snarfy
The wheels for my car are cheaper.

~~~
p2t2p
That's because wheels for your car have breaks. Those, don't.

~~~
nikofeyn
car wheels do not have brakes.

~~~
pulse7
So why then they are so cheap?

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phs318u
If you don’t have a cool $699 for the wheels, you could just go with the $299
feet [0], and load the whole thing onto a kid’s steel wagon [1].

[0]. [https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MXNM2ZM/A/apple-mac-
pro-f...](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MXNM2ZM/A/apple-mac-pro-feet-kit)

[1]. [https://www.mocka.com.au/kids-steel-
wagon.html](https://www.mocka.com.au/kids-steel-wagon.html)

------
tmaly
I have an old imac. I was trying to change the batteries in the track pad. The
batteries must have leaked and I could not get it open, even with massive
force.

I learned my lesson on paying a premium for expensive accessories. So here is
what I did.

I just ordered the basic ipad yesterday for my kid's distance learning.

They were pushing the pencil and keyboard hard. I did a quick search and found
off brand pencils and keyboards that would work for a fraction of the cost.
That is the route I went.

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abellerose
I love macOS & iOS. I’ve been happy to be an Apple customer because the
support for hardware has been excellent as well.

The icing on the cake was the era of belief that Apple had the goal of making
consumer products that people could afford and cherish a good portion of their
life. The company is sadly drifting from the past brand status for everyone
can change the world to just another luxury brand that not everyone can afford
for participating.

Why the company prefers making these beyond expensive products and instead of
improving user experience & enticing new customers is beyond me. I guess
people just work for waking up to a higher paycheck than last year nowadays.

------
renewiltord
Interesting. Did not realize people moved their towers that much. Perhaps it's
a thing people do in art studios or wherever Mac Pros are used.

~~~
tobyhinloopen
It’s not about moving the tower. It’s about brand awareness, like this post.

“Look how stupid these expensive wheels are.” While you look at their fancy
mac pro. It’s free advertising, and since nobody needs the wheels, no customer
feels ripped off.

Win-win.

It’s like the $1000 Monitor arm but better.

------
mtmail
earlier discussion
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23086254](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23086254)

~~~
throwaway9482
Comment from there: “The guy was a 10x engineer. He was looking into medical
tourism to have a feeding tube put in so he could fuel w/ Soylent.”

That was a joke right?

~~~
fiblye
The real joke is that there are so many people in the industry who devote
their lives to work to the point that people question whether this is really a
joke.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
It wouldn't work as humour if there wasn't an element of truth in there.

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mdemare
What a bargain! They’re €849 ($919) in NL, tax included.

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neom
Mac Pro Weight: 39.7 pounds (18.0 kg)

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zankly
How do these work, i.e. there doesn't seem to be anything in the center of the
wheel. How do they work?

~~~
jayd16
Its two separate wheels that rotate independently, probably using ball-
bearings.

~~~
p1mrx
So it's technically only $87.50 per wheel. By Grabthar's hammer, what a
savings.

