Apple has been around for a long time and seen it's up and downs. Today Apple is the hot hip leading company on the must have items. I own a few of there products, the MacBook Pro, G4 and an ipod. I have been more than satisfied with all their products. Not only are the products reliable but I also found their support to be outstanding. It only takes a quick phone call to inquire about the products or get a quick how to on new software and trouble shooting.
The other advantage of Apple products is the life span. All of my products are still up to date as far as speed and efficiency in today's market. My G4 can still handle my memory intensive programs and run several programs at the same time. My Macbook Pro has more than exceeded my expectations as well.
Now I know a lot of people are weary about purchasing a Mac because they are afraid that since it has a different operating system it won't work with all programs, like Microsoft products. This is no longer true, not only are there the classic Microsoft products for macs but a lot of the state of the art programs are developed and work more efficiently with Macs. The other worry is the cost. Market wise Mac are more expensive, but when you weigh out the cost of two or three computers that may only last a year of two then fizzle out on you, the cost is the same. See Macs just last longer, they update easier and there is the virus factor. Only about 3% to 9% of all viruses are mac compatible, which mean less chance of your computer "getting sick." I personally have never had a virus on any of my mac products.
Next time you are looking for a great computer, MP3 play, or laptop take a look at a Mac. You may pay more, but you are paying for a quality product.