Microsoft's joy: Apple responds to 'Laptop Hunters'

I hear an excited rumbling in the tummies of the Responsible in Redmond.

I see the tiniest glint in their eyes that is not caused by tree pollen. For Apple has decided to address the Microsoft "Laptop Hunters" campaign, albeit in its usual laconic manner.

John Hodgman, the actor behind the PC guy, has the human version of most of Best Buy with him, as a laptop huntress called Megan declares she wants a big screen with a fast processor.

One by one, the suitors are dismissed as being unsuitable. Their failings? Small screens. Slow processors. Oh, and viruses, crashes, and headaches. A couple had really dreadful suits too.

Perhaps Apple decided that, in a difficult economy, it had to address arguments that it sees as bilge-filled bunkum. Perhaps the company thought the Microsoft ads opened themselves up a little too much to some spring amusement.

However, I am sure that Microsoft executives will be bringing out their handkerchiefs and donning those tight pants with little bells on the bottom in order to perform a ritual dance around the Redmond Morris pole.

This is something that they have not been able to do in quite some time.

[errantdog]

brilliant!!!

[slickuser]

though apple might have gone little too far wth their ads, you have to admit that they are funny and they
are making mockery of Microsoft.

Apple ads are just fun to watch...

Microsoft ads are too boring like their boring operating system and boring CEO!

[Pockit]

Too far? Naw. People assume too far when the politically correct "don't trash your competition" rule is broken. It's an old rule and usually exploited by the 'bad guys' in a way that is sleezy and under handed. At least the Apple ads are upfront, advertise and comment on the truth and don't try to bait and switch. I can't see that as too far. On top it's done in a nice way with some comedy and simply to generate enough interest for people to explore their options no believe they **NEED** a product to be a certain type of person.

Love them all. I wish more advertising was like this and spurred self-thought and investigation vs. brainwashing; maybe our teenage children wouldn't run around looking like corner hookers at the age of 12.

[make_or_break]

The ONE thing that seems to be missing from all of this charming (not) banter is this: in tough economic times, it doesn't mean as much to compare compare Apples to "apples" (so to speak); money--and how thrifty you can be--DOES matter.

The Apple fanbase can certainly crow over the inequalities in comparing the machines in the Redmond commercials to their favorite Cupertino uber notebook, but then again...does the average laptop user REALLY NEED all of that high performance if it means a lot of belt-tightening to the budget? It's like saying you must BUY the Lexus even though the Corolla is more than adequate.

Reality bites...whether it's a MacPro OR a Dell XPS; you fanboys miss the point that cheaper, viable and usable ALTERNATIVES exist even if they aren't anywhere close to being exactly equal. And that's the point that MSFT drives home.

[samalander]

@make_or_break
I think the point is that ALL MS can say is that PCs have one advantage - price. Funny thing is, MS is being a little shor-sighted and shooting themselves in the foot -- they don't make the computers, they bundle the OS. They know that as PC makers race for the bottom and shave all costs, that it is increasingly hard to disguise the "MS tax" of a weak OS. PC makers will increasingly try to finaigle alternative free OS', or keep XP, or make their own as they wiggle out from under the diminishing weight of MS. MS doesnt' know what it is advertising anymore. It has no vision and just wants to stop people starting to think it is unecessary.

Reality does bite. That's why Apple is still doing well, even in a recession. MS has actually been hurt more, as PC laptops are discarded for new netbooks running Ubuntu or XP, and not Vista. The truth is, when dollars are scarce, people ask do ask themselves what they really need -- not how can I get the first thing I think of cheaper.
More and more people are asking: "Do I need a computer in the first place? If I do, why? If I get one, I better be sure I will be satisfied with it and won't have frustration and wasted hours and extra expense down the line. What computers get highest satisfaction ratings? Oh, that's interesting, Apple. Oh, I am starting to read that, though the upfront is higher, it might save me money overall -- longer life, retained value, little support, no anti-virus, great and usuable software comes with it. Hmmm, maybe I should think about this a bit longer, check out ALL the options, and make a good, informed decision. I really want something useful of value, and not a piece of junk."

So, yes, cheaper (up front), viable alternatives exist. No one doubts that -- you can't go into any walmart or supermarket without seeing these cheap alternatives everywhere you look. MS is making a great point; I'm sure Dell and the other OEM PC makers really appreciate it. Apple is making the point that, wait for it, you get what you pay for! Fancy that! If a home consumer just HAS TO HAVE a computer, and they don't care about creating things with it with a minimum of frustration and investment, and they don't care about the quality of what they want to create with it, then of course they can go for a chip as chips PC. Others will look more carefully at their investment long-term and weigh up what Apple has to offer (which by the way, is more than industrial design. I know you probably buy into the MS propaganda that Macs are just toys, but NEXT, the basis of OS X was years ahead of its time, and Apple cares about the enduser experience; MS only cares about maintaining deals with OEM partners and corporations for unending license fees; that's why they can't sell to end users without looking muddled).

[Rolker]

samalander

I just don't understand why Apple users always think that Windows PCs brake up all the time and have tons of viruses.
I've been using PCs since the XT, AT and 286 were Intel's top of the line processors, and went through DOS, Windows 3.11, 95, 98, ME, XP and Vista. I never had any problems with my desktops. never had a virus (ho, except "ping pong" on my DOS system) and never needed to send my PC for any repairs.
Only with my latest laptop I encountered a motherboard problem, which was fixed by Dell after a few days.
The claim "You get what you pay for" is just not true. I think that reality is that in the case of Apple you over-pay for what you get.
Windows based PCs do their work for me, and I don't feel the need to move to Apple because I always got what I paid for - reliable PCs, with no viruses, that worked for years.
* As someone that barely used a Mac, I'm not claiming the Macs are bad PCs. I'm just pointing out that the state of mind towards Windows PCs is incorrect.

[Michichael]

No slow processors? Mac's are out. Viruses, headaches? Mac's are out there too. In fact, every computer in the world is out of the question if you expect it to be virus immune and still on the internet. :3

[ace10134]

Um did they forget to mention that Mac's don't work??? They constantly beach ball, so there's already worries right there. Oh, and what happens when you have 20 windows open and you want to get to one that's behind a really large window. Well, on a Mac you would have to minimize every other 19 windows until you finally reach that 20th window. That's not user friendly. On a PC, we can just click on that window no matter if it's maximized or minimized.

That's how life is on a PC, no worries, it just lets you do what you have to do, without any viruses, and with games!

[Riamen]

ace10134 you obviously don't know how to use a Mac. Really now minimize 19 windows to get to the twentieth? Next time you're on a Mac try Expose one click and I see all my open windows, then click on the window I need to bring it to the front. Very simple, very fast. There's also Command-Tab like Alt -Tab in Windows and other ways to hide and restore windows.

My Macs have the most solid computers I've ever owned. I work every day in IT with Windows PCs, much prefer the Mac.

[rapier1]

I guess one of the more interesting things is how much the Apple fan base hates these commercials. It really seems to have driven them into a frenzy for some reason. Maybe what's good for the goose isn't really good for the gander in their view.

[kcotham]

I can't speak for all Mac users or for anyone else for that matter. The reason I hated the Microsoft commercials was that they exaggerated and spewed misinformation like a Fox News commentator.

[Random_Walk]

Dunno... I've never really hated them, but I do find the outright misleading to be irksome. Joe Sixpack doesn't know any better, and gets sucked right in. Anyone with a clue in this industry who hasn't drank any sort of koolaid (apple's or Microsoft's) can see right through it.

The Mac ads have always had a kernel of truth in them as their basis (e.g. PC's do get viruses, they crash more often, they require drivers more often than not, Macs have higher customer satisfaction rates, etc).

Microsoft's recent ad run OTOH was simply an outright blaring of mistruths (e.g. equating cheap-end PC laptops with top-of-the-line Macs, then claiming that price makes the only difference.) Fanboy or no, one cannot deny that the 'match-ups' simply do not match up spec for spec - especially once one digs in to battery life, longevity, screen resolution, speed, performance, security, and all those tech bits that no one seems to bother with until they find out the hard way. Match up equivalents (say, a high-end Dell XPS vs. a MacBook Pro), and suddenly the PC's aren't such a bargain anymore...

Now if Microsoft had taken the time to point out some very real kernels of truth (e.g. games, familiarity, etc), they would've gotten a lot farther. Problem is, they didn't.

[monkeyfun14]

@Random_Walk


Apple or Microsoft ads were both exaggerated both have some truths who ever can't see this needs to set down the kool aid for a minute..


Macs are expensive and PC's crash. Both companies picked each others weakness and went with it.

[bergs331]

@ Random_Walk
But MS are not "equating cheap-end PC laptops with top-of-the-line Macs" they are offering the Customer a computer that fits their specs.

Funny how the Apple ad points out it's biggest weakness - Lack of Options

[Random_Walk]

Allow me to redirect you to what I had already written: "Match up equivalents (say, a high-end Dell XPS vs. a MacBook Pro), and suddenly the PC's aren't such a bargain anymore..."

So, you were saying something about Microsoft ads having a kernel of truth in them?

[kcotham]

Random_Walk makes a very good point.

[monkeyfun14]

@Random_Walk

But I don't need to go find the most expensive Windows machines out there to get a laptop with comparable specs to a MBP. I can even prove this.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

Great, let's see it.

[Random_Walk]

"...they are offering the Customer a computer that fits their specs."

IOW, they cherry-pick.

You do bring up a good point, though Microsoft is so busy trying for the "we're cheap!" angle that they miss it.

The PC market does give you a wider perceived ( <- note that word) scope of choices. Too bad that Microsoft decided to put all their concentration on the money angle instead of touting "choice" as the factor. But then, I doubt they could, for many reasons:

* they've already wandered well out of their territory as a software maker touting PC hardware prices as their selling point... you wouldn't even know it was Microsoft doing the advertising without that little logo at the end.

* dirty little secret: for all the "choice" you get in the PC OEM world, even a cursory trip to Dell or HP's website (or any other major maker) finds consumers getting funneled towards a small handful of "choices" for each OEM (e.g. Dell has four consumer laptop variants, one of which is a full-on netbook. HP has four as well, and again, one is a 10.1" note/netbook. Apple has 3-1/2 of their own: Macbook, 2 MBP types, and Air. ) Problem is, most of those variants across the PC OEMs are rough equivalents in either case. The only real choice is what OEM you buy your particular variant from. Otherwise, you're still stuck with tiny net/notebooks, low-budget notebooks, mid-range gear, and high-end laptops. The rest is really just illusion.

* that "choice" would all be based on only one operating system, which in reality you have no choice but to purchase with your "chosen" OEM laptop (they wouldn't dare pimp Linux on a PC, and OEMs have no real choice in the consumer market --thanks to contractual obligations-- than to pre-load and "recommend" only Windows for their current offerings).

Long story short? Sorry, but unless they can sell the perception of choice, there's no kernel of truth in there.

[monkeyfun14]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220492

Half the price more powerful then a MBP

The extra money can get you a Office and Photoshop program with cash left over.

[Angmarr]

apples are in the bag,
Like taking the apples from a baby
who knew apples were so stupid! Priceless man Priceles!

[kcotham]

Quit trolling! I thought you were turning over a new leaf, guess not.

[massfat]

That's not trolling. He isn't even talking specifically about Apple. This is a reference to Apple, but it's not direct and he doesn't actually criticize Apple for no reason. Trolling is when you say something everywhere without proof and ignoring other people's objections.

By the way, apples aren't stupid. The apple that Newton saw lead him to great achievements in calculating and proving Universal Gravity. Indeed, that apple is priceless.
Angmarr, I do not see how your comment is relevant to this story. I can barely understand your referencing, let alone the meaning behind it. Perhaps you should elaborate on such metaphoric descriptors (or should I say a similie?).

[Angmarr]

haha my friend I said that I'm done attacking any individual. But I still prefer Windows, so when Apple takes a swing @ Windows I will swing back.
But as far as arguing with anyone, lets face it its pointless. Nobody's gonna Convert one sides Diehard fanboys to the other side or prove anything of value.

[kcotham]

If you call that "taking a swing", you are batting with a whiffle bat. And trolling is defined as "posting on the Internet intending to provoke an indignant response in the reader", and that is exactly what comments like Angmarr's comment above was.

[Angmarr]

I see, so I assume that none of your comments are of that nature?

p.s if my bat is whiffle, it is both cheap and effective, why spend on a crystal bat?

[kcotham]

I use a Louisville Slugger, Angmarr ;-)

[sanenazok]

What a ground breaking ad. Yes, yes, everyone buys computers for the suits they wear! Duh. When Megan goes to the store, all she sees is laptops with minor differences in appearance, but with big differences in prices.

[kcotham]

Whatever you say about the different ad campaigns, at least the Apple advertisements are funny. Whatever ad agency Microsoft uses and whoever is in charge of marketing at Microsoft obviously have no sense of humour at all. If Microsoft was going to take a page out of Apple's play book, they should have taken the humour page.

[monkeyfun14]

Atleast MS isn't over exaggerating scenario's..

Either way doesn't matter to me.

[kcotham]

Then why did you feel the need to comment, monkeyfun14? Point is, no one at Crispin Porter & Bogusky or Microsoft's marketing department has a sense of humour.

[monkeyfun14]

@kco

At the end of the day I don't care if the ad is humorous or not if it doesn't tell me about the companies own product its useless to me and I won't make a purchase based on it.

[Random_Walk]

"Atleast MS isn't over exaggerating scenario's.."

You mean like equating a cheap HP laptop configuration as an equivalent to a higher-spec, lighter, thinner, longer-batteried and higher-resolutioned MacBook Pro, right? ;)

[monkeyfun14]

@Random_Walk

More power but heavier vs something a bit lighter but less powerful seems to equal out to me. Especially considering most people who buy a power house of a laptop usually have it sitting on their desk anyways.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14
Look, if you make purchases based on advertising, then you are as dumb as your posts make you sound. If we have to watch advertising, informative or not (rarely is any advertising informative), at least it should be entertaining. Microsoft's ads are neither informative nor entertaining. Whether Apple's are informative or not is arguable, but at least they are funny and entertaining.

[monkeyfun14]

@kco

But Microsoft has have had Ad's that demonstrates their OS can you say the same about Apple?

[Random_Walk]

"More power but heavier vs something a bit lighter but less powerful seems to equal out to me. "

Eh? The HP laptop they showed off for their "power" user had a slower memory bus, shorter battery life, weighed much more, had a lower screen resolution... may want to take your blinders off.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

Really, where? I've never seen one. The whole thing is laughable. Demonstrating WIndows? You mean a realistic demonstration where the machine is overrun with trojan horses and popup ads?

[monkeyfun14]

@Random_Walk

Let me show you a cheaper machine then a MBP that is more powerful then the 17in MBP in hardware aspects.

[kcotham]

Oh, and you might want to check out the other two new ads ("Cusomer Care" and "PC Choice Chat") on their website. And if YouTube doesn't want to stream well, you can watch this ad there too.

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

[seven7dust]

lol! the customer care commercial is so damn true !

[pithenumber]

@kcotham
I love Apple's commercials, bunch of FUD, but at least they are funny
@77dust
you said an Apple commercial was true
and you wonder why the world doesn't go out and buy Macs
its because they are smart enough not to drink the koolaid, and Mac users like kcotham are smart enough not to overdose

[seven7dust]

@pithenumber
so your saying Pc support is top notch ???
you might want to tell me which comapany you buy from then !
all the Pc support I've dealt with has been a pain in the rear
infact it's the same with companies from all Sectors
everyone's support sux
they could all take a page from Apple's Support playbook
there's no doubt in my mind that Apple's support is by far the best I've ever dealt with !

[pithenumber]

@77dust
your local pc builder has top notch support

[Hellcat]

It'll be interesting to see if MS fights back...probably not. I don't consider the commercials they have done as fighting back. MS has gotten weak since Ballmer has taken over. This should be a media war and Apple is just shooting skud missiles and MS is using paintball guns.

I still think MS should write a commercial like having Bill Gates being PC and Jessica Simpson being Mac (because she's pretty but not so bright). Show the faults of Mac and also show a lot of Macs are running Windows to make up for those faults. Or they can do a commerical something like

Hi Im a PC

I'm a Mac

Hey Mac what are you doing?

We at Apple are trying to think of more things we believe the people will want then brain wash them into thinking they really want them.

Why don't you just ask the people what they want and make it.

Because its more fun this way.

[kcotham]

Microsoft needs to fire Crispin Porter + Bogusky , they're horrible.

[kcotham]

Microsoft needs to fire Crispin Porter + Bogusky , they're horrible.

Oh, and you aren't funny either, Hellcat.

[monkeyfun14]

@kco

The funny thing is it wouldn't matter who was creating the AD it would still be horrible in your eyes since it goes against OSX.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

You CAN type more than three characters of a user name you know. It's not that hard. I have faith in your ability to do that.

No, I can appreciate humour, even if it is based on lies ;-)

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham

But Ad's need to be informative as well.

If a car company says their Car B isn't plagued with as many reliability issues as competitors Car C and you go and purchase this car and it breaks down in the middle of no where. Can you see where this can be a issue?

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

You are naïve. Advertising has never been about being informative. It'd be nice if it were, but it isn't.

[Gromit801]

monkeyfun14: I guess you haven't been watching the MS ads. They have never once taken on the Mac OS. Just the pricing and other misinformation they keep trying to foist on the PC types. MS knows better than to take on the Mac OS, it would be a real disaster for them.

You know, their ads really are like watching Faux News.

[Hellcat]

Neither are the Mac ads.

[kcotham]

Matter of opinion. I personally think they are funny, at least in comparison to the tripe Crispin Porter + Bogusky are spewing.

[Angmarr]

"Matter of opinion"

thats exactly the point, as I see it Mac ads were funny @ first (though misleading) now they are just plain boring. The original Microsoft ones were lame, but the new ones that attack apple directly are awesome!

[kcotham]

There's no accounting for taste I guess. The Microsoft ads are sophomoric and just plain boring and corny. Nothing creative or amusing about them. And that doesn't even address the fact they are lying through their teeth, blatantly.

[Seaspray0]

@kcotham. lying through their teeth, blatantly? Then why haven't they been pulled by the FTC for violating the laws of truth in advertising?

[kcotham]

@Seaspray

I don't know, why don't you call them and ask them.

[Seaspray0]

@kcotham. If they were "lying through their teeth, blatantly", the FTC would have pulled the ads. So who is right? The FTC or you? You don't know? You are the one who is lying. Now you know.

[kcotham]

@seaspray

Hombre, call me a liar again and we're going to have to step outside! >:-)


Lies are a part of advertising. Advertisers bend the truth just to the limit of the law. It's nothing new and nothing surprising. Anyone that things that advertisements are completely factual is naïve and gullible.

[Aaron Kempf]

I haven't had a virus on windows in 5 years. And I run 10-20 machines at home and 10-20 machines at work. If you run Windows Update - which is 'secure by default' you have no security problems with windows, and I haven't had any problems for many many many years (since the release of XP SP2).

I just find it sad that Apple has to spew such utter lies about windows.

Maybe if Apple spent less time trying to censor NiN then maybe theyd be an option.
Until that time-- I guess I'm not cool enough for a mac.

PS - I bought a 17" HP laptop with 3gb of ram and a great cpu... for $599 6 months ago.
It has given me ZERO difficulty. I'd love to see Apple compete at the $599 price point!

[kcotham]

You have 10-20 machines at home? You illegally running a server farm on your consumer cable line? You have LAN parties at your house? Designing an H bomb or the next space shuttle?

The "lies" you say that Apple is spewing are not lies. Just because you have been utterly lucky or extremely careful (or both), doesn't change the FACT that Windows machines are huge targets for malware. I can't go home to visit my folks without hearing about the latest worm or virus that has infected my parent's Windows XP machine. This past weekend, it was infected with CWS, and neither AVG or Macafee would remove it.

Enjoy your el cheapo computer.

[Random_Walk]

"And I run 10-20 machines at home..."

Err, yeah. sure you do.

Next?

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham


Most of those issues have been dealt away with Vista and Seven through UAC I don't even think there is a virus that can do any damage without getting elevated privileges through UAC or even install for that matter.

[kcotham]

Monkeyfun14,

Sure, sure, sure. That's why I've seen so many of my colleague's computers running Vista riddled with more viruses and worms than are at the CDC lab in Atlanta. Keep telling yourself that.

[danielwsmithee]

So what do you do when a Windows update makes your machine unusable so you can't install the latest updates. True story with my old PC. If I ever installed XP SP2 or higher on it I got a blue screen of death at least 15 minutes after boot up. The PC shop says the hardware is fine because it passes all of their hardware tests, Microsoft says it is a hardware problem. I was left with a computer that I can't connect to the internet because it will get infected within minutes.

[Nicko67]

@kcotham
I gotta go with monkeyfun14 et al on this. I now run 3 servers and 20 desktops and laptops at work, 5 laptops and desktops at home and eight at my kid sister's place. 6.5 YEARS now with no major virus infections--and nothing at all in the last 3. MY ISP doesn't really care what I run in any of the three locations. Have you never heard of DDNS? "Illegal server farm" LOL. If I go over 80 GB of upload, they care, but not before. If you have 'colleagues' running virus-riddle Vista boxes they:
a) troll for warez or porn
b) open every darned spam email ever sent to them
c) are running cracked and unpatchable versions of Vista, or
d) all of the above.

If you or your 'colleagues' are too foolish to:
a) run Microsoft Update (free)
b) run AVG Free edition (free) and
c) remember that precious little (ie software or porn) is free in life, and stay away from 'free' scams
then run OSX. You're too foolish to run a flexible, powerful, extensible and customizable OS. Let Steve do all your thinking for you.

[kcotham]

@Nicko

I don't know what they are doing. But I do know that I've seen too many Windows machines with too many problems. My time is too valuable to have it wasted on maintaining Windows and all its flaws.

[Vegaman_Dan]

@kcotham:

For a person who claims to be spending all their time dealing with Windows viruses and repairs, you sure have a lot of free time to troll on every single topc/story here that mentions Microsoft or Apple.

I'm in the business and I do support THOUSANDS of machines. I don't see viruses like you do. I don't see the problems of machine maintenance either. You do simple preventative maintenance, user education, and upkeep. It's not hard and by doing that preventative maintenance, you avoid problems down the road. A professional in the industry knows this. I wonder why you do not.

It's possible you aren't really being hoest with people here. Your comments would tend to suggest you aren't quite what you claim to be as your story keeps changing. Interesting.

[kcotham]

@Vegaman_Dan

I don't do Windows Dan, therefore, I don't spend all my time dealing with viruses and repairs. What sort of environment are these machine in? They aren't individually controlled, individually installed machines I'm sure. I fully understand what it takes to keep a computer running smoothly and trouble free. I resent the implication that I do not. The problem is that there are millions of saps out there that treat their computer like an appliance, an appliance that needs no maintenance. Those are the users I have referred to. If you have "thousands" of machines in a coporate or research environment to where they are administered centrally and set up ahead of time to lock them down, then you won't have the issues I have referred to. But your average person buying a computer for their den or for little Johnny in school, does not run their computer in such an environment. So, it is you that isn't being honest here.

I also resent the implication that I am not being honest. For one, I am and you'll just have to trust that. In fact, show me one quote of mine in which I've lied. I mean a real lie, not just a point of view that is counter to your own. My "story" has not changed either. I do not know from where you pulled that. When people like you stop spouting lies and FUD, then you will see me no more. Until then, get used to it, it's a free country, sort of.

[Seaspray0]

@kcotham. You're just making up a bunch of crap and posting it and I've had enough of it. Tell me, exactly how many viruses are there at the "CDC Lab in Atlanta"? And exactly who are these colleagues? You tell us later they are "millions of saps out there that treat their computer like an appliance, an appliance that needs no maintenance. Those are the users I have referred to."

"I've seen so many of my colleague's computers running Vista riddled with more viruses and worms than are at the CDC lab in Atlanta. Keep telling yourself that. "

No, I will remind you of all of this, every time I call you a liar.

[monkeyfun14]

Another funny thing I find interesting is everything Apple uses is great until Apple stops using it. Wait till they use something besides aluminum.

[kcotham]

Huh? Mind rewriting that sentence so that it is actually English?

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham

Will aluminum automatically be considered cheap like plastic if Apple were to move onto something else?

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

What? Who said plastic (polycarbonates) were "cheap"? Those are your words. Aluminium is better suited for rigidity while maintaining light weight.

[monkeyfun14]

That has been every Mac fanboy's argument for the last few months...

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

You certainly are prone to hyperbole aren't you?

[infinitely]

....Maybe if they move onto titanium or some even more precious metal? Are you actually saying that plastic isn't cheap? I have a MacBook and I'll tell you it's chintzy compared to anything made out of metal

[Super2online]

You have to love the fact that the requirements Megan expects from a computer also plague the Mac, except for slow processors, in which case you will pay more for the same processor from Apple.

[fhinner]

Really like this Ad. As i posted on the windows Ad, it is not about being a PC or Apple, it about what you do with the machine.

I think that is the message that most missed. No I am not a PC, but I can say I am not a MAC either..... I am a Franz! Or in the commercial Megan is still a Megan not a MAC. We are all individuals and way more complex then a technology, but we all use it for something we are interested in. At the end it is just a tool.

[seven7dust]

Macs abd PCs are Computers A.K.A Tools
stop falling for MS brainwashing !

[kylecca]

To Apple A++++
To Microsoft F++++

[kcotham]

Don't you mean F- ?

[samhmariam]

I think Windows has come a long way from the days of crushes and viruses. Those are the 90's image. Only Apple affectionados will buy that as the whole truth.

[kcotham]

Just like only WIndows fanatics still think that Apple computers are only used by or good for creative occupations. The difference is that there is at least a kernel of truth in the stereotypical image of Windows.

[Angmarr]

@ samhmariam

ya man

[kcotham]

Windows has come a long way, true, but they still have light years to go to erase all the bad design and flaws that have plagued their architecture for 20+ years.

[Angmarr]

At least windows is a work in progress that gives its consumers what they want, rather than doing what apple does "heres what it is, this is what you get, take it or leave it" telling what consumers want

[kcotham]

@Angmarr,

All operating systems are a work in progress. Apple does listen to its users. If they didn't, Mac OS X would look like an updated copy of NeXTStep. No company works the way you imply. Be serious for once.

[infinitely]

Not to mention that my family had those very problems with PCs well into the 2000's. Until we got a Mac that is.

[baconstang]

Tell that to the people dealing with Conficker.

[loose_screw]

I love Macs, but I also love to build my own PCs and picking my own components & overclocking them.

Please show me a way to legally run OSX on my own custom built desktop, and I will convert.

Until then, there's room for MS and Linux in my house. These ads are ridiculous to people like me.

[seven7dust]

look google up for hakintosh
plus Macbooks are awesome too !

[loose_screw]

@seven7dust: Look up google for the meaning of "legally."

I don't doubt that Macbooks are awesome, but I also love ThinkPads.

There's enough room on this planet (and my house) for both Apple and Windows to run. Plus Linux.

[baconstang]

If you want to legally run Linux, Windows and OSX, there's only one choice. May that choice and you have all the choices.

[loose_screw]

@baconstang: which part of "I love to build my own PCs" don't you understand? Sheesh.

[The_happy_switcher]

Beware of monkeys eating and throwing their feces on this message board. They're also found of laptops that can double as boat anchors--all in the name of saving a few bucks to buy some bananas.

[monkeyfun14]

Maybe one day you will post something that adds to the article but if I were to hold my breath on that I would be a dead man.

[The_happy_switcher]

"Maybe one day you will post something that adds to the article but if I were to hold my breath on that I would be a dead man." Don't wait on my account. Feel free to follow through with holding your breath--any time.

[Vegaman_Dan]

@AppleRocks1963:

Interesting comments you have there. Care to tell us what they have to do with the actual story?

The only other reason you would have posted this would be to cause disruptions and smear the good name of Apple Macintosh users everywhere with your behavior.

(Folks, AppleRocks1963 deos not represent Apple or the views or opinions of Apple users. Please do not allow his comments to affect your buying choices when looking at Apple products, or be turned away for fear you may end up like him.)

[The_happy_switcher]

"(Folks, AppleRocks1963 deos not represent Apple or the views or opinions of Apple users. Please do not allow his comments to affect your buying choices when looking at Apple products, or be turned away for fear you may end up like him.)" You probably assume that the users of this board are too stupid to know otherwise. Good thing you here to point out the obvious. You're a hero to the board. Now, ****.

[infinitely]

What? Why would they be happy about this? Not to mention that this whole article is painfully stupid and written very poorly.

[kcotham]

Seriously. What the heck?

[monkeyfun14]

@kco

Cause Apple took the bait and makes themselves look even more childish. The ad's were interesting at first but now they are just getting old.

Kind of how a sophomore still laughs at something stupid even though it happened 7 months ago.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

And you would know this best, being in the 10th grade yourself.

[monkeyfun14]

Nah

[seven7dust]

"Apple took the bait"
Microsft is the 800 Lb gorilla here
with the laptop Hunter ads I would think that they were the ones that took the bait !

[lazycat202]

let's save your $$! dump MS and OS X, then switch to linux. FREE OS, FREE applications, fast loading, troubles free!

[kcotham]

While I'm a "fan" of Linux as an alternative to Windows, it is definitely not on the same plane as Mac OS X. Most distributions aren't nearly as user friendly as Mac OS X. Although there are some that are approaching it. Linux has its advantages and I encourage Windows users to look at it if they refuse to even entertain the idea of buying a Macintosh.

[monkeyfun14]

Nah i'll pass.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14
Oh, come on. If you are as open minded as you would have us believe, you'd try it out, at least on a VM. You want some speed and stability, try Xubuntu, the learning curve isn't too steep.

[monkeyfun14]

@kco

I've tried the distros not my thing.

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun

Suit yourself.

[Nicko67]

@kcotham
I'll take a piece of that. Yes, the learning curve IS steep. It took me over a week to get CentOS 5.2 and sipXecs (VOIP and streaming server) running error free in a VM -- and I really don't have tthe slightest clue if it is secure, or how to patch or update it. Since I pull down $40/hr, and economists value free time at overtime rates, that 'free' software cost me the equivalent of $40/hr *1.5 * 40 hrs = $2400. Not so free. Switching to OSX would incur similar costs--and since <I> and <everyone I know> can seem to run a virus-free BSOD free environment--there is NO benefit to recoup the costs. You like Apple, fine. But the BSOD stereotype of Windows is SOOOOOOO Windows 98. The only BSOD's I have seen since W2K are either bad hardware, beta OS's on UNSUPPORTED hardware, or Ricoh fax drivers. That's in a full decade of Windows support experience. There's no MONEY in switching from Windows to Mac--unless you absolutely can't keep the employees of the porn sites at coffee time

[kcotham]

@Nicko67

The stereo type might have started back in the 3.1 or 95 days, or even 98, but it remains true with XP and Vista. I know what I have seen. I see WIndows XP machines with hundreds of infected files. I don't see Macintoshes so riddle with trojan horses and worms that the user can't even launch a web browser without being assaulted with popups selling the latest weight loss solution or some other stupid thing.

I'm sorry you had such a difficult time with CentOS, I've never used it. If you wanted to start with Linux, you should have looked into one of the *buntu distributions first. It's much more user friendly for a new user. Linux is far more stable and faster on the same hardware than Windows, yes even 7 RC.

There have been studies on productivity and overall cost of ownership and they always say that the Macintosh is a better choice. These studies have been done since the days of Mac OS 8 and Windows 95 on. Look it up if you don't believe me. Until you show me an independent study that says otherwise, I will continue to use and advocate the use of Macintoshes. And I will also advocate a boycott of Microsoft products in general.

[pithenumber]

@kcotham
A good distro of Linux is far better than Mac OS X

I think Win7 pwns all though
I find myself using Windows for stuff that I used to do in Linux

[kcotham]

@pithenumber

"Better", how? You can't just say it's better without some frame of reference. Linux is wonderful, but it certainly isn't as easy to use as Mac OS X.

"Pwns"? Really? Jargon like that is just juvenile. You are certainly entitled to your opinion. And out of curiosity, I'd really like to hear why Windows is better than Mac OS X. Keep your opinions to yourself and just state some facts for once.

[databrain]

I just saw this commercial on TV today. If anything, Apple ran these kinds of adds since 2005 and before pointed the flaws of windows like viruses, spy ware, crashing, BSOD, lack of creative software and so on and so on. Now days they just do smear adds towards Microsoft and I find it boring and old now. with Microsoft's ad's of people looking for laptops and not choosing a mac, It seems now that both company's are fighting tooth and nail with smear adds similar to American politics during elections with the conservative party and the liberal party put up smear ads. kind of boring and annoying if you ask me.

[sevenalive]

Ahh the apple fans, gotta love the circle jerk in these comments.

For one, they way over exaggerate crashes and viruses. At least the MS ads haven't lied, however same can't be said from apple.

A virus doesn't infect computers, the stupid idiot using the computer does. Over 98% of the malware and viruses on windows are completely done by the person using it. Apple makes it seem just have it connected to the internet it will get infected without user intervention. I never once had a virus or spyware infection in the last 8 years. Some of you might say i am full of it, but it's really easy not to get infected, just stop running untrusted applications, keygens, visiting addriddled websites, etc.

MAC OSX has exploits, most of them have been proof of concept, but nothing is perfect. The reason why macs don't see alot of malware is because they are not a big enough target, the user base is less than 8%. Servers run linux, clients run Windows. Business is ran on Windows and thats why it's such a huge target.

[kcotham]

The Microsoft ads have lied by portraying an entry level generic PC as being on par with a Macintosh that uses faster processors, etc. That's called lying by omission. They neglected to tell the whole truth. So saying Microsoft hasn't lied, simply isn't true.

I will agree that a large portion of the problem with malware has been due to the user's actions, but even innocent actions can yield an "infection". It only takes one legitimate action by a user interacting with a computer that has been infected and the thing will spread.

You state that "business is ran [sic] on Windows" like it's a fact of life. It may be the way things are now, but there is no reason why we have to perpetuate the status quo. Businesses can just as easily switch to Linus/UNIX or Mac OS X.

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham

Apple neglects to say that their machines crash to is that not lying by omission as well?

[kcotham]

It's "too", and it is exceedingly rare that Mac OS X will "crash". Applications will crash on occasion, but the operating system almost never does. One can't say that about Windows.

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham

I yet to see Windows just crash.

[kcotham]

@Monkeyfun14

You've yet to write a grammatically correct sentence too friend. But seriously, you've not had much exposure to Windows machines in a business environment or on a college campus or done any tech support if you've never seen a Windows machine crash. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen it, I could retire early.

[monkeyfun14]

@kcotham

Or maybe I just don't do stupid ****.

But realistically I have not seen a machine crash for no reason.

And who are you the grammar police?

[kcotham]

@monkeyfun14

I've seen them crash for no apparent reason. That does not mean that they crash for no reason, just not an apparent one. I've seen dozens of Windows machines that would not reliably "wake up" from sleep mode for example. I've never seen this behaviour, nor any other like it, in a Macintosh.

It'd just be nice if you were to write a properly constructed sentence. I read, write, speak, and understand English, not gibberish. If I were a grammar policeman, you'd be arrested by now.

[ferricoxide]

@kcotham: I've seen plenty of Mac crashes and lockups. It's definitely not the sole purview of Windows systems.

[kcotham]

@ferricoxide

Somehow, I doubt that's true. Besides, I never said that Macintoshes (Mac OS X) don't crash, I said that it was exceedingly rare in comparison to Windows. And when a Macintosh does crash, it's usually due to the user doing something stupid, unlike Windows that might crash randomly.

[Vegaman_Dan]

kcotham:

Interesting points you brought up. Try this on for size though- my Acer Aspire One that cost $300 does everything that the MacBookAir can, has features the MBA lacks, and runs longer at a fraction of the price. Is it as thin? No, that it isn't. But then it also doesn't have the problem with broken screens that the MBA is currently having due to no rigidity or protection of that screen (to be fair, that's a form factor problem, and one that Lenovo and Toshiba also face with their ultra thin notebooks).

To be absolutely fair, the MBA does not match the Acer Aspire in its capacity or features. In truth, the MBA is actually lower than the Acer offering. Go figure.


Also, if you have seen so many WIndows machines crash that you are responsible for in a busienss environment, then you should be looking for a new job since you are not up to the task of doing the job.

Both you and Monkeyun14 are guilty of poor sentence syntax. Neither of you are qualified to call the other on the carpet for poor grammar.

Quit being so defensive and let OS X stand on its own. You're not helping the cause here.