Get Smart about Business SpendingWill Boot Camp bring new users over to Apple?
Apple Computer released on Wednesday a public beta version of Boot Camp, software it says enables Microsoft Windows XP to run on Intel-based Macs. Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement, "We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch." Could the ability to run Windows on Mac hardware be the change that finally convinces discontent PC users to come over to Apple's side of the fence?
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that finally convinces discontent PC users to come over to Apple's
side of the fence?"
Sure this way some hundred thousands of PC users will try Apple
machines, but the damage of the "windows-does-not-work"
campaign will remain forever as one of the most angriest events in
the history of technology.
potential buyers, so it has to attract buyers. The questions are who
and how many?
Cost-conscious businesses? Nope.
Schools/Universities? Maybe.
Consumers who are forced to use Windows because of work, but
are curious about Macs? Yup. Are there a dozen of them? A
thousand?
because they're stuck with some Windows-only software
"solution" or they're gamers or they don't know any better. Soon,
it will become clear to most everyone, including Reuters: Give
people a Mac and Windows, let them use both for a couple of
weeks and then we'll see which one they really prefer.
Reuters continues, "Macintosh users will now likely be able to
run some games and other software on their Mac OS X
computers without buying a separate Windows based computer.
The final version of Boot Camp will be available as a feature in
the upcoming Mac OS X version 10.5 'Leopard' personal
computer. Apple said it will not provide support for installing or
running Boot Camp and does not sell or support Microsoft
Windows software."
now that Apple has introduced this feature. Many Windows users
admire the Mac's ease of use, better security and highly-rated
iLife suite. They would rather organize photos, edit home
videos, burn DVDs, remix music, stream iTunes wirelessly
throughout their homes, and more on a Mac. Although, for one
reason or another they still have a need or desire for Windows.
Perhaps it's a custom industry application that has not yet been
ported to OS X that holds them hostage. Maybe the application
is available for both platforms, but the user's employer requires
a Windows version. Or... most likely, and from my experience...
the user has simply become accustomed to the Windows OS and
are somewhat worried about their ability to 'think
different' (learn a slightly different way of doing things). Having
Windows on the same machine as OS X provides a safety net or
security blanket for those interested in crossing over. If they
have to bring work home from a Windows environment, they'll
be covered while still being able to enjoy their new Mac.
Most likely these users will be anxious to use their new Macs
and all the great features of OS X for their home life. They will
quickly realize that the UNIX base, tighter security, virus-free
environment, plus available PRO and business applications make
the Mac a serious machine - fast and easy to use. Hello Trojan.
dell. if you want a low-end apple laptop, then you have to go with the slow, ppc ibook for $999 or buy a...
high-end intel laptop - the intel core duo processor makes the macbook pro a better deal, even at $1999, than dell's xps.
score one for apple.
low-end intel desktop - the mac mini costs $599 and, at $599, comes with the intel core solo processor and a laptop hard
drive. for about the same price, or even hundred dollars less, you can buy a similar dell with an intel pentium processor,
lcd monitor, keyboard and mouse, and a 7200rpm hard drive. not to mention, you could go really low and buy a ~$300 dell with
a cheap intel celeron processor, hefty crt, and 1/2 the amount of ram. score another one for dell.
high-end intel desktop - you could say none exists at apple. however, if you're okay with buying an all-in-one apple desktop
with a laptop processor, then the imac is good enough for you. at least, it'll have to be unless you want to buy a slightly
slower ppc powermac that comes with no monitor and a slower graphics card. however, at dell, you can buy a windows media
center edition desktop with a dual core intel pentium d, 20" lcd monitor, and 2x the ram for ~$500 less than apple's 20"
imac, and almost a grand less than apple's overpriced powermac.
so, the only time apple's got one on dell is when it comes to high-end laptops. however, that may soon change when dell gets
its hands on intel's new core processors. when apple shoves the intel ibook, soon to be macbook, out of their doors, it'll
probably come with the intel core solo processor. it'll probably still cost $999. is $999 really worth a low-end laptop, even
if it has the intel core processor? a low-end laptop is a low-end laptop. it's going to be slow one way or the other, and
consumers aren't too concerned about graphics or processing power, seeing as how they're limited.
i don't think apple's boot camp is going to get a lot of people to switch to apple; but i do think it'll help bring over
users who were already on the fence about switching to apple.
i think i've covered all the bases here; and i think a lot of people are with me on what i say. apple needs to stop charging
a premium for their hardware and/or software unless they're happy with their 2% market share.
There are tens of thousands of iPod-loving yuppies who will buy Macs to run Windows, and pay a premium to do it. Apple doesn't give a damn whether they ever run OS X, so long as they buy the boxes. As Steve Jobs has said repeatedly in the past year, "We are fundamentally a hardware company."
Look for market share to double in a matter of months. Another brilliant move by His Jobsness.
installs and works correctly? I have a powerbook G4 and love
aspects of the mac and of the pc and it would benefit me to be able
to switch between both on the one machine. Is it possible on a
powerbook?
on your Intel Mac
http://features.uneasysilence.com/mactel/
- More Fiction Than Fact...
- by GraveDigger27 April 10, 2006 8:59 AM PDT
- So Apple Intel-based Macs will be able to run WIndows XP. Does this mean the end of the evil empire? Will there be mass desertion of the PCs to the Mac. Probably not...
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(16 Comments)Most of the people who have purchased Macs are willing to pay a premium for their operating system and applications. We Mac users are used to having fewer choices, paying more for them and boasting that "we don't need more, because it's better on a Mac." We don't get constantly hit with viruses, spyware or that kind of stuff because our system is more secure, better designed, etc...
Now we're supposed to be excited about running Windows on our machines. Since most of us have single button mice it's gonna be a LOT harder to do right clicking on the desktop or in an appication since Windows XP looks for that capability. I've heard people claim that they're gonna be able to run all of their PC apps and games that haven't been translated to the Mac platform. Hopefully Boot Camp will emulate the videocard, soundcard, and other pieces of PC hardware that the game is expecting to see...
Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you'd want to. This sounds like more of the Mac fanboy ranting that I hear all of the time. Even though I use both platforms I've never bought the hype about the Mac and this doesn't make me any less cynical about Apple and their motives. I think they're using their userbase as beta testers for an application that will incorporated into the next version of OS X. (And since Apple makes you pay full price for each new release of OSX - Cheetah/Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger - I've probably paid more for it than I have for Windows XP and the various service packs that Microsoft has released...)