Apple Asked Microsoft to Stop Laptop Hunters

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[citation][nom]zelannii[/nom]Here's a comparrison for you: Dell Studio 14z: same specs across the board as Apple base "white" macbook: (ok, the dell has 1GB extra ram, but slower bus speed) 2.13GHz, 250GB 5400, Wireless n, bluetooth, larger battery, Vista ultimate (lets be fair)CDRW. What I can't match, NO firewire, still less battery life with expanded cells, CD is EXTERNAL!, no video editing suite, no web publishing suite, no PDF writer, no photo management software. That said, dell is $1129, Mac is $999... Don't even ask for a comparrison on the Pro line. Dels closest machine that touches either the look/feel of the design is $2000 (Adamo) and the closest thing that touches the video performance and gaming potential (you're clearly looking at high end machines if the white macbook isn't powerful enough) is an alienware 17 monster weighing 11 lbs.Microosft's success with their shopper line is in people who are picking machines simply underclassed to handle the expected (stated in commercail) tasks. An $800 machine for an amature videographer??? (has she ever connected a camera to a PC before, or read the specs on the software package she'll use) A $600 machine for a college student??? (did they check their college's enrollment guide and system requirements) These are stupid people (one confirmed to be an actress btw), who don;t know WHAT they're buying. Apple doesn't WANT uninformed buyers, they cost too much to support and suck off all the profits. Oh yea, for those uninformed, Apple support DOES assist with software issues under the waranty, Dell does not, they reference you to microsoft, who charges $199 to open a ticket per incident before they even ask what the "incident" is... Put a value on that...[/citation]

Was the $999 quote before or after the recent price drop? You see, competition is good, no matter which camp you're in. However, you're not being too persuasive when you start calling people stupid or refer to $800 or even $600 machines as seemingly worthless. Take any $600 machine to a few years back, and it would probably be a monster. Did amateur or pro videographers exist back then? And if so, were they unable to be productive because they were using a machine that in your eyes is complete crap? Or even now - are you implying that I won't be able to produce amateurish video if I was given a $800 laptop?

If one considers him/herself to be fairly fluent with technology, one wouldn't check system requirements from "college's enrollment guide". Today's $600 machines are in all honesty more than adequate for the typical college workload. You know, running a word processor with IM client and browser in the background, maybe a media player for some mood music. I highly doubt all those college dropouts didn't quit because they had $600 "underclassed" machines.

What about Bootcamp, as well as availability of native Mac version of MS Office? Imagine if those were taken away similar to Apple's official policy regarding OS X...
 
you don't seem to get it because you're way up in the clouds, zelannii... you're arguing the most insane view points and continually contradict your own arguments for your precious mac...

ok.. let's not even compare hardware since this doesn't mean much anyway.. they're not going to be running the same OS... let's throw out the range of applications they can use because the truth is they can use the same software or have similar quality applications on both sides... let's throw out the ease of use argument because this depends on the user more than anything... i deal with users daily that can't even operate a touch tone telephone properly... so we go to your last argument... that apple only makes expensive crap for people that like buying 'premium' items... well this point is totally bogus, since even your reference BMW makes crap as well... simply because it costs more in retail doesn't mean it's actually built to a higher standard of quality. if you can't understand this, you must not buy very many things outside of your preferred brands. at the end of the day, all you've done is prove what everyone else, and even yourself, has said... apple produces crap for people that don't really know what quality is and need to be told. that you know how to compare specs makes you one of the very small minority amongst your brethren...

relax... without yall, apple wouldn't exist and the PC users would be further tortured with even crappier software and selection... so even you have a benefit to the rest of us!
 
[citation][nom]zelannii[/nom]Here's a comparrison for you: Dell Studio 14z: same specs across the board as Apple base "white" macbook: (ok, the dell has 1GB extra ram, but slower bus speed) 2.13GHz, 250GB 5400, Wireless n, bluetooth, larger battery, Vista ultimate (lets be fair)CDRW. What I can't match, NO firewire, still less battery life with expanded cells, CD is EXTERNAL!, no video editing suite, no web publishing suite, no PDF writer, no photo management software. That said, dell is $1129, Mac is $999... Don't even ask for a comparrison on the Pro line. Dels closest machine that touches either the look/feel of the design is $2000 (Adamo) and the closest thing that touches the video performance and gaming potential (you're clearly looking at high end machines if the white macbook isn't powerful enough) is an alienware 17 monster weighing 11 lbs.Microosft's success with their shopper line is in people who are picking machines simply underclassed to handle the expected (stated in commercail) tasks. An $800 machine for an amature videographer??? (has she ever connected a camera to a PC before, or read the specs on the software package she'll use) A $600 machine for a college student??? (did they check their college's enrollment guide and system requirements) These are stupid people (one confirmed to be an actress btw), who don;t know WHAT they're buying. Apple doesn't WANT uninformed buyers, they cost too much to support and suck off all the profits. Oh yea, for those uninformed, Apple support DOES assist with software issues under the waranty, Dell does not, they reference you to microsoft, who charges $199 to open a ticket per incident before they even ask what the "incident" is... Put a value on that...[/citation]

Put a value on this:

Last week, I contacted Dell via their online tech support to get some insight on an issue that I needed some confirmation on. I waited about 8 minutes to get a tech support person to pick up my chat window and start assisting me. Within 20 minutes, he confirmed what I was suspecting to be the problem. Also, he did it for free. The computer in question was my 5 year old Dell Dimension 4600, which is (by now) 4 years OUTSIDE of its warranty. Oh yeah, it was a software issue.

Regardless, this has nothing to do with Dell. You're thinking too specific. This has to do with Microsoft and computers running their Windows operating system.

Can I ask for a comparison on their Pro line? Ok! Oh look! A $1400 Asus laptop with a Core 2 QUAD processor and a GTX260M (1GB video memory) and 6GB of RAM. Wow. That's $1,100 LESS than the top MacBook Pro model. Apple's superior tech support does not justify this price difference whatsoever.

Clearly, the Dell laptop you found costs more than base MacBook model. But did you research any other laptops running Windows? Possibly this one: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9366651&type=product&id=1218092150636

For the SAME price, you get 2x as much RAM (same speed), a similar processor (2.00ghz vs. 2.13ghz), a MUCH better video card (GTX260m), and a higher resolution screen, 802.11n draft, 2x as much HDD space (320gb @ 7200rpm), Firewire 400 (even though in reality only a small minority of people use Firewire and, after USB 3.0 is released, that population will severely decrease. Not even that many people use the faster Firewire 800 standard. This is not a selling point for the majority of consumers). Also, ASUS has great tech support. Apple's tech support is highly ranked (No. 1 in Consumer Reports if I remember correctly), but that's only because
 
Ugh, my post got cut off.

Here, let me summarize it:

zelannii, you are horribly wrong. Think before you type.
 
Let's see... off HP's site:
HDX18t series

Components
* • Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
* • Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T9900 (3.06 GHz, 6 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
* • 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) - For 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 130M
* • 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
* • 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 130M - For DDR3 Memory
* • 18.4" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
* • Blu-Ray +/-R/RW with SuperMulti
* • Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Fluid)
* • Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card with Bluetooth
* • HP Integrated HDTV Hybrid Tuner
* • Full Size Backlit Keyboard
* • HP Long Life Battery
Total configured: $2087.99

Closest Apple:
MacBook Pro 17-inch

# 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 17-inch Hi-Resolution Glossy Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (English) / User's Guide

Price: $2499

So, for that extra ~$400 you spend on a mac, you get:

A SLOWER CPU
A SMALLER SCREEN
A LESSER VIDEO CARD
No BLU-RAY (playback OR burning)
NO TV TUNER
The only thing you get, is better battery life, and even then, I threw on the extra battery life option for the HP.

Anyone that takes a look at these specs and says that apple is cheaper then a win based PC... need to go and shoot themselves and rid collective humanity of their abject stupidity!
 
[citation][nom]zelannii[/nom]Whoever is comparing Apple's prices against the "basic user" STOP. That's complete bullshit. If you want to argue that, go ask a BMW salesman why anyone walks in their showroom. [/citation]

Interesting analogy. I assume PC would be say a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic. Oh yeah BMW makes some great cars - impeccable suspension system, sweetly tuned engine, nice creature comfort and kidney grills to scare those puny Toyotas and Hondas away.

I agree completely.

Well, the BMW versus Toyota/Honda part. Yes, they are priced differently and you get what you paid for. But a BMW doesn't use a Toyota or Honda engine. The same probably goes for the suspension and all that good stuff. Hence, a more expensive product that's more capable. Higher performance stuff.

So, back to your analogy with Mac/PC. Today they both use the same hardware - well the major pieces anyway - CPU, chipset, videocard, RAM, HD, I/O systems, etc. Sure the Mac might have the new fangled next gen BIOS stuff, but right now it's mostly used to lock OS X into "true" Macs. So, if you're comparing Macs to Beemers, it would imply that Beemers are really just a Camry or Civic with extensive body work. Maybe a bigger fuel tank.

Also, back in the day when Macs were using PowerPC CPUs, Apple would run these ads slamming Intel CPUs as inefficient monstrosities. They would show these pretty bar graphs and pie charts showing how the Intel x86 platform sucks major donkey balls running Photoshop and other grown-up high-end stuff. We don't hear much from Apple nowadays about PowerPC, at least I haven't heard.

But I do think Apple's marketing department is the best in the business. And to be honest, there's nothing wrong with that! It works...
 
@ zelanni:

What college student do you know that needs more than a 600 dollar...or cheaper bargain bin laptop?

Macs do the same thing for twice the price.

Then you have a computer that can't interface with every PC on campus.

At least for the uni & community colleges here.
 
[citation][nom]zelannii[/nom]Whoever is comparing Apple's prices against the "basic user" STOP. That's complete bullshit. If you want to argue that, go ask a BMW salesman why anyone walks in their showroom. Apple does NOT sell or market "basic" user machines. They are UNINTERESTED in the basic user market. They PURPOSELY do not sell a machine in that class.If they wanted to, it would be EASy for them. .[/citation]

Wasn't it Apple who started the Mac VS PC thing (at least in advertisements)?

If Apple is a BMW and PC(Windows) a Toyota - or whatever mid range brand - then why does Apple spend so much time bashing Windows? Companies which make superior products don't generally go around bashing companies who make inferior products - they don't have to.
 
Typical MS BS, just like their OS and other major flawed programs. Pay a little for a laptop built in china but pay a lot for a program that never works quite right and then must be replaced next month when MS comes out with a New OS and no longer supports the old OS. In the long run MS always costs more, they have to be replaced in a year because they are out of date.
 
M$ should tell Apple to go scratch. Like Pug_S said, Apple has been wailing on M$ for years. Apple can dish it out, but they can't take it?
 
[citation][nom]TechInsergent[/nom]Typical MS BS, just like their OS and other major flawed programs. Pay a little for a laptop built in china but pay a lot for a program that never works quite right and then must be replaced next month when MS comes out with a New OS and no longer supports the old OS. In the long run MS always costs more, they have to be replaced in a year because they are out of date.[/citation]

says the person that tries to defend a company that releases a "new" OS almost every two years... that's really just an update to the older OS, and gets all their sucker "loyalists" to pay for each "update"

Hey Apple, ever get your AFP stupidity straightened out? Didn't think so...
 
In general a mac commercial is insulting! A PC commercial such as "Life without walls" says be your own person. The Laptop hunters is saying there are other more cost effective ways to spend your money. The closest they come to be insulting to the Mac is "I guess I am just not cool enough". I use a mac and a PC at the print shop I work at. The PC has more options with printers and software flexibility. As for the User Account Control being to intrusive, well the Mac I have to use asks me to enter a password every time I want to use a customer provided flash drive or connect to anything on the network. The Vista machine did ask me these type of questions when we first got it, but it remembered my answers and no longer does it unless it encounters something new and then all I have to do is press OK. Granted this Mac is a few years older and seems to run slower, but something as simple as font management with both machines running suitcase, the mac gets all finicky with Helvetica font. One of the most common oldest fonts, it has problems with. Photo editing I can do with Photoshop on the PC just as easily as the Mac, but the PC was cheaper why they bought a new one of those versus another Mac. I remembering reading an article in Wired magazine a while back that said Dreamworks studio did all their animation on their own custom built Linux servers and software. My uncle works in the news room for his local TV station and they do all their stuff with Avid on PCs. There are more games and software choices with Windows. I have old windows 3.1 software running on my Vista machine, but I know for a fact you can not install and run OS9 software on an OSX machine. So more flexibility. I view Linux as the choice for the hardcore users that know what they are doing. PCs as the ones that want to get a lot of things done and are willing to learn and grow. Mac users are the ones that do not want to worry, learn, or care about other things. These are the people that hire before trying on every aspect of their life, cars, homecare, lawncare, etc.
 


Entirely untrue. If that were the case then they would not be shooting buckshot "Macs are for cool dudes" commercials on mainstream television with simplistic jabs at PCs that are easily seen through by anybody with an ounce of technical knowledge. No, Apple would ONLY be advertising in very specialized journals and magazines in graphic design and video editing and that's all. Instead, the reality is that Apple wants as much money as they can get from anybody (if not, why so many versions of the iPod then?).
 
[citation][nom]hakesterman[/nom]I'll take a Imac over a PC any day of the week. I don't have allthose software crashes and memmory crashes and Virus invasions thati use to have on a PC. As far as the comercial goes i have to agreewith most people above me who simply state the cheap laptops they arebuying. If you want garbage than buy it. But with that said if you buya PC, which i won't anymore but if i did it wouldn't be a cheap one likethey advertise in the Microsoft comercials, their garbage.[/citation]

If you had all those problems when you had a pc then you sir are classified as a DUMBASS and are thus a Mac user.

I don't know how you are so dumb as to have had all those issues with a pc because I certainly have had none. I have had no viruses and no system crashes in over 4 years.

And don't think that Mac's are virus and crash free. **REALITY CHECK** Cause they are not!! They DO crash and they DO get viruses!!
 
Anyone else entertained? I am.

This topic sure attracts the trolls.

Apple's point is mute because MS can simply provide a disclaimer that states all prices stated were accurate at the time of filming.

Done...... Next?

The people at Apple that thought calling MS was a good idea should be kicked to the curb. How does anyone that dumb actually get a job with a phone on their desk.

They should be counting bottles with big gloves on.

Too many posts here that slam other posters for their buying decision.
This is a waste of time as most people will not be swayed by anything anyone else says.

Both sides think that the other side is retarded.
 
I have a really bad feeling that Microsoft is using that as a stunt. I still wouldn't buy a PC laptop even after watching those laptop hunters.

I'm both a Mac and PC ... so I think both companies should just STFU.
 
Zelannii, it's amusing to me how you keep saying that even with comparable vague specs, such as only siting size or clock speed (but not things like cache, bus speed, etc) the apple is far superior. Also for your $999 comparison to the basic MacBook you did not pick the best match. Take a look at this comparison (in any cases where choosing a component upgrade would yeild in a better comparison, it was taken):

MacBook 13
vs.
Dell Studio XPS 13

Processor: (winner, MAC)
2.13 ghz C2D, 3mb cache, 1066 mhz FSB
2.0 ghz C2D, 3mb cache, 1066 mhz FSB

Memory: (winner, Dell)
4GB 800mhz DDR2
4GB 1067mhz DDR3

Graphics: (winner, tie)
Geforce 9400M, 256MB DDR2 shared memory
Geforce 9400M G

Hard Drive: (winner, tie)
500GB, SATA, 5400RPM
500GB, SATA, 5400RPM

Ports: (winner, tie)
Both have comparible port offerings, battery capacities and weigh in at 5 lbs. Both also offer bluetooth, gigabit ethernet and 802.11n. Both have a built in webcam and backlit keyboard.

Price: (winner, dell)
$1299
$1049

Conclusion:
In this comparison the components are almost identical with the MAC having a .13Ghz processor victory, and the Dell having the DDR3 RAM victory. But the final result is that the MAC still costs $250 more.


 
I think it comes down to this: If Apple would let people actually customize their towers with decent hardware they may just rival pc's. Edit: And more people might invest.

I don't understand why Apple needs a computer that can only run certain gpu's that are standardized for their crap motherboards (I think the same guys Dell use...by the way) For a *** ton more money.
 
[citation][nom]AlphaOmegaX[/nom]I think it comes down to this: If Apple would let people actually customize their towers with decent hardware they may just rival pc's. [/citation]

Apple need to make a mainstream PC tower... at a ~$800 - 1000 price point running a standard desktop CPU... THEN they might be something worth mentioning...

$2500 for their only expandable / upgradeable chassis... WAY too much...
 
Did Apple think that MS was going to say " Okay you lowered your prices, we will stop running the ads"?

That is funny. Apple's legal dept should be saying "Whoops"

MS should call them and say" Our new Zune is pretty good, can you please stop running your ipod ads claiming that they're the best"?
 
You guys are sick! Your obsession towards defending two money hungry corporations is ridiculous... get it over it, it's just a stupid computer! go do something good for your community instead of spending hours writing/reading this BS!!
 
You guys are sick! Your obsession towards defending two money hungry corporations is ridiculous... get it over it, it's just a stupid computer! go do something good for your community instead of spending hours writing/reading this BS!!
Click to expand...

It's 118 outside with super high pollen and dust counts.

Why would I go outside and experience that when I can sit here and say that MS > Apple.

Even though all MS does is create OS's and the ability to plug and play way more hardware than Apple.
 
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