u-r-a-johnson

July 22, 2009 at 9:51am

Most of the people who have problems with windows now have problems with Vista. Apple is making inroads with inferior hardware (even an older Core2 Duo can strut over Apple non-Intel machinery) and a pretty, friendly GUI that isn't continually pi$$ing off it's user, (I know that's past but memories sting), and isn't a resource hog.

All that is about to go away! I am writing from within Windows 7 Release Candidate, and it is SWEET. I am not a MS fanboy. I never bought Vista for the usual reasons: unstable at first, a code-patchwork frankenprogram afterward, always a resource hog, hassle, and I just ain't paying $300! The O.S. is meant to RUN MY PROGRAMS, not show me pretty 3D windows, not DO everything but cook me dinner...

Let me tell ya. After reading MaxPC's issue featuring all about the RC, I spent a week gathering all kinds of web pages about install problem fixes, downloading 64bit drivers, and backing up everything: it installed on a seperate HDD in 1 hour like butter. If I want XP, take the DVD out. Otherwise boots right into Win7. Vista Hardware Advisor told me "dont even bother" (the score was something in the 2.3 range), Win7 gave me 4.6 and that only because I'm still running my old Athlon64 3600 (OCd to 2200MHz and counting).

There are none of the PITA effects of Vista with this: you can easily change the number of alerts without crippling security, the media center is sweet, backups and system restores are smooth, etc. The whole 64 bit environment seems clean. I haven't noticed one hitch with my old hardware, and when I've saved up a few months for a Core i7-920 and OC it I'm gonna be pumpin.

They seem to have gotten the message: this has plenty of components that will do processes for you, but if you supply your own it won't argue. And the price points (preliminary) are a lot more reasonable. Except for Ultimate, it's back down around what you paid for XP Home and Pro.

(And I and a lot of other testers will be making certain it stays that way: try it out and haunt the boards--your input could give us another five peaceful years like XP SP1 and onward's days.)

Skillz_n_Magic

July 21, 2009 at 8:48pm

Apple just needs to find an ever bigger douche bag marketing campaign.  It will be difficult to out-douche the last one.

NeoTechni

July 21, 2009 at 3:34am

ms should agree to take it down in exchange for apple stopping their lie-filled "im a mac and im a pc" ads

Peanut Fox

July 20, 2009 at 9:55am

Down there |

                   V

 

 

ichibong

July 20, 2009 at 7:46am

Apple uses what I'd like to call "PPP". Pretentious Price Point. Their hardware is way overpriced for the performance. They charge a premium to be part of some lame ass fancy computer club. I am no in way a Microsoft fanboy (i'm a linux fanboy), but let's be fair. Like someone else mentioned, Apple completely dogged Windows with their King Pretentious Justin Long ads. The fact is that just about every machine crashes from time to time - regardless of the OS - and Windows XP is leaps and bounds better than 95 or ME. Apple is more about aesthetics than anything else and I know plenty of people who have Apple everything. They go in to so much debt just so all their products can be Apple branded. Apple software on the other hand I have no beef with and actually like it. $129 for a mainstream OS with all the bells and whistles is not bad considering how much each new iteration of Windows costs. Buy yourself a Dell Mini 9 or 10v, install OSX - with a few tweaks mind you - and you're in business. You've got an inexpensive OSX netbook if you can find the right deal on the hardware. At any rate it would be cheaper than anything Apple would charge you for a similar product.

 

Apple Software - bring it. Apple Hardware - get bent. They can go piss up a flagpole with the threat of a lawsuit. Crybabies.

schutza

July 20, 2009 at 7:26am

These laptop hunter commercials hit the apple fanatics where it hurts
the most: square in the wallet.  I think its great that there is
competition between both camps, as has already been shown that apple is
trying to compete by lowering prices and trying to protect its
reputation.  But to pursue frivolous lawsuits is no way for apple to
get a good image in the consumers eye, they will obviously have to come
up with a new and more clever add campaign or offer better products at
lower prices.  I really wish that someone would start really competing
with apple in the mp3 player market as rigorously as microsoft is in
the computer department.

TechJunkie

July 20, 2009 at 2:18am

It just goes to show you  how much crapple and crapple users are stuck up yuppie whiney babies. They can sure dish it out with thier I'm a mac/pc adds but as soon as M$ fires back, they start crying and wanting to sue. They're screaming "M$ hurt our feelings....snif!" Thier claims have no merit. Get over it apple, your skin has been peeled and the core is turning oh so brown.

Stinky Fartface

July 19, 2009 at 7:08pm

Apple's 'I'm a Mac' campain has been entertaining, but many of the spots seem to be based around Windows ME they are so out of date. Half the campaign seems to have been built around an image of Windows that is long out of date. If Microsoft were running a campaign that said "OMFG Macs can't multitask" then perhaps they would have a point. But let's face it: Macs are, and have been, overpriced. The recent launch of the newest Mac Pro line was embarrasing for them and Microsoft rightly pounced on it. So a couple months later they change the price structure and the immediately want Microsoft to back down? Tough luck fellahs.

fuzz_64

July 19, 2009 at 7:00pm

I just saw the commercial on CBS!  They took out the 2ghz reference so I guess there will be no lawsuit.

sk8nrck2

July 19, 2009 at 6:34pm

I used to think Apple was pretty cool and really liked them based on my friends experiences with them, but lately, they seem kinda annoying. Seriously, the only chance apple has of making a dent in microsoft is what the users think of them, and this type of stuff doesn't help.

 

 

Chris Cullins

geekspotnow.blogspot.com 

Geeksquadmyss

July 19, 2009 at 6:06pm

I think its funny how people jump on MS for being money hungry.  I think Gordon brings up a great point when he talked about Apple the other day on the Podcast. The fact that there "new" OS's are basically service packs with minor improvements or that they fix the prices of there hardware, Or how they have already set the bar in increasing the cost on Itunes.  There claim to fame is "our stuff is cool" thats there ad campaign!  

I dont see why people arent suing Apple for being a monoply since they do supply there own browser with there OS, or the fact that they control the price of there OS and there computers.

Of course they wont sue them, its stupid so why is so much time wasted suing and berating MS for being a company when Apple does the same thing?  I guess its just cause they make it look cooler.

fuzz_64

July 19, 2009 at 5:55pm

Why is it ok for Apple to run ads saying that Windows freezes all the time but Microsoft cannot run ads stating that Windows based PC's are generally less expensive?

Havok

July 19, 2009 at 5:18pm

When was the last  time Microsoft tried to threaten Apple with legal action like this? I don't recall and if anyone can tell me I'd be pleased. And if Apple did somehow end up throwing this into a legal blender, what claims could they state? 'We don't like their ads 'cause it makes us look bad?'

What do you think Apple has been doing for the past 3ish years? Releasing ads to make the competition look bad... Hypocrites.

 

OMGWTFBBQ

kiaghi7

July 19, 2009 at 4:30pm

This squabbling is so far beyond pathetic it defies proper description or insult for Apple...

Apple's complaint is that A (note the singular) commercial has ONE computer of theirs that most certainly DID have said pricing at the time of the filiming of the commercial, which anyone with the least bit of competence knows will take at least weeks if not months before airing, and on top of that computer technology is routinely changing. But Apple's assertion is that M$ (who I bare no love for mind you) is purposely misrepresenting the facts of the matter?

 

How about Apple's entire "Macs are cooler than God" campaign, where every single selling point was based on either out right lies or claims that wouldn't have been accurate in 2001, much less now. M$ felt no need to say anything to Apple about their gross misrepresentation(s) in an entire ad campaign because anyone that knew anything about the matter knew Apple is/was full of "bovine fecal matter" and were just stabbing in the dark trying to pretend like they are relevant.

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Apple, wanted to be the very first in line to throw pebbles, but not only is Apple far from innocent, but their feigning righteous indignity over the matter merely shows that they've taken a sledge hammer in the teeth from a better campaign which doesn't vomit arrogance but simply shows what the facts of the matter are.

 

Frankly, M$ is going to benefit from this virally as a result of the buzz about it on the web... Heck, we're talking about it now and this is far from the first story I've seen written up about the slap fight between the two digital diva companies. This whole mess is going to boil down to Apple gave M$ a finger slap on the cheek, and M$ landed a haymaker on Apple, so now Apple has to defend itself by saying "well our prices have changed since then"... Yeah, and so have everyone else's, that's not an argument, that's admitting that it was overpriced to begin with or at the very least it's become obsolte to the point that it had to be marked down in favor of newer merchandise.

If M$ is smart (LMAO!!! we all know that isn't the case), they will come out with another salvo of commercials, all filmed, edited, and released with "date of comparison" prominently displayed all over the place, and really drive home their argument. That way Apple can't whine when a commerical that is likely slated to run for a season/quarter becomes "outdated" because it wouldn't only have been accurate at the time of release or slightly before in some cases.

 

This is very literally like a car maker whining that a competitor is not fairly using the price point of their car in comparison with the advertiser's comparable model. Obviously the model, packaged options, and numerous things like service agreements sway things, plus of course the final price of the car can be negotiated with the dealer on the lot quite a bit as well, but you rarely if ever hear of such things between car manufacturers, because the car makers know it's not in their interests to squabble over MSRP comparisons.

moberemk

July 19, 2009 at 4:21pm

No, it really doesn't. It was comparing two computers, both from the time of the ad's release, and their prices. Maybe Apple would like it better if they compared a modern Macbook with that same HP? After all, the truth is always good, except when it interferes with their business model.

At the very least, this proves that Apple is acknowledging the fact that the ads are, in fact, effective; it's nice to see them knocked off their pedestal every now and then.

ace38

July 19, 2009 at 4:16pm

At the time the ads were made, the comparisons WERE correct.  And to be honest, I can't recall the last time I saw the Giampaolo ad, all I've seen lately is the mom/son looking for the gaming machine and the couple with the baby.....it'll be hard to counter that too.  

Apple wasn't too concerned taking shots at Vista when most of the problems they mentioned were fixed in SP1, and I'm STILL seeing those ads.  

 

Goose/gander.

Digital-Storm

July 19, 2009 at 3:49pm

Apple won't sue Microsoft because Apple doesn't have a good Microsoft Office alternative.