I do have to agree though that for the first time is several years the Mac line up is looking seriously overpriced. There are lots of perfectly sound arguments for premium pricing in a recession but my loyalty is being a little tested. Getting a PC would be unthinkable, but delaying purchases isn't.
True enough, but I'm kind of amazed that MS actually thinks they need to attack Apple directly, from any angle. It's as much as saying "Apple worries us, we think they're our main competitor, so we're going to go after them." For a company with the overwhelming market-share lead that MS enjoys, this strikes me as an expression of weakness, petty, a ringing endorsement of Apple's prospects, or all three.
Sure, Apple has been running its "Mac vs. PC" ads forever, but, one, Apple is the underdog and can get away with taking pot shots at the incumbent, two, Apple never mentions MS by name, contenting themselves with tweaking the whole idea of the PC, and three, they do it humorously.
Isn't there some kind of rule in advertising that you never mention your competitor by name, because it makes you look harsh and gives your competitor free publicity?
"I guess i'm not cool enough to be a Mac person" .. oh dear
Yeah, lets advertise being cheap! Sure the economy is not doing so well, but given Apple's sales results, people still want good, reliable computers nonetheless.
True enough, but I'm kind of amazed that MS actually thinks they need to attack Apple directly, from any angle. It's as much as saying "Apple worries us, we think they're our main competitor, so we're going to go after them." For a company with the overwhelming market-share lead that MS enjoys, this strikes me as an expression of weakness, petty, a ringing endorsement of Apple's prospects, or all three.
Sure, Apple has been running its "Mac vs. PC" ads forever, but, one, Apple is the underdog and can get away with taking pot shots at the incumbent, two, Apple never mentions MS by name, contenting themselves with tweaking the whole idea of the PC, and three, they do it humorously.
Isn't there some kind of rule in advertising that you never mention your competitor by name, because it makes you look harsh and gives your competitor free publicity?
So basically, MS is going to spend millions of dollars to tell people the exact same thing they can learn by looking at the Best Buy ad in the Sunday paper? I'm sure when people go computer shopping they do at least a basic amount of price comparison today, and they they are still choosing to buy Macs. So what new information is this new MS ad going to provide that they don't already know?
The new ads don't go into details on hardware purchases; they simply make the case that PC laptops can be found for cheaper, playing up tight funds in the tough economy. Best Buy actually does sell the DV7-1245DX, an HP notebook with 17" screen, but it lacks fast wireless 902.11n, fast Gigabit Ethernet, digital audio inputs and outputs, weighs 7.75 pounds, and only features the screen resolution of Apple's 15" notebooks: 1440 by 900. Technically, it is a 17" notebook in terms of size, but it doesn't have the 17" resolution of Apple's MacBook Pro, which is 1920 by 1200.
I just want some of this new wireless 902.11n goodness!
This might make sense if Dell or HP did it, though their high end offerings are expensive too.
Microsoft offers various stripped and crippled versions of their OS; Home Basic Edition ($199.95), Home Premium Edition ($259.95), Business ($299.95) and Ultimate ($319.95).
Sure you could go get a $599 PC laptop from Costco, but it has a limited warranty. It is priced to sell. It may not work in a year. Oh and you can buy it for 75% off next year on Ebay.
Lets test this theory. My company bought Dell Latitudes D610s for like $1,200 each new. Today on ebay completed items buy it now it is....$319.
Now how much for a MacBook that sold new last year for $1,299.
Completed items Buy It Now for $999.
This happens time and time again. You can still get PowerPC systems that are expensive and they are discontinued and software is slowly not being supported for them any more.
Oh and don't forget to tack on all the expensive software you'll need to make your Windows PC cool. Oh and don't forget all you non-techies you'll have to hire Geek Squad to configure your Outlook Express for you on the PC. But the Mac will set it up automatically.
I hate the new ads that Microsoft puts out to show little kids doing things.
Maybe they should give an XP user $150 and ask them to upgrade their OS! Good luck with that. As this article said, MS is advertising PC HW not Windows because retail price Windows OS actually more than that of Mac OS.
This is just great to watch. Microsoft is dying, and they know it. These last-ditch jabs at Mac users are just a final effort to make PC users think that they're so much smarter. It's doing nothing to slow the droves of people migrating to Mac each day.
It's not that they are just now more expensive, it's that the speed/ram/hd is not spec'd like other laptops. And for the price they are charging they should be.
There is another factor at play here: the sort of customer Apple goes after isn't someone who wants a solution for as cheap as possible and is unlikely to make any further investment in peripherals or software.
I think we can be proud of the fact we have some incredible third developers are producing some amazing, innovative Applications exclusively for the Mac. The fact they stay in business and are actually growing in number suggests a significant number of Mac users are continuing to invest in high quality software.
Leopard had some bugs, but it was hugely significant for the Mac as a development platform and we are seeing an increasing number of Leopard only apps, such a Espresso, Doubletwist, Pixelmator and Graph Sketcher.
Comments
I do have to agree though that for the first time is several years the Mac line up is looking seriously overpriced. There are lots of perfectly sound arguments for premium pricing in a recession but my loyalty is being a little tested. Getting a PC would be unthinkable, but delaying purchases isn't.
True enough, but I'm kind of amazed that MS actually thinks they need to attack Apple directly, from any angle. It's as much as saying "Apple worries us, we think they're our main competitor, so we're going to go after them." For a company with the overwhelming market-share lead that MS enjoys, this strikes me as an expression of weakness, petty, a ringing endorsement of Apple's prospects, or all three.
Sure, Apple has been running its "Mac vs. PC" ads forever, but, one, Apple is the underdog and can get away with taking pot shots at the incumbent, two, Apple never mentions MS by name, contenting themselves with tweaking the whole idea of the PC, and three, they do it humorously.
Isn't there some kind of rule in advertising that you never mention your competitor by name, because it makes you look harsh and gives your competitor free publicity?
It actually makes people want to buy a Mac lol.
"I guess i'm not cool enough to be a Mac person" .. oh dear
Yeah, lets advertise being cheap! Sure the economy is not doing so well, but given Apple's sales results, people still want good, reliable computers nonetheless.
HOLY CRAP - watch the ad...
She says "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person"
That Ad Agency is dumber than I can even imagine!!!
AND, She's a PC and she got just what she wanted. She's right. Remember, you get what you pay for.
True enough, but I'm kind of amazed that MS actually thinks they need to attack Apple directly, from any angle. It's as much as saying "Apple worries us, we think they're our main competitor, so we're going to go after them." For a company with the overwhelming market-share lead that MS enjoys, this strikes me as an expression of weakness, petty, a ringing endorsement of Apple's prospects, or all three.
Sure, Apple has been running its "Mac vs. PC" ads forever, but, one, Apple is the underdog and can get away with taking pot shots at the incumbent, two, Apple never mentions MS by name, contenting themselves with tweaking the whole idea of the PC, and three, they do it humorously.
Isn't there some kind of rule in advertising that you never mention your competitor by name, because it makes you look harsh and gives your competitor free publicity?
Yup. Who do you think this ad benefited:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz78v4euRd0
One hint, not Apple!
Apple has a pop at their competitors products, but they do it in good spirit with and with a bit of humour.
Microsoft here has a pop at their competitors users and insinuates they are cool and trendy airheads who can't spot a bargain.
EDIT: I've just realised something else funny. Microsoft is insinuating that users looking for a new computer first visit… an Apple store.
The new ads don't go into details on hardware purchases; they simply make the case that PC laptops can be found for cheaper, playing up tight funds in the tough economy. Best Buy actually does sell the DV7-1245DX, an HP notebook with 17" screen, but it lacks fast wireless 902.11n, fast Gigabit Ethernet, digital audio inputs and outputs, weighs 7.75 pounds, and only features the screen resolution of Apple's 15" notebooks: 1440 by 900. Technically, it is a 17" notebook in terms of size, but it doesn't have the 17" resolution of Apple's MacBook Pro, which is 1920 by 1200.
I just want some of this new wireless 902.11n goodness!
This argument pretty much falls flat on its face when the economy stats turning around and people have money to spend.
Apple has a pop at their competitors products, but they do it in good spirit with and with a bit of humour.
Microsoft here has a pop at their competitors users and insinuates they are cool and trendy airheads who can't spot a bargain.
Very good point.
Microsoft offers various stripped and crippled versions of their OS; Home Basic Edition ($199.95), Home Premium Edition ($259.95), Business ($299.95) and Ultimate ($319.95).
Apple just sells one full version ($129.00).
MS may be setting themselves up again....
Lets test this theory. My company bought Dell Latitudes D610s for like $1,200 each new. Today on ebay completed items buy it now it is....$319.
Now how much for a MacBook that sold new last year for $1,299.
Completed items Buy It Now for $999.
This happens time and time again. You can still get PowerPC systems that are expensive and they are discontinued and software is slowly not being supported for them any more.
Oh and don't forget to tack on all the expensive software you'll need to make your Windows PC cool. Oh and don't forget all you non-techies you'll have to hire Geek Squad to configure your Outlook Express for you on the PC. But the Mac will set it up automatically.
I hate the new ads that Microsoft puts out to show little kids doing things.
On a Mac you just plug in the camera.
iPhoto pops up.
You click import.
Then you can just hit Publish to Mobile Me.
The thing is, Apple is not targeting people who are looking for cheap computers.
It's not that they are just now more expensive, it's that the speed/ram/hd is not spec'd like other laptops. And for the price they are charging they should be.
I agree completely.
http://daringfireball.net/linked/200...-microsoft-ads
(Not that actresses can't shop, but...)
I think we can be proud of the fact we have some incredible third developers are producing some amazing, innovative Applications exclusively for the Mac. The fact they stay in business and are actually growing in number suggests a significant number of Mac users are continuing to invest in high quality software.
Leopard had some bugs, but it was hugely significant for the Mac as a development platform and we are seeing an increasing number of Leopard only apps, such a Espresso, Doubletwist, Pixelmator and Graph Sketcher.
Apparently the woman isn't EVEN a real shopper, but actually an actress.
http://daringfireball.net/linked/200...-microsoft-ads
(Not that actresses can't shop, but...)
That's MS SOP. It seems like every time they run a campaign involving "real people" or "real stories" they prove to be fiction.