Now Im from the UK so I don't know what its like over there, but Vista comes free when you buy a PC here, and you generally get antivirus to. As for support Im not sure where you go to pay for it, everyone I know either googles the problem (if they actually get one) or asks the IT guy at work who generally only knows about PC's.
Your average IT guy, will not be able to fix hardware issues with laptops (the IT guy will just send it to manufacturer to fix).
Quote:
Originally Posted by timgriff84
It could also be argued that Macs last longer as there to expensive to replace or repair. The iBook I'm using at the moment has lasted a good 4-5 years, although saying that it has slowed down a lot for no apparent reason, the battery is so dead if you unplug it it will go off instantly and the DVD drive broke a while ago. But the free support at the Apple store were great, they looked at my machine and gave me a price higher than a PC laptop just to replace the DVD drive.
That's generally the case with any out of warranty laptop to be honest.
What about an advert with someone asking in shops whether they can install Linux/Mac onto the laptop, and you'll see how befuzzled the shop staff are, they also sell washing machines and ovens on the side so it's no surprise.
People should be asking for laptops without software too, if cheapness really matters.
I see OS X as a Unix Deluxe, and Linux as Free Unix.
If you want a cheaper laptop you should be asking for laptops without any os preinstalled.
Without wanting to seem pedantic, isn't making as much profit as possilbe the purpose of any business?
Yes...but lets calculate something:
17 inch MBP 2800, lets say a $1800 markup, and if at that price, they sell 100 (just for simple calculation) that is a $180,000 margin
Now, that same laptop at a price of $1999, still more expensive than a comparable PC - that is $1000 markup per unit, now lets say they sell 200 units now because of the incredible price drop: that is $200,000 with double the user base, double the sales for iwork, ilife upgrades, applecare, and a bigger user base is always good
Your average IT guy, will not be able to fix hardware issues with laptops (the IT guy will just send it to manufacturer to fix).
Able to and want to are two different beasts.
The inside of a notebook isn't pixie dust land. It is possible to fix them, with a screwdriver or two and other basic tools. At least I don't think it's that hard, provided you're a little organized and willing to follow instructions. My high school aged sister managed to replace the hard drive of her original MacBook Pro. Everything else in there is only a few steps away. I haven't needed to take apart my Compaq notebook, but I've seen the diagrams, it's not hard.
Quote:
That's generally the case with any out of warranty laptop to be honest.
I don't know if that's really true. Pop out the multibay drive, pop in a new one and it's working again, I don't think the drives are that expensive, and there's no disassembly required. If new is too expensive, any user should be able to pick up a multibay drive on eBay for cheap and slap the new one in. That's what I did to upgrade my previous notebook's optical drive, which I still have and do still use as a computer dedicated to one particular task / machine.
yea...windows xp, imagine that, an 8 year old windows release is unstable...in other news, my OSX 10.1 is flakey and cant run the new safari WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA...
Run Vista, post SP1, it is rock solid, and more secure than XP..
Windows XP is actually stable; but overall XP and Vista are high-maintenance OS's IMHO.
Mac OS X 10.1? I wouldn't use anything less than 10.4, maybe 10.3 (Panther). I used 10.2 (Jaguar) for a while and from my experience and IMHO Mac OS X surpassed Windows XP starting with 10.3, and preemptively surpassed Vista with 10.5.
Don't last as long? I've been averaging five years from every Mac I've bought since my PowerMac 7100!
They do cost more up front unless you buy something of equal quality on the PC side. It's just that most on the PC side buy cheap garbage, which is why their first thoughts are "How do I upgrade it?"
My Titanium bought in 2000 is still up and running, apart a broken hinge due to my little
daughter playing naughty with it.
My Pbook 17" is running smooth.
When a key of the keyboard refused to work (after 5 years), Apple replaced the keyboard for free, out of warranty.
When my PMac G5 blew its power supply, out of warranty, Apple replaced it for free. Real cost : 600 €.
yea...windows xp, imagine that, an 8 year old windows release is unstable...in other news, my OSX 10.1 is flakey and cant run the new safari WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA...
Run Vista, post SP1, it is rock solid, and more secure than XP..
I am not a windows fanboy, but sheesh, you are using a 9 year old windows version.
Aren't you playing into the idiocracy-style consumerist mindset, where old things are without value and must be replaced with the new? XP has issues, but it does work, and it is stable software. Heck, I'm using Windows 2000 on some reasonably current software on an old workstation type computer and the installation has been working pretty well for many years.
I have just switched after many years and what a relief !
All that time and personal frustration trying to understand how to makes things work are distant memories. I have now remembered why I used to like technology. One thing I notice is that when I choose to learn a feature, it takes about say fifteen minutes to read up and fully master it then I can use it intuitively and automatically to make my life work better. Whether its automated wireless backup, or encrypted disk images, or color-coded filing with smart folders, etc, it's always a breeze to do the basics right.
One thing I did was I deliberately trashed my system and restored from backup - just to see if I could. I would never have dared on a PC as I expect things to go wrong, and when it does there is no-one to help. With a Mac, it seemed trivial and at the last resort, I could just grab the hardware, scoot over to the Apple Store and say 'oops!'.
My Mac respects my time and peace of mind and, when I choose to invest my time in it, I get well rewarded.
Yes -- he's making a false comparison. XP was current until January 2007 (when Vista was released to consumers). So he should be comparing XP to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. All machines that can run 10.1 can also run 10.4. Can all machines that can run the original XP release from 2001 also run XP SP3? [Not a rhetorical question -- I don't actually know the answer.]
Who wouldn't want a Lenovo Y530 over a MacBook 13"? I mean what is aMacBook 13" anyway? What kind of name is that? It tells you nothing. A Lenovo Y530 comes with an actual printed error code book for reference. That way the user can look up ERROR_BAD_STACK 543 (0x21F) and within seconds see that "An invalid or unaligned stack was encountered during an unwind operation."
Tell me a MacBook 13" (whatever that is) can do that.
I have 2-7 year old computers in my house! One as a server and one as my primary workstation. The server is running Tiger server and the other is running Leopard! Try running Vista on 7 year old HW Not going to happen!. My PowerMac G4 MDD is still running like a champ! I also have an Intel Core Duo that is used for my family PC! The cost of ownership is much lower when you can use the computer for many many years. I expect to use both G4's for 2-3 more years. I needed USB2.0 on both my PowerMac G4 MDD for backups and so I spent ~$25 each for a PCI-USB2.0 card! Not a huge investment to get newer technology.
My Mac respects my time and peace of mind and, when I choose to invest my time in it, I get well rewarded. I think that's how I'd sum up the feeling of relief after switching.
Welcome!
I was a PC guy for 12 years and worked supporting Windows for some of them. The frustration felt by both me and the end user was just too much to bear. I was forced into using a Mac initially, but now can not think of anything worse than tolerating Windows again.
I understand if the PC is a better tool for the job for some, then that is fine, and I also know that the Mac may not suit the enterprise fully - however there is a change out there. People are starting to look at alternatives, and the one thing that is truly priceless is time. More time to do the things you want to do. A user should not be bombarded with security pop-ups, re-installs and having to look for and download software to do the things they want. The Mac out of the box is something that rewards people with their own precious time.
This marketing campaign seemed like a good idea but IMO is a huge backfire for MS. Why they chose to project a cheap, budget image with crappy HP laptops when they could've shown off Sony VAIOs and ThinkPads, I just can't understand.
Those are coming, in the TV ads. There's a list of the configurations they'll be using here:
The price argument, in my opinion, is not so relevant.
Apple "MAY" cost more (I personally disagree, having an entire office running on Macs I can say they are indeed less expensive, for a number of reasons).
Anyway.
Apple MAY cost more, but so does a BMW compared to a Chevy, and a zillion of other examples.
What Microsoft fails to realize is that Apple has built a brand, something Microsoft has been struggling years to achieve (with no result).
The second point is that Microsoft is intentionally diverting the focus of attention away from SOFTWARE and its features.
It's like they freely advertise mobile computer manufacturers without actually advertising their product!!!
Besides price they don't push any arguments in favour of owning Windows compared to Mac OSX. If Apple comes out with a cheap notebook or netbook with a full blown version of MAC OSX they will strike at Microsoft so hard, they'll have no chance of recovery (image-wise of course).
"The iNetbook, with full Mac OSX Snow Leopard software: it doesn't cost much, comes with a 2009 OS (not Windows XP) and will be able to run more than 3 softwares at a time (unlike Windows 7)".
They should interview the Windows purchaser in a year, when he will not be able to run Win7, whereas the Apple buyier will have Snow Leopard or whatever comes next, perfectly installed.
There is just so much more in a Mac than OSX: design, iLife, stability... For that Microsoft doesn't offer any viable alternative.
Cheap Notebook (Windows Vista) + Microsoft Office + something "iLife like" (which doesn't even exist): Costs how much?
Yeah, no doubt about it, Macs ARE more expensive; SJ said it well...to paraphrase, We don't know how to build a computer for $500 that isn't junk; it's not in our DNA
My Powerbook (Mildred) has been through hell and back since I bought it in June of '05; I'm now on my third battery; the screen has two horizontal lines that can't be fixed, the stereo sound went out (I took a cotton bud and cleaned out the jack and voila), the aluminum is banged to death in spots and yeah, I expect that with the release of Snow Leopard, Apple will no longer support the IBM legacy chips, but mother of God, guys, can any PC person honestly say, as I can, that their equivalent of old Mildred hasn't crashed once--impressive for a machine that's on between 3 and 20 hours every day.
The Macs were good, even brilliant 4 years ago, but Apple raised the bar, WITHOUT any prodding from the competition. They don't seem willing to stoop to point out the obvious, "ya get what you pay for."
A brolly from the pound store will keep you just as dry as a bespoke high street version, but the feel of the latter, the quality is worth the price. The unibody Macs are breathtaking masterpieces of design, and don't have one line or seam that's unnecessary
If MS wants to impress people, they should spend those advertising dollars on global initiatives, maybe plant a few trees or subsidise wind turbines, because everyone but the home shopping channel bunch sees through the cheaper is better argument
Microsoft's new anti-Apple ad campaign is already working -- but possibly not in the way it was intended.
TAGS: Axis of Apple
[Note: This blog post was delayed due to technical difficulties. Management would like to apologize for the delay and assure faithful readers that those responsible are being thoroughly spanked.]
The Windows/Mac holy wars are back with a vengeance.
As you may recall, last week Steve “The Mad” Ballmer's declared that the only difference between an Apple Macintosh and a Windows PC is a $500 logo. What seemed to be yet another bout of Ballmer's persistent Tourette's turns out to be a cunning marketing ploy, designed to set the stage for a fusillade of new Microsoft commercials playing off the “not cool/just cheap” theme.
It seems Microsoft's ad agency put anonymous ads on Craigslist and other Web sites seeking participants in “market research” on laptops. They picked 10 lucky volunteers, gave them budgets ranging from $700 to $2000, and sent them shopping for laptops with various criteria. If they found a machine that matched their specs and budget, they got to keep it.
The first ad based on this dubious premise appeared last night, and if the intent was to get the blogosphere talking about it -- and getting people to watch it online -- then it succeeded in spades.
It stars a spunky, cute-but-seemingly-attainable redhead named “Lauren” [video] who proclaims to be looking for a machine “with a comfortable keyboard and a 17-inch screen” for under $1000.
Her first stop: The Apple Store, which she calls “the Mac Store.” Only we never get to see what Lauren finds at “the Mac Store” because the very next scene shows her walking out empty handed, saying the only laptop she could find under $1000 had a 13-inch screen.
Then, in her car, she delivers the million dollar line: “I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person.”
Amazingly, she has far better luck at her next stop, a Best Buy that apparently has no qualms about letting a camera crew follow the bouncing Lauren all around the store. Her luck is much better there, finding a 17-inch HP laptop for the low low price of $699.99. (And, of course, she is thrilled right out of her Birkenstocks.)
Well there you go. That's all the proof you need that only someone with more money than sense would buy a Mac. Right?
Well, not exactly. You'll find more rats here than on a sinking ship, starting with who came up with that buying criteria, what Lauren found inside the Apple store (and why we weren't allowed to see it), who really conjured up that “I'm not cool enough” line, and the fact that Lauren – when not working as an office manager or playing an unwitting Microsoft shill – is also an actress with a SAG card.
Predictably, the Apple blogboyz had multiple litters of kittens. Computerworld blogger Seth Weintraub details at length what a craptop Lauren ended up getting, noting its slow processor, abysmal screen, 2.5 hour battery life, ancient networking tech, and 8-pound bulk.
Macworld's Aayush Anya says, essentially, 'we're rubber and you're glue':
Microsoft's backhand shot at "coolness" is just trying to reinforce the view that Mac users are simply stuck-up snobs who pay too much attention to such mundane things as how good a computer looks—but I think it might just come across as an admission of inferiority to the casual observer.
Venturebeat's MG Siegler notes that Apple probably wouldn't want Lauren as a customer in any case. It doesn't do low end, and it doesn't need to sell a gazillion machines “with comfortable keyboards” to make a profit.
Even PC World's Nick Mediati piles on:
So, Microsoft, if this is the message you're pushing--that your prospective customers "aren't cool enough" to own a Mac, what does this make your users? Losers?
Still, I think Apple should hire “Lauren” – she is an actress after all – and show us how much she likes her cheap Windows PC after a month or two. Maybe shoot some footage of her wrestling with Vista or dealing with tech support. Let's see how spunky and adorable she is then.
Remember, this is just the first commercial. There may be nine more just like it. So brace yourselves – we could be in for a bumpy few weeks.
Are you not cool enough for Macs? Are Windows machines for luzers? Is anyone else besides me tired of this endless debate? Post your thoughts below or email me: cringe (at) infoworld (dot) com.
Posted by Robert X. Cringely on March 27, 2009 07:27 PM
Comments
Now Im from the UK so I don't know what its like over there, but Vista comes free when you buy a PC here, and you generally get antivirus to. As for support Im not sure where you go to pay for it, everyone I know either googles the problem (if they actually get one) or asks the IT guy at work who generally only knows about PC's.
Your average IT guy, will not be able to fix hardware issues with laptops (the IT guy will just send it to manufacturer to fix).
It could also be argued that Macs last longer as there to expensive to replace or repair. The iBook I'm using at the moment has lasted a good 4-5 years, although saying that it has slowed down a lot for no apparent reason, the battery is so dead if you unplug it it will go off instantly and the DVD drive broke a while ago. But the free support at the Apple store were great, they looked at my machine and gave me a price higher than a PC laptop just to replace the DVD drive.
That's generally the case with any out of warranty laptop to be honest.
People should be asking for laptops without software too, if cheapness really matters.
I see OS X as a Unix Deluxe, and Linux as Free Unix.
If you want a cheaper laptop you should be asking for laptops without any os preinstalled.
Without wanting to seem pedantic, isn't making as much profit as possilbe the purpose of any business?
Yes...but lets calculate something:
17 inch MBP 2800, lets say a $1800 markup, and if at that price, they sell 100 (just for simple calculation) that is a $180,000 margin
Now, that same laptop at a price of $1999, still more expensive than a comparable PC - that is $1000 markup per unit, now lets say they sell 200 units now because of the incredible price drop: that is $200,000 with double the user base, double the sales for iwork, ilife upgrades, applecare, and a bigger user base is always good
LOL
Your average IT guy, will not be able to fix hardware issues with laptops (the IT guy will just send it to manufacturer to fix).
.
You must be used to dealing with highly incompetent IT Pros, laptop repair is a basic skill that most any sys admin should have.
In my experiance, I would next day order the parts and do the work myself, hinges, HDDs, mainboards, displays, anything really.
and fr odd consumer laptops like gayway and Hell, Youtube is your friend...
Your average IT guy, will not be able to fix hardware issues with laptops (the IT guy will just send it to manufacturer to fix).
Able to and want to are two different beasts.
The inside of a notebook isn't pixie dust land. It is possible to fix them, with a screwdriver or two and other basic tools. At least I don't think it's that hard, provided you're a little organized and willing to follow instructions. My high school aged sister managed to replace the hard drive of her original MacBook Pro. Everything else in there is only a few steps away. I haven't needed to take apart my Compaq notebook, but I've seen the diagrams, it's not hard.
That's generally the case with any out of warranty laptop to be honest.
I don't know if that's really true. Pop out the multibay drive, pop in a new one and it's working again, I don't think the drives are that expensive, and there's no disassembly required. If new is too expensive, any user should be able to pick up a multibay drive on eBay for cheap and slap the new one in. That's what I did to upgrade my previous notebook's optical drive, which I still have and do still use as a computer dedicated to one particular task / machine.
yea...windows xp, imagine that, an 8 year old windows release is unstable...in other news, my OSX 10.1 is flakey and cant run the new safari WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA...
Run Vista, post SP1, it is rock solid, and more secure than XP..
Windows XP is actually stable; but overall XP and Vista are high-maintenance OS's IMHO.
Mac OS X 10.1? I wouldn't use anything less than 10.4, maybe 10.3 (Panther). I used 10.2 (Jaguar) for a while and from my experience and IMHO Mac OS X surpassed Windows XP starting with 10.3, and preemptively surpassed Vista with 10.5.
Don't last as long? I've been averaging five years from every Mac I've bought since my PowerMac 7100!
They do cost more up front unless you buy something of equal quality on the PC side. It's just that most on the PC side buy cheap garbage, which is why their first thoughts are "How do I upgrade it?"
My Titanium bought in 2000 is still up and running, apart a broken hinge due to my little
daughter playing naughty with it.
My Pbook 17" is running smooth.
When a key of the keyboard refused to work (after 5 years), Apple replaced the keyboard for free, out of warranty.
When my PMac G5 blew its power supply, out of warranty, Apple replaced it for free. Real cost : 600 €.
Microsoft has this man at its head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc4MzqBFxZE
yea...windows xp, imagine that, an 8 year old windows release is unstable...in other news, my OSX 10.1 is flakey and cant run the new safari WAAAA WAAAA WAAAA...
Run Vista, post SP1, it is rock solid, and more secure than XP..
I am not a windows fanboy, but sheesh, you are using a 9 year old windows version.
Aren't you playing into the idiocracy-style consumerist mindset, where old things are without value and must be replaced with the new? XP has issues, but it does work, and it is stable software. Heck, I'm using Windows 2000 on some reasonably current software on an old workstation type computer and the installation has been working pretty well for many years.
All that time and personal frustration trying to understand how to makes things work are distant memories. I have now remembered why I used to like technology. One thing I notice is that when I choose to learn a feature, it takes about say fifteen minutes to read up and fully master it then I can use it intuitively and automatically to make my life work better. Whether its automated wireless backup, or encrypted disk images, or color-coded filing with smart folders, etc, it's always a breeze to do the basics right.
One thing I did was I deliberately trashed my system and restored from backup - just to see if I could. I would never have dared on a PC as I expect things to go wrong, and when it does there is no-one to help. With a Mac, it seemed trivial and at the last resort, I could just grab the hardware, scoot over to the Apple Store and say 'oops!'.
My Mac respects my time and peace of mind and, when I choose to invest my time in it, I get well rewarded.
Mac OS X 10.1?
Yes -- he's making a false comparison. XP was current until January 2007 (when Vista was released to consumers). So he should be comparing XP to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. All machines that can run 10.1 can also run 10.4. Can all machines that can run the original XP release from 2001 also run XP SP3? [Not a rhetorical question -- I don't actually know the answer.]
Tell me a MacBook 13" (whatever that is) can do that.
KRR
My Mac respects my time and peace of mind and, when I choose to invest my time in it, I get well rewarded. I think that's how I'd sum up the feeling of relief after switching.
Welcome!
I was a PC guy for 12 years and worked supporting Windows for some of them. The frustration felt by both me and the end user was just too much to bear. I was forced into using a Mac initially, but now can not think of anything worse than tolerating Windows again.
I understand if the PC is a better tool for the job for some, then that is fine, and I also know that the Mac may not suit the enterprise fully - however there is a change out there. People are starting to look at alternatives, and the one thing that is truly priceless is time. More time to do the things you want to do. A user should not be bombarded with security pop-ups, re-installs and having to look for and download software to do the things they want. The Mac out of the box is something that rewards people with their own precious time.
This marketing campaign seemed like a good idea but IMO is a huge backfire for MS. Why they chose to project a cheap, budget image with crappy HP laptops when they could've shown off Sony VAIOs and ThinkPads, I just can't understand.
Those are coming, in the TV ads. There's a list of the configurations they'll be using here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/choosepc/allaround/
The larger problem with the campaign is that it is contrived.
Apple "MAY" cost more (I personally disagree, having an entire office running on Macs I can say they are indeed less expensive, for a number of reasons).
Anyway.
Apple MAY cost more, but so does a BMW compared to a Chevy, and a zillion of other examples.
What Microsoft fails to realize is that Apple has built a brand, something Microsoft has been struggling years to achieve (with no result).
The second point is that Microsoft is intentionally diverting the focus of attention away from SOFTWARE and its features.
It's like they freely advertise mobile computer manufacturers without actually advertising their product!!!
Besides price they don't push any arguments in favour of owning Windows compared to Mac OSX. If Apple comes out with a cheap notebook or netbook with a full blown version of MAC OSX they will strike at Microsoft so hard, they'll have no chance of recovery (image-wise of course).
"The iNetbook, with full Mac OSX Snow Leopard software: it doesn't cost much, comes with a 2009 OS (not Windows XP) and will be able to run more than 3 softwares at a time (unlike Windows 7)".
They should interview the Windows purchaser in a year, when he will not be able to run Win7, whereas the Apple buyier will have Snow Leopard or whatever comes next, perfectly installed.
There is just so much more in a Mac than OSX: design, iLife, stability... For that Microsoft doesn't offer any viable alternative.
Cheap Notebook (Windows Vista) + Microsoft Office + something "iLife like" (which doesn't even exist): Costs how much?
Apple Notebook + iWork: costs how much?
Those are coming, in the TV ads. There's a list of the configurations they'll be using here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/choosepc/allaround/
The larger problem with the campaign is that it is contrived.
And when you use price as your main differentiation, you risk portraying a bargain-basement image that consumers associate with only reluctantly.
And this ad is anything but slick or pretty.
My Powerbook (Mildred) has been through hell and back since I bought it in June of '05; I'm now on my third battery; the screen has two horizontal lines that can't be fixed, the stereo sound went out (I took a cotton bud and cleaned out the jack and voila), the aluminum is banged to death in spots and yeah, I expect that with the release of Snow Leopard, Apple will no longer support the IBM legacy chips, but mother of God, guys, can any PC person honestly say, as I can, that their equivalent of old Mildred hasn't crashed once--impressive for a machine that's on between 3 and 20 hours every day.
The Macs were good, even brilliant 4 years ago, but Apple raised the bar, WITHOUT any prodding from the competition. They don't seem willing to stoop to point out the obvious, "ya get what you pay for."
A brolly from the pound store will keep you just as dry as a bespoke high street version, but the feel of the latter, the quality is worth the price. The unibody Macs are breathtaking masterpieces of design, and don't have one line or seam that's unnecessary
If MS wants to impress people, they should spend those advertising dollars on global initiatives, maybe plant a few trees or subsidise wind turbines, because everyone but the home shopping channel bunch sees through the cheaper is better argument
http://weblog.infoworld.com/robertxc...ol_to_use.html
March 27, 2009 | Comments: (8)
7 votes
Too cool to use Windows, too cheap to buy a Mac
Microsoft's new anti-Apple ad campaign is already working -- but possibly not in the way it was intended.
TAGS: Axis of Apple
[Note: This blog post was delayed due to technical difficulties. Management would like to apologize for the delay and assure faithful readers that those responsible are being thoroughly spanked.]
The Windows/Mac holy wars are back with a vengeance.
As you may recall, last week Steve “The Mad” Ballmer's declared that the only difference between an Apple Macintosh and a Windows PC is a $500 logo. What seemed to be yet another bout of Ballmer's persistent Tourette's turns out to be a cunning marketing ploy, designed to set the stage for a fusillade of new Microsoft commercials playing off the “not cool/just cheap” theme.
It seems Microsoft's ad agency put anonymous ads on Craigslist and other Web sites seeking participants in “market research” on laptops. They picked 10 lucky volunteers, gave them budgets ranging from $700 to $2000, and sent them shopping for laptops with various criteria. If they found a machine that matched their specs and budget, they got to keep it.
The first ad based on this dubious premise appeared last night, and if the intent was to get the blogosphere talking about it -- and getting people to watch it online -- then it succeeded in spades.
It stars a spunky, cute-but-seemingly-attainable redhead named “Lauren” [video] who proclaims to be looking for a machine “with a comfortable keyboard and a 17-inch screen” for under $1000.
Her first stop: The Apple Store, which she calls “the Mac Store.” Only we never get to see what Lauren finds at “the Mac Store” because the very next scene shows her walking out empty handed, saying the only laptop she could find under $1000 had a 13-inch screen.
Then, in her car, she delivers the million dollar line: “I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person.”
Amazingly, she has far better luck at her next stop, a Best Buy that apparently has no qualms about letting a camera crew follow the bouncing Lauren all around the store. Her luck is much better there, finding a 17-inch HP laptop for the low low price of $699.99. (And, of course, she is thrilled right out of her Birkenstocks.)
Well there you go. That's all the proof you need that only someone with more money than sense would buy a Mac. Right?
Well, not exactly. You'll find more rats here than on a sinking ship, starting with who came up with that buying criteria, what Lauren found inside the Apple store (and why we weren't allowed to see it), who really conjured up that “I'm not cool enough” line, and the fact that Lauren – when not working as an office manager or playing an unwitting Microsoft shill – is also an actress with a SAG card.
Predictably, the Apple blogboyz had multiple litters of kittens. Computerworld blogger Seth Weintraub details at length what a craptop Lauren ended up getting, noting its slow processor, abysmal screen, 2.5 hour battery life, ancient networking tech, and 8-pound bulk.
Macworld's Aayush Anya says, essentially, 'we're rubber and you're glue':
Microsoft's backhand shot at "coolness" is just trying to reinforce the view that Mac users are simply stuck-up snobs who pay too much attention to such mundane things as how good a computer looks—but I think it might just come across as an admission of inferiority to the casual observer.
Venturebeat's MG Siegler notes that Apple probably wouldn't want Lauren as a customer in any case. It doesn't do low end, and it doesn't need to sell a gazillion machines “with comfortable keyboards” to make a profit.
Even PC World's Nick Mediati piles on:
So, Microsoft, if this is the message you're pushing--that your prospective customers "aren't cool enough" to own a Mac, what does this make your users? Losers?
Still, I think Apple should hire “Lauren” – she is an actress after all – and show us how much she likes her cheap Windows PC after a month or two. Maybe shoot some footage of her wrestling with Vista or dealing with tech support. Let's see how spunky and adorable she is then.
Remember, this is just the first commercial. There may be nine more just like it. So brace yourselves – we could be in for a bumpy few weeks.
Are you not cool enough for Macs? Are Windows machines for luzers? Is anyone else besides me tired of this endless debate? Post your thoughts below or email me: cringe (at) infoworld (dot) com.
Posted by Robert X. Cringely on March 27, 2009 07:27 PM