New Windows 7 ad criticizes Apple's lack of Blu-ray support on Mac
Microsoft has once again taken on Apple and the Mac platform in a new advertisement which touts the ability of a Windows 7 laptop to play Blu-ray discs, while a MacBook cannot.
The advertisement released this week, made with stop-motion animation, shows a Windows 7 laptop on a flight with a Mac. The anthropomorphic laptops are shown to be friendly, though the PC plans to spend time on their "long flight" by watching the film "Avatar" on Blu-ray.
"What is that?" the Mac asks as the movie starts. "Oh, it's Blu-ray," the Windows 7 machine responds. "It's built in."
The advertisement is a direct attack on the Mac, which does not have the ability to read high-definition Blu-ray discs. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs once publicly called the licensing issues regarding Blu-ray a "bag of hurt."
At the end of the commercial, Microsoft takes another shot at Apple with a mock rating of "PC," stating that "no Macs were used in the making of this video." Its inclusion is noteworthy, because the 2008 "I'm a PC" campaign from Microsoft that criticized Macs was actually created with Apple hardware.
Rather than place Blu-ray drives in its line of Mac hardware, Apple has instead focused on streaming and selling HD content through its iTunes store, where movies and TV shows are available for purchase or rent. In September, the company further pushed that commitment with the launch of the new, streaming-centric $99 Apple TV.
Apple and Microsoft have exchanged jabs through advertising on numerous occasions. In particular, Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign proved very successful, and was named the advertising campaign of the decade by Adweek.
But in 2010 Apple discontinued the "Get a Mac" campaign. Since then, its advertisements have not made mention of Microsoft or Windows, but have instead focused on the products and their features.
The advertisement released this week, made with stop-motion animation, shows a Windows 7 laptop on a flight with a Mac. The anthropomorphic laptops are shown to be friendly, though the PC plans to spend time on their "long flight" by watching the film "Avatar" on Blu-ray.
"What is that?" the Mac asks as the movie starts. "Oh, it's Blu-ray," the Windows 7 machine responds. "It's built in."
The advertisement is a direct attack on the Mac, which does not have the ability to read high-definition Blu-ray discs. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs once publicly called the licensing issues regarding Blu-ray a "bag of hurt."
At the end of the commercial, Microsoft takes another shot at Apple with a mock rating of "PC," stating that "no Macs were used in the making of this video." Its inclusion is noteworthy, because the 2008 "I'm a PC" campaign from Microsoft that criticized Macs was actually created with Apple hardware.
Rather than place Blu-ray drives in its line of Mac hardware, Apple has instead focused on streaming and selling HD content through its iTunes store, where movies and TV shows are available for purchase or rent. In September, the company further pushed that commitment with the launch of the new, streaming-centric $99 Apple TV.
Apple and Microsoft have exchanged jabs through advertising on numerous occasions. In particular, Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign proved very successful, and was named the advertising campaign of the decade by Adweek.
But in 2010 Apple discontinued the "Get a Mac" campaign. Since then, its advertisements have not made mention of Microsoft or Windows, but have instead focused on the products and their features.
Comments
Apple, meanwhile, went from comparing itself to the big guy, to being able to stand on its own two feet.
So Microsoft went from not needing to mention Apple, and thereby demeaning itself, to needing to define itself in terms of Apple.
Apple, meanwhile, went from comparing itself to the big guy, to being able to stand on its own two feet.
Indeed.
Oh.. how the mighty have fallen.
Second, where's the part where the iPad or iPhone walks up and says, "physical media, how quaint. I downloaded Toy Story 3 in the airport before the flight."
Indeed.
Oh.. how the mighty have fallen.
Well, we're seeing an interesting role reversal in more than a few ways. Who would have thought a decade ago that Apple would be the larger company in terms of sales?
I guess all Apple needs to do to counter this commercial is create create one of their own showing what happens on the flight when PC only gets halfway through the film before his battery dies - the Mac can carry on to the end of the film and beyond because his film is an HD download from iTunes.
I think most laptops will last three hours ok. This is actually a good angle for MS, as there's no real reason or excuse for the lack of Blu-Ray support for Mac, other than "licensing issues" which means Jobs didn't get his own way and all the pie. His assertion that BR is a dead format is bollocks, as the sales grew way over 100% on last year, some half a billion in revenue.
Anyone who says that there's no difference with that and downloaded or streaming content is also misinformed, as I have Apple TV 2 and a PS3, and the difference is night and day, honestly. That's before you factor in the time it takes to download and getting throttled by your ISP for streaming 30GB films a month. (BT I am looking at you)
Who needs mega resolution and bitrate on a shitty little 13"-17" laptop display anyways??
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs once publicly called the licensing issues regarding Blu-ray a "bag of hurt."
Translation: We can make money off downloads. We wouldn't get a cut of any Blu-ray disc sales. Not interested.
This is now a valid marketing jab at Apple though. Even if Apple doesn't want to make blu-ray standard, they should at least make it optional and let the customers decide if they want to pay for the privilege (let them pay for the bag of hurt) - it would take away one of the few stones the PC marketing world has, even if few people bought the drives on the Mac.
Fact: A modern MacBook can play HD movies between 5 - 10 hours.
Fact: Avatar is over 2.5 hours long.
No thank you Microsoft.
If I want to watch a blu-ray, I rip it to my server (usb bd) and watch it anywhere, any time.
Because that's a lot less hassle than sliding in a disc. Any excuse to not admit your'e on the losing side for once.
I'l bet if you surveyed a random sample of Mac owners, not the fanatics on the boards here, and asked them did the want BR the majority would say yes. I'd say 99% of the Mac Mini crowd would immediately.
Just admit Lord Jobs is stroking you cos he cant extract enough blood from your wallet through Blu_ray and move on.
BTW, I'm a Mac user, who bought a PS3 just to play Blu-Rays.
So Microsoft went from not needing to mention Apple, and thereby demeaning itself, to needing to define itself in terms of Apple.
Apple, meanwhile, went from comparing itself to the big guy, to being able to stand on its own two feet.
Yeah. I think it's interesting that Mac still has less than 10% PC marketshare, and yet Microsoft is already quaking in its boots.
More than that, back in the 90s, when Apple was hurting badly, and was releasing ads essentially saying, "Please notice me! I'm almost as good as PC!!!", Apple was really only giving more legitimacy to the Windows platform. Windows ads didn't even acknowledge the existence of the Mac. Now that the roles are reversed, the Windows ads are really giving more legitimacy to the Mac.
If someone sat beside me on the plane and was thrilled that they could pop in a bluray I'd say "Great. By the way, have you seen my iPad? It holds 12 bluray movies and last 10 hours."
As for iTunes streaming of HD content... it's only 720p, NOT FULL-HD - 1920 x 1080.
For me, that just doesn't cut it.
I'd love for Mac OS X to have full Blu-ray support... not limited to data-only.
I travel A LOT and I assure you the last thing I want to do is lug around bluray discs and be popping them into my computer so that I can watch my battery meter go down faster than Enron.
If someone sat beside me on the plane and was thrilled that they could pop in a bluray I'd say "Great. By the way, have you seen my iPad? It holds 12 bluray movies and last 10 hours."
Yes, the sheer weight of a DVD must be an absolute killer. About the same weight as the case you will need for your ipad unless you want to hold it in front of your face the entire flight.