Earlier this evening we saw a new ad come out of the Microsoft hive mind showing Lauren, a charming everywoman, purchasing an HP laptop for $699 after finding that the lowest-priced Mac matching her meagre requirements would cost her nearly double. The resulting commercial is effective in these lean times but isn’t it a bit disingenuous?
I’ve often spoken of the PC industry’s race to the bottom. A $699 laptop – along with a $200 LCD monitor – would have been unthinkable a few years ago but it is now commonplace. At that price, however, you get a machine that wouldn’t get a second look, spec for spec, a few years ago. These would have been called barebones machines – a little memory, a hard drive, and a processor are all you’d get. But with the advent of high design, it’s easy to put lipstick on that particular pig and make Lauren happy.
But what is Microsoft really selling? Apple is selling computers. Microsoft is selling software, namely an operating system. This lopsided competition has put Microsoft in a bad spot and for years the Mac/PC argument has danced, fairly, around this dichotomy. Interestingly, however, Apple has never really dealt Microsoft the body blow of hardware comparison, even in price, simply because it never saw the competition as such and, thus far, Microsoft has followed the same pattern – both companies talked up their OSes and hoped for a fair fight. It was all about Wow and ease of use and photo uploading rather than average yearly downtime and hardware costs.
Now, however, Microsoft has ignored the OS question entirely. Vista is a dog and all but the nerdiest among us have no understanding of the vagaries of Windows 7, so Microsoft knows that it can’t win on that front. The decision? To fight it out in price. Lauren, in this case, isn’t offered a PC vs. a Mac. She’s offered a Vizio TV vs. a Pioneer TV (or, say, Taco Bell vs. Chipotle) and, solely on price and ignoring such buzzwords as “resolution,” “digital tuning,” “contrast ratio,” and “percentage of insect parts and mouse feces,” she gets the cheaper of the two.
Macintardation aside, this is not any way to spend money. However, said money is not her own – it’s Microsoft’s- there is a time pressure. And she’s an actress.
If she knows that the HP laptop running Windows is the laptop for her – and you can assume that HP had a bit of skin in this game as well – then I say that she should rock out with whatever appendage out she wishes. However, this is far from a fair fight. This isn’t Lauren being a PC. It’s Lauren being a foolish shopper.
Foolish or not, it is a fair representation of how people shop. Sure, as an old hardcore nerd, I could go on at length about how you can’t beat the specs or price of building your own system out of nothing but the best hand-picked components. However, when my mom wants to buy a new computer, the first thing she says is “I have this much to spend.”
All fanboy arguments about “user experience” or “price performance ratio” or whether you have a psychotic hatred of Vista, or a deep emotional revulsion of all things with an Apple logo on them mean absolutely nothing to 90% of consumers, who buy computers just like they buy everything else in the world.
That is to say, they decide how much they can afford to spend, and then go to a bunch of stores until they find something they like. Simple as that. No reading blogs to find out when the new Intel chipset will make its way into products, no agonizing over which OS has the nicest font rendering engine, no worries about what people om CrunchGear will think about their choice.
This is where Apple really gets in trouble with their vertical model. Just as shown in this ad, if you walk into a store with $1,000 to spend, you can forget walking out with a computer, simple as that. You walk into Best Buy, and you have your choice of computers for that $1,000. No, that isn’t a feature of Windows as such, but all of those computers do run Windows, because Apple has no interest in going after that staggeringly large market, at least price-wise. They would rather market to those people, and then try and upsell them to a computer outside their budget. That works when people have plenty of discretionary income, but when they don’t, I think Microsoft is smart to say “PCs give you what you want for the price you’re willing to pay.”
Besides, really, what is your average consumer doing on their machine that can’t be done quite well by ANY machine out there these days?
Such a weak argument.
How many people actually build their own machine?
How many people take the time to compare the benefits of Mac, and all the useful software that comes with it, against a bare-bones Windows PC?
This debate was stale years ago. All Microsoft is doing is bringing more attention to a platform and an OS against which they clearly feel threatened by. Otherwise, why else produce such ads?
Fact is, with all their money and all their resources, they have good reason to feel threatened.
Did you actually read anything past my first sentence? I said that the cost/performance argument was as meaningless to consumers as the user experiences argument. The average consumer walks in wanting to pay what they want to pay, and walks out with the product that makes them feel the best about spending that money. All this “MS is threatened” BS is a load of fanboy crap that the average consumer couldn’t care less about.
Bottom line, Apple’s ads try to convince people to spend more money to get something that they represent as better, and Microsoft is responding by saying “or you could buy a PC for whatever you were originally planning to spend.” What is “stale” about that? It is how sales work, and why Schwinn sells more bikes than Vanilla Bicycles do.
You know what?
When I last shopped around for a laptop, that’s how I started: My budget is $XXXX (with some margin).
I ended up getting a MacBook.
yes, but the mere fact that you are posting a comment (after having read the article and a few comments) on crunchgear signifies that you aren’t like the majority of shoppers out there who go out to buy a new laptop.
it’s a compliment, albeit not a direct one.
CrunchGear isn’t catered to the regular “Joe-I-want-to-use-email” category of computer users/buyers.
You hit the proverbial nail on the head! Nice Job!
honestly, when talking notebooks the thought of building one of your own shouldn’t be brought up.
I think microsoft would fair better trying to sell windows to mac users who can now install the operating system along side OSX. To me, it seems they are turning away a group of consumers rather than embrace them.
Well said.
So what your saying its even in these tough times Lauren should still buy the doubled priced Mac? what can a mac do that a pc cant? I mean Im a pc tech and 75% pc and mac users I deal with are everyday poeple only use their computers to download a few songs, check their email, and goin on facebook, my $300 netbook could do thet just fine, the worse part is that most mac users only went with an apple because some over paid actor pop up on their tv with a cool shirt on and started bashing vista.
Or they see it as a status symbol ” like buying true religion vs levis”
Hey look at me I have a Mac!
I could have said this commercial was brilliant and you would have flamed me for being anti-apple. At its core, this is a disingenuous argument – a difference comparison between two similar things that ignores a major aspect of both. I’m not saying Lauren didn’t make the right decision and I don’t want the poor girl to pay $2000 for her laptop, but MS is fighting dirty here.
Is there really such a thing as ingenuous advertising? I don’t remember the last time I saw an ad where someone said “give us your money because we want to get big bonuses this year.” Advertising, at its very core, is about creating perceived value. I can assure you it does not matter one bit to the ad agency whether that value exists or not, regardless of the product.
I am not flaming you for being anti-Microsoft. I am saying you are letting petty nerd bickering cloud your view of the larger picture. Apple has had a “why you should buy our computer instead of a PC” campaign running for years now. They, not Microsoft, have cast their product as the sole alternative to the monolithic block of every PC manufactured by any company in the world. This view has gained some traction in the popular consciousness. How is it “fighting dirty” for Microsoft to respond with “why you should buy a PC instead of their computer?” I really think you are misinterpreting this because you have a personal opinion over which is best, rather than seeing this as it truly is, which is no different than a Coke vs. Pepsi ad war.
It doesn’t matter if you think Apple or Microsoft is the best, to even evaluate the ads based on your personal preference is the wrong way to look at it.
John,
Don’t you think that the original “I am a Mac” ads were also disingenuous? Brilliant ads, but a little misleading as well. Vista is not really all that bad (its not perfect either but nothing really is) and the claims that were made were not always true.
Such is the nature of advertising.
Also, this ad is not targeted to the people who can afford to get a Mac laptop (hardware aside). It is meant for the budget minded consumer who could care less about 1450×800 or 1920×1200 or superfast wireless connection. All that consumer cares about is what the ad showed. Low price and cool looks.
Granted, the PC world is full of $3000 laptops, but even those are almost never advertised and are always tailored to the gamer, developer, or graphic artist.
“Fighting dirty”? Which company in this industry does not? When the Mac ads show that the PC guy is slow, that is not necessarily true? What did they compare in that ad? A Mac to a PC with 1gb or a PC with 4gb of memory? Yes. Windows is heavier, but the cost of memory is very low. So upgrade the memory and have a faster machine.
The problem is that you are comparing apples to apples between Macs and PCs as far as hardware but not as far as price. That same laptop with additional memory, better wireless card, and a better screen is still less than half the price of the comparable Mac.
Apple has generated – through ads, design, and price – a status statement that owning a Mac is cool, trendy, and tells the world that you are able to afford it. That is fine. But your average consumer today cares more about their bottom line than they do about how cool it is.
Jim
Dude WTF r u talking about?!?!?!?!?! Anyone who actually does anything useful (like programming) on their computer has a mac. Windows is a direct copy of mac and it has been, and always will be inferior. If you actually study up on the history of computers you will find out these things. I mean, windows gives the administrator root-level access without the need of a password, which just goes to show how corrupt Microsoft is. They make it so that you have root-level access without a password, which allows viruses to be installed on your computer. Now you have to go and buy anti-virus software (which still doesn’t even work well) to take these viruses off. And speaking of Microsoft’s corruption, this commercial epitomizes just that. If you watch this commercial, it doesn’t even mention the word “windows” one single time. What are they selling, their product or HP’s laptop. When you buy this cheap PC you will be happy at first (I know from experience). Then like a month or two later the viruses and general hardware/software problems start to pile up and you really wish you bought a mac. I have a mac and the only reason I use windows on it is to play video games and the OCCASIONAL windows-only application that I use. Macs are superior hardware and software while PCs are really only good for checking your email, watching youtube videos, the occasional blogging, and printing word documents. DMS made a brilliant comment that I never thought about. If microsoft wants to stay in business, they should advertise their product running on a mac instead of advertising it running on HPs garbage.
Now to get a little bit technical. When you look at an operating system (which Microsoft fails to tell that they sell in this commercial) the first thing you should look at is the kernel (basically the link between hardware and software to put it simply). Now, the kernel is supposed to be hardware-specific, which is why Apple develops their operating system on their hardware only. Now Microsoft doesn’t develop their own hardware so they try to make a one-size-fits-all kernel. That is why PCs get frequent blue-screen, which is windows’ kernel panic (when the kernel literally doesnt know what to do anymore and :panics”) Anyone with extensive knowledge of computers and a little common-sense should know that macs are far superior to Microsoft’s lame excuse on a computer. Microsoft is like Nike and Apple is like Prada or Gucci or something, yea Nike is a lot cheaper and they do most of the basic things that Prada does but Prada will last much longer, looks better, wont break as quickly, and has much better customer service.
fighting dirty here?? How about all those MAC ads with the “half truths” and Rovian tactics?
If you have been using windows 7, you know it comes pretty close to the beautiful feel of osX.
nah, you’re wrong john… they’re not similar. A lot of people don’t care a straw for the OS, they’re happy if they can get on the internet, check email, edit a few photos, and that sort of thing. If that’s what you want, Apple has a pretty crappy value proposition, and thats what MS is point out.
Wow, no offense John but take the blinders off. I read your comment but saw no mention of Apples commercials where they attempt to confuse users.
Hi, I’m a Mac, and I am a PC…
No you are both PC’s. You are both, other than a very minor chip difference, running the exact same hardware. I can run OSx on my Dell D630. I do not choose to but I can.
Apples commercials were far more disingenuous as the information they attempted to present was not 100% truth. They made solid attempts to blur the line between hardware and software.
As for the MS commercial, what they show is the truth. Grab yourself a $1000 dollars, goto the apple store and see what you bring home for a laptop, not a 17″ multimedia laptop. There is nothing disingenuous about that. It is fact. Walk into any computer retailer. Heck go to BestBuy’s website and look at the laptops, sort them by price, $600 – $899… 50 different choices. 8 of them with 17″ screens.
*puts on tinfoil hat*
apple fanbois are just scared of windows 7….
Microsoft isn’t “fighting dirty” here. What they’re doing is what they always do; they’re fighting stupid.
Hate to say it, but I don’t find the ad disingenuous at all. She’s “looking” for a laptop with a 17″ screen for under a grand…she found it. The average user just wants a computer for simple browsing and office tasks, and the $700 HP will do that fine. All of my girlfriend’s friends have macbooks, and they literally do NOTHING more than surf on them; they just like them cause they’re pretty.
Simple fact is true, there are no macbooks with 17″ screens under $1000.
Lee,
I think the major mistake you are making is using your mom as the example of the “every consumer” Most consumers do not set a budget before they know the product. We are in the heart and soul of the experience economy. Even in lean times, people find the money for the experiences they desire. And being in the advertising business, if those Mac vs. PC ads actually sold any devices all by themselves, then we have a new kind of advertising. Now, if they were powerful enough to have people go into the Apple store and they like what they saw, then that is a different story. I think the biggest lesson here is once again, Microsoft is paying for advertising space where they spend time talking about Apple. As the big dog, you don’t ever do that. Ever. By Ad. Say Microsoft, Repeat.
And unless we are talking about 4-year-olds or 80-year-olds, which consumer in America doesn’t “know the product” we are discussing? It is 2009, not 1979. It is highly unlikely that anyone buying a computer in America today is buying their first, or even second or third computer.
Besides, your thinking is about a year old. Back when everyone had a ton of money in their pocket, sure, they would pay twice as much for a product, just to have an “experience.” Now, with their friends and loved ones getting laid off, their 401K underwater, and their house worth half what is was when they bought it, they couldn’t care less about an experience, they want to stick to their budget. Lifestyle brands and branded experiences are hot properties for good times, but in case you haven’t noticed, Apple stores and Starbucks are taking a hit, while Walmart and McDonald’s are seeing increases in sales. New cars sales down, and Autozone sales up.
By the way, ironically my mom put in 20 years at some of the biggest ad firms in NY and LA as a writer and producer.
Is there anything wrong not wanting the Low Low Price customer?
No, nothing at all wrong with it. In fact, it has made a lot of money for a lot of companies. However, as a lot of those companies are finding out right now, selling yourself as a luxury brand is great when everyone is fat, not the best place to be when everyone is lean. It is all just a numbers game. Can you make enough profit to make up for the lower sales? If so, then there you go. If not, then oops.
If it were my company, I would much rather be selling $300 netbooks than $2,000 laptops at the moment.
Aren’t we missing something here?
Apple goes out of its way to control hardware (look at Psystar!) so as far as Steve Jobs is concerned if you want the OS you have to buy the Mac.
Apple linked the OS to the hardware first – Microsoft is just pointing that out to everyone.
I bought my girlfriend an HP laptop for under $600, and it runs Windows Vista great. This coming from somebody who doesn’t generally like HP and loathed Vista when it came out.
It might not be a top of the line machine, but it is more than serviceable as an internet browser/word processor. And Vista works great on it – so much so I installed it in favor of XP on my new machine – and I’m incredibly happy.
Bottom line – those sub $600 PCs out there do have a place. So does Apple. I doubt I would ever buy a Mac, but they both have a rightful place in the world and it would be great to see Microsoft and (especially) Apple – I hate those pompous Mac vs. PC commercials – shut up about the other.
I would argue that there are many consumers today that are buying their first *notebook* computer. As the almost 40 year old neighborhood “techie”, I’ve helped guide several demograpically similar friends in this endeavor that have been computer users for years, but never owned a laptop. Most of them had a price point in mind, as well.
One thing that I have not seen mentioned in any discussions about this ad…Lauren appears to be driving a New Beetle. Surely there were cheaper cars to get her from point A to point B. Her choice of cars may have been less pragmatic than her choice of computers.
The only Apple product out there that is yet unbeaten by it’s competition is the iphone. I say this because I’m willing to recognize a superior product even if I can’t stand Macs because of the amount of control Apple exerts over both hardware and software. (Thank god for iphone jailbreak!!!)
What choice worth to you? With PC’s you can go to a multitude of vendors, components can be customized, there is competition accordingly to keep prices competitive – in short the customer has choice.
With Macs – you get what they give you and that’s it…
The iPod is pretty triumphant still also – the only thing beating it are the product cannibals within Apple itself.
not surprised another anti windows article.
come back and do stories when your down kissing the feet of apple please.
Heres what I found on a quick comparison:
the $699 toshiba laptop vs 999 mac laptop
699 had twice as much ram
had faster processor
had same screen and resolution
had discreet graphics similar to mac
had expresscard slots
had esata port
had multicard reader
these were all things missing on the lovely mac!!!
other major features were the same
didn’t have a webcam (I hate webcams)
didn’t have bluetooth
WHEN IS A WEBCAM AND BLUETOOTH WORTH $300 DOLLARS???????????????????????????????????????
Toshiba is a respected company I don’t see bigg’s point as valid you can get the same QUALITY for less.
These are the laptops I compared
Apple MacBook MB881LL/A Intel Core 2 Duo 2.00GHz 13.3″ WXGA 2GB DDR2 667 120GB 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
TOSHIBA Satellite U405D-S2910 NoteBook AMD Turion X2 RM-74(2.20GHz) 13.3″ Wide XGA 4GB Memory DDR2 800 320GB HDD 5400rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Radeon 3100 – Retail
Apple has always been fighting an unfair ad war. Apple controls both the hardware and software which is why their OS can get away with being lean. Microsoft has to make their OS work with every configuration out there. This time MS (and HP) have added the hardware angle to their ad, so all the Apple fans are crying foul.
the commerical is great. Bottom line. Apple’s cost a lot and you can get the same stuff in a PC for a lot cheaper. Sorry. Truth hurts.
The comparison is fair. matters not that one makes a os only. It’s the pc space.
Macs are nice but you’re paying for the name. And i’ve had several macs. mac people just don’t like it cause they make a valid point.
duh, let me see. lets add up the cost of windows ownership, just what is your time worth?
-incompatable drivers, nothing works
-Indian customer service via phone
-Store says to return to manufacturer
-Manufacturer says its Microsoft’s fault
-Microsoft says to talk to computer manufacturer
-Repeat
Now do you get why I have a mac?
I’ve had all stable drivers within a month of vistas release.
Indian customer service is brand specific and most brands have U.S. tech centers as well. Exp I just spoke with a few U.S. based HP IT guys.
Your still going to get a return to manufacturer from some apple authorized retailers.
Microsoft is a lot quicker to patch security holes than Apple is.
Also keep in mind that windows based PC’s outlived Macs in the last two pawn to own contests.
How many windows computers have you had? My experience with windows includes 3.1, 3.11, 95a, 98se, 2000, xp, and vista Unlike your Mac I can still run applications for each version of windows or even dos if I want/need to from within vista.
No I do not.
Beside what you stated you made up???
MS tech support is not based in India. You can’t blame MS because the hardware maker elected to use foreign tech support.
Please state what hardware did not work. Broad statements like this are often found to be BS. Everything I ever installed Vista onto works perfectly. Of course, I know what I am doing and I was not trying to use hardware that was cutting edge 10 years ago.
Please be specific. What was the hardware? I would like to know.
I believe that the approach is completely wrong. It is true that MS sells software and, as in my case, I tried MAC because of Vista was an horrible OS.I my opinion the comparison now is: Vista look like a typemachine, OSx a functional computer. To recover the time lost MS should focus on the Windows’s advantage and to accelerate the commercialization of W7. I think the other ads (with kids using PC) is much more focused because the target market are parents with children, happy family. Windows look like easy, friendly and useful.
She could have just bought netbook in pink har har. >_>
/runs
John Biggs likes to use the word “disingenuous” too much. John Biggs should invest in a thesaurus. I bet he loves macs.
“Macintardation” word of the day.
John biggs does have an infatuation with macs… he’s my least favorite CG author, pompous bastard..
But the Windows laptop comes with Conficker!
Good times.
This is a pretty good representation of how a large segment of the US population buys a computer. What is disengenuous, is how Apple has represented Windows and Vista for the last several years. My experience with both could not be completely different. For the record, I use all of the mainstream OS’s, Windows, OS X, and Linux. They are all much more alike than they are different. The fact of the matter is, you can easily get far more processing power from a “PC” than you can from Apple products, even the newly refreshed iMacs are way behind on the PC makers in terms of processing power. I like Macs (own 2 iMacs), but they are quite overpriced.
The reality in all of this is that Microsoft has ruled the marketplace for decades and has simply lost its ability to command the “buying zone” as completely as it has done in the past. Apple has seized the moment and built in-line with cultural changes. Microsoft largely ignored the shift until it began to give them grief. Beyond the ever recurring and near-religious arguments over which is “better” between Macs and PCs, Microsoft has a generally sound set of tools to get the typical computing job done, but they are, ironically just as capricious as their nemesis Apple. Hardware in the PC world is cheaper for obvious reasons, i.e., numerous manufactures and competition drove prices into the basement. Apple has grown notably, but it has always been a niche system and as such has always enjoyed the flexibility to offer a “refined” combination of hardware and software on their own stylish terms. Some of these refinements actually imporve productivity. Of course, if one opts to ignore “soft” values, i.e., support infrastructure, and certain “operational” and OS performance benefits, styling, etc., and strictly argue bottom dollar pricing, then no argument. PCs running Windows initially cost less (but avoid upgrading antivirus and other misc apps and certainly DON’T call GeekSquad for support, you’ll completely blow your “discount computer savings” in one fell swoop). As for the ads, the tail (Apple) is clearly wagging the dog (Microsoft) given as some have already mentioned, MS is finding it necessary to publically discuss the issue because they have grown too large and have lost a good deal of mindshare (do they still say that?) because of, among other things, vista press issues (largely and rightly propogated by big business IT world-wide and a good number of recurring and publically disclosed predatory business practices that have left the fact that it doesn’t really have any thing to cover its bottom line beyond Windows. The ads are certainly fair, but they offer the viewer “nothing” of any real value beyond highlighting the fact that they are still big and faceless and really don’t have their act together.
That said, Apple just may adjust pricing downward a bit on “newer” products likely on the way. This giving bargan hunters a happy median between raw hardware performance found on PC notebooks and moderate performance and OS/support benefits found with Macs.
If you find that your budget is only $600 the obviously stick with Windows (or even better…figure out Linux and save even more!). If folks don’t have an immediate need to buy and want an arguably “every-day-human-friendly” computing experience, than save a little more and get what will make you most happy in the long run and not what Microsoft (or others) trys to bully you into sticking with because, again, they’ve are threatened. Folks seem to forget, provided you’re not inextricably cash strapped (understandable), then it’s ALL about the OS and what you want. …and if you want or have to get a PC then buy one and simply sit back and enjoy the comical farce that all of these adds really are.
I hardly think that for most people a $1,000 computer is “Discount computer savings” for the “bargan hunters” who are “strapped for cash.”
You nerd elitists just don’t get it do you? Most people do not judge their personal worth by what logo is on their computer. For the vast majority of people, a computer is just a thing they use to check email, browse the web, and maybe edit the occasional document. Sure, we all probably spend obscene amounts of money on our computers, with TBs of storage, maxed out RAM, and video cards that cost more than any entire computer on the shelf at Best Buy (or at least I know I am guilty of that). But if most people have any serious work they have to do on a computer, then their company pays for it, and they don’t have anything to do with the purchasing decision, as some tech guy tells them what they need.
I am getting so sick of this dismissive attitude that anyone who would pay a paltry $1,000 for a notebook must be some broke loser who probably has to live on food stamps, and would get a Mac if they could afford it. Did it ever occur to you that there might be someone of means, who decided that instead of blowing thousands of dollars on a notebook, they would take a trip to Europe or Japan, or maybe get a nice suit, or maybe some nice shoes, or a new lens for their expensive camera, or new school clothes for their kid, or a new couch?
A couple thousand dollars can buy you a lot of nice stuff, and for some people it isn’t a matter of not having the money, it is a matter of having much better things to spend the money on than a computer, which will only impress unemployed college students. I know plenty of people who will spend a few thousand on an outfit for a party or important meeting, without even thinking about it, yet would balk at spending thousands on a computer.
You just don’t seem to get it. To a great many people, a computer is like a blender or rice maker. It is just an item you use to do something, not a badge of your geek status. It is not a fetish object that they spend their days condemning or defending. They don’t dislike people because they have a different sort of computer, and they don’t think their choice in computer somehow defines their social standing. Most people don’t have anything to prove when it comes to buying a computer, and as such just get whatever machine will do what they want. Those are the people who this ad is targeting. The ones who “aren’t cool enough to be Apple people.”
The average household in this country makes over $50,000 a year, which means they could all afford your precious luxury Mac just as easily, if not more easily, as can the cool actress/writer/waitress down at the Starbucks working on her screenplay. The point isn’t that they are too broke to afford the Mac, or too uncultured, or unrefined, as special as it might make you feel to believe that, it is that they have more important things they would rather spend their money on. How hard is that to understand? It seems to be a completely alien concept to most people commenting here.
I understand that everyone has different priorities, but it seems like even the least technical people I know spend more time on their computer than on a sofa or driving their car. People might not have their priorities quite right.
As a recent switcher who spent 20 years on homebrew desktops and Black Friday notebooks, I regret spending so little money on computers for 20 years. My priorities were out of wack.
Switching to Mac has made the work I have to do much, much more pleasant—and for someone who spends 6+ hours a day in front of a computer, that is worth $400 extra every four years. And I would encourage almost anyone (especially the technologically illiterate) to do the same.
Microsoft has ignored the OS question entirely because Lauren bought a SOLUTION, not just an OS or a PC.
Whatever the PC she will buy, it will fit for her needs (if you want to buy a computer for $1k, your needs are probably very common).
Apple can´t compete with that.
I love the commercial. I switched to a Mac back in 1998 and have never even considered a Windows based PC.
So why do I love the commercial? It puts Microsoft in its proper place. Microsoft is low cost, low expectations consumer computing. They are Ford or GM to Apples BMW or Mercedes.
Apple costs more and you get more for your money.
I think it’s a shame that Apple can’t find a way to stretch out to the mass market but they don’t seem to see that as a part of their business model at this point in time.
So kudos to Microsoft for embracing its role as the Walmart of computing.
Wow… Ignorant much? Did you even read what posted.
Let us use your car analogy properly.
Hi we are apple/bmw
Hi we are MS/bmw, mercedes, ford, saturn, audi, volvo, saab, chrysler, nissan, lexus, infiniti…
Pick a car maker. We work with them.
See where I am going with this.
Anything you can do on an Apple, I can do on a PC, with a better hardware and software selection at a lower cost, and then the things apple can’t do that windows can, like certificate based security computing… Used in corporate security models…
Our Hero Steve Jobs…
“When Jobs had his own illegitimate child, also at the age of 23, he too struggled with his responsibilities. For two years, though already wealthy, he denied paternity while Lisa’s mother went on welfare. At one point Jobs even swore in a signed court document that he couldn’t be Lisa’s father because he was “sterile and infertile, and as a result thereof, did not have the physical capacity to procreate a child.” He later acknowledged paternity of Lisa, married Laurene Powell, a Stanford MBA, and fathered three more children”
Liar and a douche bag… what a combo… He will never get a single dollar from me or my business.
The only way Windows and Mac OS would be able to do the exact same things the exact same way would be if they were the exact same OS.
I have friends that love their Windows. Enjoy! I don’t like the clunky operation, the graceless file explorer, the arcane system preferences, the confusing network settings, the cumbersome security models, and the inevitable blue screens.
I want my laptop to just work. I want my contacts to seamlessly sync with all of my devices. I want to hop on to a wifi network just by saying “join”.
And I want to do all of this without needing to pass the MSCE (if its still around).
Windows=basic transportation, Apple=luxury car with a price to match.
Of course, there are no liars or douchebags at Microsoft. None…
Meh. I’m just happy to see Microsoft forced to compete with Apple on a value message. Everyone knows the weak economy has hurt PC sales, and hardware bundle licenses are Microsoft’s bread and butter. They probably had pressure from Dell, HP, Compaq and friends to launch this ad campaign.
You can talk all day about how Microsoft operating systems are just as usable and stable (they aren’t) and how much more software there is for Windows… but nobody ever has an answer for why I’d want six programs that do a task poorly instead of one program that just does it, and does it well. Games? That’s what consoles are for. Just to nip it in the bud: why would I pay thousands for a decent gaming PC when I can get a console that plays damn near everything for $300? Isn’t that what this is about? Price?
Ben I work for a major major school district where we have well over 5000 users and cleint machines. Out of all those computers a small handfull are macs. Probably less than 100, We are running a variety of hardware specs dated as far back as 1998 or earlier. Those computers still work and do what they need to do. The new computers we are running host our news feeds, newspaper and photoshop classes. Guess what? Ive seen all of them first hand and they dont lag a second in CS4. This is whether they are running XP or even Vista.
My argument to you and everyone else. This is from experience and over 9 years in this field. PC’s truly are more affordable and can do just as much as a mac can. Granted hardware has gotten significantly better. Like Haxcid says, inside they are all the same.
Pe@ce out… To answer your question, yes I am 1337.
OMG I love this fanboy FLAME WAR how could I have missed this epic event!
Foist of all, Apple is pretty in pink. Micro is pretty in anything. The end!
Oh yeah one last thing, all you kids need to get laid.
First PC’s just suck. Wait, Windows sucks. Its not the hardware manufacturers. Im a systems engineer for a major computer manufacturer so I deal with this stuff all the time. Windows is just horrible. Even Windows 7. The mac is so much better. It just works. Im tired of fixing stuff all day and coming home and dealing with windows BS. I have a mac and love it. So much more easy, efficient and no regular BS that makes you say WTF!!! Yeah they cost more but i save money on advil!!! And thos ads with that chick that bashes the mac for only having 2GB of ram. Well thats all you need with a mac. Mac OS arent rescource hogs. And there efficient. Enough said. Steve jobs. if you want to take over the computing world. lower your prices.