PC buyers are what NetBooks users are to Apple owners.

^ Someone obviously did not get a 1600 (or more recently 2400) on their SATs. That is one of the worst analogous statements I've ever seen.

Well, it's not hard to convince people to buy a superior product, M$ should have been doing these commercials as soon as MAC got the gaul to launch theirs.

They should have another commercial where a customer goes into a Apple Store and asks for a laptop with features they can't get on a Mac, like blue-ray, 1920x1080 resolution, a true 16x9 screen, HDMI output, quad core processor, 500GB hard drive, etc., etc. HP has one with all these features, an 18.4" screen and 4GB of RAM for $1,700. Thats $1,000 less than Apples 17" Mac Book Pro. The Apple store clerk will basically have to say that they don't offer any of those options, but heres a laptop with none of that for $2,700.

HAHA... so true so true. Several manufacturers offer products superior to the MBP for $1k or more less. Amazing.

Windows is probably the worst desktop operating system around. I'd pay double the price for the same machine if it ran Linux or OSX flawlessly. It's not just about hardware specs you know.

I like windows on my desktop and leopard on my laptop.. I am ready for 7 love the beta...

I wish I had a Mac for laptop... I keep on stealing my girlfriend's from time to time to work outside... on the other case she steals my powerhorse desktop PC... I believe that in this way I get the best of both worlds and I know how to use both => how to fix both.

Superior?

wow this is a pure hate on for mac products at toms. Well if they can't get their spelling, facts or even editor right then why not just give the people what they want.


feed the trolls

I think if you actually read all the posts here you will find that the "people" here at tom's don't have a "pure hate on for mac products". In fact they are just being critical of outright fanboyism and trolls like this:

so if I didnt want Microsoft or apple whats left thats good for gameing and apps
and what other os supports 10 10.1 and will eventualy 11 for graphics and games
Im running xp64 but it uses 9 vista uses 10 and so on I hate being dictated to by microsoft I dont want to get vister when windows 7 is just vista mark 2 and then the other day there talking about hirering people to start makeing windows 8 be it the server version
I have seen the little penguin but i no nothing about it
If I wanted to use another os what is the best out there even if it isnt as good as windows
Gazz

Mac OS used to be a proper OS, back when they had proper Unix capable hardware... PPC CPU's. Now OSX is just another linux toy OS.

How do the slower G5 and G4 (they were never able to make a G5 laptop because of the heat/power draw) make the computer into a "proper Unix capable" one? The move to x86 didn't change any capabilities of the core OS.

The Intel switch made macs more useful because no matter what Jobs said, the PPC CPUs were inferior to Intel and AMD. Otherwise they wouldn't have switched. The disadvantage is that Macs are now essentially just IBM clones with some proprietary firmware and stuff to remove the artificial lock from OSX that keeps other IBM clones from running it.

Humans are social beings that want to feel like they belong in a group. Apple has made a very good job of making people who buy a Mac feel special while at the same time ridiculing Windows and its users. Microsoft has until now responded with nothing. Now they're saying people who buy Windows-based laptops are smart, resourceful, economic, educated etc.

I'm no wise guy but I’ll have a dig and say if any os,linux, osx, whatever os out there is as commonly popular as windows, no doubt there would be just as many attempts to test security flaws, given the variety of complex programs/sites already available to make the job easier.


People using alternate OS's are lucky in this regard... for now ;P

Although I'd love to bash Apple, I think this article is mostly about Microsoft. It's silly to see a company like this feeling like they need to explain to their investors why they only made $3 billion profit instead of $3.5 billion.

Long time mac user, long time windows user, and I have to say, gaming aside, I see no advantages to using a PC over a mac. I'm a CISCO certified tech so all my computers are running et an "optimal" state, and I still manage to have windows apps crash on me much more than Mac ones, and I'm talking about major stuff like Office here, apps that are supposed to work well.

Just for the time that Windows costs me, because of crashes, configuration time, debug time, I chose Mac over windows. Yes I have my beast gaming machine but I never use it for anything else, because in my opinion, it's the only thing it does well.

Audio recording? Mac Movie Editing? Mac 3D graphics creation? Mac! text and e-mail? Mac (just because it doesn't crash in my face) Gaming? sure Windows hands down, but even then, for my games to work well, I need the latest OS version, Driver version, Game patch, and it's just more hassle. I'm running an older, fewer feature version of Mac (10.4) and I still find it more stable then windows (ans yes I've tried the 7 Beta as well)

Well I know you guys might hate the Power PC processors but Ive got a old Ibook G3 Clamshell in blueberry and its only a 366 mhz processor and the same game I have on mac play wont run that well on a 600 mhz Pentium. But really its just because that little PPC has 256k of cache. You know one of the top 15 Super Computers on Linpack is just a collection of G5 Desktops with a craylink to hook them all up. IBM still makes some of the fastest processors around for vector processors but damn they cost a lot of money to develop and they take longer and are probally hard to code for. Maybe we might get a Cell processor from IBM in desktops or heck Nvidia will have their Super Multicore GPU as a CPU. Or if that Creative lab Zii Labs thing with all those configurable processors that would be cool also. I saw a thing about a 80 proccessor desktop that was just a bunch of Transmeta Processors that ran Linux a long time ago and it didant take up that much space. I cant find any more info on that 80 processor MEta deal since it was soo long agao but o well.

The masses are easily influenced. Personally I dislike the OSX interface, but alot of people love it. I also hate Apples elitist attitude and developer relations.

Apple squanders their limited window of popularity in my opinion. If they would allow for clones, phystar for instance, then they could increase their base. People just don't want to spend alot of money on high priced mac stuff right now and that's why the new MS commercials work. By increasing their base they become more attractive for App developers so they get more games and so on. Probably the best time to have done this would have been at Vistas launch to ride on the public distaste of Vista, but now people are use to it so Apple would have more of a struggle.

It's obvious chuck is just mac fanboi trying to not seem like one.

What is interesting about this article is the following:

"According to TechFlash, Microsoft’s own research shows a 10 percent increase in preference for Windows PCs since launching the TV spot series.

Microsoft didn’t reveal where or how it came to its 10 percent number, but inquiries have already gone to the Redmond company for more details."

With that said, it's not hard enough to tell that such news are just pure PR boosting fabricated by Micro$oft in an effort to lessen the impact of their bad results in this quarter's report, specially, when compared to Apple who not only didn't loss, but also made a profit.

So funny to read how PC fanboys are trying so desperately to excuse Micro$oft even when the facts are telling M$ didn't perform well hahaha.

the reason i will never buy mac if they keep this up. i just bought this cheap labtop for 399.99 specs
amd athlonx2 2ghz 2gb ram 667 mhz
nvidia 8200m graphics
250gb hd
15.6 inch
thats pritty dam good for 4 bills

[citation][nom]chuck_smith[/nom]Long time mac user, long time windows user, and I have to say, gaming aside, I see no advantages to using a PC over a mac. [/quote] No reason?

1) Price
2) Performance
3) Features
4) Customization (undervolting anyone?)
5) Compatibility

You see NO reason? *cough*dishonestfanboialert*cough*

I'm not CISCO, I'm a mere A+/geek/enthusiast. I have YET to manage to get Office to crash on me in Vista, and I use it every day. You must be really talented at configuring it.



This doesn't even make sense. If IE or Office crashes, it can be restarted in exactly 3 seconds just like when Safari crashes. Debug? REALLY? Sounds like you're trying pretty hard to make your case.

I use OS 10.4 and Vista as well, and what you just wrote is EXACTLY what I hate about Mac users. Both OS's are rock solid when configured correctly, and personally, my 10.4 has had applications crash far more frequently than my vista machine. MAIN POINT: on either system we're talking about so few crashes that to even discuss them is trivial.

If you REALLY have regular crashes on Windows, you may want to reconsider that certification or possible learn to test your hardware better. Windows Vista just works. Period.

Really there must be a link to this on a Mac website. All these down ratings for countering the mac fanbois comments.

Oh well, sheeple will be sheeple.

The hate on this article is crazy! Settle down a bit people.

I've got a 300Mhz PPC G3 with a modified radeon 9800 and a gig of ram, it runs doom3 very nicely at 1024x768. Try that on a 300Mhz anything else! The PPC had much better longevity vs x86 chips, RISC is more powerful, simple as that.

I've got an SGI O2 with a 200Mhz MIPS 12k processor, it's fast enough for me to do all my CAD work on it. The only time I export to my windows box is to do 3D modeling as the video on the O3, ironically, isn't fast enough. These are 10 years old at least!

Next, OS X isn't another pretty linux/unix face. It goes well beyond the likes of KDE, GNOME, etc, it's far more integrated and functional for what Apple desires their customers to see. This is of course also a negative, but comparing it to any other X interface is just naive.

I'm not a mac fanboy, those of you who know me will certainly be aware of that, but this hatred is ill-placed.

Now to chuck smith and bardia, wtf is a cisco certified tech? You mean CCNA, CCNP, etc? Guess that probably puts you at the engineering level, not the tech level you nitwit. Then of course there is that simple fact that being Cisco, Juniper, Extreme, Foundry, etc, certified doesn't mean you know dick about a computer, how you can even think that is crazy. Now if you can script on a Juni, you've got more talent for Unix, that's about as close as any of these come to having any relevancy to an OS.

And no offense bardia, but A+ is like saying you graduated kindergarten but I do agree with you. I've been running every OS under the sun for the last 20 years and as long as you have them configured correctly and know how to use the correctly they all can be just as stable as any of the others, except ME, and 98 (not SE), no hope there.

To sum up, Microsoft is kicking ass with these commercials because it's making the public aware that Apple may be trendier, but it's not superior. Mac's have their place, so do Windows/Linux box's, everyone should just accept that and stop fighting over which one is the overall better OS, they do different things better, but neither is superior overall to the other.

Question Mr Cisco tech I'm sure its "I have my ccna from Jr college" how do you config your equipment with out a db 9 port ? is it all so new you can only use a RO cable or do you just use the web interface?

while both mac and windows and linux all have there upsides.

I find osx to be slow to move around slow to get little things done. users who are new or have never passed past the type writer with a screen stage of computing. A better option for making the jump and its easy to keep them from tooling the thing up.

Linux can be anything you want it to be. A stable work os a stable serving os unique needs routers firewalls security systems equipment monitor etc.

windows its everything to everyone and while I will never argue that one windows box can do everything better if set up for a task they top the charts. This is not just Microsofts doing adobe made vista the best option when cs 4 came out supporting all the cool stuf vista has dx10 better 64 bit extensions etc.

what 2 of these have over the prior is hardware price performance flex and a little less bs.

examples
There are no i7 macs yet there may never be its a good chance the imac will go right to the i5 and the mac pro runs a xeon. anyone who thinks a xeon is a better desktop cpu is a retard they are for serving long term load of non optimized code.

want a blu ray well you can but you have to get software to use it.
have a 100k plotter to bad all we got is usb.

I dont care what you may think a aluminum case does not cost 1000 more. o and of note apple does not make anything up on there own they just take another idea and make it "better" ibm did aluminum laptops way back in the day but caned the project why aluminum is very conductive. apple has always had no problem with breaking with engineering best practice for making it look cool.

The fact of the matter is apple makes more on there hardware then any other big tech hardware brand out there other then cisco. Its in the area of 30% to 40% on computers and a nice 70% on accessories. they stay with older hardware to keep pricing down but since they have not changed there hardware prices in years now the profit margin stays good.

apple is a closed loop system I wont fight about that being better or not I make my living on closed hardware\software and lord knows cisco is as bad apple. but price is not what it costs and will never take over the world as long as it tells users what they can and cant do. I'm vary sure Microsoft is more concerned with linux its already hurting there server sales witch in the end will hurt pro os sales witch is what they do care about not any of us.

Hahaa... oh totally I completely agree. That was the irony I was shooting for given that all my systems (mac and PC) are rock solid despite not being a "professional" myself.

The simple truth is, if you're having instability problems, it is:

1) 3rd party drivers, crapware, or malware, or
2) Hardware.
3) User error.

Microsoft makes a great product. Apple makes a great product. Neither one has any significant flaws at the user level...

The reason I get so ticked off at the Apple/Microsoft bitchfest these days, is I was COMPLETELY on Apple's side back in the XP vs OSX 10.3 days. But Vista cleaned up XP so well that there is no significant stability/security differences for the majority of uses. I can't remember my last non-hardware Windows issue. It's been YEARS.

Glorfendel, other than your horrible rambling and bad grammer you'r pretty much right. Though the markups are far more than 70% on accessories, try 200-300% or more on certain things. The computers have more like 60-70% markup.

Bardia, good to know you meant that with irony.

What the hell are you doing to your poor PC if you can't even safely use Office or check some email without having problems? Crashing in your face? Does that hurt? Hmm, I get the idea maybe it's not the computer's fault?

And I know, all those driver updates they release every month are such a PITA, God forbid they try and make improvements to their software (for your benefit) and taking up 3 minutes of your valuable time. Here's a novel idea, if it works, just play it. Not everyone needs every new driver that is released. Or, since you have so much trouble using Office maybe a console would be more up your alley.

I'll gladly take you up on that offer. Since Apple now uses off the shelf Intel/Nvidia parts I'll build you a Mac and charge you twice of what I paid for parts and what Vista would cost. You still might save some money since I won't charge you the Apple sales tax. That's about a 150% sales tax, unless you want an upgrade, than it's a 300% tax.

Brilliant! What you are saying in effect is that even though Windows is probably the worst desktop operating system, Linux and OSX are even WORSE. Awesome collection of thought there, sir.