Psystar Working on Mac OS X Netbook?

[MacRumors]

Unauthorized Mac clone manufacturer Psystar remains embroiled in legal battle with Apple after initiating sales of their first Mac clone back in April 2008. ZDNet Asia summarizes the case today which remains in the discovery process:

Psystar emerged a year ago as a small independent system builder, the likes of which can be found in any medium-sized town in the United States. What provoked the interest and ire of the Mac community was Psystar's decision to ship so-called "white box" systems with Mac OS preinstalled alongside systems with Windows Vista and Linux, in defiance of Apple's licensing policies for that operating system.

The legal battle hasn't kept Psystar from continuing to sell their Mac OS X compatible machines and even introduce new models including rackmount servers.

With all the recent attention on the netbook market, one curious reader asked Psystar if they had plans to introduce a Mac OS X "netbook" in the future. Pystar's response confirmed that did have a mobile Mac computer in development. This unannounced product may simply be an extension of their laptop initiative that has previously been revealed. Any sort of miniaturized laptop, however, could be very appealing to a certain segment of the Apple's installed base.

Since Apple has neglected this market, running Mac OS X on existing netbooks has become a popular hobby. BoingBoing charts which netbooks can run OS X (though not without some difficulties). Apple has been rumored to be working on their own version of a netbook possibly with the inclusion of a touch screen.

Article Link: Psystar Working on Mac OS X Netbook?

[Shasterball]

Boy do I like competition. Let's see what comes out of this. I'm also curious to see what's been going on with the litigation re: the desktops...

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by Shasterball

Boy do I like competition. Let's see what comes out of this. I'm also curious to see what's been going on with the litigation re: the desktops...

According to the latest court filings, Psystar has no records of how many computers they sold, Psystar has no records of how many MacOS X retail packages they bought, they don't know who their customers are, they have no business plan, they have no cost estimates or profit estimates, they know nothing. At least that is what their CEO told Apple in a court deposition under oath. I find that very funny; Judge Alsup most likely won't.

[leekohler]

Good. I'm most likely buying my next tower from Psystar. I know some people who've got them and they love them. I'm not paying $2500-3000 for a Mac Pro. Psystar has some nice quad core towers for far less. One of these days, Apple will address the need for an inexpensive mid-range tower. This netbook thing is just another example of Apple falling behind in the computer market.

[sideline3]

I'll pass. I happen to like how my Mac looks on the outside.

[Digital Skunk]

Originally Posted by localoid

Anyone of about average intelligence who knows how to use Google should be able to find the article.

True, but not everybody has a Windows laptop and retail copy of Leopard lying around.

Nor have any intentions on buying either.

Originally Posted by applecultvictim

Go. Buy that psystar junk and when the mactablet comes out and the rest of us get it you ll weep for your money. ...

True, but both are just a rumor. I'd put money on Psystar releasing a netbook with OSX long before Apple even thinks of releasing a larger iPod Touch with Mobile OSX for almost $700 plus.

[hashholly]

First things first, i can never support Psystar because 1. I can't support the idea of taking a community organized effort like Hackintosh, stealing other's hard earned code without credit, and profiting from that theft, and 2. You can as well just build a hack yourself because in the end you are going to be the one supporting it, not Psystar.

At most Psystar will either sell rebadged Dell Mini 9's or use those OCZ DIY netbooks, in the end it'll still be cheaper to do it yourself if price is your main concern. Sure you'll have a netbook running OSX, but you will still face the same limitations as DIY, Surfing is fine, Itunes is fine, but under OSX these little netbooks choke on hulu and are unable to play SD and HD(720) smooth.

Personally im holding out to see what happens in June and if this Apple Tablet rumor materializes.

[sideline3]

Pystar is garbage.

[digiguy23]

Where is the competition? Psystar is stealing, not competing

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by digiguy23

Where is the competition? Psystar is stealing, not competing

What are they stealing?

[BaldiMac]

[

Originally Posted by leekohler

What are they stealing?

A copy of OS X. Not the copy in the box, the copy that they installed on the PC.

[leekohler]

Originally Posted by BaldiMac

[

A copy of OS X. Not the copy in the box, the copy that they installed on the PC.

NO- Psystar buys the OS.

[NoSmokingBandit]

Originally Posted by Macminiintel

Last time I saw it, Apple only sells one plastic computer the Polycaronate Macbook, and it is by no means lacking quality. All PC's in the similar price range, look god awful compared to it. If you knew your Apple history, you'd no that in the good old days a Mac clone had to use a Macintoshes ROM chips for it to run its system software. I was just simply quoting it.

Can I ask why are you even on Mac rumors if your an Apple hater, I honestly don't get it. I'd never dream joining a windows forum, because I hate Microsoft, so why is it PC's users always try and cause arguments. Go use your PC whilst its not crashing!!

I know apple's line, thanks, and i'll point out that the Mini has a bit of plastic on it as well. Before the unibody models everyone was happy with plastic, but now that apple has aluminum cases the fanboys act like plastic is the worst thing to ever happen to a computer, regardless of the fact that everyone was happy with plastic a year ago.

I know how mac clones were made back in the 90's, which is why the term "mac clone" is laughable today. Psystar s no more of a mac clone than my Dell XPS 420 (which runs osx perfectly). Psystar isnt "cloning" apple technology, they are just bypassing the synthetic OS restrictions apple has.

I am not an Apple hater, so please stop accusing me of such. I use OSX every day because i love it, Apple's hardware, on the other hand, is where i have issues. If you cant handle admitting something bad about apple then dont even bother posting any more because your fanboy opinion is worthless.

Originally Posted by leekohler

What are they stealing?

I've often asked the same thing and nobody could ever answer me. Afaik, Psystar buys copies of Leopard to install, so Apple is actually making money on every Psystar sold, just not near as much as they would make with their ridiculous hardware profit margins.

[Airforcekid]

If its true goodbye air hello netbook! Theres no reason I need that much power and I would at least 1,500 profit.

[*LTD*]

Get your Psystar junk while you can, folks. They aren't long for this world.

Originally Posted by Airforcekid

If its true goodbye air hello netbook! Theres no reason I need that much power and I would at least 1,500 profit.

I'll buy your Air off you, in that case.

[localoid]

Gizmodo has a detailed article on how to install Leopard on the Dell Mini 9 using the retail copy of OS X 10.5.x using a USB flash drive. Any person of about average intelligence, who can read English and follow instructions should be able to install Leopard on the Dell netbook.



Anyone of about average intelligence who knows how to use Google should be able to find the article.

[arn]

Originally Posted by localoid

Any person of about average intelligence, who can read English

... and owns a Windows PC...

and follow instructions should be able to install Leopard on the Dell netbook.

arn

[localoid]

Originally Posted by arn

... and owns a Windows PC...



arn

How many people don't have at least one friend who has a Windows PC?

[smiddlehurst]

Umm, if you really want an OS X netbook just get a Dell Mini 9. Providing you have either a Windows or OS X machine available and a big memory stick it's almost trivial to get OS X up and running. Everything works perfectly and it'll even happily do system updates without glitching (so far anyway). Considering they go for about £150 and up at the moment it really is hard to go wrong.

I got one about a month and a half ago to use as a portable purely for writing but my wife's knicked it! It's very quick (boots faster than my 17" MBP), has more than enough power for everything you'd want to do on a screen that small and decent battery life (around 3 hours of web surfing, you tube etc). My only real downside is that the keyboard is a little cramped and the screen res is a little too small for my own personal tastes but I'm not sure I'd want to go higher on a 9" screen.

[SPUY767]

Originally Posted by arn

... and owns a Windows PC.

arn

Don't most of us now technically own a Windows (capable) PC?

[FortunesFool]

Originally Posted by localoid

Gizmodo has a detailed article on how to install Leopard on the Dell Mini 9 using the retail copy of OS X 10.5.x using a USB flash drive.

However, then the issue becomes longevity. I have been following the osx86 community for a while and would absolutely love to have an osx netbook myself. However, when I buy something I like to know that I will be able to use it for years. Since every osx update is notorious for breaking hackintosh installations and the community is always focused on getting osx to run on the newest system out there, if you are not a developer yourself you will effectively lose support for the machine relatively quickly.

That said, if Apple does not release a netbookish product by the end of the summer, I'm throwing that all to the wind and getting an S10 or something similar.

[localoid]

Originally Posted by FortunesFool

... Since every osx update is notorious for breaking hackintosh installations and the community is always focused on getting osx to run on the newest system out there, if you are not a developer yourself you will effectively lose support for the machine relatively quickly. ...

You think Psystar is going to hold your hand or spoon feed you if you need to update their machine? With their earlier Hackintosh machines Psystar was telling people to check with online forums for OSX support and help with updates.

There's a DellMini OSX forum and many other places on the Web where you can go for help. And updates aren't as difficult as many seem to think. You certainly don't need to have the skill levels of a "developer"...

[Marx55]

Psystar should buy OQO (now out of business and thus cheap) and make the ultimate pocketable Mac with only 450 g weight!!!

http://www.oqo.com
http://www.oqotalk.com

We need thousands for our University. Because even the MacBook Air is TOO LARGE and TOO HEAVY for us!

[xhambonex]

I doubt they will make anything that compares to the solution Apple comes up with, but this will for sure give users the chance to get an OS X netbook without going through the hackintosh of say a Dell Mini.

[kas23]

Originally Posted by xhambonex

I doubt they will make anything that compares to the solution Apple comes up with, but this will for sure give users the chance to get an OS X netbook without going through the hackintosh of say a Dell Mini.

Well, sure, but I'll take one for half the price anyday of the week, especially if Apple's new "netbook" comes with Mobile OS X.