Apple Suggests Possible Conspiracy Behind Psystar

[SPUY767]

There is less and less "apple tax" as of today. Go look at Dell's and HP's and probably even Sony's AIOs (we'll get to desktop towers in a moment). Unless you spend about $1,700, you will not even get a dedicated graphics chip. Doesn't matter how powerful Intel's GMA 4500 series are, they will never rival a dedicated ATI or nVidia chip, not even ones that are a few years old. Again, this is for the same price point... not a explanation of a price gap.

Laptops are pretty much the same. Dell's Studio line of notebooks used Intel chips. MacBooks use the nVidia (still integrate I know,) but much more powerful than the latest Intel chips. Same stuff with HP and Sony. Lenovo is no different, most of their computers these days use whimpy Intel graphics vs. the same price point on the MacBook and a better chip.

Towers are were Apple needs a little explaining to do. But still, the same hardware on the Mac Pro is nearly that much money for a PC spec'd alike.

Again, this is only from the graphics chip point of view, I know Dell has a XPS line with dedicated graphics, but the price point... I know HP has lightscribe (who uses it?!?) and Sony has blu-ray (I know other companies have blu-ray but Sony is the most prominent). I haven't mentioned the corner to corner glass bevel of the MacBook vs. some cheapo and last generation plastic housing. Macs are also much more aesthetically pleasing and made of aluminum, which helps vent heat and is much stronger than any plastic out there. The ability to run multiple OS together (Fusion and Parallels) as well as Boot Camp make Macs a much better competition against PCs as of today.

Do a feature comparable match up of any Apple to any Dell/HP/Sony/Lenovo, and the price difference is a total fabrication. (Excluding the Mac Mini) Dell will charge you almost four grand for a Server grade chassis which is scarcely more powerful than the first Mac Pro I bought for $3200.00. . . in 2006.

Last time I checked, Dell makes great looking computers with last generation ideas for hardware type. In other words, crap hardware.

It's a hypopthetical.

 

[funnyent]

so thats why bill gates retired from microsoft...

 

[dohardthings]

There is less and less "apple tax" as of today. Go look at Dell's and HP's and probably even Sony's AIOs (we'll get to desktop towers in a moment). Unless you spend about $1,700, you will not even get a dedicated graphics chip. Doesn't matter how powerful Intel's GMA 4500 series are, they will never rival a dedicated ATI or nVidia chip, not even ones that are a few years old. Again, this is for the same price point... not a explanation of a price gap.

Laptops are pretty much the same. Dell's Studio line of notebooks used Intel chips. MacBooks use the nVidia (still integrate I know,) but much more powerful than the latest Intel chips. Same stuff with HP and Sony. Lenovo is no different, most of their computers these days use whimpy Intel graphics vs. the same price point on the MacBook and a better chip.

Towers are were Apple needs a little explaining to do. But still, the same hardware on the Mac Pro is nearly that much money for a PC spec'd alike.

Again, this is only from the graphics chip point of view, I know Dell has a XPS line with dedicated graphics, but the price point... I know HP has lightscribe (who uses it?!?) and Sony has blu-ray (I know other companies have blu-ray but Sony is the most prominent). I haven't mentioned the corner to corner glass bevel of the MacBook vs. some cheapo and last generation plastic housing. Macs are also much more aesthetically pleasing and made of aluminum, which helps vent heat and is much stronger than any plastic out there. The ability to run multiple OS together (Fusion and Parallels) as well as Boot Camp make Macs a much better competition against PCs as of today.

agree with you wouldn't mind a smaller brother to the mac pro to replace the mini that way you don't have to start at i think it is 2800 to buy a computer that you can have grow with you and the computer world

 

[dohardthings]

"Last time I checked, Dell makes great looking computers with last generation ideas for hardware type. In other words, crap hardware."

dell's are UGLY

 

[reevans]

Duh!

As a person who is setting up a new business, I know that unless you have very deep pockets and an IQ of room temperature, you could never start up a company and sustain it like Psystar has. That is, unless you have some backers who have very deep pockets and something else to gain.

At first, I thought it might be Apple who was behind it and was part of their skunk works to test the market for cheaper clones. That doesn't seem to be the case now and I think that it could well be another Steve (or Bill) who is behind it by funding this unbelievable company.

 

[macall75]

so how come microsoft dont sue apple for using windows on there machines???

 

[grue]

An 11.3" widescreen display could make a notebook the same width as the 12.1" PowerBook, if my math is right

 

[Mousse]

So when will Michael Moore make a movie about this? Unlike his other movie, this one at least seems like a plausible conspiracy theory.

 

[koobcamuk]

This is interesting. I wonder where this case will go...

 

[bdkennedy1]

Michael Dell

 

[grue]

so how come microsoft dont sue apple for using windows on there machines???

Because Microsoft's license allows you to install on any damned thing you please.

 

[termite]

so how come microsoft dont sue apple for using windows on there machines???

Because Microsoft's license does not specify what type of computer must be used. So no license issue arises.

Also, Microsoft IS a monopoly in the Operating System industry (as determined by the Federal Courts) and could get in big trouble if they tried to ban use on Apple's machines.

 

[dohardthings]

So when will Michael Moore make a movie about this? Unlike his other movie, this one at least seems like a plausible conspiracy theory.

if he made a movie about it he would go and have the owners of Psystar sit down and act like nobody's whining that they couldn't afford to buy real macs and buy their food so they have to have Psysar or starve till they save money for macs cause their boss won't let the use a pc

 

[swingerofbirch]

I don't mind seeing Apple squirm a bit. I've begun to feel resentful of their increasing complacency as their popularity grows. Feels like the 90s all over again.

What was the last innovative product Apple came out with? I would argue the iPod touch.

They haven't done anything interesting with Macs for years. The first iBook was interesting in that it had WiFi. Apple made things like WiFi and Ethernet and FireWire standard on all their products. Now they're taking away FireWire, and not adding anything interesting like built in 3G or GPS to their computers. I have personally found Leopard to be buggy (not as much as when it came out, but still.....), and Snow Leopard promises to be a fix for what ails Leopard which is nice but that's a ways off.....

Remember the days of the gorgeous Indigo iMacs? Comes in colors everywhere, she's like a rainbow! Think Different! Now Apple is painfully minimalist, austere and mass market.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for an underdog and need a new one to root for.

OK, I know I'm being a bit pissy, I have other reasons I am upset with Apple right now I can't discuss....yet.

 

[miiles]

This totally makes sense.

 

[Zmmyt]

this is more interesting than any upcoming hardware rumours.

 

[alexbates]

...I smell Ballmer.

Ballmer!!!

He has to be a part of Pystar in some way. I'm sure he's been trying everything he can in the last couple of years to run Mac on Windows. Now that Pystar has come into play, I'm sure he has some ideas.

If Pystar wins this, Apple is doomed. Since Apple has succeeded because of Mac OS X and not hardware, Microsoft could get OSX running on a Dell. That would for sure be the end of Apple.

Come on Apple! The only computer that has the right to run OSX is a Mac. You should keep it that way!

 

[pimentoLoaf]

You people are all wrong.

It's Nigerian scammers who cannot get Mac users to fall for their spiels, as Mac Mail has a bounce function. If they gained control of the clone market, they would no doubt have a patch that would prevent mail from bouncing anything.

 

[NT1440]

I always wondered how a "startup" company managed to afford the building they later tried to sell for 3 million....

 

[jbernie]

Last time I checked, Dell makes great looking computers with last generation ideas for hardware type. In other words, crap hardware.

I bought an HP laptop recently, I checked Dell and couldn't get anything close to the HP for the same money.

i thought we liked apple because they didn't waste their time with 88 designs

Why do you need 88 designs?

MacBook - consumer laptop, would also include something in the 10-12" screen
MacBookAir - regular laptop screen without all the weight
MacBookPro - for ahem "Profesionals" (somewhat debatable these days)
Mac(insert name) - mid tower (no 8 cores here) for the user who is comfortable adding/replacing parts, has a need to upgrade graphics cards etc, ie gamers
MacPro - Professional tower, for all the super duper audio/video work
iMac - all in one for light to moderate performance, great for limited spaces, people who dont like the clutter of a tower
MacMini - compact design but use existing accessories, portable, flexability in use, hook many up to a kvm for dev work, put in cars, etc

4.5 different formats, 7 designs total, would expect at most 4 different sub levels based on processor speed, screen size on laptops and superdrives etc which is nothing different that what you get now.

Given Apple used to have the mid tower offerings and from what I saw of them (my ex's family had a G3 based mid tower) they were impressive from the tech side of things it is disappointing that they feel the way too expensive MacPro, the way underpowered MacMini or the all in one can't change a thing iMac are suitable replacements.

 

[joeblough]

this speculation is kind of out of hand... groklaw, engaget, etc. are all off-base IMHO: i think apple's 10 john does are whoever the people are that reverse engineered the kernel decryption. those people are not part of psystar - they are probably in eastern europe - and thats why apple is talking about unnamed individuals.

it doesnt take a mystery tech company behind the scenes to bankroll the lawsuits. Psystar's lawyers probably think they can get damages out of apple for restraint of trade or something like that. or perhaps they have told psystar that if they prevail, then psystar owes them royalties on the sale of their computers. either way, like many trial laywers, they are working for a potential payoff if their lawsuit is successful.

 

[Riemann Zeta]

Someone at Apple legal threw on the tinfoil hat.

My money's on the reverse vampires as well...in conjunction with the saucer people, of course.

 

[lamadude]

Ballmer!!!

He has to be a part of Pystar in some way. I'm sure he's been trying everything he can in the last couple of years to run Mac on Windows.

That statement makes no sense. You mean run OSX on a PC.

 

[kresh]

I think Apple is on a wild goose chase with these jane doe fillings. I would be seriously surprised if another company like Dell were materialy participating in PsyStar.

Remember the box PsyStar started with? The one that was louder than a transcontinental Concord? It also took forever for them to start shipping machines. They were clearly having to wait for customer's funds to become available before ordering the parts and building the customer's box, all which indicates a shoestring budget.

I would not be surprised to find out that someone like Dell was financing PsyStar's legal defense, but Apple could not do anything about that

 

[jbernie]

Because Microsoft's license does not specify what type of computer must be used. So no license issue arises.

Also, Microsoft IS a monopoly in the Operating System industry (as determined by the Federal Courts) and could get in big trouble if they tried to ban use on Apple's machines.

BS. Microsoft can modify its EULA to state that you can only install it on a machine that currently has Windows installed, ie you would have to buy a PC with windows preinstalled (sound familiar?), but they choose not to.

That is in part why one company has a larger market share than the other. That is also why one company has a lot more issues as they try and support just about every conceivable hardware configuration in existance.

Microsoft allows you to install it on anything, just they want you to purchase/install a legal product and not a pirated copy. This freedom allows the PC industry to be as vibrant as it is and why Apple is 2nd fiddle and maybe you might get the Apple version of a software product a few months later.