Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

HacBook Elite

briloronmacrumo

briloronmacrumo

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 25, 2008
538
348
USA
FWIW: this web site is offering Sandy Bridge processors in an HP notebook with OS X. Great idea but don't send them any money yet because Apple's attorneys are undoubtedly working to shut it down. http://hacbook.com/

Theoretically, this should not be illegal. Psystar was shutdown by Apple but their machines shipped with OS X. The difference is legally significant. Maybe if HacBook advises clients that installation instructions for either Win10 or OS X may be found on the web ( without providing a URL or their own instructions ), they make the legal waters murkier. I won't be sending them any money but the legal issue is interesting: i.e. can someone manufacture a machine that allows OS X installation without actually providing instructions or the OS software. Apple might be reluctant to have a public discussion on this topic, so my guess is they will push for a private resolution.
 
Last edited:
maflynn said:
If memory serves me, Apple shut down a site that was selling hackintoshes, back a few years go. I suspect this site will receive a cease and desist notification at some point
Click to expand...

Yeah. That time it was a slam dunk because - although they came with a genuine, paid-for, shrink wrapped copy of OS X on DVD, they also had a modified copy of OS X pre installed on the HD, so we never got to see the more entertaining arguments about licensing.

This lot sound as if they're just shipping with a tool that allows the user to download and install OS X, so Apple's lawyers are going to have to get a bit more creative this time although I don't doubt the result... I suspect that they'll get them on trademarks or DCMA or something. Certainly in the UK (and probably most of the EU) that advert would get banned for claiming that the machines can be used to run OS X when there's no legal way for the customer to install it.
 
Left me spam email with them. Would be interesting to see what the deal really is. If you get a secondary notebook to run OSX for ~700 bucks (depending on options) this might be worth a shot. At the same time you get a cheap windows box for work related stuff......

In general I always like to have a high end MBP and then an older version as backup machine in case the main MBP fails. Right now my oldest MBP died and the 2010 MBP has already signs of GPU failure so that won't make it for long anymore. That means I need soon two Macs. There are of course other options: get a MBA, used MBP, Macmini or such.
 
after looking at this a bit more I realized this are refurbished HP's. Unless you really only need the base model for ~350 bucks this doesn't sound appealing. If you need more capabilities and you upgrade the HP to 600-700 bucks it might be better to get a refurbished 13" MBP or MBA or even a used Mini. They will have no compatibility issues and will get support with the newest OSX for a couple of years.
 
keysofanxiety said:
Yeah, but it's an HP. That's like getting a Ferrari body put on a Ford Focus. :D
Click to expand...

I'd say it's more like putting a Ferrari power train in a Ford Focus body. If you want the performance of a Ferrari, you've got it all. If all you care about is showing off your bank account, all you have is a Ford Focus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: radio893fm
DevNull0 said:
I'd say it's more like putting a Ferrari power train in a Ford Focus body. If you want the performance of a Ferrari, you've got it all. If all you care about is showing off your bank account, all you have is a Ford Focus.
Click to expand...

There's a lot more to a computer than just hardware specs. HP are notorious for their awful build quality and terrible thermal design. No point throwing a decent i7 into a laptop if it's throttling every 30 seconds.

Much like popping a Ferrari engine into a Ford Focus. It wouldn't be able to appropriately put down the power ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesPDX
The HP notebook I have access to at work has an atrocious trackpad. It's so bad that I asked myself how somebody would pay money for such a thing. The trackpad on the 2009 MBP we have is better than the 2015-ish trackpad on the HP.
 
  • Like
Reactions: keysofanxiety
briloronmacrumo said:
Yep. IMO the challenge to Apple is more interesting than the machine HacBook offers.
Click to expand...

And making it thinner should be an automatic disqualification. Fatter, heavier, better heat dissipation, anti-reflective screen coatings, more ports of different kinds, discrete graphics, removable secondary SSD, 32GB RAM baseline. Basically, a professional mil-spec machine.
 
JamesPDX said:
And making it thinner should be an automatic disqualification.
Click to expand...

Its quite simple - 2 ranges: The "Macbooks" (thin & crispy), and the Macbook Pros" (Deep pan).

Apple may need a new 13/14" MacBook to replace the Air & the low-end of the 13" rMBP range (which currently overlap too much), but the 15" and the upper-end of the 13" rMBP range are already thin enough and light enough - slimming them down and dropping ports is just going to make them less versatile.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesPDX
JamesPDX said:
And making it thinner should be an automatic disqualification. Fatter, heavier, better heat dissipation, anti-reflective screen coatings, more ports of different kinds, discrete graphics, removable secondary SSD, 32GB RAM baseline. Basically, a professional mil-spec machine.
Click to expand...

Mil-spec doesn't mean much for computers. They are still using IBM Series/1 and 8 inch floppies.

Apple definitely needs to differentiate the Pro and Consumer lines of Macbook. An MBP needs power and connectivity. If someone needs a thin and light computer with limited features they can get a Macbook or Macbook Air.
 
  • Like
Reactions: old-wiz and JamesPDX
Or ProTools PC or Boxx. I just spoke with someone from Intel yesterday. There are some great chips coming. As in, the Xeon isn't going away, and there will be even better stuff. That's great news!
[doublepost=1474402516][/doublepost]
keysofanxiety said:
Yeah, but it's an HP. That's like getting a Ferrari body put on a Ford Focus. :D
Click to expand...

From what I can see, it only ships with 6GB RAM. How can one know that it's not soldered-in? There's no BTO option beyond HDD or SSD. Gah...
 
maflynn said:
If memory serves me, Apple shut down a site that was selling hackintoshes, back a few years go. I suspect this site will receive a cease and desist notification at some point
Click to expand...

Shut down already...

Choose an OS.
Any OS.
HackBook Elite is an Open Laptop kit that's ready to run any operating system such as Windows, Linux, or OS X.

No longer available

Windows, Linux, OS X, etc.
Ready to run anything.
HackBook Elite is configured to smoothly run any OS, and ships with compatible components (i.e. WiFi card). It's the perfect platform for developers and creators.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back