Microsoft Alters "Laptop Hunters" Ads in Wake of Apple Price Cuts

[macintoshtoffy]

I'm pretty sure most people care about the size of the screen.

Based on what evidence - customers are still purchasing MacBook 13.3 laptops; the biggest sellers with Dell are their 13inch range; most other laptop vendors are standardising on either 13.3 or 14inch screens.

Why the heck should Apple care about the 10% of people with a 15inch fixation? why focus so much energy on 10% when the focus should be on the bulk 80% of customers?

That's why there's three choices for the MBP (13", 15", 17")

What part of "PRO" don't you understand?

Lauren is a consumer, MacBook is the consumer range, ergo, the product targeted at her is the MacBook.

May I suggest Johnny that you go on a Quest to find the meaning of Pro - because all conventional wisdom points to the fact that Lauren does not fall into the definition of Pro.

 

[BaldiMac]

Oh, Apple's ads are definitely more cleverly designed from a legal point of view, they make sure stay out of trouble... but none the less all their anti-PC marketing is based on lies, myths and wild exaggerations. My point was that MS always let them continue spewing their BS undisturbed up until about a year ago, and when Apple got a taste of their own medicine they immediately jumped on MS like scientologists jumped on South Park.

Sooo... your claim that Apple's ads contained ludicrously inaccurate claims was ludicrously inaccurate? Or do you have any examples of Apple's ludicrously inaccurate claims?

 

[ProwlingTiger]

91%. Bitches.

Is that by chance the ratio of effected:uneffected hard disk space on your PC?

All sales, at least from what I can see, show Apple gaining ground. I personally don't give a crap and keep telling myself: "My machine, both hardware and software, is superior." Sure, it's the typical arrogant Mac user that is stereotyped. But, I had the Windows and budget PC experience for...10+ years. Not happening again. For me, the Apple logo is worth far less than the components it resides upon and with $30B+ in cash sitting around, that's saying something.

 

[uberamd]

No, it's not. I've worked with PCs for 18 years and Macs for about 12, and while viruses and crashes were quite prevalent in PCs some ten years ago, it has little to do with a modern PC experience.

I'm typing this in IE8 on a MacBook Pro, since out of the two systems I have on this machine, Win7 is the more stable one where I don't have to look at perpetually spinning beachballs and send error reports to Apple where I usually end with asking if this system is called Leopard 98 or Leopard ME.


I care, which is why I bought an MBP 17". I would've preferred the 15" for portability reasons, but I refuse to work on a screen with jumbo pixels for blind people. 1440x900 on a 15" and they call it "Pro"? Good lord.

1440x900 on a 15" is amazing to most people. A VAST majority of my friends have 15" systems with 1280x800, so I have no clue what you are talking about. 1440x900 is standard for most consumer 19" LCD's as well.

As for PC problems, I guess you are living under a rock. No point trying to argue with you, I know what I experience every day at work, on a major University campus. We get all types of users, but the sheer quantity of Windows issues never ceases to amaze me. Its fine though, without the constant Windows problems I wouldn't have a job.

 

[Corrosive vinyl]

Microsoft, a software company, is running ads for hardware they don't even make.

Microsoft basically had a commercial about dell, because isn't that what they decided to buy? They basically said "this dell computer is better than all these apple computers".

Apple has control of what hardware goes with the software they make while everyone and anyone can make something which works with Microsoft products.

 

[deannnnn]

"It seems like you're paying a lot for the brand."

I think we pay for a little bit more than the Apple logo on the back of our computer screens...

 

[Anuba]

What part of "PRO" don't you understand?

Lauren is a consumer, MacBook is the consumer range, ergo, the product targeted at her is the MacBook.

May I suggest Johnny that you go on a Quest to find the meaning of Pro - because all conventional wisdom points to the fact that Lauren does not fall into the definition of Pro.

Well, Pro used to be short for professional, but I think Apple is using it as an abbreviation of "prosumer". There's really nothing "professional" about a 15" laptop with 2 measly USB ports, a glossy screen with jumbo pixels and an SD card slot. They have the MacBook Professional 17", the Mac Professional, and then there's the MacBook Prosumer 13" and 15".

 

[kidtronix]

Told ya.

 

[Slurpy2k8]

But wait, I thought these ads were 'non-scripted', as per Microsofts words. Then how the hell can they 'change' them?

 

[racer1441]

Why does everyone take the quote from microsoft that apple called about the laptop hunters ads?

Where is the proof? Wouldn't they send a legal letter, not just some random phone call.

I think that Microsoft had to change the ads because they were making microsoft look like morons, and decided to make the BS story about apple calling up as a cover.

 

[uberamd]

Well, Pro used to be short for professional, but I think Apple is using it as an abbreviation of "prosumer". There's really nothing "professional" about a 15" laptop with 2 measly USB ports, a glossy screen with jumbo pixels and an SD card slot. They have the MacBook Professional 17", the Mac Professional, and then there's the MacBook Prosumer 13" and 15".

Well sir, everything you said is your OPINION. Get it? Your OPINION, YOU do not define what a Pro user is.

I love my 1440x900 display, and I don't want a 15" screen that is impossible to read. I am 21 (young), have perfect vision, and I think the 15" resolution is great.

 

[Vulpinemac]

At least Microsoft's ads show more 'truth' than Apple's. They didn't have to do this but they did...unlike Apple's ads that make PCs look like they are crashing or getting a virus/spyware from left, right, centre, above and below every minute of the day...

Ok. Dawn of the Dead--Fresh Windows installs turned into zombies in 4 minutes.
http://www.oreillynet.com/sysadmin/blog/2004/11/dawn_of_the_deadfresh_windows.html

Average time to infection: 4 minutes
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2008/07/average_time_to_infection_4_minutes_1.html

Time to infection: 12 minutes
http://xpeqfe.blogspot.com/2005/07/time-to-infection-12-minutes.html

Zombie PCs: Time to infection is less than five minutes
http://keznews.com/4990_Zombie_PCs__Time_to_infection_is_less_than_five_minutes

"The survival time is currently around 4 minutes ..."
http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4721

Even with the qualifier, "... for unpatched systems..." the news is bad, since an unpatched system MUST go online to get its patches!

There are many, many more articles along these lines.

 

[oursfan]

"This does not change the focus of the campaign, which is to showcase the value and choice of the PC."

Lets be honest people, is there ever any real value associated with purchasing a PC? I think not. If I wanted a machine that under preformed, froze up, had an extremely inferior OS, etc..., I still wouldn't bring myself to buy a PC! I feel sorry for the poor saps that are getting roped into buying a crappy PC because they believe these ads are painting a realistic picture.

 

[Carnivor]

The way i see it, if you have to badmouth the competition during your commercial you've already lost. M$ know they are loosing ground, and this is the only way they see to reclaim it. very poor show.

why would i choose my alu mb over ANY pc laptop, sheer build quality, no creaks, or squeaks from plastic, the chassis is solid, not like any of the twisty laptops.

I read an article some time ago that said Apple were the Bang & Olufsen of the computer industry, .... says it all really, you get what you pay for.

I'd prefer to pay for 1 macbook every 3 years at a premium expence than a shoddy built pc laptop every year.

What was that saying, if you buy cheap you always buy twice?

 

[iOrlando]

quite a different reason for why apple lawyers called MSFT (which was obvious from the beginning) than from the initial accounts of the story told by MSFT management....Apple had a valid complaint to tell MSFT...change your ads or court will be coming.

 

[Consultant]

Actually, it's probably because the MS ads are useless. No amount of ads can polish the turd known as vista.

Apple just had the best quarter in history, and MS just had record breaking declining sales, and overall OPERATION LOSS for the recent fiscal year.

Microsoft suffers worst fiscal year ever while Apple rises
http://www.appleinsider.com/article...worst_fiscal_year_ever_while_apple_rises.html

 

[chaosconan]

1440x900 on a 15" is amazing to most people. A VAST majority of my friends have 15" systems with 1280x800, so I have no clue what you are talking about. 1440x900 is standard for most consumer 19" LCD's as well.

As for PC problems, I guess you are living under a rock. No point trying to argue with you, I know what I experience every day at work, on a major University campus. We get all types of users, but the sheer quantity of Windows issues never ceases to amaze me. Its fine though, without the constant Windows problems I wouldn't have a job.

The problem with Windows is that its harder to manage. You have different Windows users out there of which some know how to keep it clean (power users) while others don't know who's system gets out of control.

With Mac OS its designed to be easy for all types of users. That's the advantage that Mac OS has over windows.

In summary Mac OS is a clean operating system and stays clean versus Windows is a clean operating system out of the box but only power users can keep it clean but after constant usage average users will dirty it up.

This is my experience with using both operating system and being desktop support for both platforms.

 

[larrybeo]

quite a different reason for why apple lawyers called MSFT (which was obvious from the beginning) than from the initial accounts of the story told by MSFT management....Apple had a valid complaint to tell MSFT...change your ads or court will be coming.

I couldn't have said it better myself - you just beat me to it. My post hit a minute after yours! I expect better from MacRumors.... they don't need to sell Macs to us.

 

[eldernorm]

But everyone is missing the point :-0

did anyone notice that the computer she did get cost $30 less then a macbook? I would rather get a macbook then a dell any day. LoL orbital, great McD. reference.

Did anyone notice that the original point of the ad and the offer is to find a computer that the ad agency will PAY FOR...!!!!!!!!!! So its a free computer.

And in some references, I am of the impression that the person keeps the difference between what they pay and the amount that they are looking to buy at or under.

So, to buy a laptop for under $1700 and you get one for $800 means you get the computer free and get $900 back.

Gee, I would go with a Dell too for that offer. Then I could sell the Dell on e-bay and buy a good Mac.

"" What the He** were you thinking!!"" To copy a phrase from Avril.

 

[larrybeo]

The problem with Windows is that its harder to manage. You have different Windows users out there of which some know how to keep it clean (power users) while others don't know who's system gets out of control.

With Mac OS its designed to be easy for all types of users. That's the advantage that Mac OS has over windows.

In summary Mac OS is a clean operating system versus Windows is a clean operating system out of the box but only power users can keep it clean but after constant usage average users will dirty it up.

This is my experience with using both operating system and being desktop support for both platforms.

Well said! I think this is the smartest thing I've ever read in these forums! I would have added that Macs are made for people who have no business pushing on the power button on a computer in the first place, but your post makes the point clear.

 

[genovelle]

Err... do you seriously consider this a victory for Apple?

It makes them look like total losers, because it proves that the call from Apple Legal actually did happen. Apple have been making ludicrously inaccurate claims about Windows and PCs in their ads for ages, and when Microsoft finally fights back, Apple stoops to behaving like a bunch of crybabies with no skin, like some litigous religious cult.

Sounds like the total loser is U. You would be a complete liar if you said you would not call the competitor up the street from you to tell them to stop saying on television that your product is $2000 when it's $300 less. Its called false advertising and it is illegal in every state in the union.

Oh and concerning the Apple ads. I used PCs since the 80s and still had them at my job as an IT manager, so I know Microsoft well have even had to have wonderful 3rd level tech support from them. I have yet to see an Apple ad about Windows that did not ring true. Apple use to let companies like Microsoft and Palm get away with things and just say we will let it go and just focus on making or stuff. Well you see what happened. If you cross the line you deserve what you get!!!!!!!!!!

 

[iindigo]

I'm typing this in IE8 on a MacBook Pro, since out of the two systems I have on this machine, Win7 is the more stable one where I don't have to look at perpetually spinning beachballs and send error reports to Apple where I usually end with asking if this system is called Leopard 98 or Leopard ME.

What exactly are you doing to that poor system? I've been running Leopard since the day it came out on a variety of different Macs (and even a hackintosh tower) and haven't experienced the issues you speak of at all. What programs do you use? On OS X, crashes are typically caused by badly-written applications and input managers, NOT the OS.

 

[BaldiMac]

Can you please cite your source for these statistics, especially the statistics that state a vast majority of all PC sales are done online. I am curious.

I never claimed the vast majority of all PC sales are done online. I said "The vast majority of computer sales are not from B&M stores." That would include online sales, telephone sales, and enterprise sales.

For the Apple numbers, see Apple's financial statement.
http://images.apple.com/pr/pdf/q309data_sum.pdf

Only 17% of Dell's US revenue is even from consumers.
http://i.dell.com/sites/content/corporate/financials/en/Documents/10k-fy08pdf.pdf

You can use Google for more.

 

[futureswitcher]

The way i see it, if you have to badmouth the competition during your commercial you've already lost.

Right...

 

[AlexisV]

Any Americans on here? We don't have these ads in Britain, we have British kids boasting about how they can make slideshows even though they're 8 years old, or whatever.

They're pretty cheesy adverts, but nowhere near as bad as the obviously-fake laptop hunter ads.

Do you see them often on American TV? Just wondering why they're not run over here.