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Microsoft Remains on Offensive with 'Apple Tax' Report and Latest Laptop Ad
- Thread starter Eidorian
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Laptop, silly....
I think it's a great marketing ploy...
Find customers that ARE NOT Apple customers and give them a free PC to reinforce that fact...
Brilliant!
I hate to say it, but I'm pretty sure these are actors fed lines and they just shoot and edit in a way that makes it look candid. I could be wrong, but advertising is advertising, they spend lots of money to have it done 100% their way.
Most agencies these days are not trying to rip off the "viral" aspect of most random video's and spinning them to push their product.
Totally agree with both of you.Thank you, Kevin for this wonderful post. It encapsulates much of how I feel about MAC OSX, the utility, the experience, and - yes - the opportunity cost of going Mac vs. PC. Since I switched to Mac as my main system, I saved so much in time alone avoiding all the nonsense associaed with optimizing a Windows machine. As an aside, as soon as MY mother's older DELL Dimension gives up the ghost, I'm probably going to get her a Mini.
I still work and play with PCs, but now I prefer the Mac and budget my future needs around all things Apple as a result. If the hype surrounding these Microsoft ads results in Cupertino lowering prices, licensing OSX to other hardware manufacturers, or re-thinking the user-self-servicing and upgrade capabilities on future products, I say, Amen to the possibilities. Consumers like choices. The biggest and most effective response to the M$ ads is not an expensive re-tooling of the MAC vs. PC commercials (which I loved, btw), but rather - a significant and transparent change toward this end (more choices) for Apple's customers.
My mother wanted an easier way of getting her work done (She's a Histologist) and the frustration of focusing on getting things to work properly were slowing her down. I gave her my iBook G4 (Its maxed out even though an older machine) and she has not been more happier.
She loves the ability to manipulate pictures more efficiently using iPhoto VS. Windows photo application.
She also couldn't believe that there was not a ton of trial applications on the mac , forcing end users to purchase in order to keep using the program or for virus protection to keep the computer free and safe from hackers,viruses,spyware etc.....
Several other family members have migrated , just because they feel they can get more done as far as work on a mac than fiddling around with things that obscure the work area on the machine
Meh, in my little experience with Vista, I don't think it's as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I like it better than XP on a well specced machine. But it's not that good either. Clumsy and clutzy to work with in the usual MS reach around your left butt cheek to scratch your right ear way.
Maybe you don't know what your doing? ( Just kidding, should have resisted but couldn't).
While MS makes a couple valid points, their actual comparisons are insanely fradulent.
They list Office and Quicken as expenses for the mac but list nothing for the PC - neither of those computers ships with those, so the PC user would be spending just as much.
They also list five years of MobileMe for the mac and nothing comparable on the PC side, again the PC user has to pay for equivalent functionality plus the mac user can go with the same cheaper alternative as the PC user.
They list an iLife upgrade on the mac side, but list no equivalent software on the PC side in the first place.
They don't add the features that the PC is missing, like a webcam, nor do they compare equivalent processors.
And the craziest thing of all, for a family of four apparently running just Office and Quicken, they list a MAC PRO as the desktop option. Why that and not a mini or iMac?
How can you take seriously any comparison that has tons of things added to one side and not the other, and instead of even picking comparable machines, basically picks the most expensive machine Apple offers instead of a more similar consumer machine?
And what's up with the MS blog comments not working in Safari? MS intentionally making it incompatible to try and keep out responses from mac users?
They list Office and Quicken as expenses for the mac but list nothing for the PC - neither of those computers ships with those, so the PC user would be spending just as much.
They also list five years of MobileMe for the mac and nothing comparable on the PC side, again the PC user has to pay for equivalent functionality plus the mac user can go with the same cheaper alternative as the PC user.
They list an iLife upgrade on the mac side, but list no equivalent software on the PC side in the first place.
They don't add the features that the PC is missing, like a webcam, nor do they compare equivalent processors.
And the craziest thing of all, for a family of four apparently running just Office and Quicken, they list a MAC PRO as the desktop option. Why that and not a mini or iMac?
How can you take seriously any comparison that has tons of things added to one side and not the other, and instead of even picking comparable machines, basically picks the most expensive machine Apple offers instead of a more similar consumer machine?
And what's up with the MS blog comments not working in Safari? MS intentionally making it incompatible to try and keep out responses from mac users?
At work, I write a lot of technical documentation. I tried to use iWorks pages but I switch between windows a lot and with expose, it was too much of a hassle. I had to open expose (shortcut on my mx revolution) and then move my mouse to the correct window AFTER finding it. I just couldn't get any work done this way. So I switched to Vista, and it just works. The Taskbar is so much better when you work with multiple windows and have to switch between windows often. Also, I find Office 07 makes iWorks pages look very primitive.
Now, I'm writing a paper and my wireless connection on my macbook keeps dropping or timing out. It cannot be the wireless router because the other coworkers windows laptops are fine. I read on the Apple forums that this is a common issue with Leopard (peoples wireless connections would suddenly drop after upgrading from Tiger). Not sure why, but it's really frustrating and I can't get any work done. I don't have time for this nonsense. Again, I used my work PC (vista) and everything works fine.
Yesterday, I was reviewing a PDF document using Preview and it did not display correctly and I was in the middle of a conference and did not have the correct info because Preview was displaying it incorrectly. That's the last time I use Preview. It's just so frustrating.
Now, I'm writing a paper and my wireless connection on my macbook keeps dropping or timing out. It cannot be the wireless router because the other coworkers windows laptops are fine. I read on the Apple forums that this is a common issue with Leopard (peoples wireless connections would suddenly drop after upgrading from Tiger). Not sure why, but it's really frustrating and I can't get any work done. I don't have time for this nonsense. Again, I used my work PC (vista) and everything works fine.
Yesterday, I was reviewing a PDF document using Preview and it did not display correctly and I was in the middle of a conference and did not have the correct info because Preview was displaying it incorrectly. That's the last time I use Preview. It's just so frustrating.
It's true, you know. OSX is not perfect.
And Vista isn't evil on a plate.
For most people - Vista or XP does everything they ever need, quickly, easily, without hassle.
For them - a £400 laptop is all they'll ever need.
Apple will never get to proper mass market penetration until they can offer a like for like alternative. You can get a laptop for each of your two kids, with cash to spare. Or you can buy a single Mac.
Whatcha donna do?
It's a total no brainer.
And Vista isn't evil on a plate.
For most people - Vista or XP does everything they ever need, quickly, easily, without hassle.
For them - a £400 laptop is all they'll ever need.
Apple will never get to proper mass market penetration until they can offer a like for like alternative. You can get a laptop for each of your two kids, with cash to spare. Or you can buy a single Mac.
Whatcha donna do?
It's a total no brainer.
I'll do one of these commericals for them if they gave me the money... i'll buy the laptop then sell it and use the money to fund a Mac Pro. lol
And what is up with the comparisons in their "white paper"?
They fault the MacBook for "no keyboard or mouse"? Huh? It has a keyboard and trackpad. Are they saying the PC laptops all include an additional keyboard and mouse for their base price? Just bizarre. They also lie about the amount of ram in the macbook, which is the same as the models they compare. And they ignore that the MB has a webcam, not in the PCs.
There's no question that PCs often have a price advantage over the mac. But it really undermines the point they are trying to make when they are so obviously dishonest in their comparisons. Did they really need to distort the facts to show that a PC is cheaper? Or did they just get greedy and feel like the real difference wasn't enough and that people felt that a modest "tax" to get a mac is worth paying?
edit: Just figured it out, they are comparing new PCs to the previous generation of the Mac models. How convenient for them.
They fault the MacBook for "no keyboard or mouse"? Huh? It has a keyboard and trackpad. Are they saying the PC laptops all include an additional keyboard and mouse for their base price? Just bizarre. They also lie about the amount of ram in the macbook, which is the same as the models they compare. And they ignore that the MB has a webcam, not in the PCs.
There's no question that PCs often have a price advantage over the mac. But it really undermines the point they are trying to make when they are so obviously dishonest in their comparisons. Did they really need to distort the facts to show that a PC is cheaper? Or did they just get greedy and feel like the real difference wasn't enough and that people felt that a modest "tax" to get a mac is worth paying?
edit: Just figured it out, they are comparing new PCs to the previous generation of the Mac models. How convenient for them.
And that is the exact reason they're NOT targeting you. You are NOT a soccer mom with 3 kids. You do your research, but many more DO NOT. Get it?
There's no question that MS is targeting consumers who are ignorant of the facts. It may work for them in some cases. But that doesn't change the fact that MS is being dishonest about quite a few things, and they are going to be criticized for that.
Really, if the biggest strength of a marketing campaign is that it lies to people, and some people are going to be gullible enough to fall for it, are they really doing such a good job?
It just shows how few things the 95% market dominant microsoft have to shout about these days.
Zune, windows mobile and vista - what is there to shout about there?
So what else is there but state the obvious - better designed products tend to cost more?
Zune, windows mobile and vista - what is there to shout about there?
So what else is there but state the obvious - better designed products tend to cost more?
I just hate to see all these stickers on a laptop.. ou need to peel them off and then it leaves a ugly mark.
PS: What's up with all the blue ray stuff, aren't we all downloading nowdays?? I never used my DVD player on my alu-laptop.. I used it 5-10 times on my imac over the last 1.5 years...
Ries
There is no question that Apple is targeting consumers who are ignorant of the facts. Look at all the Apple commercials. "Vague" bashing of Vista. Then Apple says "OS X just works". Well, if it worked, why are there so many posts on this forum asking for help. False advertising.
But I guess it's okay for Apple to bash Vista using "vagueness" but not the other way around.
They are easily removed without leaving any marks by first heating them a with a hair blow dryer, and then after removing the sticker use the removed sticker as a dauber to lift off any remaining adhesive.
It's funny that people are saying this. How can Microsoft put software other than their OS on PC brands? That would be monopolizing again. Apple could put anything on their own Macs. I still don't get these Ads. Microsoft is a software company that also has a Mac business unit for Mac software. And they are playing favorite for certain PC manufacturers and distributers. So far it's HP and Sony.
While digital content delivery is the future, it's not there yet. For the time being, blurary is a popular choice. Show me a digital content provider that streams ACTUAL UNCOMPRESSED 1080P BLURAY? Netflix? No.
And even if it were streamed, it would stutter under OS X because there is no software on OSX that has GPU decoding (theres plenty for windows).
I disagree. Granted the white macbook sells for $1000 nowadays, a windows notebook with better hardware can usually be had for around $700.
No, what happened was Microsoft bundled it's software in it's OS like IE and Windows Media player with no option to uninstall them. That's why the EU was mad.
Apple can bundle it as long as it provides uninstall option.
Not on my 768 kb/s connection.
I'm quite the fan of going to the library for DVDs or using Windows Media Center for DTV love.
There are plenty of adhesive removers as well. Just take the stickers off out of the box and don't let the case material fade or get grime first.
That's an unfair tactic - thats the core MS customer base!
So vista is more reliable than OSX?
Wow - why aren't MS trumpeting that from the rooftop?