New Microsoft Ad Campaign Targets Mac Prices

[KnightWRX]

Yes, but in determining whether the chicken or the egg came first, I think it's pretty clear from this part...

...which is consistent with this...

...that she didn't initially respond to the ad thinking there was any acting or exposure involved, but instead she hit the jackpot.

Not that I would raise an eyebrow had they gone out and just hired an actress right from the start, hey it's a commercial, I'm surprised there was actually a grain of reality in it, which is more than I can say about Apple's "Switch" commercial with Ellen Feiss, where they just grabbed some non-Mac using chick from the street and asked her to lie for 30 seconds.

If the other 9 people they used turn out to be SAG-eligible actors and actresses, though, we'll smell a rat for sure.

Look, it's like all those "Amateur" porn sites. Sure they claim the people are picked up on the street, and sure they do film them getting picked up and hesitating and what not, but guess what...

While we're at it, let's also discuss professionnal Wrestling. I'm pretty sure Big Show really did sleep with Edge's wife...

 

[Anuba]

Except for the inconvenient little fact that they've been doing exactly that.

Why, yes. For the Chinese market. Several brands have set up factories in China where they make what could perhaps best be described as Asian pirate copies of their own products, and sell them to poor Chinese schmucks who want a fake taste of Western luxury. There are Chinese Volvos, Chinese Volkswagens... none of which are sold here. The VW Santana is China's #1 taxi -- it's a replica of the Santana we had over here in the 1980's.

There are droves of material to read on the subject of Chinese build quality, but I think this quote (source) sums it up pretty well:

Chinese build quality, and supply chain standards, while borderline acceptable in the southern hemisphere, do not meet western expectations.

Three quarters of all cars made in China have serious quality issues within the first 6 months of ownership.

BTW, as I mentioned this past weekend, the pricing did get released for some of new Dells using the Nehalem Xeons...

I'll freely admit that the Dell PowerEdge T610 Server isn't the best machine to compare to the Mac Pro (no video card options), but it passes the "Not Vaporware Test".

Those are industrial-grade servers, always more expensive than workstations and only remotely comparable to the Mac Pro's from Apple's online perfume shop. I'd hold out for the Dell Precision machines with Nehalem processors, they're the direct equivalent. Not that I think the prices will change substantially once they're upgraded to Nehalem, so you might as well look as a Precision T5400 today. It has all those certifications that a Mac Pro has, metal enclosure, etc. Note however that it comes with a minimum of 3 years warranty baked into the price so you'll have to throw in AppleCare to compare.

 

[Eidorian]

I remember being at Best Buy and seeing their highest end version being around that price. Thats the cost of Windows when not subsidized in the cost of a computer.

I've always thought their software prices were absurd, especially for office. Thank god for the open source movement.

I haven't met someone that has purchased at retail price or license.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

Exactly why that $1000 budget was put in place....

$1000 a decent amount of cash for most people, especially now. Even so, lauren count get her 17" screen with the specs of the 13" model now could she? Some people need a big screen but dont need a ton of power. Apple is missing out on a good bit of business because they are too controlling/arrogant to offer any more than 3 basic choices of hardware.

 

[NT1440]

I haven't met someone that has purchased at retail price or license.

Whats the eye roll for? If you go to a store, thats the price. I know most people shop around, but a lot of people are savvy buyers. If I personally were to build a box, and where to for some reason get windows on it, I wouldnt be paying that, but there are many people that simply dont know how to shop around.

 

[Eidorian]

Whats the eye roll for? If you go to a store, thats the price. I know most people shop around, but a lot of people are savvy buyers. If I personally were to build a box, and where to for some reason get windows on it, I wouldnt be paying that, but there are many people that simply dont know how to shop around.

It's just tough to get a machine without any operating system.

People love to toss around the price for a retail copy of the full version of Windows Vista Ultimate but when has anyone bought a copy?

 

[NT1440]

$1000 a decent amount of cash for most people, especially now. Even so, lauren count get her 17" screen with the specs of the 13" model now could she? Some people need a big screen but dont need a ton of power. Apple is missing out on a good bit of business because they are too controlling/arrogant to offer any more than 3 basic choices of hardware.

You call it controlling/arrogant, but theyve made it very clear that they just don't care about that section of the market.

 

[Anuba]

$1000 a decent amount of cash for most people, especially now. Even so, lauren count get her 17" screen with the specs of the 13" model now could she? Some people need a big screen but dont need a ton of power.

I think it's safe to say that Lauren won't be using it for advanced graphic design, she probably wanted the 17" screen so she could watch movies fullscreen, which is a tad more underwhelming on a 13" no matter the resolution.

Nearly every Sony Vaio model is 16:9, not 16:10 -- these are glorified DVD- and Blu-Ray players first, computers later. Dell has started doing the same with their Studio notebook line, and the spec sheet uses "1080p" rather than traditional HHHHxVVV(V).

 

[whitefang]

If it's 6% tax and $949 for the MB. I would have gladly paid $6 out of pocket (Total $1,006) for a nice new White MB.

How many USB ports does that have? Oh, can it connect to 99% of the monitors out there without spending additional $$$? What happens if you remove the battery, I mean like...does it slow down?

 

[bruinsrme]

It's just tough to get a machine without any operating system.

People love to toss around the price for a retail copy of the full version of Windows Vista Ultimate but when has anyone bought a copy?

I purchased a full retail vista ultimate with the 32/64 bit versions. $160 on pricewatch

 

[elbruelsio]

Where does the dark side congregate?

Are there Windows forums where PC fanboys examine/ridicule Apple commercials in great detail and proclaim glorious victory with the release of Microsoft's new ads? 'Cause that would be an interesting read.

----
Mac owner for 2+ years
iMac 20", iPhone 1st Gen, iPod Shuffle

 

[Eidorian]

Are there Windows forums where PC fanboys examine/ridicule Apple commercials in great detail and proclaim glorious victory with the release of Microsoft's new ads? 'Cause that would be an interesting read.

/g/ - Technology

 

[BenRoethig]

You call it controlling/arrogant, but theyve made it very clear that they just don't care about that section of the market.

Those type of everyday users seem to be the people Apple is steering for in the desktop and electronic device segments.

 

[0098386]

So real people buy a computer based on how it looks? Ah, uh. hmm?

What pulled me to a Macbook was that it runs 2 of the best OS's (without a mess- Hackintosh), has an LED screen, the best touchpad I've used and is pretty nippy for a 13" device. Oh and 3 year warranty and student discount.

I know it's an advert and she's an actress but I didn't believe her reasoning for buying that computer so the adverts kinda wasted on me.
ps. I'm not an Apple fanboy, they just make exceedingly good cak-... laptops.

 

[NT1440]

Those type of everyday users seem to be the people Apple is steering for in the desktop and electronic device segments.

Well, we can speculate all we want from an outsiders perspective, but in the end its up to Apple to do whatever it will. So far its been pretty good for them, well see what the future holds is all I can really say to it.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

You call it controlling/arrogant, but theyve made it very clear that they just don't care about that section of the market.

It is arrogant. They play the elitist card knowing that their hardcore fans will follow them to the grave so they can stay smug about owning a mac. Everyone wants firewire to take over but that wont happen because apple is making people feel like they need to spend $2500 to get it on a mac laptop (or get the whitebook, which is missing a lot of the cool features on the uni). Firewire will never appeal to the average user when apple treats it like this. The average user feels like apple doesnt care about them, and quite a few pros are feeling like apple is forcing them into the high-end hardware for no good reason. Yet people flock to apple because of the cool/shiny factor. Apple doesnt give a crap about you, just like MS, yet some people view Steve as if he is Jesus.

 

[Anuba]

So real people buy a computer based on how it looks? Ah, uh. hmm?

Not if it's a desktop machine, but to many people a laptop is more like a cellphone, i.e. both a utility and an accessory. When it comes to things that people will be seen with in public they go a lot by looks. Cars probably being the primary example, they're for getting from A to B but people still pay an arm and a leg for extra options like 18" rims, metallic and various other bling.

 

[NT1440]

It is arrogant. They play the elitist card knowing that their hardcore fans will follow them to the grave so they can stay smug about owning a mac. Everyone wants firewire to take over but that wont happen because apple is making people feel like they need to spend $2500 to get it on a mac laptop (or get the whitebook, which is missing a lot of the cool features on the uni). Firewire will never appeal to the average user when apple treats it like this. The average user feels like apple doesnt care about them, and quite a few pros are feeling like apple is forcing them into the high-end hardware for no good reason. Yet people flock to apple because of the cool/shiny factor. Apple doesnt give a crap about you, just like MS, yet some people view Steve as if he is Jesus.

So many fallacies i don't know where to begin.

I guess you can keep playing the ignorant labelling card all you want, but im not going to respond to it any further.

You're right about it applying to SOME people, but so does everything in life, and as always they are in the small minority.

 

[yossim]

No Mac user cares about your gaming PC that doesn't run OS X.

Macs don't need to outperform your GAMING PC. The only thing that leverages the hardware in your PC are games. Most Mac users don't play games on their PCs.

Most of us don't care about Crysis. Or framerates. Or fragging speed. I think quite a few of us have outgrown all that. We don't buy a Mac for the raw specs. You and people like you can't seem to get this through your heads.

exactly.

 

[MowingDevil]

Laptop Hunters

From the Lefsetz Letter
March 30, 2009 01:04:32 PM PDT

Stop lying.

The Web has a zillion sleuths just waiting to be activated, like that worm on your computer delineated on "60 Minutes" last night (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/27/60minutes/main4897053.shtml), (PC-only, in fact), in order to verify the veracity of your statements.

Latest example?

Microsoft's new "Laptop Hunters" TV campaign, in which an uber-attractive girl professes she's not cool enough to buy an Apple laptop and goes for a cheaper Windows machine.

Within moments, it was revealed that "Lauren" was not an average person, but a member of SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) recruited from Craigslist (http://www.tuaw.com/2009/03/30/some-thoughts-on-the-new-microsoft-ads/)

Then, it was revealed that the computer she purchased was an old model (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344017,00.asp) with bad reviews: http://blogs.computerworld.com/micr...rtisement_crispen_porter_get_a_mac_ads_ballme

Then a Mac user offered to GIVE HER his own Apple PowerBook so she could see what she was missing: http://i.gizmodo.com/5187031/lauren-we-have-someone-whod-like-to-talk-to-you

In other words, if you think you can pull the wool over the public's eyes, with your lame excuse denying the truth, you're wrong. The twenty first century is about transparency. Reveal the facts, admit the truth and move on. People today know life is complicated, mistakes and failures are part of the game: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/magazine/29wwln-lede-t.html?ref=magazine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIS6G-HvnkU



--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/

 

[brop52]

How many USB ports does that have? Oh, can it connect to 99% of the monitors out there without spending additional $$$? What happens if you remove the battery, I mean like...does it slow down?

2 USB ports in the White and Aluminum. The only time I've used USB of any kind on my Alum MB is to back up every 10 days and to rarely transfer files with a flash drive when wireless networking isn't an option. Last time I checked I don't need everything plugged in at once. It's not a desktop machine requiring a keyboard and mouse to plug in and even then there is a reason for wireless peripherals. Plus the White MB has firewire to back up so the 2 USB ports is less important.

Why would I want to remove the battery? I don't know but it is called a portable notebook for a reason. Do you think many college students want to remove their battery when they are in class? It's kind of hard to get things done with a machine that is off. Plus, have you used the magsafe lately? I wouldn't trust it to stay plugged in if I was working without a battery. It would make me a bit angry to see my work destroyed if I accidently pulled on the magsafe and it shut off due to no battery being inside.

Last, external monitors. Very few people with MBs get an external monitor unless they need to do design of some kind. Again this goes back to the portability issue. Most college students aren't going to have an external monitor unless they do video editing or big time gaming and either way the MB is not the machine for that. Though I have done light gaming on it and it works just fine. The screen is small but your face is a lot closer to a notebook than it is to an external monitor. College students want a portable machine with good battery life, light case, and a decent price. Gamers or people doing a lot of GPU use or something with a large screen may want something different, but that's why there are other options are out there. Though there is a reason that the MB sells so well. Maybe it doesn't meet your needs, but that's why you don't have to buy it. Someone else will.

 

[3282868]

From the Lefsetz Letter
March 30, 2009 01:04:32 PM PDT

[hundreds of deniers' heads explode] That's too much reality, be careful, they'll call you a "fanboy"

 

[Anuba]

2 USB ports in the White and Aluminum. The only time I've used USB of any kind on my Alum MB is to back up every 10 days and to rarely transfer files with a flash drive when wireless networking isn't an option. Last time I checked I don't need everything plugged in at once. It's not a desktop machine requiring a keyboard and mouse to plug in and even then there is a reason for wireless peripherals. Plus the White MB has firewire to back up so the 2 USB ports is less important.

Well, some people use a laptop as a plain laptop, others use it as a desktop replacement and need a little more connectivity. When I use my PC laptop on the loose I usually only need two USB ports (one for the nano-receiver for my Logitech mouse, the other for charging and synchronizing my iPhone). But when I use it in my studio I have it in a combined docking station/laptop stand, and, well... there's a LOT of stuff plugged in here:

Belkin 7-port USB hub
Logitech USB speakers
Receiver for Logitech DiNovo Edge keyboard
Receiver for Logitech MX Revolution mouse
iPhone dock
Universal Dock (for iPod Classic)
Canon scanner
USB hard drive for backups
Digital camera dock
Card reader (bank stuff...)
Korg MIDI controller keyboard
Copy protection dongle for Cubase
Additional empty USB port for occasional use of USB memory stick

That's 13 USB ports used, 7 on the hub, 4 on the docking station and 2 on the laptop. Then there's a 24" monitor (DVI), Gigabit Ethernet and a firewire audio card/mixer.

Here's how I plug all this stuff in: Put the laptop on the stand and press until I hear a click.

I've been thinking about replacing this machine with an MBP 17" and getting a Rain Design stand, but my biggest gripe (since Apple are too cool for docking stations) would be plugging and unplugging all the cables, even with two external USB hubs there'd be like 5 or 6 cables to mess with every time I move the machine.

 

[gnasher729]

I think it's safe to say that Lauren won't be using it for advanced graphic design, she probably wanted the 17" screen so she could watch movies fullscreen, which is a tad more underwhelming on a 13" no matter the resolution.

I think it is safe to say that Lauren is an actress, and we have no idea what computer, if any, she is personally using, but we _do_ know that she did exactly what she was told to do during the creation of this ad.

For all we know she took the money she was paid for the advertisement and used it to buy a MacBook.

 

[MH01]

From the Lefsetz Letter
March 30, 2009 01:04:32 PM PDT

My 3G iphone was not twice as fast.....no matter what the **** i do I cannot get the same battery usage that Apple claims in their specs...

check out hypocrisy on the dictionary.....

Its Sad that people have actually gone to these length to pull the advertisement apart. An actress in a commercial..... how could they. Someone please find out if the video was edited on a Mac....

This is just sad. Its an advertisement, does anyone actually believe that Budwieser is the King of beers???? Or that a shampoo is going to give you the hair that you see the models wave around in an advertisement. Next you will be believing that if you buy expansive makeup you will suddenly look like the models in the magazines. Whoever has gone to the lengths to pull this advertisement apart needs a life, at very least a girlfriend.