New Microsoft Ad Campaign Targets Mac Prices

[bruinsrme]

Mac has taken the green road while MS has now taken the price road. Long-term, which is better? The economy *may* recover, but global warming isn't going away.

Green road......
This is painfully laughable considering the product they sell creates so much hazardous chemical waste and consumes a huge amount of natural resources to create the end product. There is NOTHING green about computers other than the cash they generate.
Companies like aple and dell are doing their share to promote recycling but as far as being a greener company what they sell isn't a green product by any stretch.

 

[specialbuddy]

All of the, "Mac is a Ferrari, BMW, SUPER BADASS ROADSTER DRIFTING AWESOME MACHINE..." comments are off the wall. I came up with my own car analogy.

I'm a PC = Pontiac Fiero
I'm a Mac = Pontiac Fiero with a Ferrari Enzo body kit.

Oh Mac your ride is off the hizzy. Your GPU failed but at least you look smoking hot(pun intended).

 

[digiguy23]

This Microsoft thing is lame. Microsoft is basically a software company. They sell software for PCs and Macs. They shouldn't be concerned about the hardware. You can now run Windows on a Mac. Plus they have a division that makes Microsoft office for the Mac. So, basically, they are cutting off their feet for sales of their own product to the Mac user. And it looks like they are just promoting an ad for HP in this commercial. The way it looks, they might as well get rid of the Mac division, since they don't care. Don't buy Microsoft office for the Macs. Let them lose that market.

 

[NT1440]

bc every one of them i met think they are helping save the world by driving their overpriced marketing toy.

Then you've happened to meet a bunch of fools. I've also met alot of users on this site with usernames starting with "r" who happened to be jerks. Therefore everyone whos username starts with "r" is a jerk.

See how stupid that rationale is?

 

[MacManTexas56]

What dont you guys get? Some people will pay the prices because the happen to LIKE the product. I like the Prius, but I wont be buying it simply because "I'm trying to save the world" as you'd like to say I will.

"SOME" people....which is why apple will never be a big contender in the marketshare. The microsoft ad is a good example bc most (avg computer consumers) aren't going to be willing to pay the price of a used car for a computer.

 

[jclardy]

This comment is such a failure.

Its the SAME hardware, and it does NOT cost more. Are you trying to fool readers by saying that a Core 2 Duo processor in a Macbook is more expensive than the EXACT SAME PROCESSOR in an HP, Sony, Toshiba, etc?

The only difference is Apple Tax. Youre not paying for the logo, your paying extra for basically OS X. Most of us who bought a mac bought for legit reasons, then there are those common idiots who know nothing about macs and buy them because they look pretty and even prettier when paired with a latte at starbucks. I know Macs are overpriced, the same hardware configuration can be had for much less in a non-apple branded computer, but thats not enough to have me go back to windows as I absolutely loathe windows.

So I guess those Aluminum Unibodies just designed and constructed themselves?

 

[Packersfan27]

I just did a google image search, you mean one of these? You're honestly very happy with that 1994 PowerBook design, in 2009? I personally wouldn't be. Not at all. I'd be very happy to pay $500 not to have that in front of me all day actually. Each to our own I suppose.

Yeah very happy, thanks.

 

[APPLENEWBIE]

This comment is such a failure.

Its the SAME hardware, and it does NOT cost more. Are you trying to fool readers by saying that a Core 2 Duo processor in a Macbook is more expensive than the EXACT SAME PROCESSOR in an HP, Sony, Toshiba, etc?

The only difference is Apple Tax. Youre not paying for the logo, your paying extra for basically OS X. Most of us who bought a mac bought for legit reasons, then there are those common idiots who know nothing about macs and buy them because they look pretty and even prettier when paired with a latte at starbucks. I know Macs are overpriced, the same hardware configuration can be had for much less in a non-apple branded computer, but thats not enough to have me go back to windows as I absolutely loathe windows.

I tend to agree with your first paragraph. Certainly Apple can make as good or better a deal with component/parts suppliers. The cost of off-the shelf components does not account for the price premium. I think that the difference is two-fold. One: Unlike Dell, Apple has to develop, improve and support it's own operating system on a much smaller budget than Microsoft's budget. Second: Apple obviously spends a lot of money on primary design, research and development. That is a very costly effort that Dell, et al, don't take on.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Then you've happened to meet a bunch of fools. I've also met alot of users on this site with usernames starting with "r" who happened to be jerks. Therefore everyone whos username starts with "r" is a jerk.

See how stupid that rationale is?

ouch....good one now. let's resort to name calling now. so you actually thinking paying $30k for a prius is a great deal? just like $2800 for a 17inch laptop is a great deal?

OH WAIT....i figured it out. You're not even old enough to buy your own car yet...so you wouldn't understand how much $30k really is. OR $2800 for a laptop computer.

 

[awmazz]

Al Gore is saving the world by using three 30" Apple displays in his movie, "the "Inconceivable Truth". Good thing they were three "GREEN" 30" Apple displays otherwise my house would be under 20 ft. of water right now.

I'm under the impression Gore's property is running carbon neutral or even negative, so he practices what he preaches. But that's another topic.

 

[ungraphic]

This Microsoft thing is lame. Microsoft is basically a software company. They sell software for PCs and Macs. They shouldn't be concerned about the hardware. You can now run Windows on a Mac. Plus they have a division that makes Microsoft office for the Mac. So, basically, they are cutting off their feet for sales of their own product to the Mac user. And it looks like they are just promoting an ad for HP in this commercial. The way it looks, they might as well get rid of the Mac division, since they don't care. Don't buy Microsoft office for the Macs. Let them lose that market.

Microsoft Windows is their flagship product.

What you dont seem to understand is that if there are more Mac buyers, there will be less sales in Windows, which in turn means less 'PC users'

 

[Anuba]

They'll pay for that eventually. (Someone will anyway.)

And who cares? Apple isn't trying to sell to everyone. That hasn't been their focus for a long time. Microsoft and the "PC" (whatever that even means anymore) continues to try to be all things to all people so they have to carpet bomb their messages out there.

Apple doesn't. They have their target groups and they continue to execute well. They're not interested in getting into the cut throat business of the cheapest hardware. They know they don't have to go there. Let HP and Dell fight that battle with it's tiny profit margins.

One of the primary reasons that *I* purchased the unibody MBP was because it is more environmentally friendly. I know Apple machines are more expensive, but I'd pay an extra $150 for any PC laptop I was getting for the trackpad functionality alone. That doesn't include having an OS I prefer, a machine that's more recyclable and a machine that just plain looks cool. That might not be a big deal for everyone, but dammit... I spend all day with my computer as a developer and I want it to look nice.

Few people seem to get Apple. There are people out there that think they want the same market share as MS. They don't. They don't care. Even with higher priced products they're doing well in the current economic climate.

It's a little more complicated than that. Apple does want a chunk of those customers, they're clearly not content with what they have, they just have a very schizo way of dealing with it.

On one hand they've tried a plethora of ways to lure PC users into their fold, with the Switch campaigns, the Get a Mac campaigns, the iPod Halo effect, porting select software like Safari to Windows, the Mac Mini (bring your own PC keyboard and mouse, yada yada), BootCamp, cheap(ish) entry level machines like the original iMac, licking college student butts... the notion that Apple doesn't want all these customers is just silly, they're courting them like horny teenage boys. And they're not after just the premium segment customers, they aren't that many to begin with and PC users in that segment probably have their valid reasons to stay with Windows, either because they're business users or because they're hardcore gamers who buy H2O-cooled monsters that cost more than a Mac Pro. No, Apple wants the "Karen" types too. At the end of the day, the premium users stand to gain from it because a larger market share means more software, more peripherals, more everything that manufacturers don't bother with because the Mac market is too small. But somehow Apple hopes that the average joes will magically forget about pricetags somewhere along the way, rob a bank, sell the house, go waist deep in debt, just something that'll spare Apple from meeting them halfway. They do want to sell to everyone, they just hope that something will magically make everyone rich so that Apple won't have to come down from their high tower and shake hands with the filthy peasants and plebs to make a sale.

 

[skaertus]

This Microsoft thing is lame. Microsoft is basically a software company. They sell software for PCs and Macs. They shouldn't be concerned about the hardware. You can now run Windows on a Mac. Plus they have a division that makes Microsoft office for the Mac. So, basically, they are cutting off their feet for sales of their own product to the Mac user. And it looks like they are just promoting an ad for HP in this commercial. The way it looks, they might as well get rid of the Mac division, since they don't care. Don't buy Microsoft office for the Macs. Let them lose that market.

OK, but this is about competition and monopoly. You can run Windows on a Mac, but you don´t need to. If you buy a PC, you have to run Windows (unless you're adventurous enough to run Linux...) and Microsoft's product line is safe. If you run Windows, you've got to buy MS-Office, you're gonna use Internet Explorer and Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft will keep its monopoly forever.

 

[NT1440]

ouch....good one now. let's resort to name calling now. so you actually thinking paying $30k for a prius is a great deal? just like $2800 for a 17inch laptop is a great deal?

OH WAIT....i figured it out. You're not even old enough to buy your own car yet...so you wouldn't understand how much $30k really is. OR $2800 for a laptop computer.

Yes, because I'm young, im not capable of figuring out how to save money until I get what I want.

There was no name calling, just a rather blunt way of showing you how flawed that thinking was. I don't care if you think its a "great deal" or not. Like I said previously PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR WHAT THEY WANT.

If that fact bothers you then you must have a hard time living in this reality.

 

[mikerajchel]

Apparently she did not get what she wanted since she chose to go to the Apple Store first! Plus, she called it the Mac Store... Sorry, i don't think she's cool enough for a Mac too... haha

 

[pismodude2]

So using your philosphy the idot won't be able to tell the difference between $700 or $1000, correct?

Everyone would be doing themselves a favor by buying a Mac, even if the original purchase price wasn't how much the the computer is worth (which, after software is taken into consideration, it is). In the long run they keep their value and are generally more reliable, you won't find another brand of computer that sells for as high a percentage of the purchase price as Macintosh computers do. I know five people with home PCs, and every single one has needed repairs in the last year (all not covered by the warranty), but not me, and not any of the other Mac owners I know. Even if something goes wrong, Apple often fixes and replaces small things out of warranty, free of charge.

My grandpa just got a new power brick for his out of warranty G5 for free, and my cousin got them to fix the an old iPod with a faulty headphone jack. No other company would spend time fixing things they didn't have to, and that is why I'm never switching to a Poorly Constructed, Piece of Crap PC.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Yes, because I'm young, im not capable of figuring out how to save money until I get what I want.

There was no name calling, just a rather blunt way of showing you how flawed that thinking was. I don't care if you think its a "great deal" or not. Like I said previously PEOPLE WILL PAY FOR WHAT THEY WANT.

If that fact bothers you then you must have a hard time living in this reality.

well i can tell by the fact that you are a "SOON" to be owner of a macbook. and you also said you "WILL" at some point own a prius. So you obviously don't understand how prices work or otherwise you would have both of these items. yes, "SOME" people will pay those prices. But someone who wants a good reliable car with great gas mileage and has a budget isn't going to jump out there and buy a Prius. Same goes with Apple computers. A majority of computer users have budgets...ESPECIALLY beginners. Why do you think the economy is in the mess that it is? Everyone wants the high dollar items to act like they're big ballers.

Until you actually have a real job of your own and support yourself, you won't understand what i'm talking about because you don't have any concept of money yet.

 

[APPLENEWBIE]

Everyone would be doing themselves a favor by buying a Mac, even if the original purchase price wasn't how much the the computer is worth (which, after software is taken into consideration, it is). In the long run they keep their value and are generally more reliable, you won't find another brand of computer that sells for as high a percentage of the purchase price as Macintosh computers do. I know five people with home PCs, and every single one has needed repairs in the last year (all not covered by the warranty), but not me, and not any of the other Mac owners I know. Even if something goes wrong, Apple often fixes and replaces small things out of warranty, free of charge.

My grandpa just got a new power brick for his out of warranty G5 for free, and my cousin got them to fix the an old iPod with a faulty headphone jack. No other company would spend time fixing things they didn't have to, and that is why I'm never switching to a Poorly Constructed, Piece of Crap PC.

Easy there, cowboy... As much as I love apple stuff, it is not unbreakable. It can, and does, go cerflewy from time to time. So lets not exaggerate apple dependability. They make good stuff, not perfect stuff.

 

[quixotic]

A lot of developers choose Apple as well.

It's funny to me to see the "cool" factor play into both Apple and MS ads. Some of the most uber geeks I know are on Apple hardware.

For web developers like me, OSX is a dream. It's basically Linux, and comes with Apache web server, MySQL, PHP, Ruby on Rails, and a whole host of technology pre-installed. If you run a website, chances are you're on Linux running the EXACT same stuff. Over time, I've found life is easier if I just develop in OSX.

For science applications it's the same thing. Researchers crunch their data on the University's Linux server, then pull the results into the same app in OSX to work with the results.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Error! Cannot... compute... another... car analogy! *Spinning wheel blue screen of kernel panic death*.

 

[Reach]

Well, a Mac Pro is more expensive than an iMac, a Macbook Pro is more expensive than a Macbook; while I see why people could want a 17" Macbook, it just doesn't exist, so to compare Apple's most exclusive laptopt with the cheapest non-apple alternative seems a little silly.

Oh well, I guess silly can work in advertising, as long as the average viewer doesn't get it. At least it's better than MS's seinfeld and "I'm a PC" ads.

 

[digiguy23]

Microsoft Windows is their flagship product.

What you dont seem to understand is that if there are more Mac buyers, there will be less sales in Windows, which in turn means less 'PC users'

I highly doubt there will be less income in Window sales. Most of Microsoft's income is in licenses from corporations. Microsoft makes more than enough to stay in business for another 20 years. I work at Boeing and the licenses they pay for Windows is more than Apple makes in 1 year, let alone all the other fortune companies. What you guys don't understand, they throw out more money on their lawsuits, than companies make in 5 years.

And what about their Macs division? Will they just dump that for people to buy more PC's?

 

[Anuba]

Second: Apple obviously spends a lot of money on primary design, research and development. That is a very costly effort that Dell, et al, don't take on.

Oh, come on. While there are some PCs that are just literally slapped together from existing parts, stuff like Sony Vaios and Dell's new Adamo machine don't come into existence by themselves. There's a huge amount of R&D going on in those companies too, but unlike Apple they seem more focused on trying to see what they can add rather than remove, while Apple is all about removing every single button, screw, lid and hinge until their computers look like the new iPod Shuffle.

This Microsoft thing is lame. Microsoft is basically a software company. They sell software for PCs and Macs. They shouldn't be concerned about the hardware.

Microsoft makes plenty of hardware, not just the XBox consoles but tons of keyboards and mice -- mice that actually work, unlike the miserable white soap bar I'm holding in my hand (Mighty Mouse). And they've started talking about making computers as well. After Vista they decided that they would take the "Made for Windows" badge one step further and introduce a more detailed and specific 'certification package' so that manufacturers would be able to make fully "Microsoft Approved" machines where M$ has hand picked the hardware components. The next logical step from there is to start building computers of their own.

 

[NT1440]

well i can tell by the fact that you are a "SOON" to be owner of a macbook. and you also said you "WILL" at some point own a prius. So you obviously don't understand how prices work or otherwise you would have both of these items.

Whoa, whoa whoa, so someone saving for something doesnt know the value of money. WHY DO YOU THINK IM SAVING?

Sure I could have "mommy and daddy" put it on their credit card, but I find it unbelieveably foolish to buy something without the funds to actually pay for it.

I will have a prius some day, because I want one, and I will put a little aside whenever possible in order to get one. How is that not being smart? I can get by in the mean time on this $450 toshiba, but I will be getting a mac in the future, because I am smart enough to live within my means and save up on the side.

 

[APPLENEWBIE]

Error! Cannot... compute... another... car analogy! *Spinning wheel blue screen of kernel panic death*.

OH, Lordy! Was it Mine? I hope not! I'm so sorry to have upset you. My apologies, sir.