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Sony copying apple mac's

Geoff.

Geoff.

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 1, 2009
261
0
I was on the sony website today looking at their desktops and wtf there totally copying apple's iMac and MacMini

There JD desktop version

sony-vaio-js.jpg


Really looks like a iMac even the mouse and keyboard do.

TP Series

Sony-VAIO-TP2_1.jpg


Looks will something i saw before..... hmm yeah a mac mini
 
Sony had discrete keys on their laptops years before Apple. Then Apple lured away VAIO engineers to work for them.

So figure who is copying who…
 
The thing about an All-In-One PC is that it basically will just look like a screen, not much can be changed about that but the colour. When it comes to colour, the favourites are white, metal and black. So its almost inevitable that someone's All-In-One will look like an iMac.

Same goes for the little PC there. Its white and small, should no-one but Apple be allowed to make PCs that are white and small?
 
The only thing that really stands out as a carbon copy there is the keyboard. The all-in-one looks different, and their little mac mini look-a-like is actually quite nice.
 
The TP Series doesnt look anything like a Mac Mini.

GASP! ITS SMALL, MUST BE A MAC MINI COPY.
 
Vaio owners are in the same market as Apple owners . . . they are loyal and don't flinch at paying the "tax" for their design elements.

Having owned several Sony Vaio and Apple products, the build quality and design components are remarkably similar . . . terrible keyboards, compromised and limited expansion choices, bundled software that is nice but not overly powerful . . . with the ultimate goal of insulating the consumer from the nitty gritty of the hardware.
 
The only thing there that reminds me of a mac is the keyboard, and as they've said up there^^ Apple copied Sony on that one a long time ago.

The TP looks much cooler than a Mini, imo, though they arent very different. But theres really not much variation possible when building a computer that small. It doesnt seem like a copy, it just seems like thats the only plausible design choice.
 
I have to admit, they look good. Depending on price they could be my next computer purchase :)
 
Don't they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? This seems to have worked both ways with twpo companies, both of which are aware of the importance of attractive and stylish design. Anyway, fwiw, I have had a Sony Vaio - and it was a very good computer - and now I have a 15" MBP - which is also a very good computer.

Cheers
 
HD303 said:
But it doesn't run OSX so what's the big deal.
Click to expand...

I agree.

It may look a bit like a Mac, but it is still a PC.

Even if it can run OSX, in the same way we all know can be done, it will be a Hackintosh and not the real deal. Not supported and there WOULD be quirks.

Given the high price of Sony hardware, is it really going to tempt somebody to buy an (Expensive?) PC which looks a bit like a Mac, then go to all that trouble trying to emulate one?

Now if Psystar had designed this one, there would be a big dilemma I think......:eek:
 
It's not anything terribly new. Sony had all-in-one models back in 2005 competing against the iMac G5 iSight.

You can find a few threads on here on the subject.
 
NoSmokingBandit said:
How do you know this? I have 2 hacs running and neither of them have any quirks. Depending on the parts used, the Sony machine could function just as well as a real mac.
Click to expand...

Well supposing you know what you are doing and obviously you do, it may look like a good option. But the average iMac target buyer is not going to go through the hassle of hacking something like this are they to save a few $'s / £'s?

As for quirks, I was referring to possible future updates of the OS given Apples new found 'Love' for the clone / jail breaking market.

Is it worth the hassle to the average user?
 
Is the worry they look the same or that sony is copying the all in one concept
 

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Geoff. said:
TP Series

Sony-VAIO-TP2_1.jpg


Looks will something i saw before..... hmm yeah a mac mini
Click to expand...

Looks like a Roomba to me! It is actually much bigger than a mini (that's the DVD drive in the upper square box below the SONY logo).

northy124 said:
I have to admit, they look good. Depending on price they could be my next computer purchase :)
Click to expand...

From Sony's site it looked to have the specs of the old mini with a larger hard drive and built-in TV tuners and went for $1599 :eek: An updated one went for $3000. Neither seems to be for sale any longer.
 
jzuena said:
Looks like a Roomba to me!
Click to expand...

That is precisely what it made me think of. :D

I admit, Sony's got a sharp sense of design on a few of their computers, but I'd never buy that brand again after the trouble I've had with a few of their electronics.
 
It amazes me time and time again how horrible Sony's marketing team is. People still think Mac was the first with the chiclet style keyboard? Sorry folks, but as several others have pointed out, Sony was the first to bring that puppy out there, but much like the rest of Sony's marketing, they suck. Sony quietly launches a lot of tech before other companies, but because they don't ever advertise anything other than PlayStation (and they barely do that) or their TV's you'll never know about it unless you're a bit of a tech geek and are constantly browsing. For example, did you know that Sony was the first to bring out a Slingbox like device before.. um... Slingbox? It's called LocationFree and unless I've got my timeline mistaken I'm sure it came out some two years before Slingbox. But look who's bigger. Sony needs to fire their marketing team.
 
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