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See the original image at gizmodo.com

Mac Clone Psystar Exposed: Looks Like a Hoax (PICS)

gizmodo.com — How could a company so brazenly challenge Apple have little to no record of actually being a company? We sent the Gizmodo army down there to get pictures of both their supposed addresses, and found that they're as much vaporware as the Phantom Console of yore. Ouch. Looks like your dream of buying a cheap Mac clone will have to wait a while longer.

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  • CaptainTex, on 04/16/2008, -8/+166Nice investigative journalism.
    • fkr3, on 04/16/2008, -5/+102I don't know what's more shocking.... that some kid would pretend to be running a business on the internet, or that Gizmodo actually wrote an article.
    • Thugacation, on 04/16/2008, -3/+5Muckrakers.
    • smrekar, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3so then should the other articles be marked as inaccurate?
  • coachmcguirk, on 04/16/2008, -4/+30What a pointless hoax, if that is indeed what it was.
    • wonderchemist, on 04/16/2008, -0/+60More likely a scam. I hate to say it, but I'm always suspicious of small internet businesses from FL and NJ.
      • armoreddillo, on 04/16/2008, -0/+69i hear Nigerians are trustworthy though
        • takamalak, on 04/16/2008, -2/+28This is true. Just last week I helped a prince transfer millions to an account here in the states for a refundable fee.
          • EllimistX, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5Huh, that's funny, so did I... Something's not quite right here....
          • Philbert, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4Really? Are there other princes like this one?
        • danomagnum, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Just the princes.
      • MxM111, on 04/16/2008, -9/+1HEY! What's wrong with NJ?
        • gandhii, on 04/16/2008, -1/+6If you're from there.. then maybe you could tell us?
          btw... internet businesses from NY are equally suspicious.
        • Jeffler, on 04/16/2008, -0/+11Everything
        • DarkSamus, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4well the drivers...., for starters
          • cthellis, on 04/16/2008, -1/+6NJ drivers are insane, but everywhere else I go in the northeast, other drivers are just frickin' IDIOTS.

            We're insane, but skilled. ;-)
          • theartfuldodgr, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2I'll agree with cthellis on this one. I've lived in NJ my whole life and I will admit insane driving is an understatement, but every time I see "oh my god what the hell is this guy doing" holy ***** driving on the highway, it's always a New York or Pennsylvania license plate.
        • da7a1us, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1it's the armpit of America
      • Spuy767, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2I'm thinking something along the lines of an elaborate scheme to drive Apple's stock price down and snatch some of it up in time for the inevitable increase after the ruse was uncovered.
    • monospaced, on 04/16/2008, -1/+11I wouldn't call it pointless. It raised a lot of eyebrows, including my own. I use a Mac not because of the OS or because of any lifestyle; I use it for my work, since it's the best tool for the job. But if I can purchase the power of an upgradeable tower for that cheap, I would.
      • gandhii, on 04/16/2008, -6/+3build your own.. there aren't any special parts in macs anymore.
        • newdigger, on 04/16/2008, -0/+6Except for that little thing called an EFI...
          • BrainInAJar, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2and the DRM chip ( infineon TCPM ships with every new mac. OSX won't boot without it unhacked )
          • 3chansen, on 04/17/2008, -0/+3EFI is not specific to MAC, as some manufacturers like HP have used/use EFI, even before Apple used it. It is a technology developed by Intel and meant to replace the BIOS. Also:
            http://techreport.com/discussions.x/13942
  • Microdot, on 04/16/2008, -14/+69and for those that already spent money.... HA! suckers.
    • rmw132, on 04/16/2008, -15/+5You wouldn't say that if you just dropped $400...
      • roosterjm2k2, on 04/16/2008, -1/+9I wouldnt (and didnt) spend 400 bucks, because I have common sense...

        HA!
      • zongamin, on 04/17/2008, -1/+1Shut up.
    • ToMZiLLA, on 04/16/2008, -50/+57Same "HA! Suckers" for those who spent money on Apple products
      • OrangeCrush, on 04/16/2008, -7/+39Apple actually ships the products they advertise.
        • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -18/+2THEY CHARGE YOU DOUBLY, YOU BEST HOPE SO.
          • DephexTwin, on 04/16/2008, -2/+14Macs have both upper- and lowercase capabilities. Too bad you didn't get one.
          • VanishingLex, on 04/17/2008, -9/+2and that invalidates his point how?
          • DephexTwin, on 04/18/2008, -0/+2@VanishingLex

            There's this thing called a joke........ ah, forget it.
        • nerdherder, on 04/16/2008, -0/+10Shhh.. Indoor voices.
        • Makaveli604, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I somehow doubt that was his point.
      • rezist, on 04/16/2008, -14/+33I spend on apple products so I don't have to ***** with Windows, an ugly, bloated, headache.
        • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -13/+3Yes, bloated... OS X is not bloated...? Nah, it loads way faster than XP(giggle)!?!?! Heck, Mac takes longer to shut down than my XP takes to boot.
          • Reziarfg, on 04/17/2008, -1/+4That's ridiculously untrue. I don't use OS X but it takes less than 10 seconds to shut down while windows takes a good 4 or so minutes to boot and a couple to shut down since it has to apply updates every so often when doing so.
          • dudeguy1234, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2I've run them side by side for years. Complete off-on time is substantially faster on OS X. And no, OS X is not bloated. Yes, it has many choices but they are not A. Mandatory and B. Hard to remove **COUGH** MESSENGER ** COUGH**
          • Drax0n, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2nice try torlling but to troll you have to at least touch on somthing truthfull.. You sir are just a useless waste of oxygen trying to be annoying.. I wish you the best.. since you will need all the luck in life.
          • DIAF, on 04/17/2008, -0/+3i hate the word giggle. Especially the way you used it. makes me throw up
      • supermanred, on 04/16/2008, -20/+23My 10 year old mac is in the kitchen. I watch HDTV on it. What's your 10 year old PC doing right now?
        • sienar, on 04/16/2008, -20/+9you absolutely do NOT watch HDTV on any computer from 10 years ago, ESPECIALLY a mac
          • brettmjohnson, on 04/16/2008, -4/+15I have a 1999 PowerMac G4, upgraded to 1GHz G4, 1.5 GB RAM, and ATI 8500 with a 23 inch widescreen Apple Cinema Display, and an eyeTV 500. 9 years old (not 10), but perfectly capable of watching HDTV.
          • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -18/+12No.... Not 1080p anyway.

            Impossible. You have no idea the about the system bandwidth required for this(you're a mac user, and this is thus a law, as all mac users know ***** about hardware, cuz if they did... they would build their own system). ATI's Radeon 8500 does not support HD decoding, laving your CPU taking all the work... and a 1 Ghz processor is not even close to decoding a HD stream.

            You FAIL.
          • Macskeeball, on 04/16/2008, -5/+5@Firextol: If the thumb buttons for your comment weren't grayed out for me, I'd bury for your trolling. If I want Mac OS X, and I don't want to deal with driver issues or software updates breaking my system, and if I want to receive support, building my own hardware would not get me that. OS X isn't perfect, but in my opinion it is a fantastic operating system, and *that* is why I am a Mac user.
          • VanishingLex, on 04/17/2008, -1/+6Brett, even if that were true, if you upgraded it, then its not a 9 year old machine..... its a more modern machine in a 9 year old box.
        • cawpin, on 04/16/2008, -3/+23"What's your 10 year old PC doing right now?"

          Mine is a file/media server for my home network. My 10 year old Gateway PII-300 is sitting doing nothing but could be booted at any time with no trouble. What's your point?
        • Macskeeball, on 04/16/2008, -2/+21As a Mac user myself since, I call BS on that. 1998? The Macs sold at that time didn't even have G4 processors yet, and the most powerful mac then was a 266MHz PowerMac G3 AIO. The minimum Mac requirement for 480p video from Apple's QuickTime HD Gallery (480p is the lowest it will go), is a 1.25 GHz PowerMac G4.
          • Macskeeball, on 04/16/2008, -1/+9I have two corrections to make to my comment. One is that I meant to type "since 1996" in the first sentence. The other is that the most powerful Mac in 1998 was not the 266MHz G3 AIO, but the 333MHz beige G3 tower that was introduced the previous year. Still, that's not enough to play HD video.
        • ArthurArchnix, on 04/16/2008, -0/+6My ten year old PC is serving up downloaded flash videos to some fool in oʇuoɹoʇ ǝsɹǝʌıun ǝʇɐuɹǝʇlɐ who pays me $5/month for "HDTV" content.
        • jbarket, on 04/16/2008, -1/+14¡soǝpıʌ ʎɯ ǝɯ ƃuıʌɹǝs oʇ ʞɔɐq ʇǝƃ puɐ ƃƃıp ɟɟo ʇǝƃ
        • lpcustom, on 04/16/2008, -4/+6My 10 year old PC serves as a foot prop while I use my cheap new PC. It's probably much better at being a foot prop than your 10 year old mac is at viewing HDTV. Maybe you should try using your mac to prop your foot.
  • normalkid, on 04/16/2008, -14/+41I don't see why it's automatically a hoax. It doesn't take much to build a PC. This is very possibly a small home-business.
    • eVolutionVI, on 04/16/2008, -6/+14So perhaps this is a small home-business, but dear me. If that's the case, Psystar shouln't try and portray it like its this big business with a large infrastructure (HR department and all). It's just dumb and stupid. Cause you will get laughed at... much like im doing now!
      • zongamin, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2Seriously? You find this funny enough to laugh at?
        'What are you laughing at?' - 'Oh its this company that pretended to be a bigger company than it was - ah ha ha hahahahaa'
        ***** OFF
      • fafaforza, on 04/17/2008, -0/+0You should wake up and smell all the hot air surrounding this thing called the Internet which enables every day people to compete with big conglomerates and internationals.

        Many many companies use their online presence to portray themselves as bigger than they really are. One place that I worked at did the same. Judging by their site, complete with international maps of fiber links, you'd think they were huge. Meanwhile it was a young company with 1000 square feet (not that much) for some colo and dedi space.

        What would you have like them to put on their site? "Hi, were just 2 guys trying to start a business so that we can be successful in life, and you probably don't wanna use us for hardware as we couldn't provide 24/7 phone support and warrant"?

        If you ever decide to start a business, you'll use every advantage you can think of.
    • timusca, on 04/16/2008, -2/+35Then why would they lie about their address?
      • p0tent1al, on 04/17/2008, -1/+12I used to work for a company that rented conference rooms to people who worked out of their home. The main reason for this, is they did top notch work, but inviting prospective clients to your home just looks unprofessional, so they would renter office space/conference rooms and just meet their clients there.

        So the answer is, they probably did it for show.
    • oldhick, on 04/16/2008, -4/+15Timusca hit the nail on the head... If you are legitimate in anyway, there is never a need to lie.
      • p0tent1al, on 04/17/2008, -1/+4there is never a need to lie? really? I can understand where your coming from, but making a blanket statement about never lying is plain stupid. Furthermore, some of the biggest and most successful companies have gotten to where they are by lying, cheating, and doing underhanded things (not saying its right, but nonetheless the truth)

        For instance BestBuy / Walmart / Comcast / Verizon. All ***** poor companies, but people still do business with them (because they are cheap / only ones in the area / offer good reception). All these companies lie constantly.
        • oldhick, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I don't recall saying that business don't lie or have never lied or that lying in some way prevents success. I simply said, if you are legitimate in anyway, there is never a NEED to lie.
          Business continue to succeed through dis-information, manipulation, deceit, etc..., plenty of businesses succeed through hard work, ethical behavior, and genuine honesty. You have a choice on which path you feel comfortable in taking.
    • HonoredMule, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4Maybe the crapload of other businesses all founded by the same guys and now inactive are legit too. o.0

      Legitimate businessmen don't operate new startups under new names every week, either.
      • fafaforza, on 04/17/2008, -0/+0And how many businesses have you started up My point is that starting a business isn't a clear cut process. Maybe they came up with a better name and decided to change?

        Also, the BBB isn't the end all of business. You You don't have to register with them. But you might want to to give online buyers that warm feeling in their tummy that they're protected. Well, the BBB only takes complaints and not much more, so you're not protected in any way.
    • MxM111, on 04/16/2008, -2/+1May be they where scared by all of that attention and orders from digg that way exceeded their capacity and may attracted attention of Apple, and because of this they tried to change the address?
    • astrosmash, on 04/16/2008, -2/+4All Psystar proposed to sell was a beige box PC and the OSX86 software hacks to allow it run Leopard.

      You can buy a beige box anywhere, and the OSX86 guys have already said they don't want people selling their hacks, and have changed to a non-commercial license in response to the Psystar thing.

      In other words, you don't need Psystar for any of this stuff. Psystar is a scam.
  • philodygmn, on 04/16/2008, -65/+13Honestly, if you're into buying a knockoff Mac, you're not actually into Mac at all, you're into the idea of a Mac for cheap, a mentality which many a Mac user will tell you is responsible for why it is that they don't use PCs, because PCs are made by people who have such an attitude. You're just in it for the image in your own mind of dilluting the _deserved_ image of Macs and Mac users as better yet more expensive, and by better I mean not completely sucking like Windoze, rather than saying all things Apple are perfect, 'cause they're clearly not, but at least they, well, they _just work_, mere mortals can use it, because rather than view the user as a whiner, Apple facilitates getting ***** _you_ want (rather than corporate contract "objectives" measured in ROI rather than anything like actual productivity, let alone personal productivity) actually done. And by more expensive I mean doesn't gut the product to lure uncaring dupes with a marketable pricepoint supporting lock-in so-called standards of a proven monopolist, patent-whoring predatory corporate leviathan.
    • timusca, on 04/16/2008, -1/+16You "mean" a lot, don't you?

      Also... they could just want the OS without buying a high-end product. And by that I mean Apple has a large gap in their product line. And by that I mean Macs are not expensive for what you get, but there is no low-end Mac to buy, so people would rather save the money.
      • armoreddillo, on 04/16/2008, -2/+2and by that you mean??
      • saxreturns, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Well, there is a low-end Mac... just not a fully customisable/upgradeable one.
        • sienar, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3it may have low end specs, but it's not priced low end though due to the use of laptop components
        • wiresjr, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1It's not so much a computer, as the first step in a long line of product upgrades through limitation until one day you find yourself sitting with a new Mac Pro on your doorstep wondering where all your income has gone, and why you've just spent 3 grand on something you use to watch videos on Youtube.
          Seen it happen. Twice.
    • oldhick, on 04/16/2008, -2/+11Nice generalization... and complete *****. PC's are commodities plain and simple.
      • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -6/+2You've never really taked with a mac user I take it.... This thing called a Mac could be beating them and their children daily.... this ***** are too afraid to use a real OS.
        • nitramlliw, on 04/17/2008, -0/+3every comment you've made has gotten negative diggs. you're not ahead, you're far behind actually, but please stop trolling.
    • neodorian, on 04/16/2008, -1/+41Nice troll, trolly. Macs are personal computers made by Apple. You are either a terrible troll or a terrible fanboy. Apple makes some great products but the fact that you think of it as a "lifestyle" as opposed to a machine is what makes this argument silly. You're the kind of guy who would pay twice as much for something identical because of the brand name. "Windoze" is an operating system, not a PC manufacturer. If I like OSX but dislike the lock-in of Apple's corporate strategy, why wouldn't I want a computer with the same chips in a less fancy case for less money? I don't care if it's in a tiny case. It makes no difference to me. I just like the freedom to run whatever OS I want on whatever hardware I can manage to run it on.

      Then at the end you start foaming at the mouth about corporate objectives and patent-whoring leviathans. This is an argument about a specific hardware setup that may or may not be vapor. It has zilch to do with Microsoft so give up the 1990's "OmGZ Micro$ux0rZ!" crap.

      Sane individuals use computers as tools for a job. Sane individuals pick the best and most cost-efficient tool they can buy. If you choose an Apple brand PC as your computer then that is cool. Same goes for a Dell or an HP or a homebuilt. It's a machine, not a lifestyle. If you really need to define yourself by your consumer electronics then you have got a serious hole in your life that no object is going to fill.
      • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -9/+5IT, *****, IS A LIFE STYLE. Getting a MAC says loud and clear: I DON'T GET TECH, BUT I GET TRENDY! and I DON'T KNOW *****, BUT I ACT LIKE IT.
        • saxreturns, on 04/16/2008, -2/+2No it doesn't, you're just making asshat assumptions.
        • Calibur, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0Yes it does! asshat! LOL... i really dont care just wanted to add my two cents
        • ferrite, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Yeah, all these COMPTIA, Apple, and Microsoft certifications on my wall must mean nothin' huh?
        • HoneHeke, on 04/17/2008, -0/+0You actually put your developer certificates on the wall? Those classy thin glossy card prints, that most people just throw into a draw and forget about?

          And yeah, they might not mean nothing, but other than providing a path to "Partner" status, they don't mean much.
        • cypherz, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1troll troll troll *block*
          • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Lovely troooooll, wonderful trooooooooooll...!!!
        • BossKey, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Is it a lifestyle for the people who own Macs at the link below? Or maybe they wanted a native, rock-solid Unix command line with simultaneous access to mainstream applications?

          Let's see you walk up to the Mac laptop owners at this link, and you tell them "YOU DON'T KNOW TECH!"
          http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/people/20040103_Sp_ ...
    • ORBAT, on 04/16/2008, -2/+22The only reason I own a Mac is because of the OS. I honestly couldn't give two ***** about your precious "Apple image." Uptight snobs like you are the reason everyone who owns a Mac gets labeled as a rabid fanboy.
      • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -9/+1AND YOU ARE AN IDIOT. MY CAPS LOCK KEY IS BROKEN ON THIS ***** MAC!!!
        • nerdherder, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5Your other comment said if you own a Mac you don't get tech but your trendy. Is this true in your case?
    • camehoe, on 04/16/2008, -0/+17dude you logged into the wrong site, live journal is here www.livejournal.com
    • ToadLeg, on 04/16/2008, -3/+13Dude, I just spent 10 times what a PC with the same specifications costs, for a Macintosh! It's going to kick ass! It's definitely not cheap, because I spent so much money on it! Now I'm going to act like it works much better than anything else to the point of making absurd generalizations to myself like "it just works" because if I ever realized that I got ripped off for something I was so sure of, I would have to deal with reality.
      • neodorian, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2Well, luckily if people are in the market for a high-end "deluxe model" desktop or a lightweight laptop, then Apple makes a pretty decent machine. There are just too few choices for me and I don't like how I have to either get an underpowered Mini, an iMac with extraneous LCD that I don't need, or a wallet-breaking Pro. I prefer to spend $700-900 max and put my money where I will use it. If you need exactly what Apple offers then it's not too bad a deal. It's only if you need something else that it's not worth it IMO. I like the freedom to install XP or Linux or whatever. I don't want to buy another computer just to legally use an OS.
    • jaredog, on 04/16/2008, -0/+6Why don't you go spill a latte on your turtleneck?
    • wolfboyZ, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3Get off your high horse. You sound like an asshole.
    • ilikechaitea, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3jesus dude, are you serious....you're joking right....you even used a Steve Jobs keynote phrase "mere mortals"....
      I'd love to run OSX on my non-mac laptop just because...well, frankly its faster than Vista...thats it...not because 'I love apple'...dude, you can bet apple doesn't love you.

      And no OS 'just works', thats just *****....neodorian said it best:

      "If you really need to define yourself by your consumer electronics then you have got a serious hole in your life that no object is going to fill"
    • caramba420, on 04/16/2008, -2/+1I happen to like OSX because it's a *NIX OS with a bitchin' window manager. Much as I love FreeBSD and Linux, I just think that Compiz, Gnome, and KDE have a little way to go, performance-wise. Plus Cocoa is a pretty easy API to write to. But I don't think I could convince my employers to drop the $3,000 for a Mac. It's just a computer, just a tool.
      • ExSlashdotter, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2I was with you right up until the $3000 remark. huh?

        Sure, $3k for a blazing Mac Pro. But i might remind you that a similarly configured windows box costs just as much. For dev work, just get a mini for $500.

        "Wow, i really want to be able to drive a car instead of ride this bus every day. But dang, I cant afford the $250k they're asking for that ferrari..."
      • cypherz, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I guess the Linux users are digging you down. Still true though. I use Linux for *servers* at work and at home, but I switched all my desktop machines to Macs a few years ago for the reasons you mentioned.
    • turpialito, on 04/17/2008, -2/+1Fanboy
    • AmICoolNow, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2Somehow he made that into what was technically THREE sentences.
    • cpbrown, on 04/17/2008, -3/+1hey i agree with you. it's a lifestyle choice in many ways, and people don't seem to realise that one of the reasons the os works so well is becuase it's made for specific, known hardware which isn't garuanteed in a homebrew
  • rmw132, on 04/16/2008, -3/+8Looks like someone had too much time on their hands. If he was just trying to get publicity for his garage company or whatever it truly is, all this did was give him a bad name and reputation.
  • timusca, on 04/16/2008, -8/+35This seems to be just a hoax - not a scam... I have a feeling this was for no other purpose except to send a message to Apple that they have a huge gap in their product line. Just look at the scenario... they've raised such a fuss in just a few days and Apple is all over it like white on rice. Trust me, they've received the message loud and clear. Apple will find out it was all a hoax and dollar signs will appear in their eyes when "Prystar" gives them the number of orders that would have been placed had it been real.

    Fast forward to January 2009 and we now have our "one more thing..."
    • speg, on 04/16/2008, -9/+3What gap? What does the Mac Mini not do besides gaming? (which is already limited on OS X). I still get daily use out of my original Mac Mini from three years ago.
      • clyde2801, on 04/16/2008, -1/+14If there was no discernable gap, then why would the ad have had such an impact on the web? Who would care? There's a difference between liking the platform, and flat out drinking the kool-aid...
        • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -2/+2The gap means very little to most consumers, the ones Apple is targeting. People like the ability to upgrade things because it makes them feel they aren't going to be screwed over 3 years from now. However, most people never do upgrade their machines, and Apple is betting on that fact.

          Aside from niche cases (like obscure workstation stuff), the only things you'd want to add to a PC would be graphics cards, ram, a new CPU and a new drive. 3 of those things can be easily upgraded on most macs, and those are the ones that have the most impact on performance.

          Graphics are a different issue, but the form factor of most macs precludes them from being able to include PCI-E slots, which in most cases are only used for graphics cards. It's not a conspiracy, they just don't feel most people are going to care, and those that do are either playing games or using workstation software.
          • MacParrot, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2"Aside from niche cases (like obscure workstation stuff), the only things you'd want to add to a PC would be graphics cards, ram, a new CPU and a new drive. 3 of those things can be easily upgraded on most macs, and those are the ones that have the most impact on performance."
            Sorry, I've agreed with you on many things but I can't go with this one.
            Graphics cards: The only Mac currently in production that you can swap out a graphics card is the Mac Pro. No consumer model can do this.
            Ram: Yes, this is very simple on every machine except the Mac mini. Why do you need a putty knife to gain access to your computer innards?
            New CPU: The only one I know of again is the Mac Pro
            New Drive: There are two models you can easily swap out drives in. The Mac Pro and the MacBook. The others require pretty intensive surgery and will most likely void your warranty. I WISH you could swap out drives in the iMac and MBP.
          • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2The warranty stuff is another issue, but Apple says you aren't voiding it by upgrading ram so perhaps that applies to other things too.

            I have a mac mini with a user updated processor, ram and hard drive. Graphics are the odd one out, and im saying most people don't care. Gamers do, gamers aren't most people.
          • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Also, most PC boxes I've seen from OEMs have a tamper proof sticker preventing you from even opening the case at all, if you do the warranty goes out the window. So in this regard the Mini, for example, is much more upgradable.
          • cthellis, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1What's stopping you from swapping out the CPU on either an iMac or a mini? They certainly still use slots to hold the chips, not solder them to traces on the motherboard.

            It's a frickin' pain in the ASS, though, so I certainly wouldn't label it "easily upgraded." But you as you can upgrade laptops, so too can you upgrade iMacs and minis...

            Technically, you should be able to do the same with the iMac GPU's, as they've traditionally used a common form factor, but--again--it would be a pain in the ass to get to them. (And then above and beyond that, you're limited in your options by which ones can be made to work with OS X.)

            Mac Pro -- Replacing anything is easy, though you have to do a bit more to replace the CPU, of course. (As with all PCs)
            iMac -- Memory is trivial to replace. (RAM even easier than before with the Intel ones, as they created an access door for them.) HDD _used_ to be easy to replace with G5 iMacs, but is now much more of a pain with the Intel ones. CPU would require laptop-scale unscrewing efforts to get to the slot. GPU would require the same, plus professional knowledge about what card upgrade options you have.
            Mac mini -- replacing anything scales from "aggrivating" to "$^!*dammit!!!" Plus, you run the genuine risk of stress-fracturing your motherboard if you don't know how to carefully get the case off.
            MacBooks -- Memory and HDD are trivial to replace, as they have external access after removing the battery. CPU would be a downright pain to dig to. GPU has additional pain.
            MacBook Pros -- Memory is trivial. HDD is a more annoying as you have to undo the case (a dozen or so screws), but don't have to dig down any more layers, unlike with the iMac. CPU and GPU would be the same egregious pain.
      • michrech, on 04/16/2008, -3/+4It doesn't let you upgrade the hardware, for one. There is no reason I should be paying $600 for a machine with which I can't replace parts (except for memory/hdd). Yes, it's true, not everyone will want to, but *I* do. I also don't like the idea of being *forced* to ship my machine for repairs/upgrades (being as there is no Apple Store remotely close to me, unless you count 300+ miles as "remotely close"), nor do I like being *forced* to use Apple specifically as my repair/upgrade center. I'm not alone, either.
      • Macskeeball, on 04/16/2008, -1/+12For me and several others, the mini is underpowered, while the Mac Pro is serious overkill. The iMac is an all-in-one, uses laptop parts, and lacks sufficient expandability.

        In short, the gap in the Mac line-up is an iMac level device with actual desktop parts in a tower form with expandability..
        • MacParrot, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Even if they would make it easy to replace the drive or add another one would be good enough for me. For you old Mac heads, do you remember the slide on the Pismo that let you use a second battery or drive in place of your optical drive? What a great freaking option and if the iMac still had the white thicker case, there would be enough room to do something like this.
          • cthellis, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Yeah, I really don't know why they felt compelled to shrink the thickness even further when moving to the new design. The older form factor would let them take advantage of other advances and use the extra space for new options and alternatives.

            It's not like the G5 iMac was a BEAST or anything. People unfamiliar with it are still always asking "where's the computer?"
      • DarkDx, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3The mac mini is underpowered because it uses laptops parts (and a 5400rpm hard drive!) with 600 you could get a KILLER pc (4gb, 9600gt, 4gb ram, hdd, case and proc). IF apple used non-laptop parts they could offer a powerful-yet-affordable machine for most people that want 1. Upgrade parts 2. Swap parts (put another hard drive, change that 2 1gb sticks for 2 2gb sticks, etc.) and 3. get more bang for their money, I would never buy a mini, i would just get a tower pc and install hackintosh in it, I would be getting a mid-level gaming pc (except for crysis) and more than capable pc for everyday use. Sorry, but I don't see the point in buying the mac mini as just a normal pc unless you care about the size but that's not the case here.
        • jer2eydevil88, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1$600 is the price of that killer rig before software costs, after you add all the software that would constitute iLife you are way over that budget. That of course would mean someone on digg actually BOUGHT software and we all know that won't happen.
          • DarkDx, on 04/17/2008, -1/+1We're talking about the hardware here, sir. Fanboys come always with the ilife ***** (I love apple but i'm not a fanboy and I criticize them when it's due). You can't change nobody's mind anyway, unless I worked for the cia...
    • BillyK, on 04/16/2008, -2/+9You assume a lot. How is Apple "all over it like white on rice?" Do you have information we don't? Because Apple hasn't said or done anything publicly. And how exactly do you know "they've received the message loud and clear?" Again, do you have some information the general public does not?

      And do you really think all the brains and marketing managers and execs, etc. at Apple aren't aware of this "huge gap" in their product line? Amazing that you could figure it out, but they couldn't! I TRUST YOU!
    • travestyuk, on 04/16/2008, -1/+5Apple is hardware company. Apple is a hardware company. Say it again and again until you understand.
      • virtualball, on 04/16/2008, -6/+9Except for when they make software.
        • ExSlashdotter, on 04/17/2008, -2/+3They sell software to *APPLE HARDWARE OWNERS*.

          OS X is the competitive advantage for Apple's hardware. People buy a mac because they want a machine that runs OS X. Apple's good software is what pushes people to buy Apple's hardware.

          THEY WANT TO SELL HARDWARE.

          Why do people think that reading digg and shopping at best buy gives them an MBA or something.
          • cypherz, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2"Why do people think that reading digg and shopping at best buy gives them an MBA or something."
            heh. good one.
            Most people can't accept that Apple isn't *ever* going to sell OS X for commodity PC hardware.
          • Reziarfg, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2If this was true, then why restrict OS X to MAC ONLY?
          • vajra918, on 04/17/2008, -1/+4Reziarfg, you have managed to get my brain stuck in quite a loop figureing out how to respond to you, so...
            That's what she said...
          • Reziarfg, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2Well vajra, what I'm saying is that ExSlashDotter claims Apple is only trying to move hardware. If this were true then why would they restrict their operating system to only their hardware? He insists they couldn't care less about the software front.
          • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2You're still in a feedback loop, dude. He already said that OS X existed to make Macs more appealing.

            If they openly licensed OS X, would that make it MORE or LESS likely that people could purchase non-Apple hardware to get OS X?
        • virtualball, on 04/17/2008, -3/+2Correct me if I'm wrong, but if they make software in general, let alone provide it for other platforms, isn't that "software company?' Even if they make more money on hardware, they still produce software. I believe they are both hardware and a software company based on the fact that they make both.

          Btw, I shop at newegg.com, thank you very much!
    • Skidmark66, on 04/16/2008, -3/+2huge gap in their product line ? Mac Mini $599, Mac Book $1099, iMac $1199, Mac Book Air $1799, Mac Book Pro $1999, Mac Pro $2799, all configurable to make the price higher or lower, i mean, what kinda gap we takin bout here ? i have a gap in between my front teeth ? (wolf whistles !!)
      • ExSlashdotter, on 04/17/2008, -1/+8Didnt say a gap in their price structure. A gap in the products.

        For a desktop machine, the only thing apple has thats upgradable (or even can hold a second friggin hard drive) is the Mac Pro for >$2500. I don't want a machine with a display attached (iMac), and I want something more substantial than a headless Macbook (the mini) with a single, slow 2.5" hard drive.

        They need a mid-range tower with a modular video card and at least two hard drive bays. No screen attached. No 'mini'. No 'pro'. Just a *Mac*.
  • clak, on 04/16/2008, -3/+79It's so funny because so many people were pledging their undying love for PsyStar, a company they had never even heard of a few days ago. Oops!
  • ClockworksNine, on 04/16/2008, -1/+18Reminds me of the whole HardOCP vs. Phantom. Good times.

    http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NTEy
  • maxbaumann, on 04/16/2008, -9/+1so fake
    • Claude1971, on 04/16/2008, -1/+4like my wife's *****
      • cthellis, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Yeah, why DID she get those anyway? SO fake! She doesn't feel natural anymore, like she did a few years back, when she was taut like a teenager, and still firm-but-yielding.
  • ajb2015, on 04/16/2008, -4/+15um...if you are so concerned, build your own mac clone.
    • FireXtol, on 04/16/2008, -19/+2ANYONE WHO REALLY WANTS TO USE A MAC... WOULD NOT HAVE THIS KNOWLEDGE. THEY'D KNOW BETTER THAN USE THE WORLD'S WORST OS (X).
    • nerdherder, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5I thought I told you to use your indoor voice.
    • bjs3171, on 04/17/2008, -1/+1because it's expensive?
  • Mohdoo, on 04/16/2008, -11/+3makes me wonder if this was something put on by apple. Gives the impression that there is a higher demand for macs, makes people wonder why...etc...
    • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2If it were put on by Apple it would have at least not looked like *****. Or maybe thats what they wanted......
    • wellyuk, on 04/16/2008, -2/+4What the *****? This was something put on by Apple? Congratulations, you're the winner of Digg.com's "Asshat Of The Day". You Apple haters are worse than mac fanboys.
    • cthellis, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Yeeeeeaaaaahhhh... That's the ticket.
  • shyboy2008, on 04/16/2008, -14/+6remember children, always buy the real thing even if it costs more.
    • aliguana, on 04/16/2008, -4/+5no, children always buy the real thing even if it costs more. grown-ups aren't as concerned about labels.
      • FortyCaliber, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2You haven't met my sister's-in-law yet...
        One of them considers the most important aspect of her week to be a new outfit from A&F.
    • wellyuk, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Yep! You buy cheap, you buy twice.
  • theghoul, on 04/16/2008, -2/+11Hmm.. I may be going against the grain here but even Bill G said he worried more about the "two guys in their basement" than the bigger established companies.
    • veriix, on 04/16/2008, -2/+20I'd be worried if there were two guys in my basement too.
      • caramba420, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4I'm gonna be worried if those two guys somehow get out of my basement
  • FriedTurkey, on 04/16/2008, -20/+7I believe Apple believe they exist enough to sue the company.

    Apparently the Apple cult doesn't like to be challenged about their extremely closed system.
    • ORBAT, on 04/16/2008, -7/+6It's not a cult.
      It's a bona fide religion.
    • takamalak, on 04/16/2008, -4/+9Retard. No one's been sued.
    • monospaced, on 04/16/2008, -1/+15Apple hasn't even acknowledged PsyStar's existence.
    • veriix, on 04/16/2008, -9/+1Yeah, pretty much goes with the "cult" territory.
    • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -0/+4You are terrifyingly intelligent.

      Or at least ONE of those things...
  • colincornaby, on 04/16/2008, -2/+25Hope none of you gave them your credit card number.
  • BryanG412, on 04/16/2008, -8/+5that's booty juice
  • AppleGeorge, on 04/16/2008, -2/+11If you want to use OS X so bad, then build one yourself or buy a real Mac. It's seriously not hard at all, especially with Kalyway's newest build, Leo4All if you want to go the simplest route, or even JaS' build when he releases it.
    • HolyChimp, on 04/16/2008, -1/+8I tried Leo4All the other day and it was easy as pie. Burn Disc, Stick it in, Run through installer, You have OS X. This on an AMD CPU as well!
      Doesn't work as nice as my MacBook though :D
      • DarkDx, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2I hope it works in my friend's computer because he wants it. Altough I told him it was meaningless without internet, why would you want mac os x without internet? His computer is fast enough to run vista+office 2007 without problems, but (at least in my opinion) I think os x is more confortable for the usual tasks... web browsing, listening to music, emailing, pictures, etc. Those require internet.
        • AppleGeorge, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2Sometimes you need to get patched kext's for your drivers, as not all ethernet or sound drivers work on OS X without being patched. I have to patch my ethernet or run it by booting with CPUS=1 or else it'll not work properly. Most of the time you can get a patched kext if you need it from insanelymac.
          • DarkDx, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2I'm gonna check the hardware before going to install it and will also download the kext prior to installation ;)
      • AppleGeorge, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Did you install EFI? It didn't run as well as a real Mac for me until I installed EFI. It ran better than a real Mac since then.
  • TylerDCA, on 04/16/2008, -9/+4I guess Apple doesn't get the good news that it needs. Apple clones running around would boost the OSX market share huge amounts and make people more tempted to purchase Apple warez.
    • HolyChimp, on 04/16/2008, -1/+8Actually, unstable Apple clones would generate bad publicity for Apple.
      "Oh, I tried OS X on one of those Psystars and it was just so buggy. I'll stick to Windows"
      • corvairkid, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Actually, it would probably end up more like, "I bought one of those Apple iStars and it kept crashing on me so I took it back and got a Dell."
    • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5I duno, apple seems to be growing their market share just fine all on their own, doesn't seem they need clones. And considering the downsides clones have for brand recognition and stability, I can't blame apple for not wanting to repeat the same mess twice.
      • caramba420, on 04/16/2008, -1/+0Downside? You mean like Windows having a 90% desktop market share? Remember that before they were called "PC's," they were all called "IBM Clones." Anyone that has been using computers for long enough should remember being asked "Do you use Mac or IBM?"
    • Calibur, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0Apple already has its market space, the logo is everywhere these days, so to say it would open the market is to say they have no market now?
  • StacyWebb, on 04/16/2008, -1/+4This could be a case of a small business wanting to appear large and stable on the Internet. Although I do not agree with the ethics of the company. There are many cases of companies being small but appearing larger on line. That is one of the great things about small businesses on the Internet. Any one here question the size of amazon when it started?
    • MacParrot, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2What? Selling books on the intarwebs? Flash in the pan.
  • Quick2822, on 04/16/2008, -20/+8I just heard all of the Mac fans release a huge sigh of relief because now they can live another day with their noses in the air, looking down on us poor and worthless PC/Linux users.

    Now do what any hip Mac user does, go put on your trendy clothes, go out and pickup a coffee from Starbucks, swing by the store and pickup 6-pack of Zima, and enjoy the rest of day!
    • clak, on 04/16/2008, -2/+6"now they can live another day with their noses in the air, looking down on us poor and worthless PC/Linux users."

      Yes, yes, we can. Isn't life wonderful? And I drink Green Tea Lattes by the way. Zima is for people that hates trees.
    • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5I did all those things just now, just to spite you.
    • MacParrot, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5We don't look down on Windows/Linux (as I use both also) users...just people like you
      • dudeguy1234, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2Feel the same way... iMac with bootcamp, sometimes I useUbuntu. Woo!
  • wingo123, on 04/16/2008, -0/+16Wow. Gizmodo readers are serious.

    I'm still waiting for their review of the Beamz Laser Music system.
  • garryw, on 04/16/2008, -11/+4I work from home and it's not a hoax. These guys probably build macs in the basement. Didn't Woz and Steve do that too?
    • bobburn, on 04/16/2008, -1/+6Did you read the damn article? Their place of business changed to *three* different locations in less than 48hrs. Come on, did you also randomly claim open a brick and mortar store, 'close' it, then 'open' another one?
      • garryw, on 04/16/2008, -3/+1I think they are hiding the fact that they are teenagers in the mom's basement, and cannot give the real address. But they probably will ship orders. If they dont ship the whole party is over. Why go to all the trouble for a few fake sales?
        • ethnicman, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2ok but if they dont ship and the company is non existent or hazy, how are you going to recoup your loss and then there is the fact that you willingly gave your credit card number to an unknown, unproven 3rd party.
        • zspeed78, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1You give your CC to a HS dropout everytime you hand it over at jack in the box and they close the window on you for 10 seconds.. so many ways to get CC numbers in 10 seconds its not even funny..
          • Speed, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2If you think that HS dropout can hack the CC machine at work or memorize you CC number by looking at it for 10 seconds, you've got issues.
          • corvairkid, on 04/16/2008, -1/+0In the old days, CC's used to be done by a phone call and a carbon paper machine that took an imprint of the raised numbers on the card. You can still do this with a piece of the thermal transfer paper from the debit machine and your fingernail in a couple of seconds. Simply look at the card to get the name and expiry date and away you go. This is one reason why I never let my cards out of sight when using them.
        • Speed, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2Are you also ignoring the fact that the same names have started a bunch of shady businesses?
    • clak, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Woz built his own computer boards and internals and wrote his own code using BASIC as a template. So Psystar is nothing like Apple in the beginning.
    • digiguy, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2Yeah, they "started" in the garage, but they were building the Apple prototype computer, which they own. And it went to a factory. They weren't building clones and selling them from their garage.
      • MacParrot, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3Actually they did hand build the first Apple 1s
    • BillyK, on 04/16/2008, -1/+7You work from home? Well, that seals it - definitely not a hoax! Thanks random internet guy!
    • zspeed78, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1I dont see anything wrong with these guys working from home.. and then realizing they made so many headlines they dont want their parents address out there.
  • amdforever, on 04/16/2008, -2/+8Once again, this proves that internet is the best detective on planet earth.
    • winnch, on 04/16/2008, -0/+4And simultaneously a purveyor of the same things it needs to track down. Kind of like buying a lawnmower that plants seeds as you go.
  • shotthings, on 04/16/2008, -11/+0This is probably a publicity stunt by Apple itself. They may have employed someone else to make a website and an offer of cheap Macs to get themselves in the news more and get all this media attention. Good job too!
    • tomis, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1Remember the tin foil only helps if you place it on your head in the shape of a hat.
  • smashingmonkey, on 04/16/2008, -8/+24Hoax or not, I'm still glad it happened, as it put a spotlight on the gaping hole in Apple's product line.
  • antipoet, on 04/16/2008, -8/+5Gizmodo Army? What, like a guy with a cameraphone?
  • ChrisTek, on 04/16/2008, -1/+14PsyStar's website, at one point, carried the message "RAZORFX.COM UNDER CONSTRUCTION". If you've been reading any news site for the last two years, you'd know RazorFX was one of the biggest scams of 2000-2007, when it was unraveled.
  • griz, on 04/16/2008, -1/+2Here is a link to their own forum with more talk about this.
    http://www.psystar.com/_fireboard/view/4/4.html
  • blitzkriegpunk, on 04/16/2008, -0/+7Pffft.. My Phantom box is coming next week.
    • ExSlashdotter, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I hear Duke Nukem Whenever is gonna be a launch title.
  • judicar, on 04/16/2008, -6/+1Another company/website by the same person, seems legit?

    http://floridatek.com
    • SebHughes, on 04/16/2008, -1/+4Most links on that site link to .exe files.
      • cawpin, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1No, they don't. That's just the tech support. I guess they have an app to run for remote desktop. I wouldn't install it but it has been done before.
    • Speed, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1So what exactly do they do? If you can't explain in one sentence what exactly it is that your company does, then it's illegal.
      Also, they kind of like the word "technical"...
  • monospaced, on 04/16/2008, -2/+6If it's a hoax, it's a big one. They managed to make it onto Wallstreet headlines regarding Apple stock and licensing future. Someone could get into some deep sh!t.
  • crazysamz, on 04/16/2008, -2/+4too bad it was a scam, it seemed promising...
  • srodolff, on 04/16/2008, -9/+3Just remember, Apple started in a garage...........
    • monkeyrun, on 04/16/2008, -1/+4Just remember Apple didn't start in somebody else's garage.


      Update: Reader Robert did some more digging in the Florida Corporate filing office, and it seems that Psystar's principles are Rodolfo and Roberto Pedraza, who are officers or agents on a whole crapload of companies. Only one of these companies besides Psystar is currently active: Floridatek. As Robert says, "These guys are obviously clowns."
    • oxkr1320, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Google did it too also Microsoft, I'm thinking to change my office to a Garage may be i become rich,
    • mrsteveman1, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3Yea but Apple built their own hardware, they didn't throw together PC parts and someone elses operating system.
  • beersnob, on 04/16/2008, -0/+5whois lookup for psystar.com:
    Registrant:
    RP
    3401 SW 104 CT
    Miami, FL 33165
    US

    Domain Name: PSYSTAR.COM

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Promote your business to millions of viewers for only $1 a month
    Learn how you can get an Enhanced Business Listing here for your domain name.
    Learn more at http://www.NetworkSolutions.com/
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
    Pedraza, Rodolfo rp@PSYSTAR.COM
    PSYSTAR CORPORATION
    3401 SW 104 CT
    Miami, FL 33165
    US
    3053566666 fax: 3053575555


    Record expires on 13-Jan-2009.
    Record created on 13-Jan-2000.
    Database last updated on 16-Apr-2008 16:23:49 EDT.

    Domain servers in listed order:

    NS01.DFO.CC 208.68.239.67
    NS02.DFO.CC 208.68.239.67
    Was this one of the addresses that gizmodo looked up?
    • mojonandha, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3last uupdated 16th apr? umm something fishy
  • iddybiddy, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1Address is wrong it's actually 10471
    • Drax0n, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2was that the third or the fourth change of cooperate address in 3 days?
    • aelias, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1It's not there, either.
  • MaidenFan2358, on 04/16/2008, -1/+6The final update is dubious at best. The two persons named could be lawyers who filed on behalf of the real owners. It's really hard to tell without contacting them personally. I deal with this type of deal at work nearly everyday. I would recommend Gizmodo dig a bit more before calling those two clowns. Business registration proxy is a legitimate, albeit small, side business for the law sector.
  • sudowrestler, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Sounds like this outfit is from the same dimension as the evil hacker Malcor.
  • AWBoy666, on 04/16/2008, -11/+6I just called them......they are 100% legit. Gizmodo just sucks on their investigation.

    http://www.psystar.com/contact.html

    Go ahead and call them yourselves. I got someone immediately.
    • Speed, on 04/16/2008, -0/+10They said they're legit. Well then, no reason to doubt them! /s
    • nerdherder, on 04/16/2008, -0/+10That Nigerian man told me he was a prince and I believed him and that worked out great so far!
    • renegadeafk, on 04/17/2008, -0/+7"Hello"
      "Are you guys Legit"
      "Yes"
      "Alright, here's my credit card number"
  • Shadowgamers, on 04/16/2008, -9/+4Don't ***** with Macs, their fans will hunt you down?
    • BradBrown, on 04/16/2008, -3/+4Hunt you down and give you fashion tips?
  • Chunken, on 04/16/2008, -5/+3Their website looks pretty nice for a hoax.
  • o6uoq, on 04/16/2008, -4/+3Scientology strikes again.
  • beersnob, on 04/16/2008, -5/+2So go ahead and spend $399 on a pretty box (oh, plus $150 for the copy of OSX) and then Apple releases an update to OSX next month that bricks all the psystar boxes.

    http://digg.com/apple/Forget_the_Courts_m_Apple_Ma ...

    I suppose your $399 isn't too bad for a new Linux box.
    • sirbeta, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1Because clearly, it's not easy to reverse those damaging updates.
      • Drax0n, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1No its not, you can't uninstall apple updates, and if you never update again its a pretty lame system.
    • deadbaby, on 04/16/2008, -0/+3You do have to be careful with a Hackintosh and yes it's quite hard to uninstall OSX updates. (especially when your machine doesn't boot) That being said, if you have enough skill to install Linux, OSX86 isn't much harder. There's a great development & support community at insanelymac.com (among others)
      • p0tent1al, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1great support community?

        one of the worst support communities I have ever encountered. Most people have to reformat more than 15 times before they get it somewhat right.
  • Locnar, on 04/16/2008, -3/+6I doubt this is a hoax.. But even if it is. It brought to light that if there ever was such a company offering a generic mac.. there would be takers.. and it would really get interesting!!!
    imagine... having the choice of 2 different OS's (besides Linux... not overlooking)
    It could jump start a major computer revolution.. And with that would come a better version of Windows... or just Apple OS taking its place.. Competition is good!
    • BillyK, on 04/16/2008, -2/+5I can run Windows and OSX on one box already. Google "Boot Camp."
      • Speed, on 04/16/2008, -2/+3On a system that isn't built by Apple.
        • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -1/+2Well, he needs to specify that. ;-)
          • Speed, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I think most of us here already figured that's what he meant.
          • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -1/+1Snark penetrates all borders that are not well-defended.
      • nerdherder, on 04/16/2008, -1/+1Try upgrading it.
  • StanleyKoolPrik, on 04/16/2008, -6/+11These days Macs are just PCs in pretty boxes -- only you're no allowed to upgrade them as you wish. The only real difference is the OS. Hardly worth the ridiculous premium.
    • deadbaby, on 04/16/2008, -3/+6The operating system IS the computer. I prefer OSX, I'm going to buy a computer that runs OSX.
      • wiresjr, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1My computer is capable of running OS X too, but it almost certainly didn't have as big a markup on its parts as yours. What's your point?
    • Skidmark66, on 04/16/2008, -4/+4"Hardly worth the ridiculous premium." - you mean that OS.X is $129 and Vista $300 ?
      • thedragon4453, on 04/16/2008, -0/+2OS X may sell for 129 on its own, but it comes at a heavy premium when you buy an apple machine. With apple you pay a lot for form factor and OS X. However, you arent going to be installing OS X on a $500 machine. And Vista Ultimate is 300, but the Home premium upgrade is only 159.

        I am not a fan of vista, and I like apple products, but you're kidding yourself if you think that it is cheap to run OS X.
        • Drax0n, on 04/17/2008, -1/+3Go price out a mac pro than find a dell with the SAME specs including the same Xeon chipset. You will find the mac pro is 500 - 1000 CHEAPER, the onyl market apple loses out on is the sub 1000$ market. There is no extra cost to buying a mac pro if your commited to buying a quality computer. If you want a "dollar a day" computer than soprry your stuck with the bloatfest that is
          vista.
          • thedragon4453, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I said that it is not cheap to run OS X. You can run Vista on a $500 machine better spec'd than a mini, which starts at $599. I agree with you on the high end. The Mac Pro is a good deal. I think that the mini/iMac are a bit overpriced though.
      • Skidmark66, on 04/18/2008, -0/+2"but you're kidding yourself if you think that it is cheap to run OS X." - a mac mini is 500 bux, works with any screen, so get a screen for a 100 bux = 600 bux, that's cheap where im from, and i never kid myself, i do other things to myself, but never kid.
    • p0tent1al, on 04/17/2008, -1/+4A computer without an operating system is a next to near useless computer. And you can upgrade your Mac, you just might void your warranty when replacing certain things.
      • Balanced, on 04/17/2008, -0/+2Note that in many cases it'd be the same way with Dell or any PC manufacturer. DOn't expect much support if you tell them you've swapped out the processor, for example.
  • digiguy, on 04/16/2008, -2/+2I agree, But the point is that Apple is a business and selling their product. As far as I know, it's not illegal to tie their software to their hardware and charge whatever they want. If I coudn't afford a Mac, I would just stick to Windows. It's like begging for that $1000,000 mercedes that I can't have at the moment. And what is funny, Windows dominates the market. What the point with all this with MacOSX. ...lol
    • dezertrat, on 04/16/2008, -2/+3McDonalds dominates the cheesburger market... are they the best ?
      • digiguy, on 04/16/2008, -0/+1I'm talking the way a company charges for their product. People are whinning becuase the cost of the Mac is too high. The cost of the Mercedes is too high too. You are a million cars as an alternative. You have windows as an alternative. That's all i'm saying
  • tizzleG, on 04/16/2008, -3/+1MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
  • chkdg8, on 04/16/2008, -2/+6Here's my comment from the original "OpenMac" thread:

    "Clever idea but the thinker inside me leads me to believe that this is something Apple could do on purpose if they were cynical enough. Corporations do it all the time. It's kind of like when think tanks come up with social experiments and practice on society just to monitor the thought behavioral aspect. It's called "Undercover Marketing" or sometimes "Stealth Marketing" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roMxTYVxj98&feature ... Of course I'm digressing but I'm sure that Steve-O and his Elite Corporate Esquire Ninjas are going to have a field day with this."

    Of course it got buried big time as sounding too conspiratorial but I warned you guys of fakery. I told you that this ***** sounded way too good to be true and for a monolith like Apple to not respond immediately. Hats off to Gizmodo for doing what the mainstream media doesn't do anymore, reporting and investigating news.
    • cthellis, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1...and ***** up people's presentations at trade shows.
  • WomensUnderwear, on 04/16/2008, -7/+2***** PSYSTAR
    • ravensheart, on 04/16/2008, -2/+1I agree, but you put that kinda bluntly..... Couldn't you have said that a little nicer? Some of us are under 18, ya know. Gosh...
  • liuite, on 04/16/2008, -3/+1Psystar supposedly created a firmware that will allow unmodified OSX to install. So the only question I have is if such firmware exists!
    • philz, on 04/16/2008, -3/+0"supposedly" - who says that?
    • colincornaby, on 04/16/2008, -0/+7They didn't. Someone else did. And he's really ***** about Psystar using it. http://netkas.org/?p=62
      • ravensheart, on 04/16/2008, -0/+0Yep, right on collincornaby. But I expect there have to be some kind of hacks or bugs or whatever to do things like make it show up as apple hardware, lol.....
    • Leopards, on 04/17/2008, -0/+1I just hope to hell they have good documentation of the "clean Room reverse engineering" they had to do to generate the firmware to get leopard to install on the machine, kind of like others did to make the original IBM clones way back when!!!!
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