businessinsider.com— Fresh off the heels of Microsoft's (MSFT) "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person" commercial, the company is once again taking a dig at Apple (AAPL).
Apr 6, 2009View in Crawl 4
The bottom line is this. Apple has very few choices so it requires the computer choosing the type of user that will buy it rather than the user choosing the computer that fits their specific needs. I needed to buy two 15" notebooks. One for me (replacing my dead Black Macbook) and one for my mom (want to retire her 2005 Toshiba). For me it was easy. I want a Mac so it's a $2000 MBP. But for mom then she doesn't need FW800, Nvidia 9600 or Display Port. She needs a 15" internet portal and Apple simply doesn't have anything close to her price range to replace her $400 15" Toshiba. So since being trendy doesn't matter to her then she's getting a Dell.So rather than Apple fans slamming everyone else in the world for offering choice, how about they redirect that whining towards Apple for not giving us more options? And IF Apple simply doesn't want to cater to the average user... why the heck are apple fans so obsessed with these commercials?
Wait until you have a mortgage. :DI like OS X, but that doesn't mean the hardware itself is worth the pricetag. My $2000 Macbook Pro + $200 in upgrades + $300 for Applecare (because my last Macbook died out of warranty) cost over $2500 in the end. It's a fine computer and all, but still... ouch.
Sorry, but Apple can only compete with Microsoft (and thus, the other way around) in certain markets, such as operating systems, portable media players and little more, because in any other market Microsoft clearly has the upper hand. I'm not saying Microsoft doesn't want every little piece of the market and is willing to concede victory to Apple; I'm saying Microsoft, as a whole, should not feel threatened by a company that is only a competitor in very specific markets, even though they seem like the most relevant ones to us.And let's be honest for a second. The iPhone is far from a runaway success, despite the enthusiasm with which it has been greeted. Nokia will continue to be the largest cellphone manufacturer for some time, Blackberry's are still extremely popular and I really don't think we will ever see the iPhone OS on anything other than an iPhone. Ironically, with a much smaller install base, Google's Android is a much bigger threat to Windows Mobile because it isn't tied to a specific brand of hardware.Bottom line: iPod is a threat to Zune. OS X could become a threat to Windows at the consumer level. iWork is a serious threat to Microsoft Works. But...that's about it really.
I'm not saying that's _Apple's_ attitude, I'm saying it's the attitude I've found among more Mac users than PC users. But I fully realize – and expect – others to have had different experiences. And I fully know there are zealots on both sides.I think I've been fairly objective here.
miquonranger031... I capitalize APPLE because it is a business and not because it is something to be worshipped. Am I wrong, probably, but that's why I do it. If that really bothers you then I'd say the problem lies more within you than in reading the word. Is it really that serious? Do you really get so bent out of shape over such small things? You might need help.I keep noticing a trend with people like you... When you don't like something that others like, you find it necessary to say that they worship the object of your dislike. For example, the Jesus phone, the obamassiah, or any of the names attributed to Steve Jobs. Why can't someone like something without you saying that they are worshipping it? Why do they have to be irrational just because they don't agree with you?As for your logic about devotion to a product, it is lacking one important fact, more and more people are actually buying Apple products (I fixed the caps for ya... lol. I know how sensitive you are). I personally know of three friends who stated to me that they would NEVER buy Apple products and as of this year they have relented and bought new Apple laptops. In case you didn't know, the actual switching that has been going on increasingly is a big part of why MS has started its new marketing strategy. For the first time in a long time they find it necessary to try to keep people from moving over to Apple from Microsoft. Apple has been effective in eroding market share and Microsoft can no longer ignore it. If it were just as you say, blindly devoted followers, then MS would have nothing to fear. You may not like it, but Apple is a good company with great customer service and products that people like. You are more of a slave to an idea than people are blindly devoted followers. You can't stand the idea that people actually enjoy and like what they purchased from Apple. According to you they must be brainwashed... Sad.
urkelApr 6, 2009
The bottom line is this. Apple has very few choices so it requires the computer choosing the type of user that will buy it rather than the user choosing the computer that fits their specific needs. I needed to buy two 15" notebooks. One for me (replacing my dead Black Macbook) and one for my mom (want to retire her 2005 Toshiba). For me it was easy. I want a Mac so it's a $2000 MBP. But for mom then she doesn't need FW800, Nvidia 9600 or Display Port. She needs a 15" internet portal and Apple simply doesn't have anything close to her price range to replace her $400 15" Toshiba. So since being trendy doesn't matter to her then she's getting a Dell.So rather than Apple fans slamming everyone else in the world for offering choice, how about they redirect that whining towards Apple for not giving us more options? And IF Apple simply doesn't want to cater to the average user... why the heck are apple fans so obsessed with these commercials?
urkelApr 6, 2009
Wait until you have a mortgage. :DI like OS X, but that doesn't mean the hardware itself is worth the pricetag. My $2000 Macbook Pro + $200 in upgrades + $300 for Applecare (because my last Macbook died out of warranty) cost over $2500 in the end. It's a fine computer and all, but still... ouch.
greg2kApr 6, 2009
Sorry, but Apple can only compete with Microsoft (and thus, the other way around) in certain markets, such as operating systems, portable media players and little more, because in any other market Microsoft clearly has the upper hand. I'm not saying Microsoft doesn't want every little piece of the market and is willing to concede victory to Apple; I'm saying Microsoft, as a whole, should not feel threatened by a company that is only a competitor in very specific markets, even though they seem like the most relevant ones to us.And let's be honest for a second. The iPhone is far from a runaway success, despite the enthusiasm with which it has been greeted. Nokia will continue to be the largest cellphone manufacturer for some time, Blackberry's are still extremely popular and I really don't think we will ever see the iPhone OS on anything other than an iPhone. Ironically, with a much smaller install base, Google's Android is a much bigger threat to Windows Mobile because it isn't tied to a specific brand of hardware.Bottom line: iPod is a threat to Zune. OS X could become a threat to Windows at the consumer level. iWork is a serious threat to Microsoft Works. But...that's about it really.
miquonranger031Apr 6, 2009
Yes, because for the past 3 years or so, Microsoft has been running smug ads with annoying hipsters.
manitoba98xpApr 7, 2009
I'm not saying that's _Apple's_ attitude, I'm saying it's the attitude I've found among more Mac users than PC users. But I fully realize – and expect – others to have had different experiences. And I fully know there are zealots on both sides.I think I've been fairly objective here.
ceeayyApr 11, 2009
miquonranger031... I capitalize APPLE because it is a business and not because it is something to be worshipped. Am I wrong, probably, but that's why I do it. If that really bothers you then I'd say the problem lies more within you than in reading the word. Is it really that serious? Do you really get so bent out of shape over such small things? You might need help.I keep noticing a trend with people like you... When you don't like something that others like, you find it necessary to say that they worship the object of your dislike. For example, the Jesus phone, the obamassiah, or any of the names attributed to Steve Jobs. Why can't someone like something without you saying that they are worshipping it? Why do they have to be irrational just because they don't agree with you?As for your logic about devotion to a product, it is lacking one important fact, more and more people are actually buying Apple products (I fixed the caps for ya... lol. I know how sensitive you are). I personally know of three friends who stated to me that they would NEVER buy Apple products and as of this year they have relented and bought new Apple laptops. In case you didn't know, the actual switching that has been going on increasingly is a big part of why MS has started its new marketing strategy. For the first time in a long time they find it necessary to try to keep people from moving over to Apple from Microsoft. Apple has been effective in eroding market share and Microsoft can no longer ignore it. If it were just as you say, blindly devoted followers, then MS would have nothing to fear. You may not like it, but Apple is a good company with great customer service and products that people like. You are more of a slave to an idea than people are blindly devoted followers. You can't stand the idea that people actually enjoy and like what they purchased from Apple. According to you they must be brainwashed... Sad.