Is PC World for losers too?

This is the same thing I've run into everytime I get a new laptop. I'd like to pick up a Mac just to mess around with but since I want a 17" screen I've gotta start with a Mac Book Pro which means over $2k just to start, let alone get the upgrades. So instead most recently I picked up a Sony with an 18.5" screen (which is ridiculously big but I love it), blu-ray, 4gb of RAM, all the bells and whistles for $1700. Not cheap but pretty much half of what a MacBook Pro would have cost. I also picked up an Acer mini desktop for my media center for $350 and that included HDMI out. Again, I was looking at getting a Mac Mini but once I started really shopping around... I like the OS and they make nice hardware but I just cant justify the price difference getting a Mac.

Wow. For a company that *cough, mikegalos, cough* spends virtually no time thinking about Apple, Microsoft sure spends a lot of ad dollars talking about Apple. "I would have liked to see a commercial highlighting all those areas where the PC is better than the Mac." Networks don't generally sell 2-second ad slots. ;-)

A couple of points on this ad. 1. The "real person" is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. But, sure, she's a "real person". 2. The HP notebook, while 17 inch, has the same pixel count as Apple's 15 inch screen. It also lacks 802.11n, fast Gigabit Ethernet, digital audio inputs and outputs, weighs 7.75 pounds to the Apple under 5 lbs. Of course, Microsoft says NOTHING about the features of their product, Vista is not even mentioned by name. Good luck with that race to the bottom, it's working out so nicely for Dell.

lotsa " *cough, mikegalos, cough*" If you're feeling sick perhaps you should have just stayed home?

@chuckb64 - For $600 you won't match spec for spec vs. an Apple machine that costs $2800 (probably fair, Firewire and screen quality are among the specs Apple usually tacks on that others don't). The Apple laptop in this case, based on the single spec of a 17 inch screen, vs. the 17 inch HP, is about 4.67 times more in price. If screen price was the only spec one cared about, this would be fair, but I'm assuming in most cases it isn't. But let us assume that the person buys a laptop with decent specs, and doesn't mind a gigabyte of RAM less, or the lack of 802.11n (which one can easily procure an expansion card, or USB dongle), a few extra pounds, etc. In this scenario, the average person doesn't care (and believe me, they don't!) about a few extra features in exchange for the savings. Furthermore, in two-three years, they can buy a new one and still come out on top, even with the initially lower specs, and even assuming a lower lifespan for the laptop, and can now give the spare laptop to a child. This is the majority of people, especially in this economy. Now to spec match, $1500 for pretty similar specs (and I could match better, but I'm on a time budget), but probably not Firewire, or any Apple specific ports, and probably not some super fancy TFT LCD that few would notice; I didn't look *that* closely. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834117886).

PC World should really be called We Hate PCs World. Some of their advice columns are absolutely ridiculous and, in a lot of Vista articles, actually counter-productive, for instance they advise you to disable Aero and the Indexing Service. Morons.

MS has been calling themselves uncool for a while. When I still had a Mac I wondered over to the Photosynth page and was told, "Sorry we're not cool enough to work on a Mac yet but try us again later" or something like that. I had to laugh, and by the way yes PC World now that you dumped your best writers ie Steve Bass for one, you are a bunch of losers.

Microsoft's point is easy to see... PC's are a better value. Many of those that post here and the author of the article don't agree with that point... but Paul is right. Whether or not you agree with the claim, it's silly to say that the spot is confusing.

""points out what everyone already knows: Macs cost more than PCs ... " Well he is right. Pretty much everyone does know that. So what's the point of the ad again? I don't think people who spend $700 on a 17" laptop are typical Mac switchers.

Well I guess the Apple fanboy blowback/rage-a-thon is in full swing! Why is it that even something so minor as this just elicits such a negative response from Apple fanatics, but ads that were completely false from Apple didnt raise a peep from them?

I've always questioned PC World's lack of credibility. When they fudged up (and then tried to cover up) the results on the "MacBook is the fasted Windows Vista computer" test, it removed all remaining doubt.

I didn't think it was smart to say the "cool enough" line like she did. The sarcasm was WAY too subtle. If she is going to under-act like that, they should have changed the script to something like,"I can't believe how much money people THROW AROUND at Macs" The best anti-cool ad out there is the McDonald's switcher ad on radio. The guy grew a goatee, quit bathing, and started watching foreign films. Now he's happy because he didn't have to try to be such an "indie" lemming.

"I would have to double my budget to buy an Adamo, which isn't feasible." Ditto on the MacBook Air. "I'm just not cool enough to be a DELL Dude." The difference is that Dell sells low-cost systems too. Apple doesn't. What could she buy at the Apple store for $700? An iPhone off contract? or a Mac Mini? Don't make me laugh. Off-topic, but related: Did she hear about the massive recall on HP laptops?

@subzero Maybe you forgot he prefix, "off-topic"?

@jeffsters - "I mean at long last is all they have is our OS runs of cheaper hardware? I mean is that it? " No, their OS will also run on more expensive hardware. What they have is that the choice is up to the customer. If you want to run it on less expensive hardware, you are supported...if you want to run it on higher quality hardware, you are supported. With OS X, and I am not saying it is bad, you only have Apple's hardware in order to be supported. Sure Pystar is out there, but is it really a valid choice? Choice is good...whether you choose an HP running Vista or a MBP running OS X. I have both and I like both. --tayme

>>Odd new Microsoft commercial, which purports to show a real person named Lauren trying to find a new 17-inch laptop for under $1000. She goes into “the Mac store” and comes out disappointed, because — and this is true — the only sub-$1000 laptop comes with a 13-inch display. But then she says, “I’m just not cool enough to be a Mac person.” One can only assume that it’s intended as an anti-elitist insult, but the bottom line is that Microsoft is explicitly reinforcing the idea that Macs are cool, which strikes me as a very odd tactic. The theme of the commercial seems to be “PCs: Computers for Losers”.<< daringfireball

It's an effective ad, but of course it leaves out lots of things and could be called misleading. Just like Apple's ads. That's why it's ADVERTISING. Thing is, people know it's an ad and only presents part of the story. That's why Paul's repeated indignation over Apple's marketing is so beyond silly. Paul lambasts apple for things that are part and parcel of marketing, and furthermore are not harmful because people aren't stupid.

You get what you pay for. Take Waethorn's mother, for example. Sure, you can have her for five bucks and maybe a loose piece of string or a button. But you could also get a delicious ham sandwich (and a bag of chips!) for that price, and come way disease-free. Comparing the two side-by-side, both Waethorn's mother and the sandwich feel like cold meat. A classy broad (the Mac model, if you will) may cost more, but the features, like the Mac model's habits of toothbrushing and showering, are superior to Wae's mom. Or if you only have five bucks, the ham sandwich will taste yummy.

The campaign is desperate and makes Microsoft and the PC look like sloppy seconds. Everyone knows how much this stuff costs. People aren't stupid. And, yes, as a brand person, I think it's pretty strange to disparage your own product's coolness in your ad the way this spot does. Obviously it's meant to be sarcastic, but it reinforces the Mac brand position which is a really stupid way to advertise. People like to feel like they can afford cool stuff. It's aspirational. Calling attention to that in this way was a poor choice. We'll see how the sales numbers play out. As of the last financial report, Apple's laptop line did great despite global depression and a pricier product line. That may change. It's pretty funny (and sad) to think that the only way to slow the growth of the Mac is to have global depression.

@SPiotr, Actually, my post has a lot of relevance to the commercial. The personal influence of Jobs and Apple along with the personal influences of Gates and Microsoft are being reflected in the commercials. While Apple seeks to turn a profit at every turn, at least Microsoft is looking out for guys who don't have a grand to spare. Why should computing be restricted to rich and the wealthy? Why should it be for a grand or more? Microsoft and its industry partners have proven you don't need a grand to have a great computing experience. Apple is showing that it cannot technically make a better computer on cheaper hardware. So we wonder why there's 1.1 billion Windows machines out there? The commercial doesn't look down at Mac users. However, the Apple commercials do everything to disparage and insult users of Windows. Yet Apple's number one customer for iPods, iPhones, and Macs are Windows users. Its not a very good business model to insult your own customers. The commercials and marketing from Apple reflects Jobs pursuit of artistry and perfection. Jobs speaks of culture. Yet if Jobs really understood American culture, the vast majority of Americans believe in spending the least to do the most. Jobs belief in perfection and that value is determine by cost, is fundamentally flawed. Take for example the MSi notebooks. You can get the similar hardware specs as the Macbook for less. Then using many of the tools available, you can put OS-X on the computer. So why is it that Apple increases the price of the same hardware, if I can get the same hardware experience from a lower costing unit? For personal profit and gain. Pure and simple. Gates simply wants to grant an experience that everyone can share. Even though Bill Gates isn't there full time anymore, as chairman of Microsoft his influence shapes and molds the company's philosophy. Yes he makes money, but the billion people he's allowed to share the experience are more than greatful for it. Remember, no Gates, no Apple. Macworld 1997. $150 Million dollars of Microsoft money that saved Apple. Millions of PC users paying for Microsoft products that was used to save Apple. Microsoft hasn't directly attacked Mac users in any advertisements. Yet Microsoft is being criticised for defending its business and vicariously its customers? It just makes Apple look bad. Picking on what Apple percieved as inferior products and people who don't think different. Well, maybe I'm just not cool enough to spend that kind of money. Then again I don't let a company or a logo define my life for me. Anyone who lets a corporation or some guy in a turtleneck determine what cool is, really has some self esteem issues.

@master3 "Well I guess the Apple fanboy blowback/rage-a-thon is in full swing! Why is it that even something so minor as this just elicits such a negative response from Apple fanatics" Because PAUL made an issue of it. The blowback is a response to that. Of course, Paul loves any Microsoft ads and hates all those from Apple. Obviously. He makes money off of Windows, not Apple. Obviously. The ad itself is pretty sad. Microsoft no longer has anything to say about innovation, quality, pushing the envelope, and the complete omission of the operating system that runs on that HP---Vista---is striking. Funny that, since Microsoft doesn't make that computer, they make the OS that runs on it, and they don't even mention their own product. Other than "We're the cheapest game in town", they have no brand message at all. I don't think this ad is going to be any more effective than the inscrutable Gates/Seinfeld ads were.

"So why is it that Apple increases the price of the same hardware, if I can get the same hardware experience from a lower costing unit? For personal profit and gain. Pure and simple." Don't forget that you get to brag about how it's manufactured from a a single block of aluminum without seams, like that's somehow impressive to anyone. "Anyone who lets a corporation or some guy in a turtleneck determine what cool is, really has some self esteem issues." Not to mention, fashion issues.

Micrsoft PLEASE HIRE ME!!!!!! I could make better adds with Windows XP Movie Maker and 30min of time. WHAT is this suppose to tell us? Show your competitors store, then say your not cool enough to use the competitors product, then walk into a wharehouse type enviroment and buy a $700 hunk of grey plastic that is shinny. I am not getting it??? Compare this to an iPhone add that shows off cool abilities with some hip music in a short consise sound bite. Or make it funny like the Mac adds, and run them more than twice for 30 days. Honestly I will take half the money you are paying these people. Bring back Bill and Jerry, at least they were somewhat entertaining even with out a message.

"you lack the proper choice when it comes to your shoddy healthcare, but I digress." Say that to me when you're broke and can't afford it. I should have you bite your tongue, but then you wouldn't be able to afford the medical expenses when nobody can afford your services. "I'm sure Canada is a great place, but what do you make that the world uses?" If you're talking about just the US: wood, fresh water, oil, and hydro come to mind. Not to mention, beer. (did I mention beer?) "Let's face it, you and the rest of the world live off the teats of the US." Ya, that's why Canada's banks are rated as the most secure in the world right now. It's actually the other way around. The majority of our economy comes from our exports, and then mostly to the US. So have a dozenth beer. You think you can manage to scribble your name on that blank cheque? LOL!

A friend of mine got that same HP laptop from Costco. He kept having right from the start crashes and windows messages of hardware failures... Now he gave it back. Apparently that laptop is a big piece of junk according to the reviews on the web...