Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Cult of Mac
Microsoft at it again with 2nd ad tweaking Macs
Microsoft is really working hard to get potential Mac customers to either buy or stay with Windows-based PCs. After the initial "Lauren" ad -- see BusinessWeek's take on her choice of a poorly-rated HP model, and TechFlash & Apple 2.0 on her oddly extensive acting career for someone who supposedly answered a Craiglist ad for market research -- a new ad [YouTube link] in the series launched today. Our new shopper, Giampaolo, looks at a Mac at a computer store and says it is "so sexy," but then adds that "Macs are more about aesthetics than they are about computing power." [Check Harry McCracken's detailed side-by-side of 17" laptop hardware comparisons to debunk the "Apple Tax" and performance arguments.]
He winds up with an HP laptop which is within the $1500 dollar budget Microsoft gave him. The model he chooses is a Pavilion HDX 16t. We hope he enjoys it!
It's a strange campaign. Microsoft is spending a lot of time and money promoting HP, while saying not much at all about the advantages of Windows Vista... which is, after all, the product Microsoft sells.
Is it effective? Is it giving you second thoughts about buying Apple products, based on cost considerations? (Is this a rhetorical question?)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Dekthaibc said 8:58PM on 4-04-2009
Ha !.... he choose rattling plastic over CNC aluminum ? .... smart indeed....
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Yazdgerd said 9:53AM on 4-05-2009
No Aluminum, but "... they are about computing power."
The power to keep millions busy, to find the other PC in their local network. This is for sure a great power.
Greg said 1:30PM on 4-05-2009
He chose a POS HP that will fall apart in a few months over a computer that will last him years?
A computer that will be powerful that whole time?
Yeah, he's an idiot. And he's a PC
)ROFL( said 9:37PM on 4-05-2009
What up, trolls. I'm typing this from my HP HDX and the build quality is solid. Anymore excuses?
Kency said 9:02PM on 4-04-2009
It is no the hardware that makes a Mac a great computing device. It is the OSX. Now Microsoft should start a campaign ad comparing Windows to OSX but then they know they can't compete and that is why they are targeting hardware!
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Cameron said 9:09PM on 4-04-2009
I think that is they compared hardware, software and reliability (like a good ad would) they would show just how good macs are thats why they do such cryptic ads. aka lies
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wiimypi said 10:57PM on 4-04-2009
Really?
I thought the job of a good ad was to sell their product.
This does it - through biased misinformation and comparing apples to oranges, but it makes a sell.
That is a good ad.
I have never EVER seen an add that does a fair comparison.
Besides, how do you compare hardware reliability of Apple vs all other Pc companies?
Eric said 9:11PM on 4-04-2009
It's over 7lb and gets "up to" 2 hours of battery life. It doesn't seem like a bad system, but it's barely a laptop. In the sea of systems it's often hard to tell the difference between cheap and inexpensive. I find Mac's to be inexpensive for the value and convenience they provide.
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Mark said 9:15PM on 4-04-2009
Two commercials, both time the actor chooses HP.
I wonder if there will be a backlash from other manufactures.
Might not be a good idea for MS to back a single vendor like that.
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JKT said 5:15AM on 4-05-2009
Several sites are openly conjecturing that HP has helped subsidize the ad campaign. That'd make sense...
Dave said 9:59PM on 4-04-2009
Are you kidding. Those PC machines just flat out suck. The only people that like them are stubborn and wont take the time to just learn how to use it.
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quoc.phu.nguyen said 9:16PM on 4-04-2009
i hate how they always brag on about how poor Mac's spec are compared to other PC's in the market, its not always about the spec..
Its about what powers it, Mac OS X baby!
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wiimypi said 9:45PM on 4-04-2009
umm.... not to be rude or anything... but doesn't the hardware power the software?
Also, in response to all the OSX-loving responses -
Have any of you used vista? I'm just wondering. I admit I've never used a mac for a long period of time, therefore cannot argue superiority, but I seriously would like to argue that Vista is actually a pretty decent OS. It IS way more secure (than xp), and it uses a lot of ram.
For those of you who think high ram usage is bad, vista uses this to precache programs, making things smooth and fast. It is not a resource hog - I'm running extremely smoothly on a $700 budget laptop with a pentium dual core (very weak) integrated graphics, and 2gb of memory.
And please don't accuse me of being a winFanBoy! I'm a linux geek :)
(BSD is not bad either, so I'd like to try osx some time - if only they let me try on my laptop - hackintosh doesn't work with it)
Quoc said 9:59PM on 4-04-2009
@wiimypi
You are correct, but i was saying it theoretically :)
I don't mean to be rude here as well but i can't stand Vista. Its basically XP with a better graphical user interface. I know they bragged on about how secure Vista is now, but you still need to purchase Anti-Virus and Spyware software to ensure that your system is safe. Which is why I prefer Mac OS X, don't need to worry about scanning your computer for virus' every week or update your subscription every year..
I really do hope you try out Mac OS X one day, you won't be disappointed! I moved over to Mac back in 2006 after endlessly getting virus' and spyware clogging up my system and draining away my CPU :( with my iMac and my Macbook Pro i never have to worry about these things :D
wiimypi said 10:20PM on 4-04-2009
Well from a technical standpoint (I am an ubergeek)
Vista is not xp + graphics.
It is just like how OSX Leapord wasn't a service pack.
On the outside that's all it is.
But there is a whole new api within Vista, better system level control, and true administration/user control.
I honestly think 90% of the arguments of vista, making it seem like the worst OS ever, are completely unfounded. I don't think you need Antiviruses anymore if you aren't teh dl-in teh pronz anymore!
I just really hate uninformed arguments, on both sides of the fanboy arguments. (Of course, I love arguing fanboyishy as long as they are valid points :) )
As for OSX, can I hackintosh on an AMD processor?
Final point - try ubuntu. It runs well on macs and is actually fun to use!
elbruelsio said 11:21PM on 4-04-2009
@wiimypi
With respect, the biggest problem I have with the advancements and features of Windows that people tout is that they are always very technical and mean nothing to the average user. The average user is what the latest ads are attempting to appeal to, yet Microsoft really hasn't done anything lately, in my opinion, that creates a better experience for the average user. So while Microsoft has things like better system level control (which is important) Apple has iLife, Time Machine, Parental Controls and many other features that the average user would love if they gave Macs a chance.
GlennAC said 12:25AM on 4-05-2009
@wiimypi
I understand some of your points, however, if Microsoft genuinely believed their own product was superior, then why aren't their own commercials promoting the advantages of Vista over Mac OSX? Why are the commercials touting other companies hardware and not the product they actually make? It's like Exxon/Mobile paying for commercials that tout the advantages of buying a Ford Focus, over a more expensive alternative-fuel vehicle, and not once mentioning their own product the whole time. There is just something disingenuous and diversionary about that.
iMeow said 3:25AM on 4-05-2009
I agree that people are too harsh to Vista. It is a pretty decent OS. It works well (for the most part) and is pretty stable. It is a little heavy on system resources but so is Leopard. And I must say, I prefer Vista's UI appearance over Leopard.
However, I also agree that all the technical improvements mentioned above are meaningless to the average computer user. Sure it has been completely re-written and what not, but all that means to average user is incompatibility with existing software and hardware. And it is not fun to find that you have to replace your printers, scanners, and half of the software you use everyday just so that is works properly with your PC.
Also, installing Vista is a nightmare for the average user and it has been that way for most all of Microsoft's OS's.
And another thing. XD Microsoft's argument is always that Vista is the most secure OS they've made. And I agree. But, at what price? Those annoying security dialogs that appear at anything and everything drive me insane. I click "Allow" on every single one that appears because I am so used to it. I don't read through the entire dialog each time and contemplate whether or not I should click allow or not. If it was some malicious software that triggered it I would have click "Allow" anyway without knowing it. And that kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it?
I switched from Windows Vista to Mac OS X Leopard for all these reasons and of course its easy of use. I was amazed at how quickly I found myself navigating the OS after using it for a brief 10 minutes at an Apple store. Everything is so organized and easily accessible. And I don't need to open 5 different dialogs just to change a setting. :D
liquidmark said 5:46AM on 4-05-2009
@wiimypi
Macs have great hardware at the formfactor.
Seriously, the Macbook Pro isn't just a laptop, but it is LESS THAN AN INCH THICK. You're not going to find a PC laptop that is the same size, at the same spc, for less. Look up a Fragbook TLX. notice how it doesn't match spec, but costs much-much more?
That's due to the formfactor. Smaller tech costs more to manufacture.
Eric Warnke said 7:26AM on 4-05-2009
@wiimypi
I was using Vista this afternoon on a new work Dell E6500 system that cost more than a MBP. Then I unplugged the power for a moment.
Now it's gone... Vista has eaten itself. Until I can get back to the recovery disks I have no idea what happened to Vista, but I'm assuming I will have to do a complete reinstall. I guess Vista does have a built in recovery mode that spins the HD for a few minutes before spitting out some undecipherable string of why it can't fix things.
At least I have Ubuntu installed on a secondary partition.