It still runs Vista.
As far as competing with Apple, it is pretty hard competing with a cult. I have a nephew that has joined the Apple cult. He showing me his laptop the last time I visited. It was nice, and did some nice things, but he was gushing over it as though it was some huge advancement. I was thinking “So, I’v seen the same thing on both Linux and Windows platforms.” I didn’t tell him that, because I didn’t want to deflat him.
The really interesting, cutting edge stuff is happening on Linux, not Apple. The problem is there is too high a learning curve for most people to even start using Linux.
IMHO, Apple is the computer for people that don’t know much about computers/technology. They make a nice system with an emphasis on ultra ease of use. The irony is Apple started out as the geek/hackers computer, and now it has become the favorite computer of the non-computer literate.
If I had to buy my grandmother a computer, it would be an Apple.
If I had to buy a computer for someone studying computer science, it would run Linux.
If I had to buy a computer for a business, it would be a Windows machine.
Linux often gets to have cutting-edge because the development cycle is extremely fast and you can do things like replace the entire graphic system with another one at the drop of a hat (a Red one maybe?). That advantage creates a problem though, no cohesiveness anywhere. You learn Linux on your friend's computer, you might have a learning curve on your other friend's Linux computer. Apple does keep the cutting edge in interfaces. Everybody's still trying to copy the iPhone.
As far as cutting edge in hardware, the new notebooks have shown that no OEM comes even close to Apple. They're all so far behind in the horse race the manure has dried before they catch up to it.
Although not a grandmother, I agree with you. I just purchased a MacBook and I did it not because I think Apples are oh so great but because it is easy to use for what I need it to do.