The new Quo Computer, set to go on sale next week.
(Credit: Quo Computer)
Posted on 05/29/2009 11:30:49 AM PDT by Swordmaker
The idea of creating a Mac clone complete with Mac OS X is not a new concept. However, one company is taking its entry into the clone market a step further by opening a retail store in the Los Angeles area.
Quo Computer plans to open its first retail location, selling Mac clones, on June 1. This is the first time that I'm aware of that a clone maker will have a storefront to sell its wares. Mac clone companies, to this point, have chosen to sell their systems exclusively on the Web.
"It's exciting. We are trying to stay as close to Apple as we can with our products," Rashantha De Silva, Quo founder, told CNET News. "We are trying to mimic things as much as we can. I'm hoping that Apple sees the value in what we are doing."
Apple was not immediately available for comment on Quo's endeavors. Apple's approach to dealing with Mac clones to this point has been far from understanding. The company has a long history of protecting its intellectual property and industrial designs through the courts--just ask troubled clone maker Psystar. That's not lost on De Silva.
"They probably will (sue us)," De Silva said. "There are others doing this, but we have a different attitude. There are thousands of people in the 'Hackintosh' market, but many of them are creating bad products. I don't think anyone wins in that environment."
It's this attitude of selling a high-quality product--albeit cheaper than Apple's offerings--that De Silva hopes will appeal to consumers. Quo vows top-notch support for its customers too.
"Our customer service is gong to be up there with Apple's," De Silva said. "Hardware is important, software is important, and support is hugely important."
Quo's systems will come with Mac OS X Leopard preinstalled. You have to agree to the license when ordering the computer for them to install the operating system. But this brings up a longstanding issue between Apple and clone makers.
Apple's end-user license agreement, or EULA, forbids exactly what the clone makers are doing--installing Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware. "This license allows you to install, use, and run one (1) copy of the Apple software on a single Apple-labeled computer at a time," the EULA reads. "You agree not to install, use, or run the Apple software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so."
This is the argument Apple lawyers used to sue Psystar for selling Mac clones over the Web. Apple and Psystar were scheduled to start their trial in November, but Psystar filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this week.
Even with previous clone failures, De Silva is marching on. To start, Quo will offer three desktop systems: the Life Q, Pro Q, and Max Q. While details of the components are not yet available, De Silva said they are looking at Apple's system configurations for guidance.
Pricing has also not been finalized on the desktop machines, but the company is looking to start pricing at less than $900.
While Quo is starting off with the desktop machines, De Silva said it is looking at offering an Apple TV-like media server and a smaller computer similar to the Mac Mini. Plans on those systems have not been finalized.
In addition to having its retail location and Web-ordering system to ship systems worldwide, De Silva said Quo also wants to be involved in the local community and schools. He hopes to work with school boards to get computers in the hands of children and teachers.
De Silva, a Mac user since 1984, said Quo will help switch PC users to the Mac and feels that ultimately, it will help Apple increase its market share. It remains to be seen if Apple will feel the same way.
The Quo Web site is being worked on now and is set to launch next week. The retail store, located at 2401 West Main Street, Alhambra, Calif., will open for business on June 1.
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I think it would be absolutely rich if they opened up next door to an Apple Store.
I like the one on the left. The plethora of cables a PC has is a nightmare and I have been a PC users since the XT. I do think they left out a few cables on the Mac side unless the camera and mic are built in which is very possible. I also don’t see a network cable but it could also be wireless but the same could be said for the PC. It would be more fair to compare a tower Mac with a PC so they are on an equal footing.
I am trying to get a Mac Power PC to run OS/X but even running O/S ver 8.3 it isn’t a bad machine.
My biggest beef with the Mac they show is, where are the PCI slots? Do you sacrifice looks for functionality? I’d still use it though!
The “website” for Quo Computers consists of a homepage and .... that’s it. A homepage. A retail store? Oh sure.
The mic and webcam are built in the iMac, along with stereo speakers, bluetooth and WiFi. With a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, the only cable needed is a power cord.
Of course, I'm using my MacBook Pro with the MultiTouch keypad, no external mouse or keyboard -- and WiFi (satellite) internet via my Time Capsule -- which is also backing up my machine as I type...
...and, yes, the camera and mike (and speakers) are built in...
A quote from above — “I’m hoping that Apple sees the value in what we are doing.”
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Now that’s really hilarious. They obviously don’t know Apple, if they think that there is any “value” to Apple in creating cheap knock-offs on hardware that is not even tuned to the OS X operating on it.
They obviously buy into the wrong-headed thinking that you see from other journalists who think if Apple simply would “spread around” the Mac OS X software to other hardware that this would be beneficial to Apple. They don’t understand that Apple is a hardware company, who also supplies software to make their hardware very useful and valuable to use, by the consumer... LOL...
They’re a bunch of dumbos and can’t figure out what makes Apple “run”...
You said — I think it would be absolutely rich if they opened up next door to an Apple Store.
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Yeah, it would be interesting to see the quickest opening and closing of a store in history... LOL...
Yeah..., the bad news is that you’re not one of those who “follows the crowd” and the “thinking you do for yourself” typically gets you in trouble with your friends.
Other than that, congratulations for picking the best computer...
Why would you get it? Part of the premium cost to Apple hardware is for quality hardware.
People talk about the Apple Tax but I’ve no problem paying it if there is one. I frequently keep my Macs for several years longer than friends keep their PCs AND I then resell them at a higher value than they could get for old hardware.
You said — The “website” for Quo Computers consists of a homepage and .... that’s it. A homepage. A retail store? Oh sure.
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Well, those “investors” that pulled out of that other company (what was their name...? something like “psycho-computers” or something like that...) — now have to find another patsy to be a “front-man” to try and muck up the works for Apple... LOL...
You said — Part of the premium cost to Apple hardware is for quality hardware.
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And you know..., what we were discussing on another thread (that many people don’t know about) — is that Apple computer users get all that free service, in the Apple Stores, when they carry in their computers. They can get all sorts of questions answered, problems solved and you-name-it. Try that with any other computer manufacturer — yeah right! — try walking into the store and asking questions and saying “Can you show me how to do this?”.... LOL... [I get a big laugh out of that...]
So are you Apple guys going to claim that Bill Gates and/or other nefarious characters are behind this Mac maker/clone maker same as you claimed Psystar was? Maybe it wasn’t you but various Apple enthusiasts claimed here that “someone” was funding Psystar
You said — So are you Apple guys going to claim that Bill Gates and/or other nefarious characters are behind this Mac maker/clone maker same as you claimed Psystar was? Maybe it wasn’t you but various Apple enthusiasts claimed here that “someone” was funding Psystar
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Yeah, it’s pretty obvious that someone was funding Psycho-Star Computers... LOL...
I mean, that guy couldn’t even figure out who was doing what or how much money the company spent or what was going on. It’s obvious that he was either “psycho” (probably where he got the name for the company) — or — someone else was letting him “take the fall”... :-)
I’m sure Apple was “digging” for that information, too... doncha know...
If you're in the market for high-end PCs, then I've found Macs to be pretty much at the middle (or high end of middle) of the spectrum, so they'e not even really that much more expensive.
Also, I've had my iMac now for just shy of a year. No PC I've ever had has run this long without already showing signs of "age" in terms of sluggishness and inability to handle the latest software -- the iMac is humming along just fine, and I've had minimal problems (one time I had the system "lock up" and a 3rd-party hardware/software combo [Leapster 2] managed to blow it up good once, but nothing like the frequency of problems on the PC).
In another few years, I bet I'll still be using that same iMac, whereas I'd have been on my first or second replacement for an equivalent PC, and probably a 3rd replacement for a "bargain" PC. Which one is the better value in the long term?
But what it doesn't show is that you can put an extra hard drive inside the Dell, add one or two cables if you want an extra hard drive on the Mac.
My biggest beef with the Mac they show is, where are the PCI slots? Do you sacrifice looks for functionality?
You make your choices. There are no PCI slots. You get USB2, Firewire 400 and 800, Bluetooth, WiFi, video out, audio out and gigabit Ethernet. Don't get it if you need some functionality only provided by an added PCI card.
I usually head to the Mac store on Melrose in L.A. and there ARE empty spaces within 3 blocks. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Quo heads down there...
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