How Microsoft blindsided vulnerable Apple with Windows 7

TGDaily ^ | Thursday, October 22, 2009 18:05 | By Rob Enderle, principal analyst, Enderle Group

[SunkenCiv]

MS’ lack of an ad campaign may be to keep the powder dry, as it were, for the nearly inevitable damage control. :’)

[Sequoyah101]

The reason I’m leaving Verizon when I can unless they change this situation. The Motorola Q just doesn’t cut it.

[SunkenCiv]

Same here. I saw the 13” Pro at the big box chain store the other night, very nice. I’ll have to try out the keyboard, and save a few pennies, pay off some other small debts here and there. I’d like a notebook computer next time out. I’ve not bought a computer in ten years, so...

[safisoft]

LOL. Many of these posts are so predictable. I am in IT and have used every version of Windows. I own a Mac too. Unlike many of the ignorant posters here, I have actually used Windows 7 on 4 machines for 4 months. It is SMOKING hot, and be WILDLY popular.

[SunkenCiv]

That happens because the sociopaths all use Windows. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks johncatl. Microsoft is lucky in that way, because they don't have a fan base, just a number of individuals like the author of the op-ed. :')

Software to add "PC capability to a Mac" is under $100. The OS may or may not be needed, let's see...

They're still there. I'm sure anyone still feeling the need to run Windows apps on a Mac will be overjoyed to lay out the cash to purchase MS' overpriced, proprietary OS.

[SunkenCiv]

Ballmer knows how to write?

:’) He has no need to do that, just has to hand off an envelope of cash once in a while.

[seastay]

I first used a mac in 1979, thought is was the coolest thing ever but even then out of the price range for a college student. Cool however, compared to having to use punch cards and submitting data to a mainframe. Apple has always been ahead of the cool curve, but - eventually grew up and switched to IBM and dos Microsoft when I grew up to find there was a price to pay for cool. Microsoft user for 20 years now, and sure it has all sorts of problems, but the hardware is cheap, just get new stuff when it doesn't work anymore, newer stuff has better features and so on. I still use mac on occasions, but given I work in engineering, there is not that many scientific number crunching apps for mac, science is not cool, and cool of course is what the mac is all about. Every has to be cool though, so the Ipod was and is a great invention, yet my experience with the 4 or 5 that I have owned they all had reliability problems, only one actually works. Like Microsoft computers ipods are cheap, so when one breaks or becomes out of date I can get a new one. However, I still am not inclined to switch back to a mac, its not a throwaway like an IPOD or a windows computer, and I don't even need to be cool anymore with a thin white monitor or whatever the latest thing is, middle aged has tainted me, I confess. One thing though, - can still keep up with my teenager with phone texting, and to that end why anybody would want an I phone with a touch screen keyboard when they can have a blackberry with keys is beyond me, but then maybe its just the apple cool hype over being practical that I just never have grasped in my old age. And as they say you can't teach a old dog new tricks, so the trick I learned (from apple) in 1979 that a keyboard for data entry is way better than punched cards I guess I will take to my grave along with my blackberry and virused windows PC which in all likely hood will be the reason I end up in the grave.

[SunkenCiv]

I’ve been a little mystified with the descriptions of the new mouse. Haven’t tried it yet, may head to the Apple store this morning just to gander at the 27” iMac. One impression I’ve had from Apple’s own stuff about it is, the mouse is more like those scratchpad things on the laptops (everyone uses those on laptops, as a mouse substitute) and/or the iPod interface. I’d have to try using it for a while before making any kind of purchase.

[SunkenCiv]

I first used a mac in 1979

That's pretty good, because the Mac wasn't introduced until 1984. :')

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[vox_freedom]

Dear Mr. Enderle,
Your MS check is in the mail for "consulting."

best regards,
Steve Balmer

[ReignOfError]

My question for you is; How is it that you idolize and revere a company that contributes vast amounts of money and energy into ultra Liberal/Marxist agendas?

You could ask Microsoft fans the same question.

[seastay]

I used a apple in 1979, ok, it was not a mac, they came out few years later , it was apple though believe me or not. whiper snapper, any thing else?

[GOPJ]

I'm waaaaaay past the point of caring if Microsoft makes a better computer. I want them to answer those damn Apple TV Ads.

[Wright Wing]

Enderle is on the Microsoft payroll. If this hasn’t been made clear since his lunatic ramblings on HD-DVD than I don’t know what can make it any clearer. This is Microsoft propaganda, plain and simple. As soon as I saw the name Enderle, I stopped reading.

[VeniVidiVici]

I just bought my MacBook 17” for less than $1800 and notice that the entry level 17” PC with W7 is $1500.

Not sure what you consider "entry level" but here is an entry level Dell laptop with a 17" screen for $799. And that includes 4GB DDR2 Dual Channel and a 500GB SATA Hard Drive.

Damn. I may have to look at that myself :-)

[vox_freedom]

I first used a mac in 1979, thought is was the coolest thing ever but even then out of the price range for a college student.

Well, whatever kind of machine you used in that year was out of the price range for almost anyone, not just a college student. I was at a Microsoft presentation just yesterday that showed a Tandy PC from 1979 that had a price point of $8400+. Anything else we didn't know?

BTW, my MacBook Pro 15.4" 4g memory, 160g hard drive ain't just "cool" it performs better than just about any PC laptop around. And coupled with my iPod Touch 32g that I use for email, contacts and music plus a couple of dozen great apps (weather, news, stocks, games, etc.) is more than "cool" it is functional and the best around. Oh, and the Blackberry is no comparison to the iPhone.

[BunnySlippers]

I’ve always thought Steve Jobs was the true innovator, genius if you will. And Bill Gates the better businessman. For those of us who are fans of “Pirates of Silicon Valley” and “Triumph of the Nerds” and the like.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Ah yeah...I forgot to mention that an Mac owner can run Windows on his/her Mac with Bootcamp or Virtual OS software. Unfortunately, one has to BUY Windows 7 (unless you got it for free from MSFT and can use it for a year).

Interesting note is that PSYSTAR is now offering software that allows one to convert an intel running PC (with proper components) into a MAC. Software allows one to install AAPL’s Snow Leopard. I believe it will sell for either 49 or 69 bucks.

http://store.psystar.com/featured/rebel-efi-preview.html?SID=i088np3iafcad35ktc0dmc3s92