Apple Demands Microsoft Pull Laptop Hunter Ads

[MH01]

Who cares?

MS' ads were a failure anyway.

It's just as valid to assume that Apple lowered prices for economic reasons, and had nothing to do with MS or its low-brow, bargain-basement ad campaign.

Your right, the Microsoft ads resulted in almost no comments on macrumors? Are you kidding!!! The topic has been flogged to death! If you actually read the engadget blog, people are having a field day! Some people really care about the $$ premium they pay for macs.

I for one love my macs, and am happy to pay more, but at the same time I am pissed that they are now made in China and it takes me between 2-4 laptops before I get one that i am happy with. IF i pay more, I want the quality that comes with the price. It took me 4 MBP before i got one that could game without having core shutdowns, damn crap QC. I love the current one, but for gods sake, the first one should have worked fine.

M$ ads a Failure? Oww please explain.

I just wish there were less fanboys who kissed apples ****. IF M$ did cause they price reduction, they my hat off to them. I will be more realistic and claim that is a combination of economy and M$ ads that would have resulted in improved specs/prices.

 

[Ryox]

Who cares about those ads, you don't buy a mac because their cheap. You buy them because they work, have exceptional build quality, breathtaking design and they are a joy to use.
If you need to save up a little more to get a mac, do it. Its worth it.

 

[lamadude]

The laptop hunters ads were misleading, but the "I'm a mac, I'm a PC" ads were VERY misleading as well. My windows computer hasn't crashed in over 5 years and it's possible to do "fun" things on it etc. And the ads completely ignore the fact that "a pc" could be running linux as well.

 

[Electrolytic]

life is just too short to be worrying about stupid crap like this. i recently had a friend call me with the following scenario:

"I'm on my way to Best Buy and I have $750 to spend on a laptop." I told her one last time to get a mac, it's worth it. She said she couldn't afford it, so I said "Figure out what you want, call me with the model # and I'll tell you if it's a good buy." She found a fairly decent Asus with good specs. I told her it was fine for the money.

Next day, I get a call. She went to a malicious site and is now getting bombarded with popups in IE8. Also, she told me that Best Buy is charging her $150 (plus hardware costs) to transfer data from her old laptop to an external drive.

Of course, I said that she could've spent that extra on a Mac & I would've done the transfer for free.

People are gonna buy/do what they want, all you can do is give them the information.

Sorry I don't want to sound rude but you can't use people who click on every flashing box or install every app they can download to bash windows... It's been awhile since I owned a mac but there is the correct & incorrect to run both windows & osx..

 

[JayMan8081]

I would also call BS on this. I highly doubt Apple cares enough to call Microsoft and ask them to stop airing any ads. Apple has their own ads that have been working for them and who thinks it would be a stretch for an MS exec to lie? Not me.

 

[ImageWrangler]

I call BS on this, no names of who called him or anything? Cartwheels, have you seen this guy? This is some seriously FUD if I ever heard it.

I was just about to post this too!

http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/15/microsoft-exec-says-apple-asked-them-stop-airing-laptop-hunters/

Personally, I think its quote a hoot! Apple asking Microsoft to stop posting "Anti-Apple" ads, especially when Apple have been doing the same with microsoft!

Wow, speaking of peecee Apple hating fanboys, you're still trolling this site Stella? Good thing, we'd all miss your negative narcissistic hate rants while bringing nothing creative to the table, hate for macrumors to be a site with good people exchanging information, yay for for continuing to make sure this site has one official bad seed, wouldn't want utopia here.

 

[gloomcookie1]

Just curious - why do people explicitly point out they're not apple fan boys or that Mac's have the same junk in them as PC's but list out the 3 or 4 macs, ipods and iphones in their signature?

 

[Shasterball]

Just curious - why do people explicitly point out they're not apple fan boys or that Mac's have the same junk in them as PC's but list out the 3 or 4 macs, ipods and iphones in their signature?

Just because you own Apple hardware doesn't make you a "fanboy." It just means you happen to like a brand. I have a lot of Banana Republic clothes -- doesn't mean I'm a BR fanboy...

 

[*LTD*]

Your right, the Microsoft ads resulted in almost no comments on macrumors? Are you kidding!!! The topic has been flogged to death! If you actually read the engadget blog, people are having a field day! Some people really care about the $$ premium they pay for macs.

I for one love my macs, and am happy to pay more, but at the same time I am pissed that they are now made in China and it takes me between 2-4 laptops before I get one that i am happy with. IF i pay more, I want the quality that comes with the price. It took me 4 MBP before i got one that could game without having core shutdowns, damn crap QC. I love the current one, but for gods sake, the first one should have worked fine.

M$ ads a Failure? Oww please explain.

I just wish there were less fanboys who kissed apples ****. IF M$ did cause they price reduction, they my hat off to them. I will be more realistic and claim that is a combination of economy and M$ ads that would have resulted in improved specs/prices.

IF M$ did cause they price reduction, they my hat off to them

Well don't ask that because IF MS DIDN'T cause it, that would invalidate most of your rant against my comment.

There is also a school of thought that holds the MS ads actually promoted Apple products. The message was "if you can't afford a Mac, get a PC, but if you have the money, you'll be getting a Mac." It actually made Macs more desirable. That's just as valid an explanation as any other.

The Microsofts ads resulted in comments, absolutely. Most of my comments, however, were expressions of surprise that MS would cheapen its image and reduce Windows to bargain-basement status, and portray its user base as cheap losers. And when/where were these ads aired? I've only seen one of them maybe only one on prime time TV.

They haven't hurt Apple because Apple has a lock on its market, and in fact, more people are buying up and in to Apple's market. In fact, Macbooks and Macbook Pros are in huge demand. And recent numbers are showing an increase in sales. When Apple will release their report later this month we'll be seeing some impressive results.

And besides, this entire claim by Turner sounds like total BS. If Apple legal DID call him, you can bet it was on a legitimate LEGAL matter. Turner seems to think he can spin something out of it to make it seem like it was something else. I don't see any reason to believe Microsoft in the first place, about anything.

 

[genovelle]

Microsoft needs to edit or pull the ads.

Let me put on my fanboy shirt. The ads are deceptive in that they compare a price between products that is incorrect. For one that is false advertising and illegal. The people on this site that thinks Apple is wrong I suspect are really just Microsoft trolls and Apple haters. I am a proud Apple Fanboy!!! I want them to be successful because as long as they are they can continue to push the market and bring me products that I am proud to own.
Even MS's response is false by claiming Apple only discounted by $100. Even if that was true the ad is false advertising.

I use to build Windows computers and recording systems. Over the years I turned hundreds of people interested in Macs back to Windows and I regret it now. I was a Microsoft Fanboy but only because I had been convinced that the Mac experience would be worse than the horrible Windows experience. Of course I had never used a Mac. Once I did I was hooked. I am a Apple fan boy and would only go back if I could no longer feel great about sharing the Apple experience with the world. The fact that it is the experience that comes first with apple and then great quality hardware that makes the difference.

For instance, someone mentioned they couldn't imagine being able to use a Mac OS for 8 years like they have with XP. That is the time frame that OS-X first came out. It was a very functional system that even Leopard is and update to. The difference is my 8 year old mac runs Leopard. Try running Vista or System 7 on a 486 or Pentium 1.

 

[daneoni]

Hahahaha

That must've been the weirdest and funniest phone call ever. What was Apple thinking?!

 

[Digitalclips]

Uh, this doesn't exactly sound credible. Even if Apple did call I highly doubt the MS guy didn't put their own spin on it (as anyone in the business would).

I do not believe there is any truth to the story let alone spin. Apple's legal department would do no such thing and to give this story any credence without proof is simply playing into M$ hands. However, this does go to show how personally Ballmer is taking the anti Apple thing (as he no doubt ordered this rubbish to be put out there) and how insecure he really feels.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Kevin Turner sure does sound like a tool.

How so? Apple sounds the tool here to me.

The ads are misleading in many ways though...I can understand why mac is upset. I don't think they should be calling and asking for the ads to be removed that is just asking for it to be thrown in their face. It is a shame that the laptop hunter ads are working, because all they do is convince people to buy a windows laptop without actually offering any evidence or credible data to support it. I know the ads piss me off when I see them because they don't ever compare the two laptops feature for feature. It isn't illegal but it is crummy what Microsoft is doing.

And the I'm A Mac commercials offer credible advice? Because why? Justin Long said so? Really now. Neither company's ad really offers real sage advice.

Money > Usability in some people.

I say MS should continue to run their ads.

 

[dernhelm]

This is a joke. Nobody in Apple legal is stupid enough to think that a call to MS legal would stop them from running their stupid little ads. They actually say almost nothing about the mac in them except to be dismissive at the cost.

Apple doesn't compete on cost anyway, so they could care less.


I myself would love to see an ad where the guy wants to run Windows and looks for the best built, fastest laptop at a competitive price and ends up with... an apple.

 

[rw3]

- Where is Blu-Ray?

- How about some HDMI ports on the laptops and Mac Mini?

- How about a Core-i7 chip in the iMacs?

- How about an option for a 10K RPM drive in the iMacs?

- How about support for TRUE HD on the Apple TV? What is is now, something like 750X550?

- How about built in support for TV Tuners? Windows Media Center is friggin awesome! (See above for HDMI)

- How about support for more card readers in both the laptops AND the iMac? (BTW, thank you OH SO MUCH for at least adding SD to the laptops ABOUT 4 YEARS AFTER it was readily available on PCs!)

You don't need a Core i7 to have a fast desktop computer, especially when running OS X. Same goes for the VelociRaptor, don't need a 10,000RPM desktop drive to make OS X "feel" fast, unlike that of Vista (W7 is much better). The AppleTV outputs in true 720p. Windows Media Center is lacking at best.

The best part of this is that with BootCamp, Windows runs better on ever single Mac than it does on ANY PC. PCs are crap simply because of Microsoft creating a monopoly in the OS market. Apple has done the best thing possible, control both sides of the fence, hardware and software, and you end up with stuff that "just works". It's amazing over the past 3-4 months with my trips to the Apple Store, I have gotten the chance to talk to people who are making the switch and they are truly in awe of how easy everything is and how you don't get random blue screens, etc.

All that above is written by someone who makes a killing repairing PCs on the side as well as someone who knows Windows with the best of them. I love all my Apple stuff! I'll never go back!

 

[Goona]

So Microsoft airs these adds, Apple drops prices, then calls Micrsoft to magically drop these ads, these guys must think we are 5 year olds.

 

[akutad]

I don't believe for a second that apple legal called MS. Really..... Apple knows if the table was turned they would intensify the ads. I think this is a false, and there are spinsters at work.

 

[Tommigun]

life is just too short to be worrying about stupid crap like this. i recently had a friend call me with the following scenario:

"I'm on my way to Best Buy and I have $750 to spend on a laptop." I told her one last time to get a mac, it's worth it. She said she couldn't afford it, so I said "Figure out what you want, call me with the model # and I'll tell you if it's a good buy." She found a fairly decent Asus with good specs. I told her it was fine for the money.

Next day, I get a call. She went to a malicious site and is now getting bombarded with popups in IE8. Also, she told me that Best Buy is charging her $150 (plus hardware costs) to transfer data from her old laptop to an external drive.

Of course, I said that she could've spent that extra on a Mac & I would've done the transfer for free.

People are gonna buy/do what they want, all you can do is give them the information.

So you won't do the data transfer for her because she bought, gasp, a PC? Quite a friend you are.

And of course you cannot get malware just by visiting a site, you must acknowledge the prompt for executing things. And even that is not Microsoft's fault - hackers target the most popular platform.

 

[Shasterball]

The ads are deceptive in that they compare a price between products that is incorrect. For one that is false advertising and illegal.

The difference is my 8 year old mac runs Leopard. Try running Vista or System 7 on a 486 or Pentium 1.

Yawn. Like I said, I own a lot of Apple gear, yet I think Apple is being very lame here. This is not false advertising. It's certainly not illegal. Making ridiculous statements like this only gives fodder to others. Read a book, then speak.

Also, didn't pentiums come out in ~1995 (i.e., 14 years ago)?

 

[Anuba]

Just curious - why do people explicitly point out they're not apple fan boys or that Mac's have the same junk in them as PC's but list out the 3 or 4 macs, ipods and iphones in their signature?

I guess to the simple minded, things can only be one way. You must either love Apple unconditionally or hate them with a passion, and if you list Apple products in your signature it must mean you own nothing else.

One - I list that in my signature because my non-Apple hardware is totally irrelevant on an Apple fan site.

Two - I like their products and love some aspects of their products, but I still have tons of reservations and I'm nowhere near OK with their business practices or their advertising. I have to keep a bucket standing around just so I have somewhere to puke when I stumble upon Apple's ads or posts by brainwashed fanboys.

Sorry, but life isn't simple like that. You can have a love/hate relationship to a company. Everyone says they hate Microsoft if the topic comes up because it's the politically correct thing to do, yet clearly >90% of them use Microsoft products every day.

 

[gloomcookie1]

Just because you own Apple hardware doesn't make you a "fanboy." It just means you happen to like a brand. I have a lot of Banana Republic clothes -- doesn't mean I'm a BR fanboy...

In a sense it sorta does - happening to like a brand is having an item or 2 of said product- but if you continually to choose that brand when there are multiple stores of the same thing surrounding your BR store (GAP, Hot Topic, Levis, etc) - well, just becuase you don't raise a sign that says I love BR doesn't mean your not a fan of their clothes. Your sorta wearing the fact that your a fan.

 

[yrsonicdeath]

Am I the only one that is just completely tired of this whole thing? It's not that I don't have an opinion it's just that it's not like my opinion really matters in the grand scheme of things. I don't think this argument will ever be resolved. Everyone should research something before they buy it, it just makes sense. Advertisements shouldn't be why you buy something whether it be a mac or a windows machine.

 

[Bubba Satori]

I find myself to be incredulous to the truthfulness of this story.

 

[*LTD*]

This is a joke. Nobody in Apple legal is stupid enough to think that a call to MS legal would stop them from running their stupid little ads. They actually say almost nothing about the mac in them except to be dismissive at the cost.

Apple doesn't compete on cost anyway, so they could care less.


I myself would love to see an ad where the guy wants to run Windows and looks for the best built, fastest laptop at a competitive price and ends up with... an apple.

One of the most sensible comments in the thread.

Should be made a sticky.

 

[Tommigun]

Um, no, no they don't. Numerous comparisons have been done that demonstrate similarly specced PC and Mac's cost about the same price.

PC's are only cheaper than Mac's when you take the cheapest PC and compare it to the cheapest Mac. Of course feature-wise they are no where near similar.

What IS accurate would be to say that you can find PC's that are cheaper than Mac's, and for some people thats fine, but its an outright lie to claim that Mac's are overpriced, when they compare feature for feature, because they aren't. The laptop hunter ads skirt this truth as closely as they can, and I find them incredibly distasteful. Why isn't Microsoft talking about WINDOWS the product they actually make?

I'll have the same as you!

It's always like 300€ more for 3.10GHz vs 2.97GHz and 400GB larger hard drive, 2000€ for an iMac with GT120 graphics card, 150€ or so more for 130GT instead of 120GT.
Point being that NO MATTER WHAT you order, you'll pay 2-5 times as much as any PC manufacturer charges. That is NOT value for money.

I pay for aesthetics, but don't tell me it's value for money.