New Laptop Hunters ad proves Macs are just for children

Microsoft's latest installment in its popular series of ripped-from-the-headlines, "real America" style 'puter-buying adventures follows a mom and son duo -- Lisa and Jackson. We learn during the commercial that the two need a computer which is "fast" because they need to "look up stuff" before they "get to baseball." Luckily for them, there are plenty of great PC options for their under-$1500 budget. Sure, they veer off in the middle there, almost buying a Mac -- which Lisa notes are "popular at this age" (we guess what she meant to say is that they're for children). Regardless, they're both so turned off by the cute-but-small computers that they hurry back to the affordable VAIO section and make off with a sweet 16-incher. But hey, don't take our word for it -- check out the really real mother and son for yourself in the full video after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 14th 2009 12:33PM]

I hate to have to be the one to say this (don't hate me), but if MS' new slogan is "Life without Walls", then where do they put their Windows?
/me stops himself from mentioning the fences/gates line

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 14th 2009 12:42PM]

In retrospect, that sounded fanboyish. It wasn't intended to, but I found their choice of slogan amusing.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2009 1:38AM]

Ads like this are a turn off. It wasn't cool when Apple did the "I'm a Mac; I'm a PC" nonsense, and this is just as bad, if not worse.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 4:08AM]

Laptop? What laptop? The only thing I kept looking was that sexy sales clerk ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2009 11:51AM]

Microsoft should probably go in different direction with the ads. They should probably show some people buying Macbooks and a copy of Windows at the same time, or better yet, a commercial with a Justin Long look alike and the PC guy talking as usual, then the Justin Long look alike changing into a PC when he tries Bootcamp to load windows. When you buy a Macbook and even once load up Windows, you are a PC just like 90% of the rest of us.What happens to the Apple marketshare when that happens?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 15th 2009 8:52PM]

> I hear labs are offering a free choice of any $1500 or less computer in exchange for 1/2 of your brain.

Cool. I'll take two then.

[RyanE Posted Apr 16th 2009 10:59PM]

I just replaced my HP desktop with my new macbook pro. Now for work I can have all that I need in and out of the office, and it doesn't weigh 10 pounds!

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 16th 2009 11:27PM]

They probably edit all those commercials with Final Cut Pro :)

[kylegato Posted Apr 17th 2009 8:52AM]

Another great reason to own a mac

[kylegato Posted Apr 17th 2009 8:51AM]

To each it's own really.

If you want a vaio, get a vaio.

I own a MacBook, but I also own a Compaq (HP) Laptop. I had OS X running on the Compaq and I fell for it.


So because I like it. That's just me.

I think this should not be a battle in the comments, we should all really try and be peaceful.

I do photoshop and i check my email, i chat, and i organize using iPhoto and such. I own an iPod.

So what, I hated Apple a year ago, now I own a MacBook.


meh, begin the hate.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 25th 2009 1:16PM]

I like how at the end the kid says "I'm a PC" and the mum says "And I'm not"

I know, she probably meant she's not 11, but hey! It's funnier when you see it my way.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 28th 2009 1:14AM]

This ad reminds me of the time I got a Sony Vaio at Best Buy, and I laugh every time I see it, as my Vaio, just like every Vaio, is built using OUTDATED technology, and are extremely error prone, after all, I would know, after it constantly crashing on Click to DVD, getting direct draw errors after upgrading to DirectX 9.0c, and lacking an AGP slot (okay, it was a desktop, but still), I got fed up and just installed X86 on it, and guess what, it ran better than the preinstalled XP crap that was on it, and X86 had errors too, they were just easier to deal with

I then got an iBook, and the thing lasted me 5 years problem free, and I just now got a MacBook Air, and even it runs better than that Vaio I got from Best Buy

Long story short, Vaios suck

[(Unverified) Posted May 7th 2009 1:17AM]

I agree about the Vaio's. My ex bought one for school, the motherboard fried in less than six months. She hardly ever used it and it never left her desk. Junk!

[(Unverified) Posted May 7th 2009 12:49AM]

What Microsoft doesn't put in their ads is how that PC will get tons of viruses and spyware, needs hundreds of dollars in software upgrades just to come close to what a Mac comes with out of the box and that the inferior OS is prone to crashes and multiple malfunctions. I know. I own both a Mac and a PC. My Mac has a 2.0ghz intel core 2 duo processor, 2gb of ram and 250gb hard drive, while my PC has a 2.4ghz intel core 2 duo processor, 3gb or ram, and a 320gb hard drive and the Mac kicks the crap out of my PC no matter what I'm doing. My PC is a quality computer, but Vista just plain sucks.

[(Unverified) Posted May 7th 2009 1:08AM]

I forgot to add that I'm testing the Windows 7 RC. If Microsoft thinks they are better than Mac, how come almost every feature of Windows that people have come to love over the years and the new ones on Windows 7 are features that started on the Mac OS? Microsoft has always copied Mac. The reason Microsoft has been so successful with copying is because it offers its OS to multiple computer manufacturers while Mac makes its own OS for its own computers. Windows has a lot of catching up to do because Leopard rocks and Snow Leopard is going to be better. Windows is so limited with its pathetic 32-bits. Let's compare the 64-bit OS's. Windows Vista Ultimate still has virus and spyware problems, crashes, and has annoying popups and software updates that slow it down all for the stupid price of $320. Mac OSX Leopard is 64-bit STANDARD, doesn't have problems with viruses or spyware, crashes very little if at all, and doesn't have the frequent annoyances of Windows for only $130. If you still want to complain about pricing, get a $600 Mac Mini. It takes up little space, uses little energy, is still very powerful and you don't have to get a new keyboard, mouse, and monitor if you don't want to. Even inputs and displays made for PCs will work perfectly. It's all about quality and innovation. Microsoft focuses so hard on innovation and playing catch up that they forget quality. Apple focuses on both.

[(Unverified) Posted May 7th 2009 1:11AM]

Microsoft is scared, their CEO even admits it!

[(Unverified) Posted May 10th 2009 3:42AM]

@Setnev Apr 10th 2009 12:51AM

Wow so wrong.

Lets rebreak it down:
Processor: Vaio- C2D 2.4GHz w/ 1066MHz FSB, MBP- C2D 2.5GHz w/ 1.07GHz/1066MHz FSB
Memory: Vaio- 4GB 800MHz, MBP- 4GB 1067MHz DDR3
Hard Drive: Vaio- 320GB 7200RPM MBP- 320GB 7200RPM
Video Card: Vaio- Radeon 3650 512MB Dedicated MBP- NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT 512MB of GDDR3 Dedicated
Optical Drive: Vaio- Blu-Ray MBP- Standard DVD Burner
Price: Vaio- $1299.99 MBP: $2799.99
What are you smoking.
Note Apples site is down and I can't remember the Price

My MacBook was $1800
2.4GHz C2D Intel
320GB 5400 RPM
4GB 1067MHz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M
Backlight Keyboard
Mac OS X Leopard