Microsoft exec says Apple asked them stop airing Laptop Hunters ads
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 15th 2009 9:27PM
posted July 15th 2009 9:27PM
Apple may have publicly responded to Microsoft's Laptop Hunters ads with a counterpunch of its own back in May, but it looks like it may have been singing a slightly different tune behind the scenes more recently, at least according to Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Turner. Speaking at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference earlier today, Turner said that he knows the ads are working because "two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying [...] 'Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices.'" Turner further went on to note that "they took like $100 off or something," before stating to applause that it "was the greatest single phone call in the history that I've ever taken in business" -- though he did apparently take a minute to ask: "Is this a joke? Who are you?" In case you're wondering, Turner also confirmed that Microsoft is indeed "just going to keep running them and running them and running them."
[Via Ars Technica]
[Via Ars Technica]
I hate when people compare specs of a windows computer to a mac computer. GREAT you have 8gb of memory in your windows pc but my apple with 2gb is outperforming it by far, WHY?!? because windows is a resource hog and a poorly designed operating system. And again for the pricing. If you did spec for spec PC to MAC. Find the exact same processor, TYPE and amount of memory, you are going to spend maybe a little less if not the same as a mac and guess what your getting a much more reliable and better designed operating system. Not to mention the included software in new Macs is worth a few hundred dollars on a windows computer. Also that sony laptop he just walked out with is an FW series from best buy, that cost him atleast 900 and has a slower processor than the mac. so spend a little more, get a faster processor, better battery life, better operating system, better software included, seems like a fair trade to me.
I would have gotten a Mac laptop, but I spent the $1,500 and got two laptops: one Asus laptop (for me) and one Gateway laptop (for my Mom's birthday - which was a couple of months away).
they took more than $100 off. I stupidly bought my MBP 17" 3 weeks before WWDC, thinking it was going to be all about the iPhone and that the MB's wouldn't be touched. 3 weeks later the same machine I bought was $500 cheaper...
Let me tell you a little story:
My workplace gave me a rather old Powerbook G4 to play around with so I could become familiar with OSX. I would bring it to work for a few days, and after a while I started leaving it at home. The reason I did this was because it was old and slow, much like an old PC trying to run a new operating system. However the convenience factor was there on the mac. I could plug it in, sit it under my coffee table and pull it out whenever I wanted to look something up. It was slow, but still convenient. I could close the lid, open it up and it would pop out of sleep and be ready to go. It had it's share of problems, for example, if the battery was totally expended, it would lose the system time. The IT guys upgraded me to the max gig of ram, and it hobbled along like a little champ. I was happy with it.
Work made me return that little Powerbook G4 3 weeks ago. I had gotten quite attached to the little thing, and decided that maybe a netbook would be the way to go to replace my favorite living room laptop. I went down to ye olde Best Buy, and couldn't find a netbook in sight. I might have gone at a bad time, as there were netbooks a few days later. Anyway, I checked their offerings for laptops and wasn't really impressed. I went home to think about moving my existing computers around as it seemed like a good time for an upgrade.
I finally decided to move my current (at the time) laptop into the living room. Installed Windows 7 on it, and set it up as 'mac like' as possible for the convenience factor. I then settled on a 15" Macbook pro as its sucessor. Coming from the PC world, I was very pleased with the overall quality of the MBP. My old laptop, an Asus A8JS, is falling apart at the hinges. I've ordered replacement parts to fix it, but it shouldn't be cracking and falling apart to begin with. The case is scratched and scuffed, and the tinny speakers like to pop and crackle. The hardware running the show is solid, and its gaming performance has always been pleasing (512 meg 7700). I've always treated my electronics very well, so i'm surprised how poorly 2 years have been to this laptop.
With that being said, I love my new mac. It looks like its built like a tank, and I was able to buy a hard shell case for it to protect it from scuffs (and make it look pretty and blue). Unlike the PC world, there are tons of customized accessories you can buy, which is nice. For the money, I feel like I've bought a very slick machine, and I enjoy the glossy screen. After a few weeks of fumbling with the multi-touch in OSX and Windows, i've grown to prefer it over buttons, and it's nice not having crackly speakers.
I don't like the car analogies, since everybody is right, they're all essentially the same inside, but I definitely feel that I got my money's worth. It's a solid machine, and I'm looking forward to a high resale value. Gaming performance is better than my old laptop, and being able to use OSX to its fullest capabilities on new hardware has me excited. I enjoy the way things are laid out with Apple's operating system.
I still use Windows daily for gaming, and I need to use it for certain special pieces of hardware I have for my side-job, but I enjoy my new mac. The moral of this story is that both computers have their place, and their purpose. If they're used for those purposes they will both perform wonderfully. Using both, I can't say that I have a definite preference for one over the other. The Mac definitely has a 'premium' feel to it, but I don't feel smarter or smugger (that a word?) using it. When I first got my Asus laptop, I was proud of it since not many people had heard of Asus at the time, and I definitely felt like I had done my homework and gotten the best piece of hardware my money could buy. That's sort of how I feel now, that for my money, I got the best overall value. Different people will value different things, for some, the build quality doesn't matter, and they are just concerned with the raw hardware. Others want something portable, and so on and so forth. Everybody should get what fits them best, be it Mac, or PC. Don't let a commercial decide what is best for you.
Geez, you people are sad. Instead of emotional attachments with people, you have emotional attachments to things and even more stupid, to brands and corporate names. You guys are worse than animal rights activists who make emotional attachments to animals.
To paraphrase Frank Herbert's Dune, Parting with people is a sadness, but a place (or thing) is just a place (or thing). If a tool works for you, great, but don't begrudge someone else for buying a different tool that works for them.
Mac Fanboys, Mac Haters... blah... blah... blah...
The thing that makes this entertaining is that, after years of running the misleading Mac vs. PC ads, Apple is crying foul over misleading Laptop Hunter ads. It's like punching some guy in the face everyday for a week and then complaining when, on Sunday, after you punch him the face, the guy kicks you in the balls.
And all we have is the word of a MS exec that this phone call actually took place? FAIL.
Which major corporation lawyer simply picks up the phone and calls somebody? Never in a million years ...
I dont care what anyone says. I will always gladly pay more for a mac just bc of the quality of the product. I have had many PCs throughout my life and within in a year of having them I always see a significant drop off in performance.
My sister, who knows nothing about computers, has a three year old macbook and it works just as good as new. And it is like someone said at the beginning of the posts, put a mac next to a pc laptop (like the one you can get for 700 at best buy) and there is no comparison in quality build.
@ sacapuntas
The ads were made before the aluminum macbooks became 13in MacBook Pro so technically they are correct at the time
I have to say: MILF!
Anyways, GJ to MS in actually giving apple some of their own medicine. It looks like Apple can dish it out but actually can't take it. What a bunch of emo wimps!
Windows is $500? Are you joking?
Hi, this is your subconscious talking: don't you think you should have a single iota of knowledge about what you're going to say before you start typing?
I use to sell Apple product in the 90ies and it is funny how short and selective people's memories are. Can you say Performa? They were a piece of crap system that Apple made before the iMacs to offer a lower price system with a lot of standard PC parts. Long story short, we made a lot of money from Apple on service work on systems we just sold. We had so many DOA product it was insane. I felt bad selling a unit, because there was a very high chance the customer would return the unit or yell at us for selling them that was POS.
I can't stand the fanbois that think Apple can do no wrong.
I forgot to mention how poorly made the PowerBook 5300 (I think) was too.
Notice how you said" WERE" badly made, im not saying macs are indestructible i would know from previous experience however its called evolving.
Not to defend bad hardware, but wasn't this the point in Apple's history when it was being run by a dude who used to make Pepsi?
Maybe one of the people who are responsible for the obesity and food supply epidemics in the US because of the irresponsible use of High Fructose Corn Syrup to save a buck is not the best guy to run a computer company.
Just sayin.
Actually at that point they were not being run by Sculley (former CEO of Pespi Co). Sculley on the other hand infuriated MS so much at that time, that MS refused to update any software they had on the Mac, causing a tremendous loss of business (mainly from the professional markets).
You are correct that at that time Steve Jobs was not CEO, and once he became CEO, he cut a lot of the Apple lines to start improving the image of the company
@Technewb & Michael Scrip
As someone who works with and works on both PCs and Macs (currently typing on a Thinkpad T41, sitting next to a G4 tower), I'll say this: paying for Windows software is for suckers. Other than games and the OS itself, there's not a single piece of paid software on my computer.
I'm not a graphic designer, filmmaker, or anything that requires specialized software. Shareware and freeware is definitely one of the advantages of owning a PC. As long as you're not an idiot and download dancing desktop strippers from sketchy Russian porn sites, use your judgment to download from legitimate sites, et cetera... I don't think I've been forced to pay for a piece of productivity software in this past decade.
you know you're supposed to pay for Shareware, right? Support independent developers, Matthew.
And there's is just as much shareware on Mac. Maybe not as many titles, but if you break it down to function, I'd bet you can find Mac and Windows equivalents of every productivity, graphics, word processing, calendar, task, music, video, and every other app out there.
Talk about function, not numbers. I'm looking at you, iPhone App Store. 50,000 apps sounds impressive, but not considering there are 1000 to do lists, 500 document viewers, 750 fart apps, etc...
lol i love how microsoft starts one string of ads and then mac is all up in arms like hey you guys are lying about us! mac needs to suck it up and understand that you cant be a pussy. www.yovia.com/blogs/timlara
@NohOne
Why you continue to compare anything Microsoft has to the iPhone I can't begin to understand...
"We hate the arguments that Microsoft is evil for some reason, but when Apple does the same, it is perfectly fine (e.g. activation of Windows vs. activation of an iPhone, or how Intel had unique identifiers in their chips accessible by software, but when they do the same in the iPhone - not a problem)."
Are you kidding me... It's a phone...
"We hate the argument that somehow Apple hardware will last forever, but other computers last only a year or two (this argument is used in this very article). I am typing on a 5 year old Dell laptop, how long does an iPod last?"
Are you serious... Your comparing a Laptop to an iPod...
"We hate the arguments that Microsoft releases poor products that do not work and you need to wait for SP2 for it to be useful, is MobileMe working yet?"
Did Windows ME ever work? Let me borrow something from you and compare a E-mail service to a very poorly made Windows OS.
"We hate how some say everything was invented, created, designed, or innovated by Apple first, and everybody creates cheap knock-offs of Apple, when there is proof of it being done years before by other companies."
When has Microsoft done anything innovative?
"So no, we do not hate Apple - I have a Mac, an iPod, and iPhone. We just get sick of the pathetic fanboys who attack anybody who do not drink the kool-aid and do not give glowing reviews of anything Apple."
So then you also enjoy apple products...
Not only does Microsoft not have a phone but
Look guys, as a computer engineering major, you have to understand that things work differently and you can't really compare things in terms of features and specs head-on there are always other factors that can lead a computer to run better than others. I have used Windows, OS X and Ubuntu on different computers and the experience of each OS is different even on the same computer.
WIndows-Often requires more resources to run normally and over time you begin to lose that great experience when you first purchased it, however I still use windows for when I have to use specific software that cannot run on another OS and for gaming because no other OS can match it.
OS X-Uses less resources/allocates them better. I have a G4 Powerbook that is about 3-4 years old and it runs Leopard like a champ. The main thing is that just cause a pc has a 2.66 GHz processor and a mac has the same specs, OS X uses the processor differently and sometimes surpasses the ability of the windows running machine.
Ubuntu-By far the best at allocating resources. I have several programs open and I never have use more than 25% of my RAM, however it has a steep learning curve.
Now in relation to the article, I support Apple in the fact that most of those ads don't justify each side correctly. In the commercial, people are buying laptops based off price and then just comparing to a mac. Which I don't think its fair.OK before people go on try and argue against this fact let me say I have both computers. Now the reason why Apple has not yet supported HDMI or Blu-ray is because they have to ensure that everything works and the Mac experience is there. You buy a mac and you are sure that it represents what the company wants you to experience, while you are on a Windows, you get a index on how well you are able to run it. Sure this is not something to give a whole basis by but it gives you reason to think why would they put their name on a product that doesn't run to their vision?
I know people will say I am a fanboy and treat me as such but really each OS has its purpose, I just don't believe Microsoft has reason to celebrate that Apple asked them to stop these ads. Apple carries a better experience than just having a random system with WIndows.
Luckily, I have been blessed with the ability to use all three operating systems, but please dont say that Macs are about asthetics and thats what you are paying for, in my opinion it is more expensive, I can't deny that, but it provides a great experience compared to having a computer that may just be capable of running Vista.
Much love to both companies
Here:
http://nothinggg.com/examples/microsoft_ad.jpg
In Canada we like too call that false advertising, too bad its not illegal in the US.
And Macs are not overpriced you get what you pay for just like anything else in the world.
VERY GOOD!
You're right, when you buy a Mac you DO get what you've paid for!
Um, the commercial says those Macbooks WERE that price you fu**ing dim-whits. Apple could change their "MSRP" nonsense 5 times a day if they wanted to, that doesn't mean someone cannot publicly what the price WAS at one point.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/12/apple-says-cust/
fanboys and haters and douche bags, oh my!
Apple has no righ to ask M$ to remove commercials, if that is what happened.
Apple is more expensive. They are also a smaller segment of the market. That is one reason. They also pay for things like industrial design and service. No one ever talks about that, they just compare clock speed and screen size.
There is not a $1200 laptop on the planet that has a water-jet etched body carved from a single piece of aluminum, except the MacBook Pro. This is industrial design at it's best. It is a sturdy, beautiful machine to which no Dell plastic piece of crap can compare.
I can also take my Mac into an Apple store FOR FREE and talk to an actual person about any issues I have. This costs money. Part of what you're paying for is this service.
And since the latest Apple updates, some of these M$ commercials are false. Like the "no 17" for less than $2500" and "MacBook Pros with 2GB RAM" Even the cheap MBPs ship with 4GB. These should at least re-edited to remove outdated info, or Apple will have a valid point.
But don't pull the ads, that would be un-businesslike.
and while we're at it, could we maybe see the cease and desist letter? I'm pretty sure a corporate lawyer at the Apple/Microsoft level would just call somebody and say "pretty please". Sounds like a made up story, really....
I'm more upset that Microsoft hasn't taken ME laptop shopping.
Those ads suck, but keep doing them because I like to see Apple squirm.
@ NohOne:
Maybe we can get you a wahburger and some french cries. How bout a whineken?
Freakin MS Fanboy
Uh huh, and an Apple executive told me that several Microsoft executives admitted to them (in a phone call that cannot possibly ever be verified ... or disproved) that Windows 7 was a total crock, that Bill Gates loves the iPhone, and that Steve Ballmer is really a mis-programmed android.
You might notice that this MS executive was himself not certain that it was not a joke call; if even he is not certain that it really was Apple's legal team, then why would we believe it?
It sounds like a complete load of crap to me, to be honest. After all, legal departments do not operate with phone calls. They operate with letters - if they want somebody to do something or not do something, they never call them, they write them a letter, because letters are hard evidence that can later be used in court.
In any case, it is nothing but hearsay. All we have is one person's word, plus their admission that they don't know the source of the call, plus the knowledge that legal departments do not use the phone when they want to communicate with other companies.
This is actually true.
If you look in the phone book you'll notice there aren't any law offices in there, because most law offices do not have telephones.
In fact, in some states it's actually illegal for a lawyer to have a verbal conversation with anyone who is not their client.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lawyers_arent_allowed_to_have_phones
Since Microsoft is saying a competitor is doing something that reflects poorly on them but not presenting evidence to back their claims, I'd say there is questionable credibility, same as with any other company.
You know this is all really becoming irrelevant. First, I highly doubt a company as disciplined as Apple would call up MS and look like a pansy...."please Mr. Gates...take those mean nasty adds off! They hurt our feelings...:-(".....riiiiiggghhhttt....MS marketing and nothing else and not very good marketing at that.
Second, and more importantly, everything is moving web based these days. Sure there are specialist programs out there but Google Docs is just the beginning (even MS is getting in on it). Netbooks are hot for a reason and MS is still selling XP for the same reason. Most people dont need alienware or a MacBook Pro. Whether you like your stylish Macs or your utilitarian PCs, they'll increasingly be a device to run a web browser to access your internet-based content. So hopefully, as a longtime Mac user, we can finally move on from this increasingly pointless debate.
If anybody was curious, that is exactly what she looks like in bed.
I hate cheap stupid people!
People should buy whatever they want, if price is your issue go nuts and get the cheapest thing that works for you. But, if Apple really wants to get revenge, just show the same people realizing they're stuck with Vista. I'm a PC and I'm stuck with a subpar operating system. Buyer beware.
I like the fact I can get a stable UNIX machine for a slight premium and still work in the Windoze world when needed off the same box. Of course I'm no ubergeek and I'msure you could probably get a similar functioning UNIX-lix (*nux) distro for the PC, but it's still not a UNIX kernel.
ITT idiots who believe this call actually happened.
Apple know they are winning when the dominant OS player puts its most of its advertising budget into trying to discredit you on a OEM pricing message.
Its a free market; you keep your cheaper PCs and I'll keep my premium priced Macbook Pro. I am extremely happy with my laptop and would recommend it to everybody and anybody - it was worth every penny after 15 years of shocking bad experiences of Windows machines.
I take stability and security for granted. Win7 users are amazed that they finally have something that doesn't fall over. Shame you've not got rid of those hundreds of thousands of viruses and malware.... or registry that falls apart everytime you install a poorly written application...
Good look Microsoft. lulz.
i seriously doubt apple actually called microsoft and asked them to stop running their ad. that would be like the republicans calling the democrats and asking them to stop pursing their agenda - nonsense.
Hate Macs because they are better and I secretly want one?!?! Give me a frigging break! I would sell it to some unsuspecting boob who just upgraded from a Speak 'N Spell and thinks he is a computer genius now because he owns a Mac LOL!
I don't want a Mac because of their nazi way of doing things. With a Mac you have to do things THEIR way. I want to run the OS the way I like and configure it to do stuff the way I like. With a Mac they have already decided the best way for everything for you, so you get damn little in the way of choices. Yeah it's a slick OS running on Linux, and Winblows is utter crap most of the time, but at least I can configure my utter crap OS the way I want. Now if I could just port all the games I like to Linux, then I'd be a happy camper...
Macs are for idiots who think they know something about computers or people too busy to care.
Anyone who thinks that ANY of the equipment inside their apple computers are any different or better then a PC's... needs some get out more! Back when Apple was using IBM's PowerPC chips, you guys had an argument. But now that they have switched to Intel (which was a move made to simply keep up with the speed of PC's) you have no voice! The computers are the same! In some cases... exactly the same.
BMW's and other luxury cars are expensive because the equipment inside them isn't the same as your average Kia! Lets say KIA took the body of a BMW and put all of their parts into it.... would you still pay BMW prices???? Didn't think so.
So in closing - get over it!, anyone with an Apple or anyone who switched because they thought they were getting a more powerful computer... is an moron!!!
Quix-
I think u need to rethink some things. The Mac is a great piece of machinery and i love it ( I have 2, the old MBP and AL Macbook) but apple is not like a superior god to MS. I have 2 PCs as well and I get on fine with it. PCs have their good and bad as do Macs, Macs give a good feel and overall feel more smooth like the transitions and how the OS has a more stable foundation but its not perfect, u might say that windows is choppy in some ways and i agree but windows computers are cheap and thats a advantage. Now i believe most people would want a nice looking, good quality MBP but not everyone has 1600 to dish out on a computer. PCs may not feel as solid but they do the work just fine and u have a much bigger selection. Apple isn't all so smooth sailing either, I feel the company makes too many looks over usage choices like the space between the ports and glossy screens.
@ NohOne
You really hit the nail on the head. As have many of you. I use Apple gadgets and intend to get an iPhone soon. However, One reason I'm a PC-user is because for the most part, PC makers don't build obsoleteness into their products. You have no idea how many times I have had friends buy macbooks or iphones only to discover a week or so later that Apple was about to release a new product and what they just bought is in the process of a price cut (that they may or may not be eligible for). I have yet to see Sony or Dell or other companies release their Windows PCs or other products then a year later release a product that makes the product obsolete the way Apple does. Maybe if the iphone 3g S stays the main phone for more than a year I'll shut my trap. Not to mention that it seems like (note:seems like, not saying it always happens) that once these new products are announced the old products seemingly stop working. That's just my observation though. I'm not going to pay $1700 for a laptop only to discover that for the same price I could get a boatload of new features if I had just waited an hour.