Apple's got a funny new video ad campaign on their site ~

http://www.apple.com
for the main video

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/
for all of the ads

I liked the iLife and Network videos the best.

I've seen those and think they're pretty funny. Personally, I like the virus one.

I vote for Virus and Network myself. It slays me when PC gets jealous over Mac being able to talk in Japanese to the "digital camera" girl..."Bonjourno...hello...?"

But then I watched the iLife one again, and that's killer too. Great campaign. So simple and so well done.

I'm a big Apple fan, but to me, most Macintosh commercials, while funny, elegant and sophisticated--only preaches to the choir and doesn't really speak to PC users that do not realize that there are alternatives to Windows.

Apple seems to do this a lot with their Macintosh commercials.

I loved the "Think Different" commercials--but did anyone not already a Mac user buy a Mac because of it?

I would love to see in a commercial a real demonstration of the elegance of the OS itself--that itself would sell the Mac.

And with "Boot Camp" now available...they should show a Mac doing Windows too.

Well John, I'm gonna have to side with you on this one. You won't find a bigger Mac fan than me, and I am also a shareholder. But this latest batch of commercials seem too cutesy and, like you say, just seem to preach to the choir. I don't think the image of that "Mac guy" will sell any computers to businesses, but I guess that's not who they're targeting.

Now here's an Apple commercial....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-715862862672743260&q=apple

Hey, what happened to her iPod? Boy, they did a great job of digitally removing it!

(insert ironic smiley emoticon here, please)

I don't care for these type of ads. I think that Apple should promote their own systems and capabilities without the 'pc' guy. Why not just show and tell folks about all the nice, robust, usable applications that are included. Why not explain tht OSX is a graphical interface lying on top of a very lean and stable OS known as Unix. Those are the type of things that current PC owners might be drawn to. That's what it took to get me to buy a Mac. But as I have said before, I have and use both platforms in my household. I am not a fanatic about anything (with the possible exception of DV-INFO).

Probably the one single application that drew me more than any other was Livetype. I couldn't find any application for Windows that even came close to what this software does.

-gb-

When I load the ad page Quicktime opens up and then informs me componants are needed that aren't on the quicktime server.

This may be because my PC and its operating system are a few years old now, but if users with PCs old enough to be thinking about upgrading can't see the advert how are they supposed to want to buy a Mac?

From the discussion it sounds like they are try to seperate PCs and Macs rather than simply telling us how great Macs are and I can see a reason for this. Intel has recently been boasting that is now makes the chips for both PCs and Macs and Apple may have a small crisis on their hands, in that what seperates a PC and a Mac is becoming blurred.

Acorn computers in the UK made a similar mistake, after carving themselves out a niche for very reliable and completely PC incompatable computers, they started releasing machines that would run windows and had intel compatable CPUs inside. For me that completly killed any identity the company had as a rival to Intel and Microsoft. They split the buisness a few years later and stopped selling home computers.

My thoughts are that if the line between a Mac and a PC becomes any more blurry Apple can only lose.

Although reference is being made to online ads, they are also being played on broadcast television. That's where I have seen the ads, not online.

-gb-

Fair enough but I think my point still stands. They should be playable on machines old enough to need upgrading.

Well, companies are not going to always choose the lowest common denominator for a format to stream video over the internet unfortunately. You probably need to upgrade to the latest Quicktime - I've seen that error before when running a version older than QT 7. See if you can upgrade here: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mac.html

"Intel has recently been boasting that is now makes the chips for both PCs and Macs and Apple may have a small crisis on their hands, in that what seperates a PC and a Mac is becoming blurred." I really don't agree with you there. I think this move was long overdue since the PowerPC architecture was holding the Mac back. Now the playing field is truly level, so Mac and PC benchmarks are directly comparable. And you also have the option of running MacOS and Windows at full speed on a single machine.

Do you follow the industry? Take a look at this chart and tell me whether Apple is having a "crisis" or if instead it might be Intel, Microsoft or Dell ;-)

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AAPL&t=5y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=intc,dell,msft

Ive allready tried to upgrade to QT7, and there is no version that supports my OS. I'm unlikley to be swayed by any adverts though, Ive always found Macs difficult to use unless you think along Apples tramlines. I'm sure its not a problem now but its exemplified by the old inability to reformat an allready formatted floppy that resulted in many Mac users I knew keeping a strong magnet to hand.

Apple are doing very well currently, but its largely off the strength of multimedia products, not innovation in computer design. Even the higher than expected sales of the Intel Mac are being put down to iWeb software. It does raise the question, will they still be making computers in 10 years time?

I don't get it.




What's a Mac?
Like that song Return Of The Mac?
Or that hamburger from MacDonalds?
Conner MacCloud of the clan MacCloud?

Sorry, none of this makes sense.

It does raise the question, will they still be making computers in 10 years time?

will *anyone* be making computers, as we know them, in ten years time? whatever happened to IBM's hands-free wireless headset with the voice-activated virtual screen? and, to quote, calvin and hobbes, what's with this whole weather thing?? where's my jetpack?? where's my hovercraft??

the only thing about these ads that i don't like is the "re-starting" portion....as if macs don't crash or require re-starts? mine sure does! otherwise, i think these are brilliant, hip, cool, minimalist, appealing. i mean, compare these offerings to the competition. (what competition?) name another computer manufacturer that is actually capable of employing humor successfully in an ad campaign.

i like the Networking ad, where the scene opens, and they're holding hands...so funny. two grown adult males holding hands... what other computer company is going to get away with broadcasting images like that to sell its products?

If Apple wants to get more people to convert from Windows, create ads that show people how to make money with it, not just make home movies which can be done for free on windows anyway. The whole ilife and garageband stuff is cute, but there is lots of free software out there for windows to do similar if not the same thing.

Widows guy...I make a succesful living with Windows PCs.
Mac Guy...Look at my cute home videos....and gnarly music mix...and...and..

And I don't mean FCP either.

If Apple wants to get more people to convert from Windows, create ads that show people how to make money with it, not just make home movies which can be done for free on windows anyway. The whole ilife and garageband stuff is cute, but there is lots of free software out there for windows to do similar if not the same thing.

Widows guy...I make a succesful living with Windows PCs.
Mac Guy...Look at my cute home videos....and gnarly music mix...and...and..

And I don't mean FCP either.


The "cute" factor has been a major problem for me. I see Apple as advertising heavily around it's cute looks, and honestly, I hate cute looking OS'es. The first thing I do on a Win install is eliminate the ew XP look and all those stupid time waisting effects of sliding menus, etc. I want function.

That Apple has a very functional OS is not entirely lost on me. But their increased hardware costs have always been a concern. I am helping otu a guy who just bought a new G5 for video editing and it cost him $6000 from CompUSA. Granted, I think CompUSA kind of took him to the cleaners, but his system isn't even a dual CPU system and it does not have a RAID storage system. And for $6000?

I can build my own Dual Opteron with better specs than the G5 for about 2/3 the price. That has always been a bonus for me.

jason

I'm curious how a G5 can reach that price and not be dual CPU - even the cheapest G5 is dual CPU and a raid can be had for not much more. My G5 was 2300 Canadian last year and after warantees, upgrades, ram and stuff I''d say it's about 3500 + maybe another 600 for a 500gb external raid and that's all in CAD.

The "cute" factor has been a major problem for me. I see Apple as advertising heavily around it's cute looks, and honestly, I hate cute looking OS'es. The first thing I do on a Win install is eliminate the ew XP look and all those stupid time waisting effects of sliding menus, etc. I want function.

That Apple has a very functional OS is not entirely lost on me. But their increased hardware costs have always been a concern. I am helping otu a guy who just bought a new G5 for video editing and it cost him $6000 from CompUSA. Granted, I think CompUSA kind of took him to the cleaners, but his system isn't even a dual CPU system and it does not have a RAID storage system. And for $6000?

I can build my own Dual Opteron with better specs than the G5 for about 2/3 the price. That has always been a bonus for me.

jason

He must have bought the 30" cinema display to go with it and maxxed out the other options. Something doesn't sound right if he bought a single CPU Power Mac and got the price tag to 6K. Oh, wait a minute. If he bought FCP Studio for editing then that accounts for $1300 right there.

Jason is there any way you could provide the specs of this $6000.00 system?

-gb-

I have to admit I strongly prefer PCs over Macs. In my experience, Macs are not significantly better. They still have problems and won't do things without a reason. I really, really hate the colorful pinwheel of doom, formally known as the "spinning wait cursor", when that shows up, it's a lot of waiting and frequently force quit or pulling the plug. Apple doesn't think that their computers need a real reset button. Occasionally, I'll get to share some time with a Mac that actually feels like doing something.

I'm on Win98, which sucks, Apple seems to forget it exsists and didn't include support in Quicktime, so I can only get the audio for these ads. I really should get XP.

I hate the new Mac mouse. The iMac puck was weird but was okay. The cord thickness is the perfect size to get stuck under the top shell, when you try to click, it doesn't click. Real great design.

I don't like the one button mouse in general. To get the right click type functionality, you must hold down one of the keys. You have to figure out if it's the apple, control, option, or shift. Doesn't save any time.

I hate web surfing on a mac. I use Firefox, though I use tabs, I'll open new windows to seperate things. Firefox or safari on Mac makes it very difficult to manage and navigate many browser windows.

-Adam "learning Linux" Keen

I have to admit I strongly prefer PCs over Macs. In my experience, Macs are not significantly better. They still have problems and won't do things without a reason. I really, really hate the colorful pinwheel of doom, formally known as the "spinning wait cursor", when that shows up, it's a lot of waiting and frequently force quit or pulling the plug. Apple doesn't think that their computers need a real reset button. Occasionally, I'll get to share some time with a Mac that actually feels like doing something.

I'm on Win98, which sucks, Apple seems to forget it exsists and didn't include support in Quicktime, so I can only get the audio for these ads. I really should get XP.

I hate the new Mac mouse. The iMac puck was weird but was okay. The cord thickness is the perfect size to get stuck under the top shell, when you try to click, it doesn't click. Real great design.

I don't like the one button mouse in general. To get the right click type functionality, you must hold down one of the keys. You have to figure out if it's the apple, control, option, or shift. Doesn't save any time.

I hate web surfing on a mac. I use Firefox, though I use tabs, I'll open new windows to seperate things. Firefox or safari on Mac makes it very difficult to manage and navigate many browser windows.

-Adam "learning Linux" Keen

Adam,

You have posted several statements about the Mac which are as obsolete as Windows 98 and yes, you should upgrade to XP. Lots more security and more functionality.

That said, you don't have to use the 'one button' mouse. I hated it too and promptly replaced it with the Microsoft bluetooth mouse. I also use the Apple bluetooth wireless keyboard.

Apple now has what's called the 'Mighty Mouse' which is light years ahead of their earlier efforts. It doesn't have buttons per se, but if you push down on the right side, or left side it senses the difference. The small wheel in the center is unlike any scroll wheel but works as one just the same. Nonetheless, I still prefer the ergonomics of my 5 button Microsoft mouse. And for the record, right click emulation is called Command-click. Any other key combinations with a mouse click are for different functionality.

Firefox on my Mac works about the same as it does on my Windows machines. You can use 'expose' with the mac (I have one of my 5 mouse buttons programmed to it) and all open windows are instantly resized to fit on the screen. You click on the desired one and it comes to the front. Pretty slick once you get used to it. I had the same issue a year ago when I bought the Mac. It felt very foreign after being a PC user since the first ones came out in the early 80's.

I can also happily report that having the spinning beach ball in a locked up application doesn't usually take down the rest of the system. That's due in part to the under the hood Unix/Linux that OSX runs on top of. Since you are learning Linux, then OSX would be great for you. You can drop into terminal mode and learn all the Linux you want to.

Just a warning to the community, this thread will be locked or removed if it turns into a platform war. NO PLATFORM BASHING allowed on DVINFO! All the moderators are currently keeping an eye on this thread.

regards,

-gb-

That's due in part to the under the hood Unix/Linux that OSX runs on top of. Since you are learning Linux, then OSX would be great for you. You can drop into terminal mode and learn all the Linux you want to.

Not to get picky Greg, but Linux is reverse-engineered unix. I've worked a lot with Linux and I like it, but it's a slightly different "flavor." MacOSX is real BSD Unix, just like what I used to pound on using VT-220 terminals connected to a VAX 11/750 at the blazing speed of 9600 baud ;-)

Adam: if you don't like Macs then that's fine. Just don't use them. Use whatever you like and are comfortable with.

Yeah Boyd, I was primarily saying that Unix and Linux are 'pretty similar' and that the knowledge of one would translate very well to the other with the differences you noted of course. I wasn't suggesting that OSX sits atop a Linux variant. Guess I didn't word it right.

-gb-

I've used the mighty mouse, still has the cord getting stuck under the front problem. I use expose, but I find it inconvenient to move my hand to the function keys.

Back to the ads, I think the 'switch' ones were better. Comparing PCs and Macs from the people who make Macs. Obviously, it's going to be biased and trying to sell you a Mac. Take the 'network' ad, one, digital cameras are not networking. Two, pull out the card stick it in a card reader. Three, I have seen cams with windows but not mac drivers, so far, not the other way.

"iLife" Windows has media player built in. But, who cares about bundled when you can choose from loads of programs to suit your needs.

"Restarting" XP is really stable. People get excellent uptimes.

"Viruses" So get some antivirus software, not a big deal.

-Adam "is it bashing if it's true?" Keen

sorry, I'm never one to argue, but I think I will (in a friendly way of course).

iLife: Windows doesn't come with anything for creating media. Movie Maker can't do half of what iMovie can do and there is no equivalent to iDVD and Garagband that come with Windows - in terms of being media friendly right out of the box, Mac wins hands down.

Restarting: I only speak from experience and I don't talk about things I have never used, but in my experience, XP is far from being stable. Now, I'm not saying Mac OSX is 100% there, but it's definitly leaps ahead of Windows.

Viruses: Sure you could get antivirus software and always worry about keeping it up to date and in some cases paying every year for it. Or you can get a Mac and not worry about it at all.

In terms of compatibility, I can't think of specific examples (please tell us which cameras you say don't have Mac drivers) and I don't doubt they exist, but I can pretty much say with confidence that anything unavailable for Mac will have an equivalent and some of the best software programs in existance are not available for Windows, so it goes both ways. In terms of a card reader, you're right and that's actually what I use and couldn't care less about plugging the camera into the computer.

>>Viruses: Sure you could get antivirus software and always worry about keeping it up to date and in some cases paying every year for it. Or you can get a Mac and not worry about it at all.
<<

Macs are being targeted now. Make no mistake, and Apple has been worse than MS when dealing with known weaknesses. The honeymoon is over sad to say.

Apple has been trading for years on the idea that the majority of people who use computers are stupid, need everything done for them, and want to operate inside something that looks like a cartoon. Frankly, I find it condescending.

Could explain Apple's massive market share.

Viruses: Sure you could get antivirus software and always worry about keeping it up to date and in some cases paying every year for it. Or you can get a Mac and not worry about it at all.

Or, you could just be careful about which e-mails you open and which web pages you visit. BAM! Problem solved.

Personally, I think they make a mistake with the Clock and the Calculator thing. Windows XP comes with a free video editing program too. People know this and therefore are inclined not to believe anything else that is said. Apple should know better.

There is nothing wrong with using a Mac. But it takes a lot to change over, and they need to prove the value. That can't do that by omitting pertinent facts.

but i *am* stupid and want to operate inside something that looks like a cartoon....gotta problem with that?

and now, even better, they've baked juvenilia right into the computer! the latest macbook pro has a little photo booth function that shoots a cartoon special effect using the built-in isite camera. i walked around the house converting the dog, the cat, my furniture, into cartoons. fun times for dolts like me! it's brilliant. in a completely stupid sort of way. i can hardly wait for the next DV Challenge. i may have to figure out a way to bring that feature into my next thrilling adventure in short narrative film.

if you're an over-forty comic book geek, it's like a dream come true....

I vote for Virus and Network myself. It slays me when PC gets jealous over Mac being able to talk in Japanese to the "digital camera" girl..."Bonjourno...hello...?"

But then I watched the iLife one again, and that's killer too. Great campaign. So simple and so well done.

Hi Charles ! Long time !

You really like this campaign ? I find it creative and aggressive but wonder who really is buying it ? We're all familiar with the PC / MAC debate's but I find it bizarre that Apple themself would be pimping this propaganda.

And David is absolutely correct; it is this type of marketing that brings out the 'pretentious arse' Mac user (Relax, unless you are a pretentious arse, you should'nt be offened by that comment).

Both OS's do the same thing in the end and it is most often than not, Operator Error that brings your system crashing down.

I ask again:

With less than 4% of the worlds market share, who is buying this nonsesne ?

I vote for Virus and Network myself. It slays me when PC gets jealous over Mac being able to talk in Japanese to the "digital camera" girl..."Bonjourno...hello...?"

But then I watched the iLife one again, and that's killer too. Great campaign. So simple and so well done.Hello... I'm a Mac.

I ask again: With less than 4% of the worlds market share, who is buying this nonsesne ? ...and I'm a PC.

- - - -
Just kidding around, all in good fun ;)

I cant see the pictures!!!

I hear it but I cant see... whats wrong with my Quick time? I DL'ed the update.... what have I done wrong?

I ask again:

With less than 4% of the worlds market share, who is buying this nonsesne ?


since the 19th century, the "best" technology was not always the winning technology. edison dropped a wad trying to convince everyone that DC electricity was superior technology to AC electricity, and for awhile, he had a few folks convinced. until he didn't. at that point, he had to steal AC technology from tesla and westinghouse to keep up.

market share isn't necessarily an indicator of "better." does GM build better cars than toyota? can we deduce that from the fact that GM has more market share?

the history of technology and enterprise is littered with the corpses of "more market share." it's an indicator of a moment in time which has been in a constant state of flux for a hundred and fifty years, nothing more.

and this industry is about in the maximum state of fluctuation and change. it's a great time to be a stock trader, a lousy time to be a shareholder based on "more market share."

let's see, right now, would you rather be trading toyota, apple and canon, or holding GM, microsoft, and kodak?

The point, Meryem, is if Macs were truly wrought whole cloth from the sands of the Earth by the hand of God himself, with software taken from the songs of angelic choirs, as the Mac ads and Mac cultists claim, and if PCs were truly shoddy little boxes held together by tape and chewing gum and run by mangy hamsters in lopsided wheels, again as the Mac ads and Mac cultists claim, then Apple would have a bigger share . . . don't you think?

As John says, they're both tools, and they both do the same things.

I am a PC user. I have a few. I was a Mac user back in the mid 1980's. Changing jobs changed my computer. It happens. I like Macs, but I don't use one because I don't really need anything they offer that I can not get on my current PC.

Keep in mind that Apple didn't have the marketing expertise that IBM did. They had their chance, and they messed up. The Mac was vastly superior for a long time. Now it is only a little better. They should have attacked when they had an overwhelming advantage and wasted it because of Steve Jobs overconfidence, or arrogance.

I have often said that if you want to understand a computer, and work with it, and make minute changes, buy a PC. If you just want to use the darn thing, buy a Mac. But the pricing issues made it too easy to buy a PC. People got what they paid for. That was Jobs biggest mistake.

But, as I have said, they should be more careful with their statements. Viruses are written for PCs primarily because there are more PCs, not because you can't write one for a Mac. Just who would bother? Then there is the editing software, etc. Think about it. Microsoft is getting sued over all the cool things they are adding for free. It annoys the little software vendors. Don't ignore that and say the PC doesn't come with toys. Lambast them for their lawsuits. Don't attack with lies. What's the point when the truth is better?

I ask again:With less than 4% of the worlds market share, who is buying this nonsesne ?Well, I guess 4% of us are, which is a pretty large number actually. Large enough to keep Apple running I guess.

...and 4% of the market share compared to what? If you have a Mac/Apple and use the "Mac Platform," that's what you buy, and "Apple" is the ONLY brand you buy (for the main hardware).

The "PC," on the other hand is not a brand and there are several dozen if not several hundred manufacturers competing for their slice of the pie, i.e. Sony, HP, Dell, Toshiba, IBM, etc., etc. So even though the PC platform has 96% of the market, it's not controlled by one manufacturer.

But really, I agree that market share is not really a point anyway. Automobile manufacturers like BMW don't have much of a market share, yet produce an outstanding product and thrive as a very profitable company. Same goes for other manufactured goods like watches (Rolex), clothes (insert any brand of jeans selling for over $150 per pair here), etc.

I just thought it was good commercial concept. So simple in appearance, content and text. It's very encouraging to me to think that this commercial could have been directed, shot, edited and produced by the majority of people that are in this forum... and who knows - maybe it was?

PS - Steven, thank you for having such a cool and useful Web site. I've recently started learning AE 7.0 and your site has been invaluable with all the helpful links for plug-ins, tutorials, etc!

It's interesting Derek, that it's OK to lump "PCs" into a single group when Apple is poking fun at them, or when touting the Mac superiority, oh, but when things like "market share" come along, hey, there's really no "PC," is there . . . ?

It's interesting Derek, that it's OK to lump "PCs" into a single group when Apple is poking fun at them, or when touting the Mac superiority, oh, but when things like "market share" come along, hey, there's really no "PC," is there . . . ?If I've ever made a statement in this forum seemed to "tout" superiority of any kind for a specific product, I apologize, but I don't think that I have. Actually this forum has been a great place to see the good and the bad about various products with opinions from people that actually use them.

And I don't think that I said there's "no PC," but that PC is not a specific brand that is manufactured or controlled by just one company, unlike Apple, which is manufactured and controlled by just one company.

The point, Meryem, is if Macs were truly wrought whole cloth from the sands of the Earth by the hand of God himself, with software taken from the songs of angelic choirs


let's see, i think i pointed out in an earlier post my own eyeball-rolling at the ludicrous "i'm a mac" claim that apples don't need re-starting. (speaking for my own mega-crashed G4, as of yesterday afternoon, it won't start at all and is off to the shop....) so can we put this sort of inaccurate and hyperbolic characterization to rest? lay it down alongside "stupid" and "pretentious arses." people in glass houses, eh what?

these are advertisements. not reasoned arguments. the point is to get your attention and to entertain, and as we all know even negative attention is still attention. so something is working. my five year old can tell you all about it....

let's see, i think i pointed out in an earlier post my own eyeball-rolling at the ludicrous "i'm a mac" claim that apples don't need re-starting. (speaking for my own mega-crashed G4, as of yesterday afternoon, it won't start at all and is off to the shop....) so can we put this sort of inaccurate and hyperbolic characterization to rest? lay it down alongside "stupid" and "pretentious arses." people in glass houses, eh what?

these are advertisements. not reasoned arguments. the point is to get your attention and to entertain, and as we all know even negative attention is still attention. so something is working. my five year old can tell you all about it....

But I think my characterization fits very well with years of Apple marketing, proselytizing, and Mac zealotry. All of it intentional . . . ask Guy Kawasaki.

If I've ever made a statement in this forum seemed to "tout" superiority of any kind for a specific product, I apologize, but I don't think that I have. Actually this forum has been a great place to see the good and the bad about various products with opinions from people that actually use them.

And I don't think that I said there's "no PC," but that PC is not a specific brand that is manufactured or controlled by just one company, unlike Apple, which is manufactured and controlled by just one company.

I didn't say you did, Derek, and if you took it as an unfair application of a generality (because I think we can both agree that what I said is accurate for some), then I apologize myself.

At this point I think both sides have had enough chance to make their case, so let's turn our attention back to video and give the endless Mac vs. PC debate a rest...