“UK computer superstore chain PC World clearly thinks its customers are suffering on the sly from Mac envy,” Tony Smith reports for The Register. “How else can we explain how the pictures of PCs on its online store and in its catalogues all show Mac OS X screenshots?”
“Register Hardware reader Matt Kyte sent us a pic he took of a PC World catalogue page. On offer, a Packard Bell desktop and a Toshiba notebook. Both machines’ screens clearly shown with Mac OS X browser Safari – ironically being used to display Microsoft’s Windows Vista website,” Smith reports.
Smith reports, “But that’s not all. PC World’s website is replete with hundreds of desktop and notebook PCs all with Mac OS X’s Jaguar Aqua Blue desktop wallpaper on display.”
“None of the Macs the retailer offers sport Windows Vista on their screens, so PC World hasn’t got itself completely in a twist,” Smith reports.
See the images here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “RadDoc” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Microsoft Security website shows Apple Mac and says ‘you’re clean’ – August 15, 2006
Dell laptop ads attempt to co-opt Apple’s Mac OS X – October 03, 2005
Gateway ad features Apple PowerMac G4 – December 19, 2002
Didn’t Dell try this a few months back?
LOL,
so true. Even Microsoft shows Vista and with an Apple iBook nonetheless:
I can see how the shot of the naked screen with its ‘swirls’ could be claimed as a “Mac” shot … that being the basic wallpaper for OSX, but the previous shot looks more like Firefox with a plug-in than an actual Safari shot.
DLMeyer – the Voice of G.L.Horton’s Stage Page
Sad sad sad.
No Mac envy here. My 24″ iMac just arrived, and is sitting here in front of me!!!
This is funny too.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/09/friendly_fire_virtual_pc/
I’d be curious to see if the default bookmarks were still in safari, including the Apple link!
The FireFox plug-in does not put the three circles in the top left corner, does it?!
It’s called EnderleThurrottKantor Syndrome.
Cracks in the face of the damn. They will grow until it breaks, and Microsoft will wash away like the scum they are. Two more years.
Not to say that PC Magazine doesn’t have Mac envy, but I think the marketing department uses Mac’s and weren’t given any marketing material so they had to create it themselves. Just a thought =)
@ DLM
Firefox? I don’t think so… What version of Firefox used white embossed-paneled Back/Forward Arrows, Refresh or Home buttons?
If you’re suggesting the use of a Firefox plug-in that mimics the very appearance of Safari, in which case any screenshot of Safari could be said to be Firefox. Occam’s razor suggests otherwise.
Packard Bell????????????????
Its not envy, its because the Designers putting together the catalogues and web pages are Mac users and they are having some good ole fashion fun.
What a freakin’ joke!
Marketing/Advertising Department designers are behind that. I do that sort of thing whenever I have a chance. I work in an all-PC company that just recently allowed Macs in the Marketing Department (tricked out 24″ iMacs) and I get a kick out of using an Apple display whenever I need to show a monitor or Camino or Safari when I have to show a screenshot.
Its being part of the “club”, kinda like a shout out to all the Macs brothas and sistahs, you know?
Every 6 weeks or so I meet an old friend of mine (Dirk) in one of the cosy pubs (Kneipen) here in Berlin, to talk and drink lots of good German draught beer.
We’ve been doing this for about 18 years , and although he’s a PC user, and although I’ve occassionally recommended Apple, we’ve never fallen out over computers.
About two months ago, he told me he’d bought a new computer and I asked him if he’d bought a Mac this time. He suddenly shouted (this is a rough translation):
” I’m not buying a Mac as long as they’re so trendy!”
I pointed out that he hadn’t bought a Mac when they weren’t ‘so trendy’ and it’s no problem anyway.
We met again recently and he sort of apologized for his outburst by saying he’d thought about buying a Mac but hadn’t, for some reason or other. Perhaps next time.
I realized that he hadn’t quite been able to make the jump and I’d hit a sore spot with my innocent question.
It’s a sort of ‘failed switcher’ syndrom which is becoming increasingly common – at least here in Germany.
Since then, his son has asked for, and got, an 80 GB iPod for his birthday and Dirk is delighted with it and has no problems with Apple now – and I’m sure his next computer will be a Mac.
Hey, I’ve done that, too.
I worked on some corporate interiors and banks a few years back. I made 3D models in VectorWorks, for presentations and would Photoshop Mac OS 9 desktops onto all the visible monitors: Mac Menu Bar, Trash Can & Icons on the right, etc. and a window or two open. I’d even model Macs and Apple peripherals to put on desks.
It was fun and I got a few laughs out of it.
That’s not ironic.
Packard Bell is still in business? They were the worst of the worst of all PCs ever made. I can’t believe they are still in business.
“Packard Bell is still in business? They were the worst of the worst of all PCs ever made. I can’t believe they are still in business.”
No, the Packard Bell PC operation in the US (Sacramento, CA) closed down years ago. I have worked with a few people that used to work for them and they said management was atrocious.
They had the worst reputation for quaiity. Ironically enough, they may have improved quality near the end, but they had firmly cemented their reputation.
The Packard Bell name may still be used in other countries, but its not the same as the US product.
Most people are to stupid to even realize the difference.
These graphics were probably produced in an advertising department, where Macs are used.
The designer just took a snapshot of his screen (mac) and pasted into the graphic.
Like I said, most people don’t even know the difference. And that includes the creative directors
and management that approved these graphics.
I work in an advertising dept, so I see it every day.
Most people in high positions in advertising don’t know anything about computers.
Wtf is up with you people? I seem to be the only one that likes vista…I actually like it more than the mac. Apple will die out, sorry to say. Apple just screams commodity fetishism…I really hate what they stand for.
“Most people in high positions in advertising don’t know anything about computers.”
Not to mention people in high positions in M$ who approve POS advertising for Vista.
@Jason….
ahhh… yes, you are the only one who likes vista. Now go away troll.
We like Vista too. Its really rich. Its has the type of rich features that customers have told us are really rich and powerful.
Did we remember to mention that the features are rich?