MS Using Macbook Pro In Promotional Material?

Published on November 15, 2008 in Humor by Rami Taibah

I know that this is a Linux blog, and thats what readers have come to expect. But sometimes one encounters stuff that is just too good to pass. So that other day my dad bought a new HP Pavilion desktop, and since I am the geek in residence I ended up setting it up for him. So while I was waiting for Microsoft’s endless configuration and setup screens I decided to dig into the fluffy paraphernalia  and promotional material bundled with the Desktop. The first thing that fell into my hand was this Microsoft Vista promotional booklet that had an image of the ideal happy family computing on a laptop. What stood out was that the laptop looked awfully similar to the Macbook Pro! In fact I am 90% sure that its a Mac!

Edit 1: Commenters on this blog, Digg, and Reddit, were quick to point out that Vista runs on Macs, and PS controllers can run on PCs. But that’s hardly the point. The point is as ctrlalteredmind puts it “hinting at the competition’s products is not something you want to do in your own marketing handouts.”

Now let’s argue on what constitutes a competitor ;)

Edit 2: The word is in! It’s definitely a Mac! Skemez1 dug up another picture from a European retailer. It’s obviously a Macbook! The trackpad, the ports, and the power button gives it away.

Oh and while we are at it, last time I checked Microsoft had a gaming division. So why the hell are they using Playstation joysticks on the last page?

About Rami Taibah

Rami Taibah the founder of The Linuxologist and a self proclaimed geek and Linux aficionado. This fall, he will be pursuing an MIMS degree at UC Berkeley, California. You can follow him on Twitter @rtaibah.

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  • In my opinion Macbook and MS are too different things, how it could happen that MS is using Macbook Pro?
  • Gotta love it when your ad agency has no idea about the details of your company/products.
  • toyofuji
    As much as I hate defending Microsoft, it's just generic stock photos that probably the marketing people didn't realize were Apple or Sony products
  • fanboi
    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/buy.mspx
    you can see a hires version if you follow the "build your own pc" link on the very bottom

    another macbook in a windows ad - joys of stock photos...

  • blublu
    They bought stock images?
  • Michael
    Well, the image is too poor and it is also blended/faded. I do not see any "ports", all I see are some keys and I think the color is white (could be silver). Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. In any case, if you remove the operating system of a mac you pretty much have a PC. Macs use Intel processors now, their Ram is (I believe) PNY or Micron, and I can't remember if their video cards are ATI or nVidia but that is exactly what my computer is.
  • Spyd3rs
    Now that's what I call sloppy.
  • Sami
    Please share the details of the virus with us. Maybe we can help you. It sounds more like there's a problem between the chair and the keyboard. Macs do not get viruses.
  • John
    So?

    Get a life man..
    that's sick..
  • John
    So?

    Get a life man..
    that's sick..
  • r
    just one example: http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/02/macosxleap.html

    and an example of the DNS hijacking: http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojan_osx_dnschanger.shtml while not technically a "virus" per se, it is a type of malware (trojan), which is commonly referred to as a virus by laymen.

    Also, this exploit: http://www.f-secure.com/vulnerabilities/SA30776 Which could be used to do all kinds of nasty things. also, not a virus, but if a user was affected by something such as this they could easily think they have a virus.

    Plus, there was the Mac.Simpsons virus back in '01, and Esperanto in '97... and the list goes on. While they are rare, they do exist. I believe you have been mislead by this "mac=no virus" b.s. as well. do some research before making false claims. This isn't big news. Anyone that has actually been "in the industry" knows this. There won't be any extra diggs, this isn't big news except maybe to fanboys, which will just cover their ears(eyes?) and run away screaming about their happy place anyways.
  • Kilburn Hall
    If it's for Vista its not a Mac- more likely an ACER which looks exactly like a Mac.

    Forget Windows altogether and just buy yourself a MAC.
  • Kilburn Hall
    If it's for Vista its not a Mac- more likely an ACER which looks exactly like a Mac.

    Forget Windows altogether and just buy yourself a MAC.
  • Kirby Oak
    You know, in the picture that Skemez1 provided, there's a distinct lack of an Apple logo on the computer. Isn't it possible that that's just supposed to be a stock photo of a generic laptop? Beyond that, I'm sure that it's better for Microsoft to suggest the hardware of their competitor than get in trouble with companies like Dell, HP, etc. for favoritism of a certain laptop manufacturer. Really though, since the material that these pictures are from comes with the software, it means you've already purchased it, so it doesn't make much of a difference if they hint at Apple or Sony.
  • Kirby Oak
    You know, in the picture that Skemez1 provided, there's a distinct lack of an Apple logo on the computer. Isn't it possible that that's just supposed to be a stock photo of a generic laptop? Beyond that, I'm sure that it's better for Microsoft to suggest the hardware of their competitor than get in trouble with companies like Dell, HP, etc. for favoritism of a certain laptop manufacturer. Really though, since the material that these pictures are from comes with the software, it means you've already purchased it, so it doesn't make much of a difference if they hint at Apple or Sony.
  • Read edit #2 at the top before you call people names. then look up the meaning of ignorant.
  • @Ifran27 @kengeo Microsoft constantly does stuff that makes me laugh http://tinyurl.com/6h2lo5
  • Macbook is just more photogenical. Sleek and cute. Why wonder?
    Nobody believes Vista's power anymore. Apple's out there to buy Microsoft's shares and take over the world.
  • Macbook is just more photogenical. Sleek and cute. Why wonder?
    Nobody believes Vista's power anymore. Apple's out there to buy Microsoft's shares and take over the world.
  • Currently Browsing: http://tinyurl.com/6h2lo5 - MS need to staighten out their ad-department
  • dfsg
    actually, it is a really good ad, EVEN MAC USERS USE WINDOWS!!
  • dfsg
    actually, it is a really good ad, EVEN MAC USERS USE WINDOWS!!
  • LOL, Microsoft is using a MacBook Pro in promotional material for Windows Vista: http://tinyurl.com/6h2lo5
  • Microsoft not eating their own dog food ? http://tinyurl.com/6h2lo5
  • Bret
    Give us the details on this "Mac virus". That would make this an important page with 10,000 DIGGs. I don't think you know what you're talking about.
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