Apple's gift to Windows users
A conference dedicated to Apple developers is likely the last place a committed Windows user would look for new Windows products. But if you tuned into Apple's keynote at the World Wide Developer's Conference in San Francisco on Monday morning, you would have seen two software announcements that apply to Windows users, too.
The first is a new version of its cross-platform browser, Safari 4, which takes Apple deeper into Microsoft's territory. Apple claims that Safari 4's JavaScript engine (called Nitro) will be the speediest on the market, nearly 8 times faster than Internet Explorer 8 and 5 times faster than Chrome. Here's what we found.
The second is QuickTime 10, which is expected to arrive with the new Snow Leopard OS for Mac in September. The update will support HTTP streaming based on h.264 and AAC, a feature that may be new to QuickTime, but is old hat to some rival media players. QuickTime 10 also boasts automatically adjusting the playback bit rate, and streaming through firewalls. Keep an eye out for its fresh lick o' paint.
Apple has been actively developing for the Windows platform for some time. The question is, have Apple's media and browsing products earned a place on Windows PCs? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Jessica Dolcourt reviews the latest and greatest smartphone apps, in addition to a healthy dose of Windows software. E-mail Jessica and follow her on Twitter. 
Wow? I'll have to see this to beleive it.
Safari 4 is 8x faster than IE8
while
Chrome 2 is 5x faster than IE8
so in reality
Safari 4 is 1.6x faster than Chrome 2
ROFLMAO
I keep iJunk software well away from my machines--iTunes BSOD'ing Vista boxes. iPod updates formatting unsuspecting iPods. Mac's latest patch BRICKING Macs. The list goes on.
Apple makes pretty hardware
Apple does genius marketing
Apple does NOT do software. Period.
Safari...snicker...smirk...giggle...laugh...guffaw...ROFLMAO.
No. It doesn't get close to my boxes. If it weren't for stuff in MOV format, not even Quicktime would have a sniff.
Apple doesn't have a software QA department--or they don't know how to do their job
<smirk><sigh>
I enjoy hearing Windows people rag on Apple. Their defensiveness tells the whole story. I remember 10 years ago when Apple people were being criticized (rightfully so) for righting posts like this - shallow, stupid, insulting, ill-formed - about WIndows software. They wrote them then because their products were taking a beating. As I cruise the web these days all the trash talk seems to be going the other way. Tells you something.
I use them both. They're both good, each has their ups and downs. But Apple is better.
http://theappleblog.com/2009/05/18/how-to-avoid-or-minimize-apple-update-woes/
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/14/is-the-latest-apple-os-update-causing-problems/
http://gizmodo.com/5047721/itunes-8-causing-huge-problems-bsod-for-vista-users
Never mind the fact that they left vulnerabilities unpatched for as long as 9 months before the latest batch of patches.
I don't think anyone can make the case that Apple is a good software company--and they are a very POOR Windows software company, no matter what you might feel for OSX.
Marketing. The triumph of marketing over sense. Kool-Aid. Call it what you want, that is what Apple is genius at. Little else. Ever tried to run an iPod touch with your eyes closed?
Lol, stupid Apple fanbois trying to hide it, but alas it doesn't work. Of course, the only good Microsoft product in my opinion is 1) windows 2) notepad.
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=microsoft+update+crashes
http://www.bing.com/search?q=microsoft+windows+update+crashes
Google Search: Microsoft Windows Update Crashes
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=microsoft+windows+update+crashes
Yahoo Search: Microsoft Windows Update Crashes
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=microsoft+windows+update+crashes
http://www.bing.com/search?q=zune+crashes
Google Search: Zune Crashes
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=zune+crashes
Yahoo Search: Zune Crashes
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=zune+crashes
http://www.bing.com/search?q=zune+playsforsure
Google Search: Zune PlaysForSure
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=zune+playsforsure
Yahoo Search: Zune PlaysForSure
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=zune+playsforsure
http://www.bing.com/search?q=windows+service+pack+crashes
Google Search: Windows Service Pack Crashes
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=windows+service+pack+crashes
Yahoo Search: Windows Service Pack Crashes
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=windows+service+pack+crashes
It's nice that you can drag up some documentation of MS problems. MS is MOST certainly not without them.
OTOH, MS doesn't run snarky little ads about how 'it all just works'
MS also doesn't deploy legendary and draconian methods to pare down the ecosystem so 'that it'll just work'
Given the massive quantity of commodity hardware spanning 20 years, and third-party software spanning equally as long, it is nothing short of stunning that the MS ecosystem hums along as nicely as it does.
Pride goeth before a fall. Given Apple's marketing shenanigans, they must be held to a MUCH higher standard than MS--and they fall short. Which becomes very quickly apparent with their pathetic Windows-based software.
I would like anyone to try and justify, when Vista was already 15% of the market and guaranteed to grow, how iTunes 8 got out the door and BSOD'ed every Vista box it installed on.
That is colossal incompetence. Full STOP.
By the way, the question at hand is not about MS at all: "The question is, have Apple's media and browsing products earned a place on Windows PCs?" You are busy tossing out red herrings. Shameful.
Stay on point, would you?
And it worked, just not the way Apple wanted.
From what I'm seeing in my free 9 month preview of Windows 7, Microsoft listened quite well. Thanks Apple! Windows is finally got up to Speed. And that's the best gift Windows users could ever hope for.
Thank you, Apple!
And in my own testing on XP, chrome is still faster. As far as Apple making software, if you even look at safari 4 there's hardly anything in there that didn't originally show up in chrome. I'm thinking copy paste.
Speaking of which, at least now you can do that on the iphone. How innovative.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AAPL&c=MSFT&t=5y
</being an Apple for Win/Microsoft 4 Mac hater>
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant
BTW, I hate Macs since forever. They are so lousy. Everything is twice as complicated to do with a Mac. And for the guys saying that Macs have won emmy and what not...BULLCRAP!! Did you know that Apple won't even make Final Cut compatible with windows? Know why? Because they want to tie you into their little system. Try to buy just a freaking power cable for a G4 laptop that my friend has....80 bucks!!! ***!? Oh yes, in regards tio the Emmy and Grammies and whatever...Did you know that AVID IS compatible with windows? and Macs? Yes! They make software that I personally have used for shows that go on the air and millions of people watch.
All Apple wants is to try to use the cuteness factor of the way they model their computers and then when you are hooked on it, you have to buy ONLY Apple because everything will be half-a$$ compatible with it if you try to use it. Apple people are just iMorons. End of story!
I LURVE Gates!!!! Only because someone needs to kick Apple in the Appleseeds!
Word!
Unfortunately as someone who tries to stay neutral, I can't say "MS fanboy. I like Windows. But you're over the top.
Apple just might be in a bind.
1)They are WAY too expensive.
2)Their patches are umm well it's already been said.
3)Iphone is going to face, and may already be, extreme pressure from the new PALM PRE.
Conclusion, why should I pay double or triple for a Mac versus PC? Why pay a fortune for an Iphone when PALM PRE will do so much more?
I hate what Microsoft has done to us. To me they are the GM of the computer industry. They have built crap for yrs. and we just had to suffer with it. I hope they get a wake up call, because Mac is not the answer.
Funny how Mac has scheduled SnowLeopard to be released just ahead of Windows 7. Just more possible proof that Windows 7 just MIGHT be a big improvement over Vista.
(BTW I agree with the points 1, 2, and 3.
Palm Pre (1 GB + 7 GB user replaceable) - $200 (after $100 mail-in rebate)
iPhone 3G S (16 GB) - $199
iPhone 3G S (32 GB) - $299
Mac OS X 10.6 Upgrade from OS X 10.5 - $29
Mac OS X 10.6 Full Purchase Price - $129
Windows Vista Upgrade
Home Basic - $100 / Home Premium - $130 / Business - $200 / Ultimate - $220
Windows Vista Full Purchase Price
Home Basic - $200 / Home Premium - $240 / Business - $300 / Ultimate - $320
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-Vista/category/101?WT.mc_id=mscomhp_storenav_windows
Windows 7 Upgrade from Windows Vista
Starter/Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate - To Be Announced
Windows 7 Full Purchase Price
Starter/Home Premium/Professional/Ultimate - To Be Announced
Linux - All Versions - Free
Also, learn how to make proper software updates, I'm sick of downloading the entire apps again whenever there's a minor update to itunes or Quicktime.
Finally, Apple seem convinced that if you are going to download itunes you should download Quicktime too. Well here's an idea, integrate both into one streamlined media app.
As long as it's hiding on their own expensive hardware, it will never truly be tested for security.
- by wadelondon September 7, 2009 12:42 AM PDT
- Apple software works very well on Apple kit. The problem is that Apple kit is way too expensive and alos in my experience very unreliable. I have had aMacbook Pro for 18 months. In that time I have gone through 5 power adapters, my screen started having problems after a year and now is dead and the battery has blown up. This for a premium laptop this is very poor. The new laptop pros do look great and when they work they wil surely be the best laptops currentlay available but the battery ins integrated so they will basically just last a max of 2 years. Im interested to try OSX on a Hackintosh though I guess there will be compatibility problems. I think both Apple and MS deliberately deoptimisze their software for the rival platform. Office works porly on a aMAc and itunes is a viability on a PC
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