Mac clone announced – Just as ugly as you would imagine a wannabe to be
Back when Steve-O returned to Apple, he completely killed off their clone program that allowed other hardware manufacturers to build computers that could run the Mac OS. Steve notoriously wants control over everything plus the clone program was cutting in to their bottom-line.
In addition to Apple putting a stop to the clone program, they also updated their EULA to say:
You agree not to install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-labeled computer, or to enable others to do so.
That EULA update effectively makes the announcement by Psystar quite humorous and short lived.
Ars reported today that Miami, Florida computer company Psystar (site down) had released a mac clone called Open Computer with the following specs:
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
- 250 GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
- 2 GB DDR2 667 RAM
- Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics
- DVD+/-R Optical Drive
- 4 USB ports
How much does this mac-wannabe cost? $554 for the basic configuration. Unfortunately their FAQs state that doing any Apple-released updates could kill it. Not to mention their entire operation is completely illegal.
Good luck, Pystar. Or not.
Luca on April 14th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
This isnt the most intelligent comment but here it goes…
Mega lols! Atleast they failed with media exposure hey :-D
Tod on April 14th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Site is “down” because you don’t have the correct URL: The company is Psystar and their URL is http://www.psystar.com/index
The site is indeed up (as of 16:00 PDT) and it looks too good to be true!
Josh Pigford on April 14th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
@Tod: Doh. You are quite right. Info updated.
Nathaniel on April 14th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
There’s a significant difference between something being against the terms of a license agreement and something being illegal. Yes, certainly Apple will sue these guys in short order, but there are some jurisdictions (even in the US) where this clause of the EULA could conceivably be held non-binding. Depending on how they distribute the hardware and software combo, and how (and how well) they’ve implemented the EFI emulation, the EULA may not matter at all, anyways, except to the extent that Apple wants to pursue end-users who purchase one of the systems and violate the EULA by installing the OS.
joecab on April 14th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Hey what happened to that company years ago that said they definitely had a Mac clone working that was going to market soon?
Eric Crist on April 15th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Josh, you’re way too much an Apple fan-boy. I honestly think most people would love an affordable hardware platform on which to install and run Mac OS X. I’m one of them. I’d much rather it was completely on the level, but a ~$600 machine with some decent performance that’s upgradable is great news. Too often your comments are so pro-Apple that I wonder if you don’t work for them directly. Do us a favor and try to be a bit less biased.
Josh Pigford on April 15th, 2008 at 8:53 am
@Eric: If disliking an ugly computer and thinking there’s more to a Mac than a pretty box…then I’ll gladly accept “fan-boy” status. :)
Jeff on July 6th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Not sure the Mac Pro is any better looking. They both look like metal boxes with holes.
JMan on October 17th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Josh stick an apple in ur ass.
Colin on April 15th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Can one be truly biased at a blog called “The Apple Blog”?
Doesn’t the name suggest bias itself?
John Ellford on April 15th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I’d like to see this go to court, because Apple will probably lose.
Lordmike on April 16th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Macworld has tried to contact these people and haven only reached one person who referred them to an email address where no one replies. So this could be a bogus operation. No suppliers seems to know anything about Psystar and they haven’t been active before this computers news. Could be like the medison affair http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medison
Gordon on April 16th, 2008 at 11:33 am
it ain’t pretty but it certainly isn’t ugly. it is just a PC, and as far as PCs goes it is not bad. I would love to see someone market a range of barebones (no OS) computers that match the components of a certain computer maker, so hobbyists can buy a copy of a certain OS and install it on a reasonably priced system.
Owner of a Intel Mini,
20″ intel IMac
1.6 Ghz G5,
iMac DV
wife has a G4 iBook,
bought mom a G4 mini to run her old classic stuff forever,
dad has a G5 iMac.
JCdeR on April 16th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Brilliant strategy. We have thought of doing this often…. just as a test… I would of added some more disclaimers though
Paul on April 16th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Well its ugly box we all agree on that, but I think there is nothing wrong with having OSX on ugly box. Some people don;t care how pc box looks if its sits dark corner. I care that I can save and work on what I like. Of course some of the things will not work just because Apple will try to do something incompatible in future. Thats the monopoly game.
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