It is possible to install Windows only on a Mac computer. Partition a drive with Boot Camp, lay down a Windows build on one side, and absorb the Mac side back into the Windows. I wouldn't trust it on a laptop, but we've done it on several iMacs and Minis with great results.

Wow! This author doesn't "GET IT!"

Improve Windows on a Mac? Ludicrous!

My Wincrap machine went in the dumpster years ago. One of the most satisfying Mac experiences is listening to all the morons who still use Wincrap! Let them defend their expertise at keeping a piece of junk running and fending off viruses. If they like Fords, that's great and makes owning a Bentley all the more pleasurable.

pfft, boot camp.

the windows 7 disc can boot straight off an efi-based computer, so you can install it without ever touching that osx filth

seriously, no amount of flashiness makes up for the dock being such an unorganized, arse-backwards ui. mated to an operating system that hogs more memory and supports less applications.

This is the dumbest article i have read in a long time. And i have read some REALLY DUMB stuff lately...

Mainly good points, but a lot depends on you actually thinking Apple's designs are beautiful. I don't. Iconic they may be but to me they look more like they belong in a kitchen.

dude are you living in year 1999?

Laptops sporting the specs of Mac Mini cost easily 1/4 less, now that is including a screen, keyboard, mouse and possibly better connectivity.

here is New Zealand 320 GB mini cost a whooping 1828 NZD (in line with US pricing), a Dell Inspiron™ 1525 cost 1199 NZD with 250 GB HD, but it has 1 more GB of ram. as well a screen, keyboard and touch pad as mouse. that is over 35% less and you get more stuff!

so there is no reason why Mini (and all apple product in general) cant drop their price by about 30% and still make a decent profit.

What's a Windows "SKU"?

I've never heard of SKUs before. Google and wikipedia suggests the acronym might stand for "stock keeping unit", which makes no sense.

Besides, the article is crap. The only new strategy Apple needs, is the same one with slightly lower prices. And of course widening their product lineup with something in the middle of the mini and the mac pro:

A nicely designed midi desktop box with replaceable processor and the ability to install two hard drives. Add two PCI-slots for graphics cards.

Voíla! Instant doubling of Apple marketshare!

There are LOTS of Windows AND mac users who long to buy such a machine, capable of running OS X for productivity, and Windows for games, without forcing you into the stupid all-in-one factor. It could cost 50% more too, and still be a hit. People have been crying about the lack of this machine has for a decade!

But unfortunately Jobs likes non-expandable all-in-one machines, because he is a control freak. He's both the saviour and the nemesis of Apple, all wrapped up in one.

Just because the cost of an mp3 player falls by half in a given time period doesn't mean the cost of a Mac Mini can do the same.

An mp3 player contains parts that get cost-reduced all the time; you can use less flash chips in your new model with the same specs, and maybe you combined the processor and chipset into one die. It's certainly possible when you have as much pricing control as Apple does on an mp3 player.

But when it comes to a laptop-based system like the Mac Mini, Apple has little control over price reduction. The Core 2 mobile processor is kept at artificially-high prices by Intel (the one in the entry-level Mac Mini retails for $200). The DVD drive and hard disk have minimum costs that you just can't get around (laptop-sized DVD drive + 2.5" hard drive = around $120 in retail). Throw-in the cost of chipset+PCB, memory sticks, assembly, packaging, and the $20 PSU, and you're topping $400-450 just for the box. And Apple needs a high markup, so the $600 price makes sense.

Apple COULD make a Mini for $400-500, but it would have to be an Atom platform with crappy performance. Intel's outrageous pricing model for their high-end mobile CPUs means you have to sacrifice lots of performance to reduce costs. But hey, what do you expect Intel to do when AMD can't compete in the mobile market?

That was just the first wave.

Wave 2 begins tomorrow:)

some of you can not be any more narrow minded. the author isnt arguing everyone wants windows on mac machine, but SOME people will want to do that.

And there are plenty of people that want a macbook AIR: execs who has the money but need the lap top to adhere workplace winodws based policy, running windows based in-house software; for rich kids who has the money but want to play windows only games; for geeks who like max design but want the windows software versatility.. the list can go one. if these make up for 1% PC population who had no choice with mac so they had to buy an expensive PC laptop, you realise it is equivalent to extra 10% buyers for Apple?

Heheh, had me going there for a while.

On a serious note, it really would never happen. Apple WANTS people to differentiate its products from the common PC. Even the word "Mac" is used to try and convince you that their machines are somehow different to everything else on the market.

And running Windows? Cut-down operating systems and single cores? That's just not what owning a Mac is about... the whole idea is a 110% experience - contiguous, entertaining, pleasant. To do anything else would render the point of buying a Mac irrelevant.

That's why it will never happen. If they release a netbook, you can be your ass it will not be running 'cut-down' anything ;)

"If Apple did that, the company would not only have another top-end phone, it would no doubt be a sales hit as well."

It's broad assertions like this that make this a very poor analysis and the journalist should stick to reporting and not commentary.

Why would Android create another sales hit? Would they sell considerably more than the already top selling iPhone just by switching phone OS? Of course not.

However, if the article is actually an AF joke, then the joke is on me.

Windows (and ONLY Windows) on a mac: what a great idea, Mario! In fact, it would be a dream come true! My other dream come true would be to be able to buy a BMW M5 and replace its engine with the one from a Kia...

This was a well written article and I agree Apple is too expensive for a bunch of hardware with Chinese labels all over it. I can say this because I have bought 3 Apple computers (One Core 2 17” iMac, one G4 Powerbook and a 2.4Ghz Black Mabooksince OS X Panther was released. So I know from direct experience that China is a major supplier of Apple products. They look great because of great design engineers working for Apple. Apple is for the most part is one of the best computer makers with reliability in mind, yes I have looked at several graphs about their reliability, IBM is real good too. Put that information with OS X and you have the obvious winner. I do disagree when you say,

“But that's the major problem with Boot Camp. Some people will view Mac OS X as baggage that they really don't need. Others will feel - even if it isn't justified - that setting up a dual-boot system is just too much hassle. Why make it hard for people who only want to run Windows on a Mac?”

My Reply, “People who shell out the extra cash for Apple gear do so mainly for OS X (OS 10). So saying they would buy a Mac then go 100% Windows is about the same as saying Linux on it though I have heard of people with money doing it. The option to run Windows is an extra incentive for those users who need to run windows specific applications can now do so without running a virtual machine that is slow at best.”

I highly disagree with this statement, “So on an OS10 powered entry-level Mac - be it a laptop, desktop, iMac or Mac Mini - Apple could offer a version of OS10 minus all the eye catching candy.”

As a Mac user for years OS X uses Open GL for the eye candy and the Aqua interface is not near as computer intensive as DX 10 is. I ran the full Aqua (There is only on or off) under with Leopard on a Macbook with only a X31 Intel graphics chip and it was as responsive as Vista is on this 2.13 Core 2 Acer with 4Gb of Ram on a GMA 4500 Intel chip. The idea of a stripped down version of OS X, thus copying Microsoft and all their versions of Vista is blasphemy! Besides there is actually is a striped down version of OS X, it's called the iPhone.

Have a great day,
Regulas

nuff said.

this article was pretty funny...

As if anyone in their right mind would think windows is good for anything...
ah ah ah ah.

hilarious.

I just bought a Mac Mini for £680 so they better not lower the price NOW. :p It will be nice having a sleek, office PC that "just works" next to my gaming PC.

What we want is cheaper fully-featured Macs. And there is a Hackintosh netbook in my future, la la la :P

nuff said.

My eyes were on stalks reading this... until I looked at the date.

You can't even shut up about them for your April fools jokes. What is up with you?