Mac Users Of Mtc (apple: Go Ahead, Take A Bite!)

[djrs]

Mac cloner Psystar moves, still trading

 

Despite the brouhaha

 

By Stewart Meagher: Monday, 21 April 2008, 1:00 PM

 

DESPITE GROWING CONCERNS amongst Mac watchers worldwide, Florida-based consulting company Psystar is still offering cheapo Mac clone to US customers.

 

The amount of net noise regarding the company is still at fierce howl levels with accusations of phishing scams, faked addresses and even some conspiracy theorists claiming that the whole thing is just an Apple publicity stunt.

 

So, we're going to stick our necks out a wee bit here and take a look at the other side of the coin. We may well be proved wrong, gawd knows it won't be the first time, but where would we be if no-one ever took a punt on a slightly dodgy-looking outsider?

 

Much has been made of the fact that the company's trading address has been changed a couple of times (the first of which was attributed to an error) since the story broke early last week, with people making a huge hoohah out of the fact that the original address appeared to be a three-bedroomed house on residential street.

 

Well let's not forget where Apple and Microsoft both started. That's right... in someone's garage, on residential streets in Seattle and California respectively.

 

Psystar's latest change of address can also be explained quite easliy. They've taken so many orders that they had to move to bigger premises as the website explains: "We're in the process of moving to a new location which is now listed on our contact page. The first new address posted (10481) was in error and our correct address is 10475 NW 28th Street.

 

"Psystar was, prior to this past week, not ready to handle the enormous production capacity demanded by the online community. Due to the incredible response we have now expanded to a larger commercial unit to handle the supplies and assembly of Open Computers."

 

The next misfortune to beset the company was the withdrawal of credit card payment processing company Powerpay. Computerworld has reported that Powerpay's CEO, Stephen Goodrich, said that Psystar had misrepresented the products and services it would be selling, and had processed more than twice its anticipated annual sales volume in just a few days.

 

Or, playing devil's advocate for a second, Psystar forgot to tell its payment processors that it was launching a new line of computers and didn't realise how popular they might be.

 

Goodrich also pointed out, however, that the company had failed to follow proper procedures to verify the addresses of credit card transactions.

 

In another twist, the intruigingly named 'Clonesister' posted a personal rebuttal to the less-than-complimantary postings about Psystar on Charles Arthur's Grauniad bog:

 

"I personally know both of the owners of the company. They have been working on computers for many years [and] both of them have independent companies aside from Psystar. The clients range from well-known companies to normal house calls. They do everything and anything that has to do with computers. To say the least, the last thing they are out to do is ruin the reputation they have built over many years by scamming people for a $399 desktop.

 

"The company is legit and the owners are very professional. The idea of selling better computers with a Mac operating system at much better prices is genius. If you think otherwise your (sic) an idiot. Unless [Apple] decides to do something about the product they are selling I don't see why it would be a big deal. This could be a possibility of opening doors to other companies and helping, who else, but YOU the consumer. I would think twice before gossiping."

 

As far as Psystar itself is concerned, all seems to be well. Its newly-updated website even throws down a challenge to the online community to try to "max out" its new "high volume payment processor".

 

As for those trusting souls who have already placed an order, the web site contains the following reassurance: "Orders placed the week of April 7th are currently being shipped. We will be shipping units out of our new facility starting Monday, April 21st, including those orders placed the week of April 14th. Orders are being shipped in the order that they were received, don't worry, you'll get yours soon. Upon shipment an email notification including tracking information will be sent to you automatically."

 

So for now it seems that Psystar is taking orders (using Paypal), building computers (from their new premises) and shipping to customers (albeit at a rather exuberantly-priced 100 bucks P&P).

 

And before you ask, no, we won't be putting the entire INQ budget for the year where our mouth is. The company won't ship outside the mainland United States (phew!).

 

For now, we're just happy to see whether these machines will turn up, and if they will be any good. And whether Apple will bring the might of its grey-suited Goliaths to bare on the poor little Psystar David.

 

In the meantime, the INQUIRER is putting out it's not insubstantial feelers to the rest of the industry to find out if Psystar is, indeed, buying the components it is promising in the quantities it will need to fulfil its order book.

 

Rest assured, when we know, so will you. µ

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[tk421]

Macs are the best!

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[chancepassenger30]

Hey guys, just wanted to share my opinions on some free antivirus programs I got from the net. I was looking for an antivirus for my mac bec i've been spreading worms and trojans to my pc using friends

 

Sophos( tip from boomouse) - they give 30 days free trial. The program managed to turn up some corrupt files in my mac. I've no idea how the files were corrupted so I will just re install Leopard. No viruses detected.

 

Avast for Mac - shareware din ata... again, the program turned out some corrupt files. Again no virus detected.

 

ClamXAV - Free but they ask for donations. no viruses detected

 

Now, I'm wondering why no viruses were detected by these programs when my friends have gotten viruses from my flash disks. Could the viruses have edited some of my leopard app files (hence the corrupt files) ?

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[Guest lustfortravel]

boom, question - should i purchase the apple care extended warranty from the distributor who is also the authorized service center or can i purchase it from another source and still have it serviced by the authorized service center ?

 

i'm caught between two marketing agents from opposite camps , help! on one hand, i want to buy from the distributor so that if i have any need of the warranty, they would be more "amenable" in servicing my unit. on the other hand, the marketing agent on the opposite side is someone who i used to deal with when i got my unit from the distributor and she really knows her macs. the price difference is around 1k plus only. i'm just a bit concerned that if i buy it from her, i won't be 'taken cared of" by the service center when the time comes. i need your advice, thanks!

 

( i think either your phone is in a funk again or you're too busy to read your text messages. if it's the former, then better throw your current cellphone and buy a nokia na )

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[chancepassenger30]

If you use your flash drive in both Windows and OS X, this means that it uses a FAT 32 or FAT 16 file system. Mac can only read NTFS but not write. Windows cannot read or write the native Mac file system HFS+.

 

FAT drives have a boot sector that OS X obviously does not use. However, it is a favorite place used by virus writers to store their creations. You can only get boot sector infection if your flashdrive is also inserted into a machine that does use and recognize a boot sector such as Windows.

 

If your files in your Mac came up clean (as well they should), then the infection could be in your flash media. Try scanning it on a Windows computer and see what comes up.

 

got it. thanks man!

[lomex32]

Where can i get "cheap" mac software installers for my OS10.3 ?

[roxysnonie]

Where can i get "cheap" mac software installers for my OS10.3 ?

 

errr...makati square!

Edited May 7, 2008 by roxysnonie

[PakofLayf]

torrent softwares are also good source...

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[chancepassenger30]

Hey guys Ive been using the antivirus boomouse recommended - Sophos. so far so good... it has been able to "catch" questionable files I get from Mail and also checks my external drives pretty well. I havent been spreading viruses to my buddies lately. Visually though, medyo "windows" pa ang dating, pero functionally, i have no complaints. Unfortunately trial version only... so... problem nanaman in a few days....oh well.

 

also sharing this site with you guys, pasensya na kung medyo old news na to old mac users:

 

http://tips4mac.blogspot.com/

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[serpentor_ph]

eto makulit na pic !

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[serpentor_ph]

That's a common scene in a lot of US colleges and universities. The laptop with the bright apple cover is now the bestselling laptop in that segment. Some schools will even issue freshmen a Macbook and iPod upon enrollment.

 

ah ganun ! ok yun ah ! cool kasi walang windows. nye he he he :evil: :evil: :evil:

[Nismo]

Sir Boo, finally the long wait is over, I've purchased a Macbook 2.4 wyt laptop yesterday. Just want to ask how to use Mail to access my Yahoo Mail? The built in Email client (Mail) can't sync my emails from my Yahoo account a pop up window says need to pay for the pop mail...tnx

 

 

Bro, if you have a "how to question" I suggest you post it in the thread so other thread readers also learn. Just a suggestion.

 

I believe what you need is a utility called MacfreePOPS. Itis now in version 2.5 I think. get it here:

 

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/emai...acfreepops.html

 

Many providers don’t allow users to access their mailboxes with traditional email client (Mail, Entourage, Eudora, Thunderbird…). For those users the only access method is the web-mail interface that perhaps is not flexible and efficient enough.

 

With MacFreePOPs you can restore the traditional POP3 access and download your email into your preferred client.

 

Main features:

- Integration with Dock and Menu-bar

- Starting, stopping ad monitoring of freepopsd server

- Set-up of all communication parameters

- Options for auto-start, auto-stop and auto-restart on crash.

- Real-time visualization of log file

- Automated check ad download of newer version (including all webmail plug-ins)

- The list of currently supported webmail are available here: http://www.freepops.org/it/viewplugins.phpWebmail support includes What’s New in this Version

- Fully Universal binary

- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard support

- Improved online update system

 

If this solution works for you, I request that you post it on the Mac thread.

 

THANKS SIR BOO... :thumbsupsmiley:

[roxysnonie]

which is faster in running xp on a mac, parallels or bootcamp?

 

i know how to use parallel, but i havent done it thru bootcamp.

 

so, how do you install xp/vista thru bootcamp?

 

tnx!

[boomouse]

Edited June 25, 2008 by boomouse

[roxysnonie]

that being said...how do you start boot camp, inorder to install xp or vista?

[chunkyhunk]

that being said...how do you start boot camp, inorder to install xp or vista?

 

Once you set up bootcamp (as per Tiger) and create the BC partition, you'll be prompted to insert a WindBlows installer.

[chunkyhunk]

www.demonoid.com (membership closed unfortunately)

 

Actually, you can still be a member with an invitation from an existing member.