Psystar to offer a computer with the specs of a Mac Mini... for half the price.

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:13 PM EDT

Article Source: Guardian Unlimited

technology, apple, osx, mac-mini, psystar, openmac

Psystar is offering an OpenMac made of standard PC parts on its Web site for $399.99 -- and it's claimed to run the latest version of Mac OS X.

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6.8

{"commentId":1703163,"authorDomain":"basseq"}

John Whittet

Apple would sue... if they could find Psystar.

{"commentId":1703163,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"basseq"}

1 vote

#1 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:14 PM EDT

{"commentId":1703297,"authorDomain":"janeway77"}

Michael the Great

One Spec missing on the Psystar vs. the Mini is compliance with the EULA on OS X. I'd say that's fatal.

{"commentId":1703297,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"janeway77"}

3 votes

#2 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:41 PM EDT

{"commentId":1703373,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

Jay Butler

I like the blurb on their support page that they do not support system updates. I do not think that I would be comfortable with an unpatched system of any type -- Mac, Linux or Windows.

{"commentId":1703373,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

2 votes

#2.1 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:53 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704356,"authorDomain":"basseq"}

John Whittet

Really though, Mac Mini's aren't that expensive. I mean, a Mac Pro for half the price I would take a little more seriously, but undercutting Apple's bottom-of-the-line machine doesn't sound like much of a business plan.

{"commentId":1704356,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"basseq"}

1 vote

#2.2 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:14 PM EDT

{"commentId":1703459,"authorDomain":"tcervo"}

gecko85

Psystar isn't a real company...It's two brothers with a host of fake companies registered in Florida. Scam artists, to be sure.

{"commentId":1703459,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"tcervo"}

4 votes

#3 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704352,"authorDomain":"basseq"}

John Whittet

Well, if not scam artists, then vapourware.

{"commentId":1704352,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"basseq"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:13 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704403,"authorDomain":"janeway77"}

Michael the Great

vapourware.

It usta be that only software was Vaporware. Now we've moved into the Vapor-Hardware reality. Trippy.

{"commentId":1704403,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"janeway77"}

1 vote

#3.2 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704425,"authorDomain":"tcervo"}

gecko85

Nah, there's been hardware vaporware for a long time. I used to hear about vaporware products (hardware) all the time in the 80's and early 90's.

{"commentId":1704425,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"tcervo"}

1 vote

#3.3 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:26 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704507,"authorDomain":"basseq"}

John Whittet

The last widespread hardware vapourware I remember was some game system... I think it was called the Phantom, ironically enough.

{"commentId":1704507,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"basseq"}

2 votes

#4 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":1704827,"authorDomain":"tcervo"}

gecko85

Yeah, that was a pretty famous one.

Back when Atari was in the computer business, they were famous for announcing new hardware (and showing working prototypes) at Comdex, then never shipping. Lots of Atari vaporware. A few examples:

Atari 1450XLD

Atari 1060 CP/M Add-On Module

Atari 1090 XL Expansion System

Atari STylus

Atari ATW 800 (This was sort of existed, but in such low quantity that it's still considered vaporware...it was never officially available commerically.)

Atari MicroBox

Atari Falcon040

ASV UNIX (Atari SVr4) (The developer's release was shipped to developers, and an initial run of the final release was made, but never distributed. Several years ago I *almost* got my hands on a copy, but in the end I couldn't afford what the guy was asking.)

{"commentId":1704827,"threadId":"251617","contentId":"1436765","authorDomain":"tcervo"}

#4.1 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:18 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"251617","isPrivate":false}

So exactly who or what is Psystar? We dig a little.. (Don't expect that Mac Clone to surface.)	Guardian Unlimited	Tue Apr 15	17
OpenMac maker moves again	Guardian Unlimited	Thu Apr 17	1
The dumbest debate in America?	Guardian Unlimited	Thu Apr 17	0
New kid on the block \| Comment is free	Guardian Unlimited	Wed Apr 16	0
Fake Mac Maker Will Fight Apple, But Might Be Fake Itself	Wired News	Wed Apr 16	0

JOHN WHITTET

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Psystar to offer a computer with the specs of a Mac Mini... for half the price.

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