In the last year a handful of friends have been asking me for recommendations for laptops and I always ask first, “How much do you want to spend?”

“Not much.”

So I recommend a windows PC. If they are newbs and want no-thought support I suggest a bigbox store and the plethora of choices. If they are a bit more brave or a bit tight on the pocketbook, I suggest a eeePC from chinatown, also windows. I don’t know anyone who needs a recommendation who would want linux. i don’t know anyone who needs a recommendation would will run into the usual problems with even Vista — it will do what the average joe/jane schmoe wants to do with a laptop: email, browsing, office, MP3s, maybe some photoshop.

I don’t care how great macs are and how reliable (yeah tell me that as firefox osx crashes every other day) they are, people are more concerned with DOLLARS.

It’s sad but true that the only available 17″ Macs are the MBPs (which are waaaay to much for the everyday user) and are far too expensive.

Though, a 13″ screen is all I needed. And bash ;-)

RE: Lauren being an actress and SAG membership
If she is indeed a member of the SAG then she is definitely not the casual – “oh I am cute and in LA” – actress. The initiation requirements are quite tough and the initiation fee for a Hollywood branch membership stand at $2,300. Is she cool enough for that? :)

She’s an office manager and an actress, according to the article, and I explain that phenomenon (very common in L.A.) here.

“… Lauren, an office manager and actress, heads to Best Buy next, where she ends up buying a Windows notebook made by Hewlett-Packard Co. for $699. …”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j21_czE2W3qfqjnCXv_pZEimzGNQD975VIA80

And GE doesn’t mention what they really sell, electricity (and political influence) They advertize portable sonograms manufactured by taiwanese white label shops. Granted, they have a small GE logo on them, but that’s the same as the Vista logo on the HP laptop.

I don’t think the ad really conveys anything about an ecosystem of machines. It’s just sort of the subject wandering around a showroom looking at the physical specs of the lap top. To me, that just doesn’t highlight anything about the OS whatsoever. In fact, at one point in there she just seems a little bewildered by the array of choices. It could just as easily have been a car ad with her wandering around a used car lot instead. And, while I agree that “ecosystem” may be one of Windows’ strengths, I don’t think that’s pertinent to the purchase of an OS in the context provided by the ad. Regardless of the OS, most users will only be purchasing the one piece of hardware. It will have whatever OS is installed. It makes me think of a hypothetical ad for Blueberry Gum (TM); “Now in blueberry flavor!” Uhm… Well, yeah. If you don’t buy a Mac, you get Windows. Are they bragging about being a consolation prize?

Why is Microsoft advertising anything? I mean, if you don’t get an Apple, you get Windows. Every other laptop manufacturer is effectively advertising Microsoft, why does Microsoft in turn feel the need to advertise a laptop, and why HP in particular?

(A few of the super-cool ones suffix that suffix with “but what I really want to do is direct.)

I’ve done enough TV to have a lapsed ACTRA membership.

In fact… They don’t even mention their latest white elephant, Vista.

EPIC FAIL.

I think the underlying message is a terrible one. This commercial commoditizes windows, reduces it’s perceived value and turns the contest in to price. The person who competes on price is always doomed to lose in the long run.

Apple has done an excellent job of positioning as a premium brand by only offering high end hardware that looks good. Not making it a price contest is why apple has been able to charge more and increase market share.

I did like the Jerry & Bill ads, they gave me flashbacks of the late 90’s when you had no idea what the companies actually did but the commercials were really funny.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j21_czE2W3qfqjnCXv_pZEimzGNQD975VIA80

I will be happy if there’s an ad about the experience at some point, but I think that’s best saved for Windows 7. I also think that the “one point, one ad” approach is probably the better one.

As for the Seinfeld ads, while they were bizarre and ineffective, I’d liek to see one more, if only to get Bill to do another dance at the end. Maybe the “Running Man”.

I am not defending Apple’s ads – my only point is that this ad is a failure when it comes to promoting Microsoft’s brand, and Windows in particular. I think the strategy is wrong and fails to point out why I should own a PC running Windows – which is Microsoft’s product. They don’t make laptops. They’ve resorted to using these Tough Economic Times® as a way to sell a few laptops pre-installed with Vista. The woman in the ad doesn’t mention why she needs a computer, or what she is going to do with it. I think purchasing a computer solely based on price isn’t a very good way to guarantee a good experience using it.

I will say this though – they ad is a million times better than those bizarre Seinfeld commercials… ;)