On this specific aspect of design guidelines, Apple pioneered the development of graphical interface guidelines with the launch of the Macintosh in the 1980s which was promptly followed by Microsoft's Windows development team. While both operating system development teams have taken their own approaches to interpreting and fine-tuning the graphical standards as first defined by Apple, the depth of ergonomics and usability test to the application level is more pervasive in Apple's R&D spending. Microsoft has one of the largest research centers in the personal computer and software industry and has invested more heavily in Internet-based interfaces over operating systems to date (Hedgebeth, 2007). Apple's reliance on their loyal customer base and the development of online Internet panels to test new operating systems as was done thoroughly with the MacOS X 10.4 for example pays dividends as it also infuses a sense of ownership in the customer base for the new operating system, enhancements to graphical interface and new applications. This level of interaction is not possible for Microsoft as their customer base is so wide, distributed and often cut off from providing feedback as they are the primary customer to PC manufacturers.
Developer Communities and New Application Development
With less than or near 10% of the total PC marketplace, Apple is considered to be a unique and highly differentiated brand, so much so that founder CEO Steve Jobs likens the company's brand to BMW (Strategic Direction, 2008). This is not elitist; it is speaking of its unique niche and commitment to exceptional ergonomics, usability and delivering of value to consumers. Microsoft's Steve Ballmer concentrates his messaging on the scalability of Windows XP and Vista for enterprise companies, and also underscores the large installed base of Windows users globally. Both Steve Jobs and Steve Ballmer's primary responsibility apart from running their companies is to encourage 3rd party developers to continually add new applications and products for their respective PC operating systems. Both of these leaders know that to the extent there are new application is the extent to which their operating systems, and therefore IBM PC-compatible laptops in this instance, become more attractive to consumers.
In assessing this from the standpoint of the average consumer, who is doing the better job of attracting developers to their platform? Steve Ballmer reports that Microsoft has over 23,000 certified partner professionals working on its application framework alone. Conversely there are 2,500 developers generating 3,100 applications, according to Apple's Public Relations Department as of this year. The breadth and depth of applications generated for IBM PC-compatible laptops are far greater than those generated for the Apple Macintosh as can be seen from the developer numbers alone. Microsoft also has extensive development programs going in the Internet and Web Services arenas as well, aimed at enterprise integration and connectivity for their operating systems. When considering a Macintosh vs. An IBM PC-compatible laptop, Microsoft's operating system has the definite advantage in terms of support for 3rd party applications and the breadth of applications available.
Feature Comparison
Comparing the Apple PowerBook G4 with a 17" monitor vs. The Dell Studio 15 illustrates how Apple has been able to successfully capitalize on its tight integration of microprocessor-to-operating system integration and deliver value, while also showing how Dell's supply chain and direct selling model has been able to significantly trim the cost of production for a mid-range laptop. The Apple PowerBook G4 sells for $999 while the Dell Studio 15 begins at $1,074. The PowerBook is based on the Motorola PowerPC microprocessor, allowing it to run both Apple Macintosh and Intel-based applications. The Dell Studio 15 relies on an Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.1 GHz. The Dell system has a 250GB hard drive, the Apple PowerBook G4, 120GB. The PowerBook also has a 17" TFT display while the Dell has a 14" active matrix screen. The Apple PowerBook G4 also has an advanced graphics chipset based on AGP 4x performance, had has 5.5 hours of battery...
Macs and PC. A copy of this is outlined to show and contrast the difference between Macs and PCs. COMPARISON OF MACS AND PCS Which is better: MACS or PCS? Macintosh computers are elegant and easy to use, but PCs are cheaper and have a vast array of products with them. The Apple computer has been around for a long time, but PCs are found in more stores. The best way
IBM PC and compatible users likewise have many stereotypes attributed to their identity. The tendency to see PC users as being more rigid, less flexible, less creative and non-linear in thought processes is commonplace. They are also seen as being more from the accounting and finance side of a business, less from the creative and "cool" areas of a company (Sumner, 2007). Guarding Against Biases in Survey Concentrating on the functionality
Troubleshooting for PC Troubleshooting PC computers The infamous 'Mac vs. PC' advertising campaign constructed by Apple suggested that PCs were notoriously error-ridden and virus-prone. Still, the majority of the world uses personal computers vs. Macintoshes. There are a number of important principles to keep in mind when troubleshooting problems on PCs. In most instances, there is no need to panic and certain basic steps can take care of even the most frightening,
Tablet PCs Wikipedia and Tablet Personal Computer (PC) The Wikipedia article "Tablet Personal Computer" discusses tablet PCs and system software, and links to articles discussing display size trends and history. This article discusses the functionality of the small laptop computer, including its standard features. The article begins with a notice redirecting readers to another link for tablet computers if one is looking for information on non-Microsoft Windows-based tablet devices such as
In addition to the sporadic quality levels of these laptops, doing through the build-to-order configuration process at each of the manufacturers' Acer, Apple, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lenovo and retailers' websites brought out the fact that upgrades to graphics and sound editing cards would also be critical for my ideal system configuration to work. In addition to all these factors, there were updat4es, patches and in the case of those
Users can upgrade to a Sound Blaster Audigy sound card, which is also integrated. Apple's Web site does not indicate the type of sound card used on the iMac but it is integrated with the motherboard. The iMac has a built-in microphone and includes optical digital audio input and output ports that also support headphones. The Dell Dimension does not include digital audio input or output support on its
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