Run Mac OS X On Non-Apple Hardware, With a Dongle 536
An anonymous reader points out Gizmodo's review of a USB dongle, made by a company called Efix, which allows for an effort-free transformation of a non-Apple computer into one that runs Mac OS X. According to the reviewer, the transformation is perfect (aside from a few quirks he describes as "trivial"); the included screenshots sure make it seem that way, too. The dongle costs $155, and works only on a subset of PC hardware. Non-Apple machines running OS X will no doubt make Apple unhappy, though, so, the reviewer concludes, "it's understandable if you wanna approach this with caution."
I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Interesting)
They take Paypal and Credit Card and it was $169 + $10 shipping...
Interestingly, I noticed that their Website appears to be based in England? http://geotool.servehttp.com/?ip=209.25.134.78&host=www.efixusa.net [servehttp.com]
I wonder if Apple and its vast team of Lawyers are the reason for the offshore hosting and sales site? (I bet it will be shipped from overseas too...)
Hardware Compatibility List: http://www.efixusa.net/hardware_comp.php [efixusa.net]
NOTE: The EFiX-USA Ebay Store has no inventory at this time: http://stores.ebay.com/EFiX-USA [ebay.com]
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
$155 makes the Apple Premium seem reasonable.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Especially when you factor in the cost of OS X. You're already up to $300, without a computer.
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And Vista Ultimate cost what?
actually, the real cost is in the aggravation and lost productivity time waiting for it to delete files...
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What you fail to realize is that Zymergy very likely just invested in what will very soon become a collector's item. If they stop making them, there will be only what exists in their warehouse space now. He'll probably be able to resell that thing for at least twice, maybe even 3 times what he paid for it.
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Then again, if these dongles become prevalent and cheaper, I would have a grand old time justifying (my investment) and building another "PC" with the provided shopping list of compatible hardware to have a snappy OSX box... I see it as Win-Win.
Imagine what "copies" of the (now banned by Apple) iPhone Wi-Fi Tethering 3rd party software 'NetShare' would be selling for on Ebay (if it could be obtained on removable media)
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Funny)
I see it as Win-Win.
Isn't it more of a Mac-Mac?
(I'm so sorry, but I couldn't resist.)
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Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
you know, i never really understood people's prejudice against mac users until now. but, wow, you're a douche.
helping people set up their hackintoshes would be a great way to expose some PC users to the benefits or advantages of OS X. someone who doesn't want to take the plunge and invest in a $3000 machine could use this dongle to try out the OS before they commit to a full Apple setup.
assuming that any hackintosh users must be pirating OS X is a rather condescending attitude towards PC users, and particular PC users who are interested in OS X.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
someone who doesn't want to take the plunge and invest in a $3000 machine could use this dongle to try out the OS before they commit to a full Apple setup.
The price of the dongle plus the price of OSX is more than enough to buy a slightly used Mac Mini.
assuming that any hackintosh users must be pirating OS X is a rather condescending attitude towards PC users, and particular PC users who are interested in OS X.
Your right its wrong to assume. But he's right, most hackintoshes are built using pirated software. Deal with it.
helping people set up their hackintoshes would be a great way to expose some PC users to the benefits or advantages of OS X.
Presumably these PC users are already sold on trying OSX given they are working on a hackintosh. And again, if these PC users are willing to shell out a few hundred bucks on dongles and a copy of the OS to try it out, they can buy a slighly used mac mini, or an older ibook. Or shell out just a little bit more and get an new mini.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
well, i can't say what most hackintosh users do, but from what i've read here it seems like there are definitely some people who don't pirate OS X for building their own hackintoshes.
i'd also note that it seems like the fact hackintosh users have to obtain a hacked OS X setup disc to have a decent chance of getting their hackintosh to work that promotes piracy in this case. if they could get help from more experienced OS X users on how to do it legally, then that might reduce piracy, wouldn't you say? and seeing as this dongle lets you use any old OS X disc, the original incentive of simply downloading a hacked disc image is no longer relevant.
regarding the hackintosh vs mac mini argument, i have to point out that a smaller price tag isn't the only issue. it does no good for the consumer to buy a cheap mini if he really needs a more powerful machine. so, yes, he could buy a cheap mac mini or get the dongle and OS, but with the dongle + OS he can use that on a system that actually fits his needs. then if he likes the OS, he could invest in a $3000 Apple workstation--or whatever model happens to be appropriate.
it's sorta like saying, "well you can can a BMW motorcycle for under $10k" when they might be looking for a sedan. some people don't have the need for a mini-type system, regardless of what OS it runs or manufacturer it's by.
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Technically speaking, all hackintoshes use pirated copies of OS X, even if the copy was paid for. Without a valid license, it's piracy. OS X requires the use of Apple-branded hardware for the license to be valid.
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Which is complete crap....
Referring to someone who at least paid for some percentage of the actual cost of OS X (the upgrade retail boxes) as a pirate is stretching the definition of the word.
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Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
And again, if these PC users are willing to shell out a few hundred bucks on dongles and a copy of the OS to try it out, they can buy a slighly used mac mini, or an older ibook.
So instead of trying out the OS on hardware I already own, I can spend the money on extra hardware I don't want that will potentially require me to swap around cables and/or get a KVM. Top that off with the fact that you're saying they could instead get a used mac mini or ibook that potentially has hardware problems... gee, where do I sign up. The cheapest "official" refurbished mac from apple that a person could be reasonably assured of the hardware's condition is over $1000 [apple.com]
Hardware choice is a convenience. Convenience is a benefit people are often willing to pay for.
I've had the chance to use OSX at work. But if I hadn't had that opportunity and someone told me I could run it on my current hardware for $300 (including a copy of OSX), I can understand how that would appeal to people.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
Oh, and not one single hackintosh user that I have come across in #MacOSX has ever said they are using a boxed copy of the software, the same names always come up - Maxxus, JaS etc etc.
Actually that's the old method of doing it, individual releases hand made by various guys. The new technique uses boot-132 which allows you to install from an unmodified retail DVD. Basically you make a boot disc that includes any extra drivers or kernels you need for your setup, boot off of it, then swap the CD for the Leopard install DVD and run a normal setup. What people can do now is make boot CDs for OEM machines and you'd only download the ISO which only uses say 50MB or so, then theoretically you buy a legal copy at the store and use that. There's also generic boot CDs that include a ton of common drivers and hardware and will work for most people.
Just sayin... the copyright infringement aspect of using a hackintosh is now eliminated. As for EULA's, well that's another story.
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When someone makes a controversial claim, then simply backs it up with something like, "It's a fact." or "That's the truth." you know they probably full of it and have no actual evidence. I'd expect this on the political blogs, not a technical forum. You sound like, "9/11 was an inside job. That's a fact!"
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Man, i hope after using this mac mini for ~9 months i don't turn into a jackass too!
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The thing that Macs have that PCs don't get is Garageband. I've used a variety of music programs, and Garageband is UNREASONABLY USEFUL for being a pack-in program. Logic Express is also surprisingly powerful for a low-cost program, and both "Pro" versions (yeah I know that Pro Tools isn't the literal pro version of Garage Band, but it might as well be if you ask me) I think this is the one place where Macs continue to shine.
However, for graphic design, (i've done it on both platforms) there's virtually n
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I'd try my hand at the math for comparable hardware again if I were you. =)
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually, Hackintoshes become most attractive when you start talking about NONcomparable hardware. There are some pretty down to Earth configurations that Apple just doesn't consider "cool enough" to make (cue in the Apple zealots who will proclaim that configuration styles used by 95% of PC users are "unnecessary niches").
I for example want a tower machine. I want something with a consumer-grade desktop CPU - dual or even single core, and just 1 of them - with no monitor strapped onto it, and with a case that has ample drive bays and expansion slots so that I can add storage space and add in a video card as needed.
In otherwords, I just want a plain-fscking computer. Not a tiny one. Not an all-in-one. Not a multi-thousand $$$$ workstation, and certainly not a laptop. Just a plain old tower. I'd even pay the famed "Apple tax" on the damned thing if it was made to buy. And don't give me the "there's no market for that" line - PC makers are selling the damned things like hotcakes.
So, given that Apple won't make what I want, I built a Hackintosh. Yes, I installed a hacked copy of OS X, so no dongle needed. I think my total investment in this machine is around $650 (and that includes a retail copy of OS X). For that I've got a dual-core 1.8Ghz processor, 2GB of RAM, 160GB of hard drive space, and a Geforce 8600GTS video card. And if I need a little more than what any particular component can provide, I'll just swap the part out because the system is upgradeable.
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Exactly. (Score:5, Funny)
That's why Dell went under years ago, before they'd ever even really gotten started.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Using prebuilt systems to compete with that segment is practically impossible because you have to charge for the labor the customer is willing to do themselves, so Apple isn't ever going to try.
If Apple sold the a bare "Apple blessed" desktop motherboard with a copy of OSX for $260 the enthusiast DIY crowd would be all over it like white on rice.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, I've said this on a few forums - this is the fairly large 'niche' that Apple really do need to appeal to. People who want a reasonably spec'ed machine that has decent upgrade potential. The main reason cited by die-hard Mac zealots* is that it would compete with the Mac Pro, but I think if they only released models with dual-core CPUs and one or two free PCIe slots then the high-end graphics/video/audio professionals wouldn't be interested because the video and graphics people want quad- or 8-cores for rendering speed and the audio people want PCI slots for their Pro Tools cards and DSP.
I've got a Mac Mini and bought it with the highest processor/HD/memory combination available at the time, and still needed to buy an external drive to have a decent amount of storage space. I can't justify a Mac Pro because I'm really only doing don't-quit-your-dayjob home studio stuff. What will happen is in 6-12 months' time I'll buy a first generation Mac Pro second hand when all the real pros are upgrading to 8-core monsters, so Apple will miss out on a sale. If they made a mini-tower I would buy it tomorrow.
*I'm a Mac fan but not a zealot. I think.
Ah yes, the mythical Mac mini-tower (Score:5, Interesting)
The posters above a're absolutely correct, and it's a huge opportunity that Apple is missing. All they need is a cut-down Mac Pro, call it a Mac Pro Mini. One upgradeable CPU, one (not four) hard drive bays, one (not two) optical bays, two (not eight) RAM slots, one slot for a graphics card, maybe one other slot, and a nice set of ports. They can't sell that for $999 and make a profit? Or sell it for $699 and use it to storm the gates of corporate America while they are annoyed about Vista. I think hackers, switchers, and many businesses would be thrilled with a Mac like that.
I even have a way to make it sexy enough for Steve Jobs: Make it "green"! Put it in a recyclable aluminum case and commit to making motherboard upgrades available for (say) five years.
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And don't give me the "there's no market for that" line - PC makers are selling the damned things like hotcakes
And how many people ever actually use that ability to add or swap out components? PC manufacturers make those types of computers because they are the least expensive to build, not because people like to be able to add or change out parts.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:4, Informative)
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
Yeah, I totally agree with that. Apple just doesn't offer enough hardware options to make it attractive. I mean, comeon, either the mac Mini which sucks as soon as you are looking for something that you want expand. The MacPro? Sure, it is a great platform, but very expensive...
I built a hackintosh out of a quadcore Q6600, 4GB of Memory, two 500GB drives and a 512MB geforce card. My cost was less than a thousand dollars and it works great (plus a 30" monitor), even better than my Official Macbook Pro. Apple just does NOT provide that kind of configuration for that price. The equivalent config with a MacPro is $2850...
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
Exploding capacitors
Quick straw poll for slashdotters:
How many years have you been using PC-based hardware and how many exploding capacitors have you encountered?
I'll start: ~20 years, 0 exploding caps.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Funny)
In ~25 years, one board with 6 caps that look like they were installed in reverse. It was an industrial motherboard. I plugged it in and they popped and shot flames a couple inches high before smoking out. Totally freaking awesome.
I've also seen the battery in an Amiga 3000 explode and spew acid all over. Lots of little acid-chewed holes in that motherboard.
And once I had the RAM in a Dell PE2650 actually melt. Burned itself black and started to drip. Again, totally freaking awesome.
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But... But... Amiga never dies!!
Amiga rules, now and forever!* =P
(Yes, moderate me insightful, you know you want to!)
(* It's just the owners of the brand name which suck!)
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Faulty memory controller, according to the Dell tech who replaced the RAM and motherboard. No OS was installed. We ordered them blank from Dell and then installed Debian, but hadn't gotten past powering on and "Sniff...what's that smell?"
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Four exploding caps, two on a Geforce 4 MX440, two on a Geforce 6800XT. Both smelled like rotting tuna. They exploded, not merely leaked, since they sprayed the "gunk" all over the place. I was lucky that the motherboards being connected to in question didn't exactly care being coated with sickly capacitor goo. ^^;
One of the capacitors blew clean off the PCB.
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You're saying you can build a Mac compatible system from the list of components for less than $450 dollars?
gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3 for $132
1GB DDR2 for $25
Core 2 Duo E2160 1.8GHz $60
Case+PS $90
GeForce 7300 GS $70
SATA DVD+RW $40
Seagate SATA HDD $40
EFIX dongle $155
Total of $612
Not including shipping+handling+tax of course.
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1) the dongle isn't required
2) he said he spent X, that doesn't mean he didn't already have half the parts.
For example, I have a spare 500GB sata hard drive (RMA replacement, but I bought a new one right away because I couldn't wait for the RMA to ship), DVDRW, video card (6600GT), 1GB DDR2 RAM, case and power supply all just sitting in my office. I'd JUST need a suitable mobo and cpu. So it would cost me $192 + OSX ($103.99 at amazon) so my cost for a hackintosh would be $296 give or take.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:5, Informative)
There is no Apple Premium. There is shortage in variety in Apple Hardware choices. Apples Cost just as much as near Identical System (You need to include all the specs including weight and dimensions). However most people don't need all those specs only a subset of them. Thus can get a system elsewhere for cheaper as they do not need to spend extra to get the 17" screen and a Fast CPU with a lot of RAM, because they don't care that it is 1" thick and doesn't need Firewire, Lighted keyboard... However if you compare a System that has the exact same specs as the Mac (or very close) you find the prices are about the same +/- $100.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:4, Insightful)
There is no Apple Premium.
yes there is. you can do all sorts of comparions (when I've done them the Apple device, Mac or iPod, always comes out more expensive) but there is a different kind of proof -- theres been plenty of financial reports (including Apples own) stating that they have a significantly higher profit margin on their hardware than competitors. where do you think that is coming from?
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Which is a premium.
"Ferrari doesn't have a premium, they just sell more expensive cars. If you compare them to similarly spec'ed cars you'll find they're about the same price +/- $5000"
I build $800 blazing fast workstations: QuadCore, 8GB of Ram and just under top of the line video card along with a 500GB Raid 0 for storage.
You say "no premium" I say I can get a superb workstation for less money.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:4, Interesting)
No Apple premium, you say? +/-$100 you say?
I was shopping for a laptop recently and decided that the MacBook Pro was the kind of laptop I was looking for, except it seemed a bit spendy. Next in line was the well-known ThinkPad which has a reputation for being rugged, well-built, and reliable, just like the MacBook Pro. So I compared the two online as closely as possible. I used the standard 15" MacBook as a reference and customized the ThinkPad accordingly because the reverse is much more difficult. Here's what I found.
Both Laptops have:
Screen physical dimension: 15"
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz
Memory: 2GB (2x 1G)
HDD: 250GB SATA, 5400rpm
Optical drive: 8x dual-layer recordable DVD
Wifi: 802.11n
Bluetooth: Yes
Ethernet: Gigabit
Battery life: About 5hrs
Macbook Pro
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB of GDDR3 SDRAM
Weight: 5.4 pounds
Thickness: 1"
Display: 1440 x 900 pixels
Keyboard illumination: backlight
Operating system: OS X
Pointing device: Multi-touch trackpad
Webcam: Yes
Video output: DVI
USB: 2 ports
Firewire: 1x 400 port, 1x 800 port
Expansion cards: 1x ExpressCard
Audio In: optical, line, microphone
Audio Out: optical, line, speakers
Card reader: No
Fingerprint reader: No
Price: $2499
ThinkPad T61
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
Weight: 5.0 lbs
Thickness 1.2"
Display: 1680x1050
Keyboard illumination: Overhead LED
Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (default)
Pointing device: Trackpad and trackpoint with buttons for each
Webcam: No
Video output: VGA
USB: 3 Ports
Firewire: 1x 400 port
Expansion cards: 1x PC Card, 1x ExpressCard
Audio in: line, microphone
Audio out: headphones, speakers
Card reader: 4 in 1
Fingerprint Reader: Yes
Price: $1208
If you look just at computing power, the two are identical except that the MacBook Pro has a beefier graphics chipset. The rest of the advantages are mainly to do with better multimedia capabilities. (Except, curiously, screen resolution.) This could be worth more than double the cost of the ThinkPad if that's the kind of work you do. As a far more casual user and part-time hacker, I appreciated some of the more mundane enhancements that the ThinkPad offers at a much more attractive price: More ports, gizmos, and buttons.
Re:I just ordered one!! (Score:4, Interesting)
the only use for the dongle is to commit copyright infringement, which is illegal
You mean license infringement.
I could buy a copy of Mac OS X now and use it as a doorstop without violating copyright (or its license for that matter).
Fear the fruit! (Score:4, Interesting)
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Uh... (Score:3, Insightful)
I am not sure whose side you were taking there.
It had four times the ram and was $1200 less?
So, can you clarify?
I am very sure any enthusiast can build a far better machine at a substantially lower price, provided something as easy as plugging in a dongle was all it took to fool OS X
Mac vs. PC (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps this will inspire a new "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercial, with the PC donning a strap-on.
Or not.
Re:Mac vs. PC (Score:5, Funny)
Intel Only (Score:4, Interesting)
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Why is this needed? (Score:5, Insightful)
I was under the impression that you could already run OS X on a PC as long as the hardware was supported. What exactly does this thing do that you can't do already?
Re:Why is this needed? (Score:5, Informative)
You still need a custom hacked Kernel to do it, this removes that need. Even hackintosh's need a custom DVD, this will install with an off the shelf Leopard DVD.
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You still need a custom hacked Kernel to do it, this removes that need. Even hackintosh's need a custom DVD, this will install with an off the shelf Leopard DVD.
Not anymore. this is pretty much just a boot-132 [insanelymac.com] live cd, on a very overpriced usb flashdrive. I redid my hackintosh this way a few weeks back installed straight off my retail dvd, loading only extra kexts for unofficially supported hardware (and of course dsmos and disabler) off the boot cd..
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This dongle probably emulates apple EFI to allow installation of a retail copy of Leopard rather than a hacked one.
Their supported hardware list is pretty restrictive...
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My sentiments exactly. I'd install this in a jiffy if it worked with my Asus motherboard. And ATi HD4850. It's a shame apple dropped ATi hardware like hotcakes.
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nothing at all. It just makes installing OSX that much easier. A friend of mine who has installed OSX on non-Apple hardware says it can be a bitch (unless you know what you're doing) to install the OS and the EFI emulator, bootloader, etc. This just takes away all the extra work and makes it very straight forward as if you were installing it directly on an Apple machine. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until people image these things and start booting off their own USB keys to install OSX.
Re:Why is this needed? (Score:4, Interesting)
that's interesting, i've never used a USB dongle before, though i've come across certain video-editing programs that support special hardware dongles that are supposed to enable advanced features.
how exactly does a USB dongle work? is it just a software program that is executed from a USB key fob? certainly it can't be so simple as to just copying the data from the dongle and putting it onto another generic USB drive can it?
i would imagine that the USB dongle would have to have special hardware with the program saved on some kind of firmware. i'm not too familiar with the capabilities of the USB interface, so i don't know if that might be a vital part of how this dongle works. but if you can reverse engineer the dongle and boot up the image from any old USB key, then you could just as easily make bootable DVDs.
28 days later... (Score:4, Insightful)
Tell me that won't happen.
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No sure if its really "stealing money". I mean, this still allows users to buy/use the official OSX DVD.
This splits the hardware/software delineation deep into Apple's territory. But they're headed in that direction anyways. If I were Apple, I'd never officially support this because of the nightmare of vendors matching for a software-only solution (think about Microsoft's world).
But as Apple would I let people spend list price for my OS and never call about support issues? You be
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Firmware Updates (Score:2)
Reading their site, it looks like you can install firmware upgrades... I imagine when you control the boot environment, any attempt to soft-patch the OS won't remain fullproof. If it can be programmed, it can be hacked, right? The only option I see is some TPM implementation
http://www.efi-x.com/index.php?language=english [efi-x.com]
Personally, I hope Apple keeps to their closed platform, as it would put a hard squeeze on Linux if OS X were available on any machine. The chances of this happening are so low that I'm not
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On the one hand, you admit that Apple being available on any hardware would put a squeeze on Linux... on the other hand, you claim that Apple wouldn't do so because they're terrified they might lose to Linux. Frankly, I
Stubborn (Score:3, Interesting)
If Apple pushed their OS more, they could start to worry Microsoft more, just as Linux already worries Microsoft (that's not a troll statement). Apple could also do that other thing that companies usually do to exist - make more money.
Re:Stubborn (Score:4, Interesting)
Apple doesn't want their OS to run on generic hardware because then they can't make it nearly as stable as it is on Mac hardware. That Mac OS has fewer hardware compatibility issues is kind of a no-brainer that way. Windows, being made to work with 3rd-party drivers on generic hardware, really does not have that advantage.
If I were Apple I'd probably choose inaction for a while. It wouldn't do to encourage this sort of thing because I could dilute the perceived user experience of owning a mac if it became less stable on generic hardware (which it almost certainly would). It also wouldn't do to discourage it right off the bat because this does have the potential to convert over some windows users if they can safely try it out.
The bottom line, though, is that these users didn't pay Apple for the hardware, so Apple will barely make any money off this.
Re:the real money (Score:2)
Apple makes buckets of money on the software. COGS is minimal, where the COGS on hardware is pretty substantial. You can download apps, eliminating the physical media. Very profitable. Consider this too - you buy one computer, but buy many applications to run on it. The hardware is the enabler for the software purchases. It's kinda like machine tools - you'll buy a mill or a lathe, then spend 3x that amount tooling up to use the machine.
Apple
Awesome (Score:3, Insightful)
Why bother? (Score:4, Insightful)
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Not quite a USB dongle (Score:5, Informative)
Uhhh.. You can already do this without the dongle (Score:5, Insightful)
Umm.. you can already run OSX on PC hardware *without* no stinkin' dongle!
Well, that is, if you don't mind pirating software. There are several hacked copies of the OSX Tiger and Leopard install DVDs floating about that allow you to install OSX on any reasonably modern PC. Google around for 'leo4all' or 'ideneb'. YMMV.
Also: http://www.osx86project.org/ [osx86project.org] has tons of resources on how to run a 'hackintosh'.
There are also some VMWare 'appliances' -- that is -- virtual machines with OSX already pre-installed on the vmdk files. You just dl them and use vmplayer or vmware workstation and you got yourself OSX inside a VM.
People have been runing OSX on PC hardware for a while now. So, given that -- how is this exciting at all? It isn't even any more legal than just dling pirated/hacked OSX install DVDs. The way I see it -- there is no advantage to paying $150 to break the law with a stinkin' dongle, when you can download a 4GB DVD torrent and get OSX for free. Both are equally illegal and violate Apple's EULA or whatever.
So how is this new/newsworthy/even mildly exciting?
Re:Uhhh.. You can already do this without the dong (Score:5, Informative)
People have been runing OSX on PC hardware for a while now. So, given that -- how is this exciting at all?
Because, with other methods, you need hacks, and updates require more hacks. The idea here is that you can use a virgin install of OS X and it Just Works.
It isn't even any more legal than just dling pirated/hacked OSX install DVDs. The way I see it -- there is no advantage to paying $150 to break the law with a stinkin' dongle, when you can download a 4GB DVD torrent and get OSX for free. Both are equally illegal and violate Apple's EULA or whatever.
They are not "equally illegal". In your case, you are downloading copies of software (copyright infringement), and also the software has been reverse engineered and hacked (which might violate something). Then, in both cases, you violate the EULA with the installation (which isn't illegal). So, actually, buying the "stinkin' dongle" doesn't break the law, though violating the EULA will allow Apple to sue, provided the EULA is legal and enforceable.
Re:Uhhh.. You can already do this without the dong (Score:4, Informative)
Who says you cant just go out and buy a copy of OSX and modify and run it via hackintosh? All that is needed to get around the install is to emulate the EFI on boot and there's a program out now that does that thanks to some reverse engineering by someone in the hackintosh community. With that you can even run the Apple update. This also works on AMD CPUs as well. Might have some problems running things that use PCI slots, but certain soundcards do have drivers out there. Honestly, I don't give a rat's butt what Mr. Jobs thinks (and his "oh no, you have to buy my overpriced [now pc hardware other than the EFI mobos Intel makes for them] hardware to run my OS). I should be able to do with the software once I purchase it at full price, so long as I am not distributing my copy to everyone else.
For more information, check out this site [insanelymac.com]. Their faq will tell you the basics and they also have a list of hardware people have sucessfully installed OSX with here [insanelymac.com] as well as a list of sound card drivers for pci if you do a search.
Their website is STILL not using SSL (Score:5, Informative)
They want me to put credit card information into a standard HTTP page? I'm absolutely SURE I trust them not to do something stupid like store that information unencrypted in a database.
FAIL.
hmmm (Score:2)
Let us not forget: Apple-labeled (Score:3, Informative)
One could argue that in order to test such a product, they must have installed OS X, which requires them to "accept" this EULA which they promptly violated by installing on a PC. Then, apparently, to sell the device ALSO violates the EULA they "accepted". So, they're doubly screwed. If the EULA were to be held up in court, Apple most certainly COULD stop these guys.
Of course, that's just my opinion, I'm no lawyer...
Apple-labeled is not Apple-manufactured (Score:2)
One could argue that in order to test such a product, they must have installed OS X, which requires them to "accept" this EULA which they promptly violated by installing on a PC.
But what if they bought a Mac Pro and then replaced the guts with other components? Is the resulting computer still Apple-labeled? What if they have an Apple logo sticker that they stick on the case? Is that Apple-labeled?
It sounds cool (Score:5, Informative)
but that iDeneb project [ihackintosh.net] is way cheaper as it does not require a dongle.
Others have found a way to hack their BIOS to use the Apple OEM ID and do their own EFI to run Mac OSX to fool OSX to think it is running on a real Apple Macintosh. The nice thing about EEPROMS is that you can flash update them easily, and anyone who knows machine language can hack their own BIOS file into one that can easily pass for an Apple Macintosh BIOS.
As for people like me, we don't even need a dongle to make our Intel PC turn into an Amiga [sourceforge.net] that is even cooler than an Apple Macintosh running OSX, and has a much lower memory footprint so it runs faster than OSX, and has an interface and look and feel like OSX or Vista, but is 100% free, 100% open source, and 100% legal.
For those who want to pirate OSX, get real, get AROS instead and support AROS developers to develop more AROS drivers and software. Why settle for a monopoly from Microsoft or Apple, when you can be free and use a non-monopoly OS that will run on almost any PC, Mac, Amiga, MIPS, PowerPC, etc system on the market?
You want an alternative to Windows? Wait until ReactOS [reactos.org] is done. It will run Windows applications. If you want an alternative to Windows that does not run Windows programs get HaikuOS [haiku-os.org] when it is ready as it is a free and open source BeOS operating system. Once OSFree is finished [osfree.org] it will be a free OS/2 open source OS, but I heard they will make it run under Linux to run OS/2 applications. Support your favorite free open source operating system instead of pirating OSX. Who cares enough about bloatware to pirate OSX or Vista, they are both bloated and buggy! If you want a free OS, get a free open source OS as I listed above when they are finished and out of beta testing. If you can't wait join in their beta program and give them feedback on how to fix it, or join the developers to help them get done faster.
Boycott Vista and OSX, and get Linux instead and install a Macintosh skin [interfacelift.com] on Linux instead of pirating OSX.
Re:It sounds cool (Score:4, Interesting)
"Boycott Vista and OSX, and get Linux instead and install a Macintosh skin [interfacelift.com] on Linux instead of pirating OSX."
OK so I do that. Now how do I run Aperture, Photoshop and Final Cut Pro on my Linux system? Yes those pprograms are the reason I have a Mac.
The reason one buys an OS is so they can run software. If the OS can't run the software you need it's usless.
That said. I'm typing this on a Linux system. I write software for Linux/Solaris but all of the creative digital content type stuff is done on mac OS X.
I've been a UNIX fan and user both at work and at home from long ago, i had UNIX before there was a thing called "Microsoft Windows". But I feel right at home on Mac OS X. It's the best desktop UNIX system out there. Solaris is the best server OS out there.
Apple would be smart to leave this alone (Score:2)
Many of the most recent Apple commercials emphasize how easy it is to "switch" from PC to Apple. You can even bring in your old computer, and they'll transfer your hard drive contents!
This is another bridge to help people make the switch. Apple loyalists will still buy Apple hardware. Most of them are scared of any homebuilt computers, and want to trust a large company to build and support their computer. This dongle is only going to be bought by the cheapskates, people who would have never come to
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Apple should be happy to lose a few hardware sales in order to secure their place in software.
Been there, done that, Apple lost money when they allowed Mac clones [wikipedia.org].
Falcon
This is just a flash drive, nothing special (Score:3, Interesting)
This "dongel" is simple a USB flash drive. In the instructions the users is told to set up the BIOS to boot off the dongle. Inside the flash drive is a bootable EFI emulator. If some one wanted to run Mac OS X on their PC why not simply burn the same EFI emulator onto a CD-ROM and boot off the CD?
The dongle is for people who don't know who to set up the CDROM themselves.
If this kind of effort would go into Linux... (Score:3, Insightful)
If this kind of effort were to go into fixing all the problems with Linux, making Linux capable of running every application from every platform ever concieved, we could install a Mac Skin and tell Apple and MS to eat OSX and Windows.
Seriously. Why waste your time with the futile. At least with Linux you have a chance of survival.
Re:Weird turnabout (Score:5, Insightful)
News flash.. multiple people have multiple opinions on various topics!
In other words, it's not generally the same individuals making both of those claims.
Re: (Score:2)
I find it a bit weird that so many people bitch a blue streak all day long about how much "Apple sucks"until they have a chance to run OS X on a PC. Then it's like "kewl dewd, I can't wait to do that!". What's up with that?
Possibly it's different people?
Several possibilities (Score:2, Insightful)
1. You could be talking about two groups of people and so the people that say "Apple sucks" are not the same people saying they would try this.
2. The reasons they are saying "Apple sucks" could be related to any number of things Apple does, most of which have nothing to do with the quality of their OS. There are lots of those.
For an example of #2, if one were to lambaste Apple because their computers are overpriced, or they don't sell one within a particular price range, that person would not be a hypocrite
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Weird turnabout (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Weird turnabout (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Weird turnabout (Score:5, Funny)
And that, children, is where the Iceweasel [geticeweasel.org] came from.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
That's because people:
-- don't like how Apple's hardware is always more expensive, even though it's older than what's available for the PC
-- don't like how Apple locks customers in to using said hardware
-- but do like the software, because it's powerful, "just works" is harder than PC software to mess up and is fun to use.
In the fine /. tradition of using car analogies, it's like finding the car of your dreams except it only runs on biodiesel, which is not available in your community, and is right-hand
Re: (Score:2)
Why is this modded troll? I pointed out a few things people don't like about Apple, and one thing they really do like. Then I used a car analogy. It's classic Slashdot and I thought I was fair.
For the record I use Apple computers every day and like them a lot. This post was created on a Mac.
Re: (Score:2)
Companies can suck and still produce products you'd like to use. I don't particularly like Apple (or Microsoft), but I do have reasons to want to run OSX (and Windows). One of the reasons I don't like Apple is because they make it difficult for me to support their platform, specifically by making it difficult to run on third-party or (more important to me) virtual hardware. I understand why, but understanding doesn't make me like them. There are lots of other reasons to dislike Apple, of course (e.g., t
Re: (Score:2)
I find it a bit weird that so many people bitch a blue streak all day long about how much "Apple sucks"until they have a chance to run OS X on a PC. Then it's like "kewl dewd, I can't wait to do that!". What's up with that?
Apple sells very expensive hardware. Previously when it was all PowerPC they could justify this by saying "Well you can't compare the PowerPC to a x86 chip it's just not the same and you just don't get it!" Now that they're using Intel chips it's much easier to point out how much the hardware is being marked up for two similarly equipped computers.
Plus they have a complete lack of choice, you can either have some cookie cutter mac mini, an imac, or a customizable (in the sense that you can replace the vid
Re:Weird turnabout (Score:5, Insightful)
Because for all their high-and-mighty pontificating about "freedom" and "rights" and "DRM" and whatever, most people just like to get stuff for free/cheap.
Would Apple or the RIAA or Sony or whoever all of a sudden one day say "It's illegal to copy and share our stuff, but we promise never to come after you," you can bet your ass that the threads ranting about "my rights!" would dry up lickety-split. Because for the overwhelming majority of folks, it's not about the principle of the thing -- it's about you getting in the way of me getting stuff for free.
Sad, but true for all except a limited number of genuinely-involved purists.
Re: (Score:2)
Try these (among other explanations):
Re: (Score:2)
Inferior to whatever answer will enrage you the most! You took the bait, so now give him the flames.
Re:Just need a test system (Score:4, Informative)
OSX is unsupported on VMware and it runs really really slowly. I'm not sure if this has been improved but the one time I tried it was just too slow to be usable even for testing.