Mac Clone Maker Psystar Also Offers Ubuntu, XP, And Vista
from Information Week

Posted by Paul McDougall, Apr 17, 2008 01:00 PM

A Miami-based system integrator that's selling an unauthorized Mac clone
also is offering the open source Ubuntu Linux desktop as an option on
the system, as well as Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Psystar also has introduced a new system called OpenPro. It's a
beefed-up version of its Open Computer clone.

The company claims it will ship either with a choice of pre-installed
operating systems that includes Ubuntu Linux 8.04, Windows Vista,
Windows XP, or Apple's OS X 10.5 Leopard.

Ubuntu is free. Vista or XP costs an extra $150, while Leopard will set
you back $155, according to Psystar's ever-evolving Web site.

Psystar's Internet store was closed Wednesday because, it said, its
credit card processing system was down. The company appeared to be back
in business as of Thursday.

Psystar claims its Mac clones cost about one-quarter of what
Apple-branded systems go for. A company exec I spoke with, who
identified himself only as Robert, accused Apple of artificially marking
up the hardware on which Leopard rides by as much as 80%.

(I'm assuming 'Robert' is Roberto Pedraza, whom, along with one Rodolfo
Pedraza, registered Psystar to do business in Florida, according to
state records).

One version of Psystar's Open Computer features Apple's Leopard OS X
10.5 operating system ported onto generic PC hardware that includes an
Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.66 GHz, a 250-GB hard drive, and an
Nvidia GeForce 8600 GT graphics card.

The system is priced at $804.99. A similar, Apple-branded computer would
cost more than $2,000.

Roberto, er, Robert, told me earlier this week that he believes Psystar
is doing nothing illegal despite the fact that Apple's end-user license
agreements explicitly forbid the installation or sale of its operating
systems on third-party hardware.

Robert implied Psystar would be willing to try its luck against Apple in
court.

Still, Psystar changed the name of its Mac clone from OpenMac to Open
Computer earlier this week -- perhaps in response to anticipated legal
pressure from Apple. "The name 'Open' has been selected to reflect the
fact that ANY consumer operating system can be installed and run on it,"
said Psystar.



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If these guys turn out to be legit and actually stay in biz for a while,
I'm going to see if a buddy in Florida will pick up a unit for me and
UPS up here.

I'm sure the Chinese are manufacturing illegal Mac clones, along with
the legal ones. Probably at the same factory. They're making iPhone
clones.