Apple vs. Microsoft : Mutually Assured Destruction?

With new developments and rumors brewing in the Geek Tech blogosphere, it looks like the epic Mac vs. PC war is not only starting to heat up once again, but also is about to become far more complicated than ever. The netbook revolution, the economic downturn, the rise of Linux, Google, and an assortment of other factors are all beginning to coalesce into a perfect storm.

Microsoft has a series of ridiculous, laughable ads running on TV featuring toddlers using Windows to create multimedia presentations, as if such an accomplishment was as easy as sticking plastic body parts into Mr. Potato Head. However, it's Microsoft's latest TV ad that is more noteworthy. It features a young woman searching for a cheap laptop. It's basically aimed directly at Apple's high prices. Perhaps if the woman wasn't driving a VW, it could be taken more seriously. But what's especially ironic is that Microsoft's reaction to the Linux threat has been that cheap isn't necessarily better, yet here's Microsoft wielding the same argument vs. Apple. Nitpicking aside, the ad could resonate with people shopping for a new computer, especially with the economy in the tank.

Apple is going to have to respond. But how will they? With price-cuts? I doubt it. The latest rumor of an Apple netbook has the hypothetical 'Macbook mini' priced at $899. It's just a rumor, and possibly an April Fool's joke, but really, I wouldn't put it past Steve Jobs to actually attempt to convince people that a 10" Atom powered Apple netbook is actually worth an absurd $899. Another luxury item in Apple's arsenal probably isn't the answer. Apple is going to have to respond with their usual "just works" routine. Unfortunately, it's not always true. Sure, I still find Macs running OS X to be the most usable out of the box, but one quick look at Apple's message boards and you will find plenty of hardware horror stories.

The other problem with Apple's "just works" argument is that Windows Vista is about to be permanently thrown on the scrap heap of history, and Windows 7 is about to be unleashed in it's place. The beta version of Windows 7 has been getting rave reviews. It's twisted, but Microsoft will basically be getting a fresh start, because as absurd as it is, the simple fact that Windows 7 "isn't Vista" will help Microsoft.

Apple will be releasing Snow Leopard, the next version of OS X soon, and it is now rumored to have a GUI overhaul as well as an under-the-hood overhaul. Glitzy new functionality features aren't expected, but a cleaner GUI will probably look nice, and is long overdue in my opinion. However, how will it hold up in contrast to the inevitable Windows 7 marketing blitz? Americans love second chances, and Microsoft is possibly about to get a big one.

Meanwhile, the PC landscape beyond Apple and Microsoft continues to grow, morph, and become more and more interesting all the time. Intel has been sponsoring Moblin, a Linux-derived OS designed for netbooks and other mobile devices, and now there are rumors that HP is taking a serious look at Google's Android OS, also Linux-based. Firefox has overtaken Internet Explorer as the browser of choice in Europe. This is a big deal when you realize that the web browser is probably almost as important to a user as their operating system.

People want devices and software that do the things they need them to do. They don't need Apple, and they don't need Microsoft. While this new phenomenon of viable alternatives is relegated mostly to phones and netbooks, we are definitely on the cusp of change. The idea that non-geeks could start buying desktop computers and full-power laptops that do not run Windows or OS X is not far-fetched. Especially if the alternatives are branded by Intel and Google.

So, the Mac vs. PC war is about to heat up once again, but it will be different this time. The battlefield is changing, the rules are changing, the participants are changing, and so are the stakes. The netbook revolution has shown that people do not necessarily want power above all. They don't even necessarily want full-blown functionality. This matters, because while Apple and Microsoft are putting their focus on slinging their arrows at each other, they might not be noticing the barbarians at the gate, or the revolution that's brewing all around them.