Mac vs. PC: Did Microsoft ad star 'Lauren' make the right choice? |
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Microsoft's latest advertisement pokes fun at the price of Macs by telling the story of a woman named Lauren looking for a computer with "speed, a comfortable keyboard and a 17-inch screen" -- for less than $1,000. She visits an Apple store and turns her nose up at the prices before shopping for Windows PCs and finding an HP laptop that meets her requirements for $699.
But as any seasoned computer buyer knows, there are many other important specifications to compare when choosing among different machines. With inspiration from this Twitter user, I asked Microsoft for the precise PC shown in the ad, then compiled the chart below. This isn't an exhaustive list of specs, but here's how Lauren's prized HP Pavilion dv7-1245dx stacks up against Apple's 17-inch MacBook Pro.
Does Microsoft have a point? Or is this comparison fair? [Chart updated with suggestions from comment thread. Thanks for all your feedback.]

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The Puget Sound Business Journal announces Social Madness: A Corporate Social Media Challenge, presented by Capital One Spark Business. This a local and national challenge that will spotlight the best social media programs of companies in 43 cities. The local challenge begins (following the nomination period) on June 1, 2012. The promotion will culminate in a national bracket challenge that will crown Social Madness champions in 3 categories based on company size. To see the official rules, visit http://www.socialmadness.com/rules.
For more information on how your company can participate, visit the nomination page here. Nominations are due May 15th.
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