Psystar 'Open Computer' actually goes through?

[metallicamaster3]

Read here, via engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/30/psystar-open-computer-unboxing-and-hands-on/)

Honestly, I just got the biggest "wtf" moment. The Psystar "open computer", which most, if not all, believed to be a hoax, due to the fact that the randomish address and suspicious 'online store' activity, has actually shipped!

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2114/81d8f9c82f7b5a2c0ebc385kg2.jpg

Quoting from Engadget;


Engadget NYC might have gotten to play with Apple's latest and greatest iMac yesterday, but we keep it dirty in the Chi -- yep, we've got the first Psystar Open Computer shipped out for review. We're just getting it set up, but check out the unboxing below, and hit us up with anything you want to know in comments -- you know we're going to put this thing through its paces.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/8365/6132ab93b69c6351f5deda1rq1.jpg

Yep, that's the sexy new iMac's that we're released not 48 hours ago to the left, and the Psystar "open computer" osx86 machine on the right. With OS X. Leopard. Working. Out of the box.

Alas, it is exactly what it says it is, osx86. With osx86, there are always hardware issues, considering the operating system isn't made for the hardware... Which is exactly what engadget said.


Okay, so we've been playing with the Psystar Open Computer (http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/30/psystar-open-computer-notes-benchmarks-and-video/engadget.com/tag/psystar) for a few hours now, and we've formed some early impressions and put together a short video of it in action. We haven't really tried to stress the system yet, but based on our other experiences with OSx86 machines, we're expecting things to generally go smoothly. That said, there are some definite rough patches and issues, all mostly having to do with the fact that OS X isn't really built for this hardware.

Here's the low down from Engadget.



# It's running 10.5.2, build 9C31, which is behind the latest Apple build of 9C7010.
# The mobo is a Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L with an Intel G31 Express chipset. We're not sure which model of Core 2 Duo is in there as of yet.
# The graphics card appears to be an NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT, but it doesn't show up in ASP, so we have to confirm. Psystar's store says it's supposed to be a 256MB card, but we have 512MB -- strange.
# It's LOUD. Crazy loud. OS X doesn't seem to interface with the fan controller, so it runs at full tilt all the time. It doesn't really come across on the video, but it's loud enough so that it's hard to talk on the phone when the machine is running. There's no way we could deal with this thing on a daily basis.
# The DHCP lease drops every fifteen minutes or so and you have to manually renew it in prefs.
# Apple System Profiler doesn't know how to read the configurations of several systems, notably memory and audio. The Audio screen just says there's no built-in audio, while the Memory page returns an error.
# That said, audio works just fine, showing up in prefs as HD Audio Output, and obviously the memory works fine.
# We plugged in a couple cameras, an iPod, and an iPhone, everything worked as expected.
# There's no iMovie or iPhoto out of the box, since iLife doesn't come with Leopard -- you'll have to buy it separately.
# Time Machine seemed to recognize an external HD, but we didn't have time to fully test it out.
# The included copy of Leopard was out of the shrinkwrap, but there's no way to install it -- it shows up in Startup Disk but it won't restart, and it's not recognized at boot.
# Front Row works fine.
# You can grab the entire System Profiler file here, if you're so inclined -- just make sure and share with the group if you notice anything crazy, okay?


As far as benchmarks, it doesn't exactly blow Apple's gear away, but it definitely holds its own -- and the GeForce card just destroys the integrated graphics in the MacBook / Mac mini. Check it out:

* All machines tested with Xbench 1.3.
* All machines tested were using Leopard.
* You can check the bold Xbench scores to compare the cumulative results for each test.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/5121/fc65f0d5f190b5883be3035vz6.png
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4623/4031682fe39b1067e2c2fceyw3.png
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/789/5655bc6ccc65ae1c9489241eb1.png
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4385/f8ad2302c47e2c3c0238bffri6.png

[SuperSon!c]

i don't get it. some shady online storefront selling an ugly *** box that runs Leopard was acquired and subsequently reviewed as a total piece of crap?

what's the point?

[Atomic Dog]

I think this is a hoax honestly.

As somebody smarter than I said: Kalyway 10.5.1 + Kalyway 10.5.2 update + netkas EFI Hackintosh. Right down to System Profiler identifying it as a Mac Pro with a bogus serial number.

Seriously, I had installed OSX on a pc like over a year ago. This is nothing new, and it shocks me that a fly by night company can garner such worthless attention.

[tubezninja]

I think this is a hoax honestly.

As somebody smarter than I said: Kalyway 10.5.1 + Kalyway 10.5.2 update + netkas EFI Hackintosh. Right down to System Profiler identifying it as a Mac Pro with a bogus serial number

No, it's not a hoax, but it is a bit of a letdown. They're delivering goods (although people doubted they ever would), but the "goods" are basically a hackintosh running OSx86, which is the unauthorized hack of OS X that allows it to run on plain old beige-boxes. It brings nothing new to the table, except it allows people who are too lazy to roll their own hackintosh to let someone else do it for them.

And with using OSx86, it has all the shortcomings: no software updates being among them. And the network glitches. And the random hardware incompatibilities. etc..

Maybe I read too much into it when I first heard about them, but I could've sworn PsyStar at the beginning had ether made it clear or STRONGLY implied that they would be selling computers that could run the genuine, un-hacked versions of OS X Leopard just like any honest, real, genuine, Apple-Store-Bought, laid-in-chrome-and-shiny-plastic, buy-Steve-Jobs'-another-turtleneck Mac.

What's interesting is they're charging extra for OS X, exactly the amount of a real OS X license. But you're not getting the real OS X. So is Apple getting the money, thus giving their operation some shred of perceived legitimacy? Or are they pocketing the extra cash to pay a lawyer to defend against the lawsuit that should be landing on their doorstep any day now?

EDIT: I see from the original post that you in fact get a boxed copy of Leopard... it just won't run on the Psystar OpenComputer. Gee, that's useful.

This is just another mom-and-pop building computers from spare parts. And there's nothing wrong with that, though I'd rather build my own in that case, and I'd prefer to install linux on it rather than a hacked OS that I can't update. Or, install OpenDarwin and make throw KDE on it... close enough.

And I still love my Macs. The real ones. :)

[SuperSon!c]

ah, so this is "mac" for poor people - no wonder the attention.

[cardinals_fan]

Costs less than a Mac, but you don't get the only remotely decent thing Apple has ever made - their hardware.

[retrow]

Perhaps its the new OLPC: One Leopard Per Child :p

[metallicamaster3]

And I still love my Macs. The real ones. :smile:

Amen, fellow Mac brethren :)


I see from the original post that you in fact get a boxed copy of Leopard... it just won't run on the Psystar OpenComputer. Gee, that's useful.

Simply covering their arses saying "whut, we ship genuine OS X with it!", which I guess is a big part why they still exist.

I also read and noticed that they aren't in the shrink wrap, indeed, they are opened.

[jesusprice]

they shipped out a computer that works

I would actually buy the 399 desktop and have ubuntu installed by default

[SomeGuyDude]

That's the most I would ever spend on anything with OSX installed on it.

[Charlie708]

How is this not violating Apple's licensing?

[jrusso2]

How is this not violating Apple's licensing?

Well it does but I guess they are saying that Apples EULA is improper and daring them to take it to court.

[Glaxed]

I used to like this computer, and I wanted to put Hardy on it but I'm going to forget about it now.
It does look like crap...
Does anyone know a good tutorial to build your own machine (over the summer perhaps?)

[zmjjmz]

It's probably just crap with Leopard.
I'd definitely go for a 400$ Ubuntu computer (and with those specs o.o) any day.

[riven0]

I heard it can't be updated, either, which kind of makes it useless.

[SomeGuyDude]

I used to like this computer, and I wanted to put Hardy on it but I'm going to forget about it now.
It does look like crap...
Does anyone know a good tutorial to build your own machine (over the summer perhaps?)

Why would you buy a computer from them with Hardy? Just buy a cheap desktop from, oh, ANY PC company and stick Hardy on it.

[Wobedraggled]

I heard it can't be updated, either, which kind of makes it useless.

It can run the updates, just not automatically, Psystar said they will check the updates beforehand to assure it will not mess the machine up. I think that was a smart move on Psystar's part. I say if someone has a need for a somewhat beefy mac, but is short on cash, it's a viable solution.

I can see smaller graphics studios buying a bunch of these. I know if I had the need I would pick one up.

[Incense]

It's a cute proof of concept, but who would really use this in a production environment? An update could shut the entire system down, and you have no real way of restoring it. I agree that apple does need a consumer level tower, but this does not seem like the solution to me. It will be interesting to see what Apple does though. It's not like them to stay quiet for this long.

[billgoldberg]

How is this not violating Apple's licensing?

I know for a fact that EULA's don't have any legal value in most countries.

I don't know if this is mentioned but they also ship those computers with ubuntu or windows.

So it could make a nice cheap dekstop pc.

[Incense]

How is this not violating Apple's licensing?

AFAIK, the Apple EULA states that you can only install the software in Apple Branded hardware. So the legend goes that you're off the hook if you throw an official apple sticker on the box. Wonder if they do that...

[Anthony M]

hmmm that case looks familiar

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811173013&Tpk=tm-210

[Peter6218]

And all of the above begs the question of why Apple charges so much?? I don't buy into most of the conventional answers by the way. I doubt Apple does very much of their own engineering, doesn't make sense to do that.

Graphics cards for instance are probably Nvidia or other supplier with software adapted to suit OSX. Far more intelligent than build your own.

Cheap computers?? Check out this site:

http://www.oemexpress.com/

[mardawi]

I'm really amazed at all the buzz around psystar... WTF?! if you want to install Leopard on YOUR machine it is most likely to go flawless using one of the widely available patched Leopard torrents. First check if all you hardware is support via wiki.osx86project.org, pick any patched image (I use Kalyway), and just install!

Is this legal?
No, not only the EULA term, but downloading from torrent you will be sharing this copy with other users that don't have a licensed copy. And I think the license that you buy is for upgrading from previous versions only.