WinHEC 2003: Athens PC a Mac clone?
WinInfo | at | by Mike
There were an awful lot of reports this week comparing Microsoft's and HP's Athens PC to the Mac, and at first glance, this comparison seems to make sense: Both machines feature a 23" widescreen display with rounded edges, and a small cube-like CPU box connected to the screen with a single wire. But the comparison falls apart when you actually know something about the Athens PCs, and don't just make your opinions based on a few photos Microsoft posted online. The Athens PC was designed to for functionality, not just to look pretty, which is the biggest differentiator between it and the Mac. Its keyboard, mouse, and integrated handset are all wireless, unlike the Mac, and all of these components feature notification lights tied to work functions such as email, voicemail and meetings. And the Athens PC screen is not only high quality, but features the super-high pixel density that Longhorn's advanced graphics features can take advantage of, a capability the Mac--and Mac OS X--lacks. So get beyond the superficial, one-glance comparison, and you'll see the Athens PC is a classic PC--functional, useful, and horsepower-packed--and not just a pretty Mac clone at all.