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Will Windows Vista problems plus iPhone, iPod coolness spawn new Mac users?

San Jose State business prof Randall Stross offers an interesting perspective in today's New York Times:There's now a window of opportunity for Mac (MacBook Pro, iMac, etc.) to cut into Windows PC sales.
Written by Russell Shaw, Contributor

San Jose State business prof Randall Stross offers an interesting perspective in today's New York Times:

There's now a window of opportunity for Mac (MacBook Pro, iMac, etc.) to cut into Windows PC sales.

Significantly distilled, here is how this is supposed to play out:

All these millions of delighted iPod users, and now more than a million iPhone users are, presumably, basking in Apple's coolness.

The huge majority (some say 96%-4%) of Windows PC users over Apple users imply that many iPhone and iPod users are also running Windows PCs.

Some of those Windows PC users who are thinking of buying new boxes in the traditionally hectic fourth quarter might be deterred by the accurate perception that all those new Windows Vista machines available for sale don't have a complete roster of pre-loaded device drivers. And, to boot (pun partially intended) , that means going to vendor or third-party sites, searching and hoping for a Vista-compatible driver for your printer or other peripheral.

So, as this goes, you say to yourself:

"I've always (or usually) been a Windows user, but now with Vista getting mixed reviews, I'm ready to consider alternatives. I love my (iPhone, iPod touch, iPod nano, etc.) . Apple seems to have their act together now. So why not go down to the Apple Store and look at some Macs?

I've always been a Windows user and continue to be, but yes, I've broadened my toolset. My MacBook Pro shopping this season has been driven more by a need to do high-def video than any iPhone or iPod perception of coolness. In fact, I don't qualify for Prof. Stross' adaptation scenario. My portable music player is an iRiver and my phone is a BlackBerry.

But maybe you qualify for said scenario? Maybe even a little?

[poll id=138]

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