The HP Crossfire. iMac Killer Anyone?

by Aaron Wright Dec 07, 2006

Music Player manufacturers throughout the world strive every day to create something more appealing and better functioning than the iPod, but this is clearly a case of trying to fix something that isn’t broken. The iPod is what people want, and the rough estimate of 70% market share is clear proof of that, so it’s no wonder the elegant device developed by the fruity computer giant is a benchmark for other companies. Where am I going with this? I’m talking about the term “iPod killing” of course. You’ve all heard the phrase before and it’s used to describe a company’s attempt at removing the iPods title of ‘King of Portable Music’ – a form of flattery if you will.

Want another form of flattery that thanks to the likes of HP’s upcoming ‘Crossfire’ computer package will soon become common? iMac Killer!

The HP IQ770 ‘Crossfire’ PC is sure to be one of many PC’s aimed at killing off the iMac’s “cool” image. With a 19-inch touch screen, AMD Turion 64 X2 dual processor, 2GB memory, 320GB hard-drive, NVidia GeForce GO 7600 graphics card, WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated 1.3 MP camera, integrated FM and ATSC HDTV tuners, a DVD±RW / DVD-RAM burner with LightScribe, Pocket Media drive bay, wireless keyboard, mouse, stylus, front media reader, one Ethernet port, two FireWire ports, six USB 2.0 ports, 5.1 digital audio out, IR-out, mini-VGA, FM and TV coaxial cable ports, ATSC and two S-Video, you can see it packs an almighty punch – some would say too much. If you take a little look at the picture below, you’ll also see it’s trying to perhaps ‘mimic’ the iMac by having everything built into one, although I’m sure you’ll agree it looks no where near as tasty as the iMac.

image
The HP IQ770 ‘Crossfire’
Picture source: Engadget.com

But would you say this machine could kill off the iMac’s “cool” image and prevent more Windows users from switching over to the angelic like Macintosh? I say no and here’s why.

Although the Crossfire packs a lovely array of powerful specs to entice even the most uninterested computer user, I believe it packs too much and doesn’t really aim itself at any particular user.

There are a few categories of computer users out there and they are:

 

Basic users – those that maybe check their e-mails twice a week

Home users – e-mail family and friends a lot, love photos and enjoy browsing the web

Gamers – do all of the above but mostly love their gaming, and any hardcore gamer will tell you that “power” is their aphrodisiac

Business user – graphics designers, webmasters and bankers would all fit into this category. Especially for the graphics designers and video editors out there, power is everything, and I do mean everything

Now if you take a look at the Mac range there’s currently a computer for each type of user, although some could argue that no Mac really fits into the ‘Gamers’ criteria. The Mac mini is set at a reasonable price and doesn’t over do it with the power because it’s not needed, thus, it’s great for the ‘Basic users’. The iMac and MacBook are great for home users because there’s just the right amount of power equalled out with a sensible price. If you use your computer more than most then it’s a great buy. Then there’s the MacPro and MacBook Pro ranges which are aimed directly at Business users and, if you like, Gamers, simply because the power that is needed is there and the price is something that wouldn’t seriously effect large companies.

Now although I like the idea of a computer than can do everything, I don’t think it will appeal to too many others. For the price, $1899 so I’m told, it’s not something that would directly attract the basic users, so they’re out of the question. Home users would possibly splash out the cash and it’s ideal for them in that it can do most of the stuff they’d want to do, as well as acting as a media hub. And for gamers and business users? That 19” touch screen could come in handy, and if it’s power they’re after then they’ve got it, but don’t be blind sighted by the facts. Let’s not forget that this Crossfire machine was designed with Windows Vista in mind and anyone who pays attention should know that Vista is going to need a stupid amount of power in order to run at a comfortable speed. And my idea of comfortable isn’t waiting 5 minutes for something to load.

So suddenly those powerful specifications aren’t really all that impressive and the hardware isn’t all that attractive. You could look to the aesthetics of the Crossfire to sell, but it does look like a reincarnated cross between E.T and that Johnny 5 robot out of Short Circuit. So what’s last on the list in the world of a computer? The operating system. I’m going to wrap this up in one smooth motion, are you ready? It’s got Microsoft Windows on it, albeit with a fancy name and pretty unimpressive graphical user interface.

So looking at the seemingly impressive Crossfire, with its sexy but some-what over-kill features (FM tuner over DAB radio anyone?), I can honestly say that it’s just like any other computer, but on steroids. If anyone is going to kill off the iMac’s cool image, it’s going to be the guys that created it, Apple Computer.

Comments

  • Unless it’s running on batterys they can dump the Turion for something better. Maybe heat is an issue. But it’s still a mobile proccesor. For gamers a Core2Duo Extreme would have been a better choice, except you’ll need to add another $600 to the price.

    Everything is great until you get to the CPU. IMHO.

    xwiredtva had this to say on Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 172
  • 1) It looks lame.
    2) It runs Windows.
    3) Its selling point is the spec sheet (i.e. catering to the geek).

    If computer maufacturers don’t learn how to make it easy for folks to use their products, they’ll never pull a single soul away from Apple. I laugh at this marketing attempt. Clearly, HP doesn’t get it. Apple does.

    Aurora77 had this to say on Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 35
  • Clearly, HP doesn’t get it. Apple does.

    No, you don’t get it.  They aren’t competing with Apple.  They are competing with Dell.

    As for pulling away souls from Apple, it doesn’t make much sense to go after Apple’s paltry 5% (many of whom have already sold their souls to Steve Jobs anyway) when they can go for a share of the other 95% of the market.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • But the system sucks and will be an also ran… Do you even work in IT or tech at all?

    There not competing with Dell, No one is really. They all produce the same crap, it’s just packaged differently.

    xwiredtva had this to say on Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 172
  • But the system sucks and will be an also ran

    I didn’t suggest otherwise. I’m just saying they’re not trying to pull anyone away from the Mac.  Their competition is other PC makers, not Apple.

    They all produce the same crap, it’s just packaged differently.

    Really?  Aren’t you the one who said that the product with the monopoly was the culture that was right, and that you want to belong to that cult?  I’d would have thought you’d already have two or three of these, defender as you are of the giant greedy monopolies.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 07, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Clearly HP is trying to piggy back off the Mac’s hip feel. The same thing was seen a few years back when gateway produced a counterpart to the G4. They out specced the G4 and claimed it ran more software (which I suppose it did).
    http://m.news.com/Gateway+eyes+a+bigger+slice+of+iMac+pie/2163-1040_3-954291.html

    It is important to remember that while Mac share may be insignificant to Microsoft, to a manufacturer the story is not quite as clear cut. The original imac was a best selling computer for a few months at least and later iterations proved popular as well. A computer manufacturer, or reseller in Apple’s case, would love to have Apple’s share of the home computer market. It would seem that HP would like to get a little of the iMac market, they would be foolish not to.

    chrisseibold had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 48
  • Chris, ripping off iMac’s design (provided that’s what they’ve done - unfortunately this thing looks nothing like an iMac) does not mean they are competing with Apple.  HP’s corner of the PC market is over triple that of the entire Mac line.  You don’t aim for the small fish that you’re already besting in order to compete. 

    That doesn’t mean that they don’t know good design when they see it.  If they did indeed rip it off (and I’d argue they should have gotten a lot closer if they did), then they’re doing so in order to shine above Dell and the other PC makers.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Speaking of Cnet, I think a word of condolence should go out to the family of James Kim.  I remember him from the Screensaver days on TechTV.  It’s weird when someone you’re familiar with (but not necessarily the whole world) meets such an untimely death.  He died a hero for sure, sacrificing himself to save his family.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Oh, one more thing after that somber note.  “Crossfire” is a terrible name for a computer that isn’t a gaming machine (maybe even one that is).

    I doubt I’ll get much argument there.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • I’m not trying to argue that the level of ripped-offed-ness, looking at that thing, well keep trying fellas!

    Still, there is every chance, in fact I’d say it was certain, that HP is trying to capture a bit of the All in one market. Go Hp, there isn’t anything wrong with that, it isn’t like the emachine model that basically copied the iMac. HP likely thinks (rightly) that there is a segment of the market that wants less cable clutter, wants a nifty home computer in an small package etc. In that sense, they are clearly attempting to compete with Apple. I find it difficult to think of it as a rip off.. Different solutions for the same market.

    While it is easy to think that you don’t aim low when you have triple the share of the Mac, I suspect that is fallacious. GM doesn’t ignore, say, the offerings of Volvo just because they kick Volvo’s ass in market share. Wal Mart doesn’t ignore Dollar General general just because they are much bigger. Hell no, big companies are aware of what the competition is doing and they are more than happy to provide an alternative.

    I’m not saying what HP is doing is wrong, I think that happens to be a pretty decent machine and I’m plaeaed to know that the all in one market once left for dead is slowly coming back around. I’d think it would be a bigger mistake by HP not to offer something that didn’t fill the niche.

    chrisseibold had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 48
  • <Really?  Aren’t you the one who said that the product with the monopoly was the culture that was right, and that you want to belong to that cult?  I’d would have thought you’d already have two or three of these, defender as you are of the giant greedy monopolies.>

    LOL… Wow, YOU call me a Defender of this stuff…

    Also it’s NOT a gaming machine.

    xwiredtva had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 172
  • yeah, condolences. Never saw the guy but he did die a hero and all.

    And yeah, crossfire is a bad name for a computer unless it is a gaming machine OR spouts useless partisan points day and night

    chrisseibold had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 48
  • He was on Tech TV with Leo… Good guy then, and now.

    xwiredtva had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 172
  • Different solutions for the same market.

    I think it’s more like the same solution (all-in-one) for a different market (Wintels).

    In any case, I don’t think what they’re doing is wrong or even misguided either, but neither do I think it has much to do with Apple, so there we are. 

    My only real critique, having not used the thing, would be that an all-in-one should be way more compact than this one.  Just look at the base footprint.  And it makes me wonder why Apple is doing what none of these guys seem able to.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
  • Also it’s NOT a gaming machine.

    I said it was not a gaming machine.  Seriously, lay off the Apple kool-aid before the brain damage becomes permanent.

    LOL… Wow

    D’oh.  Too late.

    Beeblebrox had this to say on Dec 08, 2006 Posts: 2220
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