iNeedles

You know that thing I've been talking about where people can unlock their iPhones to install totally non-Steveness blessed applications? Like Google Voice Mobile - great sound quality - available only via Cydia (once you jailbreak your iPhone). Like T-Mobile - so far, really great customer service - available only via Dev-Team (once you unlocked your iPhone). Like Cycorder - great video quality (ditto on the jailbrake part). Cycorder has been around for quite some time on the iPhone.

Well - this same kind-o-effort to unlock and distinguish software from hardware is being leveled at Apple's hardware and their OS. And it's a really big deal to Apple because it'll allow people to bypass purchasing Apple hardware in order to run OSX. And I suspect it's at least on the radar of Uncle Fester...er...Steve Ballmer too because it'll show cracks in the dam. Balmer can laugh, monkey dance and dismiss the Cult of Linux. But not so with the Cult of Mac. Because while MSFT's stock price has been flat-lining for the past ten years or so, Apple has increased nearly 1000% (10x):



Apple 2008 Revenue / Profit? $ 32.5 billion / $ 4.8 billion
Microsoft 2008 Revenue / Profit? $ 60.4 billion/ $ 17.7 billion

Apple is 1/2 the size of Microsoft. Who'd a thunk? Their profit is proportionally only half (15% compared to 29%). But Apple also makes hardware - where the margins are much lower compared to software. So who has the most to lose if people start using OS X without buying Apple hardware? Who has the most to gain?

In the past someone needed to make a really binary decision to use Apple over Microsoft. And the friction of having to jump both hardware and software hurdles has probably kept a lot of people from moving to Apple. This on the other hand this will allow someone to jump over one hurdle now - and maybe another later. Maybe. If you're cool enough. /s

Rebel EFI software will allow users to easily boot and install Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and even Mac OS X on their machines and is available for download at Psystar.com. The full version comes with the Darwin Universal Boot Loader, which allows for the installation of up to 6 different operating systems on a single machine.

What does this mean? Got a computer sitting around the house that's constipated on spyware, crapware, auto-porn-pop-ups and who knows what else? Got a teenager with a mild geeky streak? Well - for starters, it'll cost you $100: $50 for OSX and $50 for Rebel EFI. Well - maybe only $50. Because Apple users don't have to bother with OEMs when they install their OS. So if you know someone that has an Apple computer they'll probably let you "borrow" their OSX install disk.

So here's the big question: are people really going to risk playing cat and mouse with with their data and Apple in order to run OSX on non-Steveness approved hardware?

Well - judging by the number of people playing dodge ball with Apple/AT&T/iPhone/iTunes just to run non-approved apps and non-approved carriers on their iPhone - then the answer is "yes".

And then like it or not, Apple will have increased their customer base without those customers passing through the eye of John Ive's hyper-elevated, meticulously well-designed and brushed aluminum iNeedle. At least at first. Because when it's time to upgrade - I suspect they'll consider Apple hardware as well.

Sorry John. Sorry Steve.

Thanks Psystar.