Blog posts across the internet are starting to emerge discussing Apple’s decision to add a MobileMe Preference option to the Windows XP and Windows Vista Control Panels.  Most stories are reminiscent of the debate on Apple’s previous decision to “sneak” it’s Safari web browser to Windows machines running Apple’s Software Update.

While I personally don’t think Apple is doing anything malicious here, I’m sure the debate will rage on as to whether this option is Apple trying to push it’s way into the Windows world and whether it’s tactics of installing software on users machines is right way to do things.  They did take steps to improve the Apple Software Update after the Safari mess to make it more clear to the user that it’s offering New Software if they choose to install it.

Apple does clearly state in the MobileMe requirements that iTunes 7.7 is required for both Macs and Windows PCs.  Apple also states on it’s MobileMe on your PC Features page that:

“Easy setup with the Windows Control Panel. Setting up MobileMe to sync with your PC is simple. Just install the latest version of iTunes, and a MobileMe Preferences application is added to your Windows Control Panel. Sign in with your MobileMe member name and password and all of your settings are right there.”

However, the issue isn’t as much of the requirements, but as to why it’s being installed without the users knowledge.

I personally just upgraded to iTunes 7.7 on my Windows XP machine and sure enough, in the Control Panel are the MobileMe preferences.  Now, being a MobileMe subscriber, I think this integration with Windows is kind of cool on Apple’s part, however, I do see where some people might be upset that it was “slipped” into the Control Panel without their knowledge.

However after glancing through my Control Panel on my XP machine, I noticed the following items that where installed by 3rd Party software without my knowledge that they were adding a Control Panel item:

• Adobe Gamma (from Photoshop)
• Java (from Sun Microsystems)
• NVIDIA Control Panel (from NVIDIA)
• NVIDIA nView Desktop Manager (from NVIDIA)
• Sound Effect Manager (from ASUS)

I think Apple is just trying to make it easy for those that are MobileMe members to access the new features and preferences for the service, and clearly other vendors are using the same technique to install their own Control Panel items.

Personally I would have preferred that Apple only install the MobileMe Control Panel item if I was a MobileMe member and if I told iTunes to do so, otherwise, keep the item bundled within iTunes until needed.  Maybe they should have offered the option from within iTunes to install/uninstall the Control Panel item.  Who knows, much like the fuss from the Safari updates, maybe at some point enough people will complain and that’s just what Apple will do.  For me this doesn’t go just for Apple, but all 3rd party developers.  Give the option to the user as to what you put on my machine.

What are your thoughts?

Information Week has posted an interesting story about Microsoft admitting to Windows Vista mistakes, and about a new ad campaign to target a “pretty noisy competitor”.  In case you’ve been living under a rock (or have the 30 second skip enabled on your TiVo) that competitor would be Apple.

The details come from Brad Brooks, VP of Windows Vista consumer marketing, and he had quite a bit to say at a recent Microsoft Partner Conference.  In his statements, he admits to Microsoft breaking a lot of things, and causing a lot of pain.  He goes on to say that Microsoft will be starting a huge advertising campaign in the coming weeks to months.  The best part was the following quote from Brad Brooks,

“We’ve got a pretty noisy competitor out there,” Brooks said of Apple whose “I’m a Mac… and I’m a PC,” commercials criticize Windows Vista. “You know it. I know it. It’s caused some impact. We’re going to start countering it. They tell us it’s the iWay or the highway. We think that’s a sad message. Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life.”

So Mr. Brooks, you interpret “it’s the iWay or the highway” as what Apple is doing with it’s iLife applications as a bad thing?  What part of creating user friendly, intuitive applications that work and are seamlessly integrated into the entire Mac experience is a bad thing for consumers?  Has Microsoft been able to accomplish this yet with the likes of Windows Photo Gallery or Windows Movie Maker…I think not.

As for those Mac vs. PC ads, many of us within the die-hard Mac community are hoping that Apple changes gears and focus with the ads.  While we do continue to enjoy the Mac vs. PC commercials, we would like to have Apple start to change the tone of the commercials away from just bashing Vista, and instead to touting the superior features of OS X Leopard.  We have seen Apple take this approach with some of these type ads such as the Time Machine ad (link opens to a Quicktime movie), showing off the new automatic backup feature built directly into Leopard, and the Apple Genius Bar ad (link opens to a Quicktime movie), showing the benefits of the tech support you receive at your local Apple retail store.

Apple is clearly riding this ad campaign and the Vista bashing as long as possible, and why not, so far it seems to be working as the overall Mac market share continues to rise.  I’m actually hoping that Microsoft can come out with some interesting ads, to keep Apple on their toes so that they have to create new innovative ads to counter what Microsoft might show (however let’s hope it’s not the same marketing team that came up with the classic Microsoft internal Vista music video….yeah, sure it was a spoof, but man was it bad.)

Truth be told, in a lot of cases, Vista isn’t as bad as most ads and tech talk make it out to be.  I know people who are happily using Vista today with little problem (not many people, but a few).  However, from a pure user experience, after dealing with and using both Vista and Leopard, there is no doubt in my mind that Apple comes out ahead, far ahead.  And with Apple turning it’s focus to Snow Leopard, I think they have a head start on Microsoft and the Windows 7 team.  If both Snow Leopard and Windows 7 are to be fine tuned versions of their predecessors, Apple has a much better product in Leopard to start with than what Microsoft has in Vista.

Good luck Microsoft, I think they’ll need it, both in their operating systems and their marketing campaigns.