Psystar puts Blu-ray on a Mac OS desktop first
Although reportedly now in legal mediation talks with Apple, Mac clonemaker Psystar this week introduced Blu-ray -- a technology not yet supported by Apple -- in an optional drive for its Mac desktop PCs.
A furious round of legal charges and countercharges with Apple hasn't stopped Psystar from shipping its latest Mac clone, a desktop PC enabled with Blu-ray. Meanwhile, accounts are surfacing that the clone maker plans a Mac laptop, too.
Psystar announced in a press release this week that it has started shipping its Psystar Open Computer with options for a Blu-ray drive and an Nvidia 9800GT graphics card. Adding a Blu-ray drive raises the base price of the desktop Mac clone by $310 to $864.99.
Rudy Pedraza, Psystar's president, leveraged the press release to denounce Apple for delaying support for Blu-ray, a technology characterized by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at Apple's latest notebook PC launch as "a bag of hurt."
"Blu-ray has already won the format war. Not only is there fully functional and mature support for Blu-ray in other operating systems but you can now rent Blu-ray discs from almost any rental chain. Blu-ray has become pervasive technology that is being widely adopted by consumers everywhere," Pedraza contended.
Meanwhile, amid industry rumors that Psystar also plans a notebook clone, AppleInsider reported receiving confirmation this week from a Psystar spokesperson that, "Although there is no mobile [Open Computer] at the moment, I can tell you that it is something that is in development."
Psystar has been embroiled in a legal skirmish with Apple which started when Apple accused Psystar of copyright and trademark infringement and breach of contract. Apple charged, too, that Psystar made modifications to the Mac OS code that allowed the software to run on Psystar's hardware.
As previously reported in BetaNews, Psystar tried to turn the tables in mid-August, denying these charges and maintaining instead that Apple has violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by tying Mac OS X to Apple-labeled hardware, and the Clayton Antitrust Act by engaging in monopolistic practices and exclusive dealings.
Apple's lawyers shot back in early October with the accusation that Psystar is simply making an "attempt to direct attention from its infringing conduct."
In mid-October, Mac Observer reported that Apple and Psystar had agreed to pursue a mediated settlement to their dispute.
BetaNews today also requested confirmation from Psystar about the rumored notebook. This story will be updated if that confirmation is received.