Perhaps, Desmond, you can tell us then how Apple devices and their software can solve the business need.

As far as I understand it apple devices lack plenty of the management features that a business will require - let alone actual products. Where is their enterprise email system, collaboration system, software deployment system, management system, database software, encryption software that is compliant with governmental standards?

You tell us!

The big problem for corporate use is the lack of an enterprise level server OS and no proper hardware upon which to run the rather half-hearted offering.

Rather odd that, using an MP3 player for the purposes you allude to.

Please provide verifiable references/links to this information for further consideration.

Why would anyone want to use an iPOD for business purposes, especially when it is not marketed as such.

And of course, you would use an MP3 player for business purposes.

It takes a hell of a lot of imagination to understand the use of an MP3 player in the workplace, other than to erm, play MP3s.

Last time I used a Apple/ Mac in a working environment was in the 80's.
I've used countless Windows, many in-house systems, and even SAP.

So from personal experience there must be something lacking in regard to business needs.

The main problem that we used to have with Macs was that they just wouldn't integrate with our systems. Networks almost exclusively run on Windows Server and the more serious stuff ran on IBM mainframes. Windows machines, naturally, integrate well with Windows Server, Macs don't. And, again, IBM support integration with Windows machines (not really that different from OS/2 as they started from a common code base) but not Macs.

The Macs were used exclusively in the design department and were really just standalone machines. We did also run OS X server on an XServe, but that is all history now. Most enterprises don't care what the computers look like, or how cool they are; they just want them to work well with other IT systems.

for those that think the desktop is just the same as windows 7, if we ignore the aero removal, if we also ignore the start menu removal.

Double click a file with a unknown file extension and look at the interface, you get a metro popup on the desktop, the window cannot be dragged around, it has no x to close it or a cancel button, the background colour etc. dont match the desktop, if you then click search for a program to use, the icons have a background colour which matches metro and looks very odd on the desktop like its in alpha or something.

Also it seems the IE10 enhanced protected mode I mentioned earlier isnt working for me now, seems somewhat buggy. Plus frequent crashes in IE10.

Ironically microsoft had full aero in the windows 8 preview, it was only removed on the RTM version at the last minute (quite possibly also on earlier internal builds). People developing aero for windows 8 RTM have got DCMA notices from microsoft.

In reply to a post by AEP:

The main problem that we used to have with Macs was that they just wouldn't integrate with our systems. Networks almost exclusively run on Windows Server and the more serious stuff ran on IBM mainframes. Windows machines, naturally, integrate well with Windows Server, Macs don't. And, again, IBM support integration with Windows machines (not really that different from OS/2 as they started from a common code base) but not Macs.

The Macs were used exclusively in the design department and were really just standalone machines. We did also run OS X server on an XServe, but that is all history now. Most enterprises don't care what the computers look like, or how cool they are; they just want them to work well with other IT systems.

All the business I know off and have worked for have never used the latest windows version, one I worked for when vista had launched and even had vista oem keys written on all their desktops was using NT4 for their OS. Of all the business's I know now the majority use either XP or windows 2000. I dont know any using vista or windows 7 except for a few machines. Now windows 8 is launched a business ahs no urgent need to use it, windows 7 is supported for many years yet but even when EOL hits, businesses dont seem to care and will still use an EOL OS if they have no business case to upgrade.