Windows and Boot Camp Preinstalled on Macs

Apple clearly stated that they would not start bundling Windows with Macs, and they will probably stick by those words, however, many resellers are doing this, and now you can buy Macs preloaded with Boot Camp and Windows.

"ExperCom is touting a $2,029 MacBook Pro with Windows XP Home pre-loaded; the price is just $35 above the Apple price for the portable. Meanwhile, ClubMac.com, MacMall.com, and OnSale.com -- all three part of Torrance, Calif.-based PC Mall -- list MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini machines with XP Home or XP Professional installed," Gregg Keizer reports for TechWeb.com.

Much like Apple, these resellers do not offer support for Windows, so they are not offering more than the convenience of not having to go out and get Windows and installing it yourself. Interestingly enough, Boot Camp is a beta, and while it is 'currently available' in this incarnation, it is as of yet unclear how long it will remain so. If Apple pulls back the current Boot Camp when Leopard comes out, this practice will stop. In the mean time, this is great news for Apple resellers who have a hard time competing with Apple prices. Preinstalling Boot Camp and Windows is excellent 'added value' that lets them differentiate the product and make a sale.