Psystar Mac Clone Changes Name Amid Apple Controversy

Psystar, the little company out of Miami Florida unveiled its Hackintosh now dubbed; Open Computer (previously named OpenMac). It’s a PC that runs OS X 10.5 (aka Leopard) completely outside support from Apple. Somewhere an alarm is sounding at Apple awakening the legal team.

Psystar wouldn’t be the first to develop a PC that’ll run Mac OS. But they might be the first to put it on the market.  Have you always wanted a Mac but were dismayed the premium prices for a genuine Apple product? Psystar wants to answer that call! The company released its product this week under the name OpenMac but has since quietly changed the name to Open Computer. Perhaps Apple’s legal team wasted no time flexing its muscle.

Considering Apple’s strict end user license agreement (EULA) the deal on a cheap Mac clone is likely to run into trouble with Apple. If not direct legal trouble it’ll almost certain attract software updates aimed at sabotaging unlicensed Leopard installs.

Psystar Mac Clone specs

• 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
• 2 GB DDR2 667 RAM
• 250 GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
• Integrated Intel GMA 950 Graphics
• DVD+/-R Optical Drive
• 4 USB ports

The company operating outside of Apple’s blessing claims its computers are fully compatible but might require some minimal patching. Using Leopard compatible parts and an EFI emulator the system arrives at your door with the Mac OS preinstalled.

Although it should be noted that this is not an endorsement of the product, Audioholics has not seen a third party verification of the Open Computer. The product stands on shaky ground. Regardless of how you feel about supporting Apple or contributing to Job’s dollar-a-year salary, this computer is likely to be unsafe at any speed.

Apple is known to treat paying customers (who add third party software to iPhone) with hostile firmware updates designed to break the iPhone. Installing software updates to your new Mac clone will be ill-advised. Anyone dabbling in any PC–Mac option should avoid official Apple updates, keep current backups and be prepared to re-install the operating system just in case.