RussianMac starts shipping Mac clones

Despite the recent legal battles, RussianMac starts its shipment this week.

The black Minibook

The white one

Apple can’t sit back relaxing anytime soon. There are Mac-clone manufacturers adding up day after day. RussianMac is the latest one to join the race with Psystar and PearC in making systems that they claim will give you the exact experience of a Mac, and they come much cheaper as well.

RussianMac offers a whole load of different Mac-clone models, ranging from PowerMac-like machines to a tiny netbook model – reports osnews. The MiniBook – a multimedia/home theater model, the Standart, the PRO, the Mini, and the Book. See you even get to keep the same names – and more! Specifications and prices are listed on this page, but “note that the RussianMac/Apple comparisons made on that page are completely nuts” – as osnews rightly puts up. They are pretty cheap as mentioned above, though. Let’s see what they are offering –

Minibook

For a start, this one is not the clone of any particular Apple Macbook, but “inspired by” one. Computers are adapted to work with Mac OS X. All the software works flawlessly including the built in update utility. This laptop is based on Asus and powered by a uninuclear Intel Atom-N270 1.6Ghz (533 MHz / 512Kb) and 1GB of DDR2 RAM with one more GB as optional. This one has a disk space of 160GB.

Your quest for a high-performance graphics card doesn’t end here with the Minibook offering an Intel GMA950 to take care of the graphics. This 10.2-inch machine has a matted display with resolution of 1024 x 600.

Other specs include -

·         Sound: Built-in speakers

·         Communications: WiFi (IEEE 802.11b/g/n) + Bluetooth 2.0

·         Webcam: built, 1.3MP

·         CD / DVD: absent (connects via USB, the assembly is not included, +2.800 rub.)

·         External Interfaces: 3 x USB 2.0, VGA, headphone, slot for memory cards to work with MMC / SD

·         Battery: 6-element lithium yonny, 7.4V, 6600mAch

·         Working time: up to 6h.

·         Weight with battery: 1.43 kg.

·         Dimensions: 26.5 x 4.5 x 19.2 cm

·         Options: The kit includes a soft carrying case.

This small baby comes in white and black and retails at a disgustingly low 19.200 py6 (Euros) but we guess the page means Russian Rubel which would translate to about $620.

RussianMac joins US Psystar and German PearC, who also offer a number of machines with Mac OS X pre-installed. Psystar is currently involved in a legal battle with Apple, but PearC hasn’t been affected badly yet thanks to the different European laws. German law states that EULAs must be presented before purchase in order to be valid, and this is where PearC hides behind – as pointed out by osnews. The situation in Russia could be even worse as Russians, like China, are pretty determined to protect its home companies against the MNCs particularly from US.

Apple has long accused some secret bigger third party who could be backing Psystar, and this might well be a case of extended identity.