According to a new support document from Apple, the OS X utility Boot Camp—which allows a Mac owner to run Windows on a separate partition—now allows only Windows 7 to be installed in a fresh OS X Lion installation. This is because version 4 of Boot Camp that comes with OS X Lion requires an authentic 32- or 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate disc.

Look’s like somebody’s got some explaining to do. Microsoft’s Partner Group Manager Simon Aldus put his foot in his mouth and started running when he told the PCR website that Windows 7 was borrowing from OS X: “One of the things that people say an awful lot about the Apple Mac is that the OS is fantastic, that it’s very graphical and easy to use. What we’ve tried to do with Windows 7—whether it’s traditional format or in a touch format—is create a Mac look and feel in terms of graphics.

Assuming you had the right hardware, properly loaded software drivers, and the gods of fortune were smiling favorably upon you, Windows Vista brought what was arguably one of the biggest changes to the Windows User Interface since Windows 95. XP really warmed over what had already been accomplished, then wrapped it in some plasticy looking windows. By contrast, all versions of Mac OS X have delivered serious updates to the user interface, though we will have to wait to see what, if anything, Snow Leopard presents us.

I have been using the Safari 4 beta for a little over 24 hours now on both Windows XP/Vista and OS X Tiger/Leopard. Apart from the slight learning curve (where’d my Tab bar go?!), I have to say, I love the OS X version. The Windows side of things is, decidedly, a mixed bag. Apple appears to have answered several major criticisms, though I’m not sure this is entirely a good thing.

XKCD Comics, an extremely popular online comic strip that can usually be found among the top ten stories on Digg, has created a pretty funny comic about the new Windows 7 beta. This beta, which has been released to the public (2.5 million to be exact) this week at CES, is being offered by Microsoft as an update from their current operating system, Vista. Although it is still in the beta process, many users believe it already has quite a few improvements over Vista. Most are even saying Windows 7 is what Vista should have been.

Apple has fired back in the ad wars. See the ads here, read thoughtful analysis of the point Apple seeks to make here or here. More important than this second round of cinematic squabbling, however, are reactions to the campaigns: blogs the world over are sounding off with reactions, analysis, ranting…even remixes! In all the confusion (as though presidential campaign ads weren’t enough, right?), it can be helpful to pause and consider the messages Apple and Microsoft are sending.

The Ballmer brigade up there in Redmond really are shameless. The irony is almost as hilarious as it is ridiculous.

For those who don’t know, Microsoft recently ended their short lived Jerry Seinfeld campaign, and started a new campaign featuring a John Hodgeman look-alike and various other people ranging from celebrities like Eva Longoria and Deepak Chopra, to ordinary joes, to Microsoft chairman Bill Gates himself.

Microsoft is hoping that their new, more direct response to Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign will help revitalize the Windows brand’s tarnished image.

Strange, because Microsoft doesn’t seem to think their products are all that great for video and image editing themselves, as they’ve admitted to creating their latest ad on a Mac…

A number of Windows Vista users are having problems with iTunes 8, causing the operating system to display a “Blue Screen of Death” when an iPod/iPhone is connected for syncing. Apple yesterday released a technical note suggesting that Windows Vista users should uninstall Apple Mobile Device Support, then restart their computer, and finally re-install iTunes 8. At the time of writing, it’s unknown what the exact error within Apple Mobile Device Support was causing the BSOD.

Seems like Microsoft is trying to duplicate a few of Apple’s defining strategies. First the funny(?) Seinfeld ads, and now, as part of a $300 million dollar marketing effort, Microsoft confirmed that they will be employing in-store representatives to act as Genius-like Microsoft know-it-alls, called Gurus. The company also plans to employ a good number of floor specialists (equivalent to Apple’s Personal Shoppers or Concierge) in a trial run at Circuit City and Best Buy.

Details after the break.

Microsoft’s new ads dubbed “The Mojave Experiment” are a breed of their own. They reek of damage control, selective editing, and good old manipulation. Advertising annoys me in general, but these type of ads are especially maddening. Why? Because it is 100% certain that there will be tons of computer-illiterate folks who see these ads and don’t consider all the reasons why they show absolutely nothing at all.

Let’s begin at the beginning. Many troubles with Vista revolve around incompatibility. With computers, printers, scanners…everything under the sun. In the “Mojave Experiment,” Microsoft has pre-selected software, computers and peripherals that have all been tested and work fine with Vista. There was no opportunity for the surveyed users to take “Mojave” home and try to set it up with all their existing gadgets. Most “real users” liked Vista fine, at first, too, but then ended up scrapping it due to problems starting with troublesome installations. When those surveyed were testing “Mojave,” it had already been installed, as had all the programs. No hassle. This is enough of a problem already, as many stopped using Vista altogether based simply upon these two factors, neither of which were even addressed here.

The problems I pointed out above are further compounded by the fact that the people surveyed never even got to use “Mojave.” I repeat: Never. Used It. Find out how the “Mojave Experiment” was conducted, and learn more reasons why it illustrates nothing, after the break.