If you’ve been looking to get into the Mac market, but don’t want to pay the Jobs Tax (read: actually pay a reasonable price to get quality hardware) then Psystar has come to the rescue… sorta. That white box to the left (also available in Black) is what’s called the OpenMac. It is a product of the underground movement called OSX86 which was formed when Apple announced its move to Intel-based processors. It is, for all intents and purposes, a Mac inside. It uses most of the same components, which are generally available Intel parts, to mimic the hardware architecture of most mow to midrange Macintosh systems.

So, why “sorta”? Because its not really a Mac. Sure, you can install Mac OS X on it without having to use an illegally hacked copy, but because it [uses an EFI emulator] so its not compatible with some hardware updates. In other words, this isn’t your grandpa’s Mac. If you’re into minivans, being a soccer mom, cruise the web for the latest investment ideas, or relish the idea of more pictures of your neighbor’s litter of kittens, this system likely isn’t for you. If, however, you hack kernels before breakfast, slipstream ISOs in your sleep, or can name at least 20 Apple project codenames without pausing, then you should investigate this US$399 little creature. [Editor's Note: The last time I checked, the site was available. -.Ed]

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