Apple Mac computers are now serious contenders for a place in the business world. Mac-Exchange integration on the server side and Mac-Windows compatibility on the desktop has taken Mac from personal use to business applications in one technological leap. What does this mean for you?

As a business owner, the Apple Mac computer vs. Microsoft Windows computer competition can be frustrating. Many companies, especially small businesses, struggle with Mac-Windows coexistence. For example, a small business owner may use Microsoft Windows at work because of its unarguable business applications, but Apple Mac computer at home because of its user-friendly platform. However, coexisting in a Mac-Windows divided business world may be easier than you think, thanks to Apps4Rent’s Exchange hosting services.

Converging Platforms – The New Windows Apple Mac Computer World

Over the past several years, the two have taken their main platforms and built something akin to a Mac Windows computer conglomerate. For individuals who use both technologies, these converging platforms are a huge boon, especially for business purposes. Here, we look at a few ways the Mac Windows creation has helped the business world merge the gap between Apple and Microsoft:

Apple Mac Exchange ActiveSync

Exchange with ActiveSync has been around for quite awhile as a Microsoft server application. However, now the Mac-Exchange server integration has improved. Besides the desktop mail applications such as Apple Mail and Microsoft Entourage, iPhone and iPod Touch both can be synchronized with Exchange ActiveSync for such things as Push Email, wireless calendar and contact syncing, and remotely wiping the device should you lose it. Using Microsoft’s Autodiscovery service, Apple devices find your Exchange server through a secure connection and synchronize the needed applications. Exchange hosting bridges the Mac Windows divide.

Boot Camp

How often have you had to send a file to a friend or associate to open because your iMac computer doesn’t support Windows, or your Windows computer won’t open iMac files? For that matter, how often have you come across a program you could really use that wasn’t created for your computer system? Introducing Boot Camp, a built-in utility that allows you to install Windows XP and Vista on an Apple Mac computer system.

The Boot Camp utility works in two ways:

One system at a time – Boot your iMac with the Mac operating system or with the Windows platform

Both systems – Run Apple Mac computer applications and Windows applications at the same time

Parallels & VMware Fusion

Even if your Mac isn’t a new version, you can still run Windows applications on your Apple Mac computer with third-party programs such as Parralels and VMware Fusion. Both programs work much the same as Boot Camp on Intel-based Macs, allowing you to run Windows applications on an iMac computer at the same time.

The most convenient part of a Mac Windows world is that, with the integration that Apple supplies and a hosted Exchange service from Microsoft, all of your applications – no matter what platform they’re on – can be integrated into one glorious, compatible bundle. No more worrying that iMac won’t support Microsoft applications, or Windows PC won’t work with Apple products; in the Mac Windows world, everybody plays well together.