(Column) - This a relatively old topic, but it had me thinking the other day. Now that Apple’s Boot Camp is a success and works well with Windows, the company is amazingly well positioned to takedown Microsoft, at least in the consumer space. The non-Mac addicts were always worried to leave their trusty old Windows, but there’s nothing to worry about now. You, as Windows users, can experience a brand new platform (and its joys) and use Windows at the same time.

However, for that to happen, Apple needs to get out of its comfort zone and be a little more experimental from a pricing standpoint. Keep the hardware closed, but drop those stinky prices. It was all well and good to develop a product for the select few in the old days, but if Apple wants to takedown Microsoft, the company needs to be able to compete against Dell and HP, though I don’t recommend selling $500 PCs.

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Once the prices are on a more acceptable level, then start marketing them like Windows PCs. Apple is good at marketing and coming up with interesting marketing campaigns, I’m sure it can figure out a way to sell Windows with OS X at the same time. Use those PC guy, Mac guy commercials if you have to, albeit with a slight twist. I understand it’s going to be difficult to promote Microsoft, but hey, think about the long tail impact at Microsoft’s expense.

I was even going to recommend Apple to support Windows, but I think that may be pushing it a bit too much. So, for now, the aforementioned solutions should be a great way for Apple to inch their way onto Microsoft’s turf. Microsoft is in a vulnerable spot right now with continued loses from all sides (Internet and Zune, to name the top two), and the best thing to do would be to exploit them just at the right time.

In essence, I’m essentially asking for Apple to become a glorified OEM PC maker, and I say that with utmost respect to the company. Not only will that put a dent in Microsoft’s bottom line, but it will also have quite an impact on Dell, HP and an abundance of other PC makers.

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