Originality matters
Okay, so I like originality.
Now, I understand that sometimes originality isn’t much of an option. Or it’s in everyone’s best interest to be unoriginal.
But when you perfectly well have the ability to be original, and you choose to not be original, I think that’s a problem.
Take this device for instance:
This is a MacBook Pro, made by Apple. It’s original. It doesn’t look like any other device before it, except the previous MacBook Pro/PowerBook models.
Let’s look at another device.
This is the HP Envy 15. HP’s latest and greatest.
Now, if you couldn’t tell the difference between the two when you first looked at it, don’t worry. I couldn’t either. In fact, I kept looking at it in disbelief. Disbelief at how blatantly apparent it is that HP didn’t even try to come up with something new. Couldn’t they at least make it look like their older models? Or something not Apple-like?
Why?
It’s quite annoying to me. Not that I’m personally offended, of course. But it’s just painful to see.
And sometimes, it’s just plain funny.
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In HP’s defense, their computers are much less expensive. Don’t get me wrong, Apple products are, for the most part, absolutely phenomenal. But I’ll probably be getting a new laptop sometime near the beginning of college and I anticipate turning to HP. Apple has “big bang”, but HP has slightly less “bang” for much less “buck”. Thoughts?
We have had bad luck with HP but love both Toshiba and Sony. I got my Acer laptop four years ago and it has really gone downhill in the 6 months, but for being a $500 laptop nearly half a decade ago, it has held up pretty well. Our Sony Vaio desktop has lasted us for 8 years now and still is running strong. I have heard from numerous people that they like their Toshiba laptops. My mom recently got a Toshiba and really likes it.
I will most likely be getting a new laptop soon, and chances are I will end up with Toshiba.
Ah yes, this reminds me of my dad’s laptop, a Toshiba Satellite, which he’s had for the past…sheesh, he’s had for a LONG time (I can’t remember how long exactly). As far as hardware is concerned, it’s held up really really well, almost brand new looking. But software-wise, he’s had to dump it and re-partition it quite a few times, thanks to Windows XP and a few other things he’s had on it.
@ Andrew – When you plan on getting a laptop, I wouldn’t doubt that it would come with Windows 8 (maybe 7, it depends on a few things). You could even install Ubuntu! Matt would like that :P
First off, don’t by an HP computer. They have the highest failure rates of any computer on the market right now. Your best money spent would be with Asus, Toshiba, or Apple.
http://www.squaretrade.com/htm/pdf/SquareTrade_laptop_reliability_1109.pdf
Second, while I’m not necessarily dissing any brand, my beef here is originality in design, UI, etc. HP could very well have come up with something that DIDN’T look like a MacBook. But they chose to pose, for those people who might say “well, it’s not a MacBook, but it looks like one!”
Third, the HP Envy 15 starts at $1,100. The MacBook Pro starts at $1,200. Sure, there are other laptops out there that cost far less, but you also have to consider this: you get what you pay for.
I’m sure you remember my Eee PC netbook ($200) which I got at the beginning of 2010. Why do I not use it now? The screen started to come apart, the battery wouldn’t charge, it was falling apart after a YEAR of normal use. Compare that to the MacBook ($999) a friend got as a gift in 2007. It’s still as resilient as ever, with the exception of the HD and RAM which was upgraded to accommodate newer programs. You might remember Mr. Butcher’s 2005/2006 MacBook before he got the Pro last year. It worked perfectly well, but he received the Pro as a gift.
Of course, you know I’m not trying to be hostile about it. If you want to go with PC, you have your reasons!
Although I DO recommend that you spend the money for a MacBook :P