Cues Other Companies Need to Take from Apple

[thebeesknees]

Well, as I will need a new laptop pretty soon, I've stared doing some research. I've pretty much narrowed it down to a MacBook, just because I love me some Apple, but as I was looking on other websites (Dell, HP, Sony, Acer, Asus), I've realized that the Apple website is such a marvel. So, here are some things that I think that other companies to to blatantly rip off from Apple.

1. Less confusing model names. PLEASE. Anyone who has looked at the Sony laptops will be confused. There's the SR, the AR, and a trillion other things that make no sense. With Apple, there's the MacBook, the entry model, the MacBook Pro, the professional model, and the MacBook Air, the ultaportable laptop.

2. More details. I think all of us are guilty of going to the Apple website, and drooling over the laptops. Toshiba's good in the fact that it has the Explore site, but Dell is pretty much just the store.

3. Open up brick-and-mortar stores. I know it won't happen, but oh, so nice. I was at the Apple store today. Remember the feeling when you were a kid, when you walked into the new playground, and it was so shiny and nice? Yeah, that was the Apple Store.

4. Make it easy to buy your products! I think that Asus and Acer don't want you to buy their products. Ugh, it is impossible to navigate that site.... Ugh.

So, any of you guys want to add to this slightly short list?

 

[Aperture]

Well, as I will need a new laptop pretty soon, I've stared doing some research. I've pretty much narrowed it down to a MacBook, just because I love me some Apple, but as I was looking on other websites (Dell, HP, Sony, Acer, Asus), I've realized that the Apple website is such a marvel. So, here are some things that I think that other companies to to blatantly rip off from Apple.

1. Less confusing model names. PLEASE. Anyone who has looked at the Sony laptops will be confused. There's the SR, the AR, and a trillion other things that make no sense. With Apple, there's the MacBook, the entry model, the MacBook Pro, the professional model, and the MacBook Air, the ultaportable laptop.

2. More details. I think all of us are guilty of going to the Apple website, and drooling over the laptops. Toshiba's good in the fact that it has the Explore site, but Dell is pretty much just the store.

3. Open up brick-and-mortar stores. I know it won't happen, but oh, so nice. I was at the Apple store today. Remember the feeling when you were a kid, when you walked into the new playground, and it was so shiny and nice? Yeah, that was the Apple Store.

4. Make it easy to buy your products! I think that Asus and Acer don't want you to buy their products. Ugh, it is impossible to navigate that site.... Ugh.

So, any of you guys want to add to this slightly short list?

#3 is difficult. Do you remember the Gateway "stores"?

 

[thebeesknees]

#3 is difficult. Do you remember the Gateway "stores"?

No, I wasn't aware they had stores...

Off to Wikipedia!

 

[zap2]

I agree that Asus and Acer have terrible web site, seriously, you guys are computer companies! Sure you mainly hardware, but still!

And Apple has a simple line up, other are not so simple, and have more complex name because of it. Bad idea, but its an off shoot of having more models to pick from.

 

[thebeesknees]

I agree that Asus and Acer have terrible web site, seriously, you guys are computer companies! Sure you mainly hardware, but still!

And Apple has a simple line up, other are not so simple, and have more complex name because of it. Bad idea, but its an off shoot of having more models to pick from.

True. But they could simplify the name. Instead of Vaio AR, it could be Vaio Pro.

 

[madfresh]

One thing I wish companies would borrow from apple is better designs. Seriously, how hard is it to make your products look good? Sony just released a new all-in-one, and it still looks like garbage compared to the iMac.

 

[thebeesknees]

One thing I wish companies would borrow from apple is better designs. Seriously, how hard is it to make your products look good? Sony just released a new all-in-one, and it still looks like garbage compared to the iMac.

I dunno, I think Windows PX's are getting better in that. The Dell all in one is nice looking. The XPS laptops are nice, and the HP Pavilion dv series all have really nice design (what's cool about those laptops is the fact that the color is within the plastic, rather than just sprayed on. Sorta like the difference between tattoos and face paint)

 

[wako]

3. Open up brick-and-mortar stores. I know it won't happen, but oh, so nice. I was at the Apple store today. Remember the feeling when you were a kid, when you walked into the new playground, and it was so shiny and nice? Yeah, that was the Apple Store.

4. Make it easy to buy your products! I think that Asus and Acer don't want you to buy their products. Ugh, it is impossible to navigate that site.... Ugh.

Gateway had stores, FAILED. Dell had stores, FAILED. HP at one VERY SMALL POINT had stores, FAILED. Sony is the ONLY other electronic store that still sells their own computers at their stores. Their stores I must say are pretty cool from TVs, to computers, to ps3s, to cameras, to even unlocked phones as well. Many computer companies have tried opening stores and have failed miserably. Simply because their products dont have as much hype as Apple does thus very little sale and a store that just keeps sucking away profits from the company.

At your last point, making it easy to buy a product. I dont know if you ever been to an Apple store, or had the priviledge to work at one. But one of the things I heard over and over when I worked at one was, "What does it take to just buy this thing?!" Of course its not the same with online but I just found it really funny that you said it was easy to buy. It just sure didnt seem like it at an Apple store. Brick and mortar too!

 

[thebeesknees]

Gateway had stores, FAILED. Dell had stores, FAILED. HP at one VERY SMALL POINT had stores, FAILED. Sony is the ONLY other electronic store that still sells their own computers at their stores. Their stores I must say are pretty cool from TVs, to computers, to ps3s, to cameras, to even unlocked phones as well. Many computer companies have tried opening stores and have failed miserably. Simply because their products dont have as much hype as Apple does thus very little sale and a store that just keeps sucking away profits from the company.

At your last point, making it easy to buy a product. I dont know if you ever been to an Apple store, or had the priviledge to work at one. But one of the things I heard over and over when I worked at one was, "What does it take to just buy this thing?!" Of course its not the same with online but I just found it really funny that you said it was easy to buy. It just sure didnt seem like it at an Apple store. Brick and mortar too!

BUt I mean at the Asus, Acer sites, there are no "Buy now" link. ARGH.

 

[zap2]

Dell had stores, FAILED.

Didn't they not sell the products? That would be annoying "Oh, this laptop is cool, and so cheap, can I get one?" "No, go home and buy it online"


Not the best plan.

 

[Aperture]

Didn't they not sell the products? That would be annoying "Oh, this laptop is cool, and so cheap, can I get one?" "No, go home and buy it online"


Not the best plan.

The problem is that Dell allows so much customization on their machines it wouldn't be very feasible to run a brick & mortar retail store. (Then again, they sell through Walmart now)

 

[wako]

Didn't they not sell the products? That would be annoying "Oh, this laptop is cool, and so cheap, can I get one?" "No, go home and buy it online"


Not the best plan.

actually you go over there and ask to buy a computer and they pretty much logon to the website and buy it for you there

 

[belvdr]

actually you go over there and ask to buy a computer and they pretty much logon to the website and buy it for you there

And that's exactly what Apple did to me when I bought my iMac when they first came out. I was like "Gee thanks, what a help you are."