Design Matters

I just read the Trusted Reviews analysis of the ThinkPad X300 written by Riyad Emeran. I should buy him a fruit basket. He totally gets it with regard to the ThinkPad design. Here is my favorite quote:

“For me, the ThinkPad has a timeless design. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, black will always be the new black, no matter how many silver, titanium, red or pink pretenders make their way onto the market. While others have accused the ThinkPad of being staid and dated, I see it as sleek and stylish, in the same way that a 1973 Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS is always going to look stunning, even when placed next to something modern like an Audi R8. Put simply, great design stands the test of time and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! And when it comes to design, Lenovo’s latest extension of the ThinkPad brand manages to look even more sleek and stylish than any ThinkPad before it.“

If you want to read the full review go here.

David Hill

Today is officially Earth day. April 22nd marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. For me it’s also a chance to say good bye to some of the designs we have created over the years. Did we really design some of these relics?

Lenovo has set up in the parking lot a fleet of wire cages for people to deposit their old personal electronic devices in so they can be properly recycled. I think this is a great idea. The cages are rapidly filling with obsolete CRT’s, dot matrix printers, even a genuine simulated woodgrain television or two. Once the cages are full the contents are hauled off on skids to their final resting place. It’s hard to remember how bad those old clunker PC’s really looked until you get to see them one last time. Somehow they look even worse rendered in boring beige plastic.

David Hill

I found this entertaining “smackdown” video review from CNET and thought you might like seeing it. I couldn’t help but make the comparison to the famous Ali vs. Fraizer battle from 1975. The manila connection is just too funny. You may remember that after the fight Ali made this quote in a press conference. “Joe Frazier is the greatest fighter in the world, next to me.”  

Watch the video and see who won the epic CNET Smackdown.

David Hill