Computer makers with no fashion sense

Perhaps its deal with trend-savvy Apple has gone to its head, but Intel is marketing self-proclaimed "chic" suede and other soft-skinned laptops. Blogma, being among the fashion-challenged, appreciates the effort but is compelled to ask: Why now?

The computer industry has long been notorious for its color blindness, at least until the iMac came along. That was made abundantly clear when computer executives reacted as though Apple had reinvented the wheel by daring to venture beyond the beige pallet sported by every other desktop on the market.

The truth is that, other than Steve Jobs and a few Sony engineers, computer industry executives seem inexplicably clueless about the importance of design among consumers. And given the look of some of their recent experiments, they might be well advised to to the motherboard.

Blog community response:

"It no longer matters what's inside the machine, it's what's on the outside. Its use doesn't have to be fast, functional, or even desirable feature-wise, just so long as it looks good. Is all of this marketing and fashion so Intel can cover up what's missing on the inside (performance, power, and features)?"
--Geek.com

"I'm hoping that they start to collaborate with some cool textile designers like Angela Adams or Lotta Jansdotter to start bringing even more style to laptops, rather than just blocks of color. Murakami could team up again with Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton for cute strawberries or peaches this time."
--Coquette

"Personalizing your notebook is one thing, but suede? Just think of the stains."
--InterActive Home

"The 'Think Different' thing? What's so damned 'different' about having this hulking box from Apple, that has the same generic design as every other hulking box from Apple, and that has a huge brand logo on it."
--moonbatty: nuanced