OT New search site in Alpha...

It's called chacha and it uses real live people. Imagine that. chacha.com

Annie

Blue...Of course, I promised my wife I'd hold onto my iMac G5 for a minimum of 3 years...(sigh)

But did you promise not to buy another?

Annie

wdave, ah.....of course,

I was looking under boring, dull, uninspired (or is that uninspiron?) and zzzzzzz.............

50 people working on design? And that's what they come up with? Must be that committee business at work.

Annie

According to this Dell has 4 design languages.

Try as I might I can't find a translation for any of them.

Pimp my Dell

Aug 22, 2006 (TechNews via COMTEX) -- When you think about stylish, well-designed computer hardware, Apple Computer Inc. might come to mind. But one company whose products don't reap lavish praise for their good looks is Dell Inc. of Round Rock, Texas. And this seems to trouble Dell product group general manager John Medica no end.
"Quite often, folks aren't aware of the level of effort we are applying to ... the appearance and the identity of our products," he said, sounding a tad like Rodney "No Respect" Dangerfield.

In fact, the company has 50 individuals devoted to the look and feel of Dell's products, he said. And recently, the company started to "re-energize" its physical designs, thanks to changes in motherboard design wrought by the new thermal demands of multicore processors, as well as by recent European environmental laws. There's a unified design aesthetic behind each of Dell's products, Medica said. Just as you can recognize a BMW car no matter what year or make, so too you should be able to recognize a Dell.

"A design language is a purposeful combination of the forms, finishes and design details. You create a language that supports the brand and identity you are trying to portray to an end user," Medica said.

Dell has four design languages. In the data center, the company's PowerEdge servers and PowerConnect network gear sport the Aviator look, an understated flat-black and brushed-metal design meant to convey durability and reliability. In the front office, you will see laser printers, Latitude notebooks and OptiPlex desktop computers sporting the Laminar design. Glossy black-and-silver trim dominate - stylish but not too stylish. Consumers and small-business customers get the Wrap design, in which the ink-jet printers and PCs come with a home appliance feel, lighter colors and as few buttons as possible. The models must convey not only reliability but also "freshness," Medica said. And finally, home entertainment units (widescreen televisions and media PCs) get the Stratosphere design, a futuristic look with thin form factors and gentle curves.

"There is a rhyme and reason here. All of our products look like they come from the same place. This is not an orphanage," Medica said.

URL: http://www.gcn.com

Copyright (c) 2006 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc.

ewww! Those are seriously ugly. eom

Oh roni! Not good.

Glad Kathy is OK. Sorry about the car. What did you replace it with. A tank?

Annie

Thanks Jim,

I told you. Stupid questions.

Annie

howlong, re: recs.....

Ok, I'm Annie and I'm one of the board dummies, frequently asking stupid questions. Here's one. What's a rec?

Annie

P.S. I have been known to eat worms. Ask anyone.

sinclap...yeah, Apple's shaking in their boots over that one.

Good grief, it sounds like a real dog when you read the whole article. More things it can't do than can.

Annie

WLD, welcome to SF EOM

Niiiiice........Midnight the cat

That's all I remember besides Froggy. I can't remember the name of the show.

Midnight was a real cat. I remember that and Froggy was a little off.

Annie

Hmmm, well that was too easy. EOM

And who knows the name of the sister of the wife of the man who said that?

Or the wife or the man? And no fair looking it up.

Annie

Oh, I'm talking about tomm's latest.

Flogging? About the head and shoulders?

Or, in this case, the screen and keyboard?

Seems a bit extreme, no?

Annie

Why?

Aside from it's the right thing to do I mean.

Apple Launches Free Computer Take-Back Program

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 31, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Apple(R) today announced the launch of its free computer take-back program, offering US customers environmentally friendly recycling of their old computer when they buy a new Mac(R). Beginning today, the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com) and Apple retail stores will give US customers the option of recycling their unwanted PCs, regardless of the manufacturer.
When a customer chooses to participate in the program, Apple will send an email with instructions and a label for free shipping and recycling. Customers simply package their recyclable equipment and attach the label provided. All equipment received by the program is recycled domestically and no hazardous material is shipped overseas.

Apple's recycling programs have processed more than 21 million pounds of electronics worldwide since 1994. Apple continues to offer a free iPod(R) recycling program through its US retail stores, providing environmentally friendly disposal of any unwanted iPod and a 10 percent discount on the purchase of a new iPod. The company also operates a free drop-off recycling service at its headquarters in Cupertino for used computer systems and home electronics.

More information on Apple's recycling programs and industry-leading environmental policies is available online at apple.com/environment.

Apple's free computer take-back program is offered to customers in the 48 contiguous United States.

Annie

tom, wouldn't that be a Pedmeter? eom

lango or anyone, re: announcement.

Where did 8;00 AM PDT come from? The reason I ask is that usually anything Apple occurs in west coast time and for Steve that seems to begin no earlier than 9:00 AM if no !0:00.

Annie

Love the etereal cat. EOM

re: cube......wow!

I'm impressed! Steve said we may not have seen the end of the cube, or words to that effect, but I never imagined this.

Not sure if I am reminded more of I.M. Pei or Larry Bell.

Annie

And for your amusement....way OT

If you have not already seen Colbert's roast of dubya at the White House Correspondents Dinner here it is. Shameless and brave and wonderful and really funny.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879

Annie

P.S. If you are a Bush fan you won't like it and I don't want to hear about it. BTW, what happened to Kurt?

And then there's DonHarrold.com.

He or it rates Apple a sell. Who the hell is Don Harrold?

Annie

Is this why we're selling off?

And if so why?

http://shorterlink.com/?8F3ROR

Creative is suing Apple over the iPod UI. Didn't they already do that?

And if they had such a great product and technology why didn't they beat Apple to the punch? Why are they doing this now? If you can't beat'em sue'em?

Sheeesh!

Annie

So much sound so few ears.

Good grief! The possibilities are endless. I thought fi's idea was great until I saw that it was discontinued.

There's nothing for it but to trundle off to Cambridge Sound Works and Comp USA and who knows where else.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'll be sure to check out the knobs

Annie

Speakers again....

Crayola's next new color?

I had to laugh when I looked at the choices for finish on the Sound Works system. One choice is "computer beige". Yuck! Could anything say boring, tedious, dull, unimaginative, follow the masses, etc. more than computer beige?

Annie

Heywood, tom and Lango,

Thanks for the speaker tips. I'll check all of them out. Boy, they sure aren't pretty are they? I guess I'm asking too much to have both good looks and great sound.

Lango, I've passed by that store many times but have never gone in. I would not have remembered had you not reminded me. Thanks.

Annie

Speakers,

I need new speakers for my new mini set up as the old ones don't work.

First hand advice would be really swell as going into an Apple store is useless for listening purposes. Say what?

And then there's the invisible factor that has fallen upon me so help is not forthcoming from the 20 somethings that work there.

Oh, one more thing. It would be nice if I didn't have to spend over $150.00 for half way decent sound.

Thanks in advance,
Annie

29,679,570 shares traded....

and we're down a penney. I hate to think what would have happened if we traded 29, 679,571 shares. Sheeesh!

Annie

roni, re: unkempt.

What should he have been? It's kind of tough.

If he was well dressed and hip you turn off the people who already think Macs cost too much. If he's nerdy looking perhaps you turn off those who are not real computer savvy. If he's older and arty you turn off creatively impaired types and on and on.

I like him because he is approachable. He works for me.

I liked all the ads but I'm biased.

Annie

OT cc....are you watching George and Gracie?

Really fun this year with a streaming video.

Annie

OT Bootz, that's a beauty...

and yes they are very weird plants. They also have a tendency to eat your house if you don't keep them pruned.

Annie

Bootz, perfect!

I have a client who is looking for just that fabric. How much by the yard? And how does it hold up in a south facing window?

Annie

tarmar, thanks, tried that.

Didn't work either.

Annie

Oh argh......eom

WMP question for anyone with a new Intel puter.

I can't get WMP to install on my new mini. I wouldn't normally even want it except that the web cam for our Peregrines uses WMP. It works fine on the older iMac. Anyone out there using it?

Annie

yof, oh good grief.....

What's next? A belly band with tiny speakers for pregnant moms to wear?

Annie

Herb, yup, thanks. EOM

lango, that's it......duh

Thanks. I always seem to go stupid when I have to configure a new puter, or maybe I'm always stupid and this just brings it to the front.

Anyway, thank you.

I also hope the Cube can be resurrected at some point. Looking at the Mini is not awe inspiring. This 23" screen is pretty nifty though.

Back to work,
Annie

Help please......

I'm trying to set up the new mini and I lost so many things that I hadn't backed up. I can't find or remember the name of the App or whatever it was that had all the little symbols in it. I've searched Apple and Googled it but to no avail. Someone was just talking about it a few weeks ago.

Any help would be appreciated.

Good grief, I hate this part.

Annie

It's here!!!!

Finally the mini arrived. Now all I need is some time to hook it up and transfer all my old stuff.

But the main reason for the post is to tell you what the FedEx guy said. He knew what was in the box even though there is no indication on the outside. You would have to know that the Elk Grove address was Apple. Anyway, he said he's been delivering a lot of them since the Windows deal. He attributed the increase in deliveries to that. So next quarter might be really great. Isn't that one usually a bit slim?

Annie

Blue, it's a last gasp em