Apple Never Designed the iPad - They Undesigned it

Post by Samuel_Michon » Fri, Dec 09, 2011, 6:15 AM UTC

zmmmmm wrote: post #220

Samuel_Michon wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Notice the color, shape and style of the laptops you see, especially their displays. They nearly all have black bezel, are rectangular with rounded corners." Where do you think Samsung got their inspiration for those designs? What did Samsung's notebooks look like before Apple's MacBook Pro was around? Example: http://bit.ly/ufAt6y

I'm not quite sure what your point is - certainly Samsung was making laptops with the same black design theme prior to the iPad's release. I very much doubt they changed their whole line of laptops to look like the iPad.

Post by jopt » Fri, Dec 09, 2011, 7:23 AM UTC

freehunter wrote: post #177

jopt wrote: post #63

The author seems to argue that only unsuccessful design is entitled to protection.

No, just that only non-obvious design should be entitled to protection. A thumb-width, neutrally colored bezel, a rectangle screen, and non-lethal corners are obvious. Apple's suggestions are to specifically engineer a device that looks unlike an Apple product, rather than designing a device in the obvious way. Apple wants to corner the market on simple design. Imagine if your coffee cup couldn't be designed to be ro…

Post by sbuk » Fri, Dec 09, 2011, 8:36 AM UTC

tikhonj wrote: post #180

roadnottaken wrote: post #14

It is not so simple. Tablet computers before the iPad did not look anything like the iPad: http://osxdaily.com/2011/08/18/tablet-design-before-after-th... in hindsight , it seems like the only completely obvious way to design a tablet, but that fact in itself is the mark of great design.

That picture, which is shown much too often, is a perfect illustration only of selection bias. Going through past tablets and choosing the ones that were not black rectangles proves nothing except that some tablets did not look like the ipad. Some tablets now also don't look like the ipad.

Post by nkassis » Fri, Dec 09, 2011, 9:19 AM UTC

tomkarlo wrote: post #115

nkassis wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did they hide the samsung brand on the front and had it turned off? I mean most people are aware of the Apple brand and would know it's not and iPad just based on the lack of the apple logo.

If the only thing the distinguishes your product from a competitor's predecessor is the change in which logo is on it, you've got a serious issue.

Post by kitsune_ » Fri, Dec 09, 2011, 10:10 AM UTC

rickmb wrote: post #148

phaus wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So basically you are calling out people for their "design blindness" while at the same time you imply that no competing electronic device has ever been designed as well as anything Apple has ever made. I like Apple products too, but some of their competitors make awesome products from time to time.

Name one. Please, this is a serious question. I would truly love to have an Android phone, an Android tablet or a Linux-compatible laptop with the same design and build quality as an Apple product. I've pretty much given up on manufacturers that clearly don't want my money. Audio and tv electronics, no problem. Hell, I can even get beautifully designed alarm clocks, toasters and even friggin' designer humidifiers, so…