My router hides under my desk on the floor. Why would Cisco bother making it look pretty?

>>34624391 (OP)
Because not everyone likes faggot design. I prefer soviet style hardware

Assuming you aren't trolling, because no one else has the retarded religious fanbase to justify taking out massive amounts of features for MUH MINIMUL or MUH THINNESS.

all other ultrabooks still have more than two usb ports and an ethernet port. some of them even have a dvd drive.

meanwhile the mba just goes full child and says LOL U DONT NEED THAT XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD U THIN NAO XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Gee, it looks just like a TP-Link TL-MR3020.
I wonder if Apple stole the design.

>>34624425

Apple makes more than routers.

>>34624443
>all other ultrabooks

Also usually heavier, louder (fans), have worse trackpads and screens than the MBA. Also no excuse to make them look bad.

>>34624503
No it doesn't

Computers as fashion is fucking stupid. That's why, OP

Because I want my computer to look like a fucking computer, not a fucking cigarette case.

>>34624656
>>34624675
These guys know.

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>>34624675

There's no excuse for this.


And what about phones? Tablets? Apple's designs look much better than nearly all the competition (possible exception: HTC One)

>>34624776
There's no accounting for taste.

>>34624443
You're creating a false dichotomy between
>something that's designed well
and
>something that's functionally competent

Protip: Competing with a company that has a stranglehold on the upper market - the way Apple does - requires real ingenuity and effort.

Apple designs look hideous. "Good design" is a marketing buzzphrase.

>>34624820
That's not taste. That's laptop manufacturers just not giving a fuck anymore and now they're all bitching, whining, and crying their faggot eyes out over how hard it is to sell Windows 8 laptops and wahh wahh wahh.

PC manufacturers make me sick. Lazy, corner-cutting pieces of shit. With the exception of a few lines like the Thinkpads, it looks like companies don't even pay attention to the designs that come out.

>>34624872
You're part of the extreme minority who feels this way. Everyone else has consistently reviewed Apple laptop (and peripherals) designs as really aesthetically pleasing.

There's no accounting for your taste, I guess.

>>34624849

Microsoft's Surface is a nicely designed product. Google's Pixel laptop (while laughably retarded) is well designed. The HTC One is well designed.

But beyond that, its pretty bleak. Why don't PC or phone manufacturers make designs for the high-end market to compete with Apple's products?

>>34624948
Appeal to popularity. Apple designs are shit and ugly. Furthermore at any given time they only have one model with a handful of hardware configurations. By using apple products you look like a cult member. THAT is bad design.

Just because you put thought into the design of something doesn't mean it's going to automatically appeal to everyone. I happen to think all of Apple's products look chintzy and plain. Also when you spend so much time and money on the design aesthetics of a device you inevitably take away some of the functionality of it. This is a big reason why Android smartphones are sailing past iPhones in terms of features and power.

>>34624956
Design isn't easy. Throwing a haswell CPU into an existing laptop design is easy. Throwing a dozen stickers on the case is easy when you don't really give a shit. Figuring out what people like takes a lot of back and forth. It's not as simple as running a benchmark and comparing the furmark scores.

Design is one of those nebulous cost-benefit things, not like the engineering side of things, where you invest a hundred thousand dollars into it and nothing seems to come of it, but you invest a million and you own the entire market. And it's not clear where things changed between 100k and 1m that things tipped and your design just "became good".

because you will get sued the instant you do

>>34625095
Quality of design is determined by the observers. When there's no consensus, we agree with the popular vote. Learn your logical fallacies. They don't all apply everywhere.

>>34625145
The observers know nothing about design. They eat up whatever marketing tripe is given to them. Enjoy your fallacy, pussy.

Apple used to have interesting design, but now they are just boxes that are white instead of black like other boxes.

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>>34624956
Good design doesn't mean bland grey sheets of metal you know. Good design has a timeless quality to it. If you want a perfect example of a good design in telephones you need look no further than the phone that's in the "phone" in just about every modern smart phone. There's a damn good reason that people at Google and Apple used this as the icon to demonstrate to EVERYONE that this is the area on the screen you have to touch to make a phone call. Even people that weren't alive when this phone was around understand that this is a phone.

>>34624956
Sony shit typically looks nice.

>>34625175
Design is subjective. You know that, right?
You're sounding more and more like a really frustrated autistic kid.

I agree that people are eager to eat Apple's shit, which is clear from like half of their products which coast just on their brand, but laptops - like all other consumer electronics - are judged by the design standards of their era. Right now, the masses want brushed aluminum. If that makes you so upset, go freeze yourself for a few decades and see what that era's like. Or kill yourself.

>>34625336
>Hurr he doesn't like something that must mean he's upset
Stop projecting. Mad applefag is mad.

You agree that "design is subjective" but yet you continue to be upset that I said apple designs are shit and ugly, which they are. Cry more.

>Mac, or PC

>>34625536
Design is not subjective. There are principles and rules for design. Taste is subjective but even then it's perfectly valid for someone to have good and bad taste.

>>34625595
>Design is subjective
>Design is not subjective

10/10 masterful trolling, thank you steve jobs for willing these people into existence

>>34625100
You really just sound like a mad poorfag. Your inability to afford Apple products doesn't make them ugly.

>>34625100
chintz·y
/ˈCHintsē/
Adjective

Of, like, or decorated with chintz.
Brightly colorful but gaudy and tasteless.

I don't think you understand what chintzy means.

>>34625595
There are no "principles and rules" for design, at best design is a reflection of cultural values, which as you know, can vary wildly.

>>34625741
>get told
>Insult people for having "bad taste"
>get told again
>Insult people for being "poor"

Is there an Apple shill handbook where I can learn these troll tactics that you have mastered so well?

>>34625796
>There are no "principles and rules" for design
Tell that to >>>/gd/

>>34624443
>2013
>having a dvd drive in the laptop instead of just using an external

What the fuck are you, Amish?

>>34624919
This is what happens when you let women and marketing people design your shit

>>34624391 (OP)
I don't like any of Apples designs.

They took Brauns industrial designs and made the corners round.

I hate rounded corners.

Because people who actually know how to use computers don't really care about the design of the product over it's intended functionality unless the design somehow enhances it's functionality, which usually isn't the case. The people who care about design over functionality, the ones willing to pay more just for design even if the functionality is lesser, are the ones who buy these products because they want people to believe they know how to use computers based on the fact that they buy expensive, aesthetically pleasing products. Apple convinced them that aesthetics was very important around 15 years ago and they have convinced themselves that paying more means they're somehow buying better products.

tl:dr: stupid people buy shiny things to make themselves feel better. Smart people buy things based on their actual performance.

>>34626406
>typical stock autism

It's a computer. A tool. Aesthetics are secondary to performance and reliability. At least, that's how I feel about it.

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Functionality before form.
A design should not have any components, elements, or features that are unnecessary or frivolous. Every part should have its own individual use that aids the end consumer in some way.
Why is this so hard to understand?

>>34626426
>not actually knowing what autism is
>replying with /g/ buzzword memes

>>34626524
>my autism is unique. you don't understand it
ok.

>>34626505
Because Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Sony etc are based in Asia. Asian design standards differ a lot. They don't like minimalism - they prefer bells and whistles. Why do you think the term "ricer" is coined that way? Why do you think JVC audio hardware have a LOT of dials and meters compared to HK and western based designers?

Since most computers are designed by Asians, they follow their preferences, and that's a lot of rice. Either stop nagging or start a company.

>>34626538
>you say things I don't like to hear
>you must be autistic
ok.

If you introduced a new apple product under another name no one would buy it even it if was for samsung/sony/etc etc. Even if the design is nice no one will buy it.

That is because the fan base for apple will overpay for inferior product. Its like buying from dell.

>>34626406
When I bought my mac, it had the longest battery life and best durability while still providing moderate performance. I was going to be buying a laptop that I would lug around and use, and I wanted to make sure my choice could comply with that end. Buying a product for things not listed on the spec sheet doesn't necessarily mean someone is just throwing money around. Macs are the modern Thinkpads in terms of durability and reliability. My last computer had fantastic specs but terrible build quality and a 10 minute battery life. The paint chipped, the case cracked, the fan sounded like a jet engine and eventually I had to hold it together with duct tape. My experience with Mac has been the exact opposite.

Mac isn't the best thing ever and I expect it to fail soon. Still, their design principle is right on, I think. Minimalism is the way to go in every design.

>>34626467
>performance and reliability

Both of which are usually worse than their Apple counterparts.

>>34626647
I get it, you like Apple. That's fine. But making very broad generalizations like that is just ignorant.

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>>34626560

Except that all those companies have westernized their designs, with Asus and Lenovo producing products derivative from Apples, while Sony and Lenovo (ThinkPads) have a very Japanese design language, which is literally the opposite of what you said. Acer are terrible, almost universally.

Apple products are also massively popular in Asia, so that doesn't really follow the bells and whistles idea...

18 months ago I would of agreed with OP, but not anymore. I still think Apple are the best at making things, but given the size and power of them, as well as the very streamlined product line, it's not surprising that they can afford to splash out on craft when others cannot.

>>34626505
That image is horrific.

>Pic related

>>34626560
I hope you don't group Japan with Asia then. Sony is from Japan.
Your phenomenon still doesn't answer to why Asian companies are marketing to themselves instead of their inevitable end user, Americans. They are able to make money on shitty design because Americans are lapping it up. Nobody really in China is using an Acer; they're using a knock-off Acer running on a Loong Song processor for half the cost. Lenovo also has a joint headquarters setup between a location in China and North Carolina, so obviously Americans have some say in how the products are designed.

>>34626560

Ricer is a term coined in the west to describe imported cars with unnecessary modifications.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with Eastern preference or value.

>>34626844
>The term is most often used against East Asian-made vehicles where the population is presumed to subsist on a diet of rice.[4][12]

>>34624566
>heavier
OH NO IT'S A WHOLE HALF POUND HEAVIER

>worse trackpads
Who actually uses these? Get a fucking mouse, Jesus.

>worse screens
Zenbook Prime has an IPS panel while the MBA has a shitty TN panel. Get outta here with that bullshit.

I look at router every couple of months. I look at my computer case every couple of days. Neither of them needs to be pretty, just sturdy and using top of the line antennas/drivers/connections for stability.

Because it's cheaper and easier. That's it.

>b-but there's no excuse for bad design
There doesn't need to be.

This thread will be full of unsubstantiated claims of better features, quality and performance from both sides of the issue.

Go back to /fa/ please, OP. They'll like you there.

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>>34624391 (OP)
An Alix works better and has more features. No need to let appearances deceive you.
Thank you based Switzerland!

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>>34627080
Pic related, it's an Alix. It almost looks better too, in my opinion.

>>34627080
They actually had to add the antenna because people thought it was fake. Not trolling.

>>34627183
That's a bit ironic.

>>34626958
>IPS vs TN
If you're still listening to /g/ on this you know nothing about actual monitors

>>34624391 (OP)
While the external mechanical design of their products might be a step in the right direction, their internal design, cooling, and software has always been shit.

Apple always has a way of getting 2 out of 5 things right on any given piece of technology, but the 3 they got wrong are so fucking wrong that it makes the entire thing unusable.

Because when they do, they are accused of ripping off Apple's design.
Like newer Thinkpads.

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>>34624437
Do you know of any tech company that manufactures Soviet-style products?

>>34627183
That has 50% more volume than it needs and is actually physically skeuomorphic. It is the epitome of absolute shit design.

>>34627159
This, besides the ugly LEDs, is more difficult to fault.

Looks to be visually completely passive and balanced, doesn't try to grab your attention in any way... Great. Technology is there to facilitate something else, there is absolutely no need to fetishize it, and by extension decorate it.

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Apple ain't as inventive as you think.

They took their design straight outta Braun.

Because everyone else is busy not recycling old Braun designs

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>>34626560
Lol listen to this fag, he thinks the Japanese invented ricing.

>>34624391 (OP)

This is a good discussion to be having. Apple's industrial design is generally aesthetically pleasing, minimalist "high end" etc... it comes from the same sort of design as ultra high end European (and in some cases, Japanese/Korean) preference for simplicity, clean lines, etc...less is more...

Don't get me wrong, I hate Apple with a passion. I hate that the use such a great design to do horrible things, ever since I couldn't copy and paste my media to the fucking iPhone (gen1) for no good reason. They are the mark of corporate pretentious bullshit, proprietary and controlling; overpriced and overhyped. However, they do some things well, which makes it all the more frustrating.

Other companies need to cater to the "high end". Go look at one of those big Clevo/Sager monstrosity gaming notebooks. Yes, it has good components. Yes, it is going to be thick in order to cool those components. But look at the rest of it. Why is it a big, ugly piece of plastic? Sometimes, there aren't even backlit keyboards. The trackpad is certainly not multitouch glass. There's no magnetic power connector. Some of the ancillary specs fall down - the screen is for shit in terms of gamut, there's no Thunderbolt etc. There is ZERO thought for design and features besides specs on the checkbox when it comes to notebooks like this - and most notebooks in general. More in another post...

>>34627419
So why wont anyone else do it? Or at least, do it competently. Every single Ultrabook that tries to rip off Air's design ends up looking like shit.

>>34627552

Bullshit. Asus makes some of the best "Asian-made" laptops around and many of them are WAY more aesthetically pleasing and minimalist than others. Look at their Taichi and Zenbook. Hell, even their G-series gaming stuff is better than most others.

Sony, though hugely overpriced and proprietary, makes some nice looking minimalist notebooks, especially their Japan only lines - you can see on Conics or Dynamism. The Sony Z for instance or any of their models that are still made in Japan (only the highest end ones) are minimalist, built "Mac-like" with metal chassis etc...

Shit-tier Asians may be gaudy (ie Chinese) but consider that Japanese (and to some extent, Koreans) minimalism is the big thing (ie Think about "zen" aesthetics. There's a reason where a room with a single scroll in a tokonoma alcove is considered Japanese beauty etc...

>>34627630

Some of this I am worried is because of patents. Take for instance the magnetic power connector. Why the FUCK is Apple the only one that has their "mag-safe" (Lawl used to catch on fire) adapter? Some magnetic adapter should be a big fucking improvement for 99% of laptops; it allows you to accidentally swat/trip/pull the power cord without damaging the thing. Huge bonus.

Why is it not in every laptop? I imagine Apple has a fucking patent that keeps it from happening. Same goes for other stuff. If someone makes something too pretty, they'll just be sued. Another reason patents need to be abolished entirely.

>>34627233
I've gone from shit TN to a nice IPS. I won't be going back any time soon.

>>34624776
>Apple's designs look much better than nearly all the competition

Least subjective statement of the year.

>>34624956
What your saying is that everything should look the same and that everyone should like what you like.

It's mostly Samsung's fault for having that shit design on their flagships. Sony is doing a decent job.

>>34627791
Everything shouldn't look the same, but every end-user product should have at least some thought put into how it looks and feels to the consumer. As it is right now, most /g/ stuff just appeals to "muh specs".

>>34627791

There are plenty of laptops out there for people who want blocky pieces of cheap plastic shit. There are not enough laptops for those who want high-end metal chassis with impeccable industrial design.

I like apple, but they clearly wanted to make artwork and not computers.

>>34626906

East Asian vehicle modded out the ass by the western owners. If anything, it means that the Asian cars are too plain for the owner's taste and needs to be modified.

It is a term used by the west, to describe a group of people of the west.

>>34627704

Asus is Taiwanese.

Zen is Chinese Buddhism, "Zen" is how the Japanese pronounce the word "禅".

Your knowledge of Asian culture and history is severely lacking.

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>>34627419

In the design world that's calling working with precedent - and EVERY good designer does it, every, single, one. You don't reinvent the wheel when someone has already proposed a perfectly viable solution.

It's also worth noting that the designer of those products (Dieter Rams) said he was flattered that Ive's considered his work in such high regard.

Also none of those products share functionality. It's usually one dominant feature (something so wonderful about Rams work is how easy it is to simplify to a diagram) that Apple have referenced or drawn inspiration from that is diagrammatically similar to Rams work.

>The radio vs iPod is the proportion and arrangement of input vs output. The legibility of the product.

>The radio vs the Mac Pro is finish and how materials physically connect - they are functionally radically different. Also these photos are very deceptive, the radio looks nothing like the Mac Pro in reality, scale, proportion and mass are all very different.

>Speaker vs iMac, such different products, but with the same focus on the output - sure the diagram is the same but apart from the stands facilitating and enhancing the directness of the product they share no similarities that are meaningful.

>Calculator vs Calculator App. This is a totally different argument and really means nothing when talking about hardware. You can make that calculator look ANY way you want. What do you make it? For Ive and his team it was a way to directly reference Rams and admit the importance of his work... This is not a bad thing.

The Calculator is probably the most interesting part of that whole image, and that's entirety in spite of the rest of it and the author, the point being posed is not interesting or at all insightful.

All of those comparisons deal with how the user interprets, uses and ultimately understands the products. They have almost nothing to do with the aesthetics, those that do, do so in a very shallow and essentially irrelevant way.