Who else does nicely designed software/hardware?

[equalsabracket]

The main reason people like Apple is how their hardware and software work and look. Everybody who doesn't even like Apple knows they have a great idea of design. What other organisations have well designed software/hardware though?

I like the computers that alienware do. They're not really smooth and made without clutter because they're designed to be nice for their audience which is gamers, but i like them:

http://image.alienware.com/images/p...ea51-m15x/port-diagrams/area51-m15x-front.jpg

 

[Andrew Henry]

Logitech
Razer
Lacie

Those are just 3 that I personally make excellent products.

 

[ravenvii]

Alienware makes me barf.

Agreed with the above, Logitech and LaCie makes some very nice-looking products. Razer, depends on your tastes, I guess.

Others include Dell (their displays looks great) and Nintendo.

 

[neiltc13]

Microsoft and Sony are both great at what they produce as well.

 

[nick9191]

Sony make some nice looking computers.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Well I think that for so long the code on devices has been so simple that you wouldn't think to extricate it from the hardware--I don't know that there are many examples except for the PC industry where you separate the two as much as you do there, especially with Microsoft where you separate the entire OS from the product. If you look at VCRs, televisons, calculators, all of them we just expected to work, and they largely did to the point that you are unaware of there being software and hardware working together. I mean nothing was simpler than a VCR. You press play and it plays. You press stop and it stops. It was as simple and elegant as any Apple product. In terms of an end to end system where things just work--you buy any VHS put it in a VCR, hit play, hit record, whatever, I don't think it gets much more solid.

Out of more complex modern systems, I can't say that I have a lot of experience out of Apple, but I have always found cell phones to work well, the few times I have used gaming consoles, especially Ninendos they work quite well. I've never had a software bug with a car either. They always do what they are supposed to.

So I guess I just can't think of anything but the computer industry where the technology is more complex and extensible where things don't just work like they are supposed to as a result of not having the synergy of software and hardware.

 

[politickle]

Others include Dell (their displays looks great)

Really? I can't stand how their displays look. They are good displays but the look of them puts me right off.

 

[RetepNamenots]

The HP/Voodoo offshoot.. *drools*

 

[bikemonkey]

Digidesign make some great audio hardware and software.

I've not used PS3, but the Xbox 360 is really quite good too.

 

[instaxgirl]

I have always found cell phones to work well.

Mobile phone OS's are my pet hate. So rarely are they clear, intuitive or easy to use. And the things used to started freezing after a few months of use. I bought an iPhone because it was so much simpler. The settings pain is a bit dodgy just now, but overall the phone is bliss compared to every other mobile I've ever had.

In terms of design I think Sony are the only ones that really come close to Apple. Their laptops tend to avoid weird angles, random ports and odd sticky out bits and go for the same sort of sleek look. I used my sister's PSP on holiday last year and while the web browser is horrendous overall it is a very nice piece of kit. Nicely designed with decent software.

 

[Barbie]

Yeah, Nintendo are really great at making some good looking products, and they seem to be able to make them even better all the time (the DS looked good, then the DS Lite looked better, and the DSi looks fab)

Barbie