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HP Defends New Ultrabook Design Against Noted Similarities to Apple's MacBook Air
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The whole "ultrabook" concept was clearly, shall we say, "inspired by" the MacBook Air. Whether it infringes on anything that should be "protectable" is another matter - perhaps Apple should just accept the sincerest form of flattery.
See also the "chiclet" keyboard, the Powerbook Titanium, and many other new ideas in laptops back to the old PowerBook 100/140/170 - which introduced the set-back keyboard and central pointing device layout that almost every laptop now follows. (Before that, laptops had the keyboard right at the front & you could buy clip-on trackballs that went alongside the keyboard).
This is my biggest issue. Why does apple have like six of these world first solutions in the past 15 years and the entire rest of the tech world like two.
LoL - I think I threw up a little.
Steve Jobs also said 'Good artists copy, great artists steal".
It is extremely different.
Apple can't claim that they invented the silver laptop, and obviously thinner is going to be better. Smaller has always been better in the technology world.
Just because Apple did it first, doesn't mean everybody after them is copying.
You know, before Apple was created, a lot of companies out there had Company logos. And then Apple came and they had a company logo too.
It's a bit annoying how everybody gets accused of copying Apple when Apple's products are very plain and simple looking. And then when Apple clearly copies other people, they call it "reinventing."
Apple can't claim that they invented the silver laptop, and obviously thinner is going to be better. Smaller has always been better in the technology world.
Just because Apple did it first, doesn't mean everybody after them is copying.
You know, before Apple was created, a lot of companies out there had Company logos. And then Apple came and they had a company logo too.
It's a bit annoying how everybody gets accused of copying Apple when Apple's products are very plain and simple looking. And then when Apple clearly copies other people, they call it "reinventing."
a silly article
Not even sure why HP felt to respond..
One laptop runs Mac OSX, the other laptop runs Windows. Completely different if you ask me.
Might as well have an article where Ford defends making a car similar to a car the GM makes.
In the end... who cares? Clearly we are in a holding pattern of news until Apple lets us know what their latest upgrades will be to the Macbook line.
Ugh!
Not even sure why HP felt to respond..
One laptop runs Mac OSX, the other laptop runs Windows. Completely different if you ask me.
Might as well have an article where Ford defends making a car similar to a car the GM makes.
In the end... who cares? Clearly we are in a holding pattern of news until Apple lets us know what their latest upgrades will be to the Macbook line.
Ugh!
While the basic form factor for a laptop was already set by the time Apple came out with the Powerbook, Apple was the first to put the keyboard where pretty much all notebooks since have them. Prior to Apple, the keyboards were at the bottom and there would be a 2" drop from the top of the keyboard to the desktop.
With the Powerbook design, Apple allowed for palmrests as well as a good spot for the trackball.
I will agree with you that Apple isn't always the first, but they have typically added innovations to already used designs and form factors.
This HP looks decent enough, but it offers no innovations to the form factor that Apple popularized.
The funny thing about these keyboards is that when Apple first did it (original Macbook), everyone who saw the pictures thought it was the most horrible keyboard ever made (not including Atari 400). Now, pretty much everybody has accepted that this is the best looking keyboard and they've all copied the look.
I think the point is that HP delibrately chose to make the Spectra look very similar to the MBA. Silver, Black bezel screen, black keyboard. The look screams Macbook Air. Not that anyone cares. I doubt Apple would waste any resources in trying to get this thing banned. Besides, Apple probably doesn't have the design copyrights to protect the MBA look.
I remember this one. But if you really had one of these, you'd know that this chiclet keyboard is totally different than Apple's
Apple's current chiclet keyboard is in no ways similar to the chiclet keyboards of the 80s. Apple's keyboards uses some type of scissor mechanism that gives it that feel. The old school chiclets typically had a little button under the key that would push down on some membrane. These things were pretty much impossible to touch type on.
Well, as far as I know, Apple hasn't accused HP of stealing the MBA look. Just some guy interviewing the HP rep ... and a bunch of MR posters.It is extremely different.
Apple can't claim that they invented the silver laptop, and obviously thinner is going to be better. Smaller has always been better in the technology world.
Just because Apple did it first, doesn't mean everybody after them is copying.
You know, before Apple was created, a lot of companies out there had Company logos. And then Apple came and they had a company logo too.
It's a bit annoying how everybody gets accused of copying Apple when Apple's products are very plain and simple looking. And then when Apple clearly copies other people, they call it "reinventing."
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I downvoted you just for using the term "fanboy"
Using that word just demonstrates you have no other strong points to your argument.
Sorry, but justifying using the same design as the MBA by saying it is "due to the way technologies developed" just doesn't cut it. I bet if it had not been for the Air, this HP machine and many other ultrabooks would not have a wedge shaped design.
Fixed that for you. And the look alike cars sicken me too. Someone builds something, has success with sales and profits, and then the me too's come along.
I up voted you for down voting Konrad9 for the use of 'fanboy'.
To an extent, the HP guy is right. Manufacturers follow trends, and when a company product 'gets it right', most companies start to imitate that product. Whether it is great design or sheer luck, in personal electronics Apple gets it right. The same can be said for cars, clothing, architectural design, etc.
The problem for me is the way the HP guy describes it... it reminds me of the scene in Coming to America where Cleo McDowell is trying to justify his restaurant's similarities to McDonalds:
Cleo McDowell: Look... me and the McDonald's people got this little misunderstanding. See, they're McDonald's... I'm McDowell's. They got the Golden Arches, mine is the Golden Arcs. They got the Big Mac, I got the Big Mick. We both got two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, but their buns have sesame seeds. My buns have no seeds.
The problem for me is the way the HP guy describes it... it reminds me of the scene in Coming to America where Cleo McDowell is trying to justify his restaurant's similarities to McDonalds:
Cleo McDowell: Look... me and the McDonald's people got this little misunderstanding. See, they're McDonald's... I'm McDowell's. They got the Golden Arches, mine is the Golden Arcs. They got the Big Mac, I got the Big Mick. We both got two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, but their buns have sesame seeds. My buns have no seeds.
Who was the first to put the keyboard up near the screen leaving room for a hand rest and trackball below? Was it Apple? I know their first Mac Portable did not do this, but it looks like they started with the PowerBook 100.
Wikipedia says that the PowerBook 100...
If the "unique" part is accurate, Apple was breaking new design ground even then.
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Wolff has a point. The HP and all other will form around the technology available and therefore the wedge shape will be the preferred form factor. Apple certainly don't own that general design and its good to see that competition is outdoing Apple in many respects by actually giving great I/O like USB 3.0.
Apple do their thing everyone does theres but overall Apple probably does it that bit better.
Apple do their thing everyone does theres but overall Apple probably does it that bit better.
"Theirs goes ding-ding-ding-da-ga-ding-ding, our goes ding-ding-ding-ga-da-ga-ding-ding. That little change, it's not the same."
Ice Ice Baby!
Ice Ice Baby!
Thank you for not being retarded and posting a comment that actually makes sense. Got tired of all the "omg, it has a keyboard and a trackpad, they sooo copied apple". Apple didn't come up with the idea of a keyboard, or a screen, or a thin laptop in general. They didn't even come up with the chic-let-style keyboard. Sony did that. And macbook air thinness in a laptop, the original sony x1 did that. Anyway, I agree with what you wrote.