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I love Sony's mobile phones today. I bought one, so my money is where my mouth is. Who other than Apple can really truly differentiate and survive in the PC b

by PakG1 13y ago

I love Sony's mobile phones today. I bought one, so my money is where my mouth is. Who other than Apple can really truly differentiate and survive in the PC business today anyway? It's an unfortunate development, but I can't say that it's an overall reflection of the future of Sony. PS4 is rocking. Their phones are great. They still make good movies. Maybe their electronics division can do something special too. If yes, then they're firing on all cylinders. Let's see what happens.

72deluxe 13y ago
Lenovo? I always thought Lenovo was the PC equivalent of MacBooks. Well, HP tried but they have massive heat outlets at the side of the machine that burn you, and the Samsung Series 7 came close but doesn't have the same build quality, and has a stupid power adapter. So yes, perhaps Sony and Lenovo?
- goldfeld 13y ago
  Way I see it, Lenovo makes rugged, durable and dependable machines, but they lack the finish/style in VAIO or MacBooks (then again I haven't seen what Lenovo has been up to lately, so might be completely off.) So when people say there's nothing like a Mac, I mostly agree and understand where they're coming from even though I much prefer a cheaper machine on which to run Linux. I'm unaware of anything in the PC world to match Apple's high finish + dependability/durability. Also the screen is worth it on it's own, alternatives lacking.
  - 12345educate 13y ago
    Apple's screens are lacking compared to similar priced Vials/PCs (the TFT screens on the 11" MacBook Air and 13" MacBook Pro are particularly atrocious). Viaos are often lighter than similar priced Macbooks and are more durable. Apple's differentiation is not a supposedly unique high finish + dependability — although they are unique for only selling high end computers — but the Apple retail stores and easily upsold AppleCare (available up to a year after purchase of a macbook). Most PC users call their 'computer guy' relative when their PC breaks. In contrast most Apple users take their broken device to the Apple Store. That professional service is why most Macs stay in circulation longer
    - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
      The two vaios I used after the 505g were utter cheap pieces of crap, and they haven't seemed to do much better recently. Whatever your beef with Apple is, saying that Sony is actually better in quality is crazy.
  - calvin_c 13y ago
    While the most recognizable Lenovo is the ThinkPad line, which is a very capable but very dated looking machine, I recently worked on an IdeaPad U430 (I work in computer repair), and was surprised by how nice that machine was. It's build quality and style really reminded me of my MacBook air. So it seems like while the rugged and durable machines are where Lenovo is still getting most of their money, that design was inherited from IBM, while Lenovo is trying to focus on new machines with style and finish.
- jotm 13y ago
  Dells are the PC equivalent to MacBooks. Lenovo makes cheap plastic devices that crap out under load and take forever to be repaired/replaced. IBM had better quality control.
  - nly 13y ago
    Lenovo have at least 20 laptop product lines. It's a generalization to call them all cheap plasticcrap, as they really do cover the entire spectrum. I also don't see how Dell compete with the MBPs at all.
    - jotm 13y ago
      Yeah, I've had bad experience with the Ideapads. Dell's new Latitudes can easily compete with the MBP when it comes to design, price, performance and features.
  - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
    My X1 has been quite good so far...except for the track pad, what is up with PCs and track pads????
- w1ntermute 13y ago
  > Lenovo? They were, before they started doing gimmicky shit like this: http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/01/stop-trying-to-innovate-keyboards-youre-just-making-them-worse/ http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/01/stop-trying-to-innovate...
marcosdumay 13y ago
> Who other than Apple can really truly differentiate and survive in the PC business today anyway? Anybody that cares to. There is no manufacturer that claims to have extraordinary quality, no one that tries to make the cheapest possible system, no one focused on consumer support, and I'd probably get a dozen other niches if I keep trying for a few minutes. All PC manufacturers are trying hard to sell the same thing everybody else is selling, for a long while now. Anyway, Sonny is not in the business of caring about what their consumers want, so I doubt they can differentiate in any good way.
- PakG1 13y ago
  You claimed a hypothetical situation that doesn't exist today and claim that it's due to lack of desire on the part of the product companies. It's highly doubtful that the hypothetical situation is not real only because the industry players don't desire to achieve that level of success. The more likely answer is that they can't figure out how to do it, despite many attempts to try.

by PakG1 13y ago

72deluxe 13y ago

Lenovo? I always thought Lenovo was the PC equivalent of MacBooks. Well, HP tried but they have massive heat outlets at the side of the machine that burn you, and the Samsung Series 7 came close but doesn't have the same build quality, and has a stupid power adapter. So yes, perhaps Sony and Lenovo?

goldfeld 13y ago
Way I see it, Lenovo makes rugged, durable and dependable machines, but they lack the finish/style in VAIO or MacBooks (then again I haven't seen what Lenovo has been up to lately, so might be completely off.) So when people say there's nothing like a Mac, I mostly agree and understand where they're coming from even though I much prefer a cheaper machine on which to run Linux. I'm unaware of anything in the PC world to match Apple's high finish + dependability/durability. Also the screen is worth it on it's own, alternatives lacking.
- 12345educate 13y ago
  Apple's screens are lacking compared to similar priced Vials/PCs (the TFT screens on the 11" MacBook Air and 13" MacBook Pro are particularly atrocious). Viaos are often lighter than similar priced Macbooks and are more durable. Apple's differentiation is not a supposedly unique high finish + dependability — although they are unique for only selling high end computers — but the Apple retail stores and easily upsold AppleCare (available up to a year after purchase of a macbook). Most PC users call their 'computer guy' relative when their PC breaks. In contrast most Apple users take their broken device to the Apple Store. That professional service is why most Macs stay in circulation longer
  - seanmcdirmid 13y ago
    The two vaios I used after the 505g were utter cheap pieces of crap, and they haven't seemed to do much better recently. Whatever your beef with Apple is, saying that Sony is actually better in quality is crazy.
- calvin_c 13y ago
  While the most recognizable Lenovo is the ThinkPad line, which is a very capable but very dated looking machine, I recently worked on an IdeaPad U430 (I work in computer repair), and was surprised by how nice that machine was. It's build quality and style really reminded me of my MacBook air. So it seems like while the rugged and durable machines are where Lenovo is still getting most of their money, that design was inherited from IBM, while Lenovo is trying to focus on new machines with style and finish.
jotm 13y ago
Dells are the PC equivalent to MacBooks. Lenovo makes cheap plastic devices that crap out under load and take forever to be repaired/replaced. IBM had better quality control.
- nly 13y ago
  Lenovo have at least 20 laptop product lines. It's a generalization to call them all cheap plasticcrap, as they really do cover the entire spectrum. I also don't see how Dell compete with the MBPs at all.
  - jotm 13y ago
    Yeah, I've had bad experience with the Ideapads. Dell's new Latitudes can easily compete with the MBP when it comes to design, price, performance and features.
- seanmcdirmid 13y ago
  My X1 has been quite good so far...except for the track pad, what is up with PCs and track pads????
w1ntermute 13y ago
> Lenovo? They were, before they started doing gimmicky shit like this: http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/01/stop-trying-to-innovate-keyboards-youre-just-making-them-worse/ http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/01/stop-trying-to-innovate...

marcosdumay 13y ago

> Who other than Apple can really truly differentiate and survive in the PC business today anyway? Anybody that cares to. There is no manufacturer that claims to have extraordinary quality, no one that tries to make the cheapest possible system, no one focused on consumer support, and I'd probably get a dozen other niches if I keep trying for a few minutes. All PC manufacturers are trying hard to sell the same thing everybody else is selling, for a long while now. Anyway, Sonny is not in the business of caring about what their consumers want, so I doubt they can differentiate in any good way.

PakG1 13y ago
You claimed a hypothetical situation that doesn't exist today and claim that it's due to lack of desire on the part of the product companies. It's highly doubtful that the hypothetical situation is not real only because the industry players don't desire to achieve that level of success. The more likely answer is that they can't figure out how to do it, despite many attempts to try.