Sometime, you really wonder if supposedly educated technical professionals really understand what goes into the products they use or specify. This observation came o me early Monday morning as i listened to a corporate IT guy whine about trying to buy American-made products in today's marketplace.
The subject of this IT professional's ire was Lenovo and ThinkPad. What seemed to upset this 30-something dude was that ThinkPad is made in China. What upset me is that the IT manager had no clue about what percentage of notebooks are made or designed offshore and how well those machines hold up o the test of time and rigorous use. Or more importantly, what technologies ma have been developed in house and delivered first by a specific company.I tried to reason with him, attempting to explain that what really matters is innovation based on research and development and that his argument should really be directed against those companies with brand that lack integral R&D efforts.
But no, he was stuck on the mistaken belief that because something is made off shore that it wouldn't be as good as something "designed in America." I detest provincialism and the nationalization of notebook brands. but I held my breath. Eventually I had heard enough. grabbed my notebook and went home. I really wish this guy luck in finding his American made notebook computer. They just don't exist.
On the way home i realized that what I had just listened to was someone who hadn't taken the time to understand what makes one portable different from another. Come to think of it, few companies are delivering that message today, although Apple, Lenovo and Toshiba are taking shots at differentiation.If I'm really going to be specific though, I need to look long and hard at Intel and it's lackadaisical Centrino marketing, which on a brand-by-brand basis makes it difficult for notebook makers o differentiate their products.
Some notebook suppliers are trying to carve niches with wide screen displays or third-party graphics chipsets. At best, that's a dicey proposition.
Others are hoping to sway large accounts by partnering with cellular carriers o make good on the promise of go-anywhere-always-on connectivity. The problem with this argument is the cost of connectivity, which is around $60 per month. Most corporations are trying to cut expenses now and deploying notebooks with expensive connectivity options flies in the face of fiscal conservatism.
So, while all this plays out, what is Intel doing? It's airing a series of ads that highlight Centrino-equipped machines as entertainment devices. Way to go, Intel.
Notebook makers are going to need to step up to the plate and differentiate their machines on their own. Some are already working on this. The best example I can think of is a ThinkPad ad that creates an image of ThinkPad as being a tough platform that protects data. This is a tremendous start but I hope Lenovo goes farther and creates messaging highlighting how emerging features are based on valuable DNA that's still a part of the product line.
Apple is capable of doing this also, although historically Apple has focused more on form than on functionality. but right now, with the majority of its notebooks breaking new ground by being dual-boot capable, Apple could raise the bar in portable marketing to a new level. I hope they do, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
Notebook nationalism seems to be one of t hose topics that comes and goes in technology and that hangs around until one of the manufacturers hits a marketing grand slam that make discussions of manufacturers national origins as out of date as button-up boots.--Jim Forbes
Comments