tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59621148864728852062024-02-20T07:39:50.741-08:00The opinions expressed here...Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736265077957927828noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962114886472885206.post-43055494215084081142006-09-25T11:58:00.000-07:002006-09-25T13:23:30.573-07:00Beating a dead horse?This just in from Techweb: <a href="http://www.techweb.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=193005109">Dell to hire 500 engineers</a>.<br /><br />The brief article says that this new hiring is part of the Dell 2.0 campaign to "redesign its hardware and improve customer service."<br /><br />I don't know. It seems to me like Dell is just beating a dead horse. "Redesign the hardware" to do what? Run the same stuff?<br /><br />I can't wait to see what comes out of this.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736265077957927828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962114886472885206.post-14660428437420441362006-09-25T05:43:00.000-07:002006-09-25T10:07:58.170-07:00Confessions of an Apple Junkie<span style=";font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;" ><o:p>I recently sent out an ad at work about my 12-inch Apple Powerbook. I was fishing out bids hoping to sell it so I can buy a new Apple MacBook. The black one, in particular.<br /></o:p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Then people started asking me why I wanted a new laptop.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> Have I outgrown my PowerBook? Is it the Intel processors in the new Macs? Is it a lot faster? </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="font-family:arial;"> </div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">No, I haven't outgrown my PowerBook. It's plenty fast and more than enough for what I actually use it for. The Intel processors may be faster and allow you to install XP but why would I want to desecrate a serene Mac with the vile XP? Nope. Not the new processors. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> </div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Then I started thinking of some sort of a technical justification for it. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Faster, yeah. But I probably won't notice it. More memory? Yeah, but I can just go to Fry's and spend $50 to add more memory to my current one. It has a built in camera? Mmmm. That's cool, but what would I use it for? </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Then I had to come clean. I don't have a technical justification for wanting one. I want it because it's black and the one I have right now is silver. Which doesn't match my iPod. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style="">Exhibit 1: The way it is. </span></b></strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Silver and black. I'm not a Raiders fan. It doesn't look right. No. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/ac_pbG4_12_125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/ac_pbG4_12_125.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/product-black_ipod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/product-black_ipod.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style="">Exhibit 2: Next alternative...</span></b></strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">get the silver Nano. But I've tried the small storage route before (remember the Mini?) and didn't work for me.</span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/ac_pbG4_12_125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/ac_pbG4_12_125.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/product-silver.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/product-silver.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div> <div> </div> <div> </div></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style="">Exhibit 3:</span></b></strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> <strong><b>Buy a brand new pair.</b></strong> I can go all out and do this: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/step2_beautyshot_mb_060509.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/step2_beautyshot_mb_060509.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/product-white_ipod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/product-white_ipod.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p></div></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style=""><br /></span></b></strong></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><b><span style="">Exhibit 4:</span></b></strong></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""> <strong><b>A real beauty:</b></strong> Don't they just look reaaaaaally good together? </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/step2_beautyshot_mbblk_060509.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/step2_beautyshot_mbblk_060509.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/1600/product-black_ipod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/982/727797227352647/200/product-black_ipod.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div face="arial"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">So there you go, folks. Ever wonder why Apple continues to be successful despite a reaaaaally low market share</span>(3.48% in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>, 2.4% worldwide)</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">? Apple has a cult-like following. They are not price-sensitive and as an added bonus (as it seems to be in my case...) they are also extremely vulnerable to marketing. People switch/stay with Apple for technical superiority (I may be a schmuck but it's still undeniable than Macs are still a thousand times better than any PC in the market) but the "cool" reasons keep you buying. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div face="arial"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family: arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">I don't buy Prada, Coach or Louis Vuitton. I don't know what a real Gucci handbag looks like, as most women my age seem to be experts on it. I couldn't care less that I wear shoes that I paid less than $10 for. I buy my clothes from Target and Ross (ok, Goodwill)...so dammit don't get on my case for my Apple habit. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family: arial;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:verdana;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="font-style: italic;">Ok. The first step is admitting you have a serious problem.</span> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:verdana;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:verdana;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="">Alright. Hi. My name is Lisa. I'm an Apple junkie. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div> <div style="font-family:verdana;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736265077957927828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962114886472885206.post-38913642343541427852006-09-24T09:24:00.000-07:002006-09-25T09:37:39.190-07:00A brand new start<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Hi. I'm Lisa Amorao. And I'm a blogger.<br /><br />It's been a while since I started blogging and I've forgotten how it feels to start one. The anxiety of coming up with your very first post, wondering if anyone will ever land here and find my blog interesting. Not to mention the humongous task of networking just to get some traffic.<br /><br />Sure, some people would say that they don't care about whether people come to their blog. They blog for themselves. Right. And if they really mean it, that they don't care about what people thought of their blog, then why bother taking it online? I just don't get that and I refuse to believe it.<br /><br />I'm not saying bloggers "sell out" to their audience. Just saying they do care. Even for a little bit.<br /><br />And now I'm worried that my first ever post in my new blog was written all lame.<br /><br />But bloggers understand the insecurity.<br /><br />Lisa out.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08736265077957927828noreply@blogger.com0