Comments on: The Fashionista Notebook, Will It Catch On With Its Intended Audience? http://blog.laptopmag.com/the-fashionista-notebook-will-it-catch-on-with-its-intended-audience News and views on today's hottest laptops, cell phones, and other mobile devices. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:25:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ME! http://blog.laptopmag.com/the-fashionista-notebook-will-it-catch-on-with-its-intended-audience/comment-page-1#comment-14858 ME! Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:12:26 +0000 http://blog.laptopmag.com/?p=6872#comment-14858 meh...my company offers a discount with HP (the maker of the Vivienne Tam NoteBook) and I will admit that when I was looking over the website for options on a new notebook, the VT version caught my eye. HOWEVER...when I saw the difference in cost between the exact same notebook without the VT design cost and the VT version, I lost interest immediately. I guess that there are people who are willing to pay the difference for the version with the design, but since the applications and programs (and hardware, and so on, and so forth) are the same, I don't think that there is really that much of a market. After all, maybe it will appeal to the type of person who is willing to spend $600 on a pair of shoes, but ultimately the type of person who is willing to spend $600 on a pair of shoes, will probably spend that money on shoes, and not on shopping for a computer. If that same person is computer savvy enough to look at the different types of computers and what is available, she (or he) will probably react like I did: what am I paying extra for? A better choice might be a compromise: designers interested in selling to the notebook carrying target audience, should probably consider selling 'designer skins.' The overhead in production is less, therefore the profit is more, and you are not risking compromising your brand by putting your logo on someone else's product. meh…my company offers a discount with HP (the maker of the Vivienne Tam NoteBook) and I will admit that when I was looking over the website for options on a new notebook, the VT version caught my eye. HOWEVER…when I saw the difference in cost between the exact same notebook without the VT design cost and the VT version, I lost interest immediately. I guess that there are people who are willing to pay the difference for the version with the design, but since the applications and programs (and hardware, and so on, and so forth) are the same, I don’t think that there is really that much of a market. After all, maybe it will appeal to the type of person who is willing to spend $600 on a pair of shoes, but ultimately the type of person who is willing to spend $600 on a pair of shoes, will probably spend that money on shoes, and not on shopping for a computer. If that same person is computer savvy enough to look at the different types of computers and what is available, she (or he) will probably react like I did: what am I paying extra for? A better choice might be a compromise: designers interested in selling to the notebook carrying target audience, should probably consider selling ‘designer skins.’ The overhead in production is less, therefore the profit is more, and you are not risking compromising your brand by putting your logo on someone else’s product.

]]> By: K. T. Bradford http://blog.laptopmag.com/the-fashionista-notebook-will-it-catch-on-with-its-intended-audience/comment-page-1#comment-14262 K. T. Bradford Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:49:54 +0000 http://blog.laptopmag.com/?p=6872#comment-14262 EV, True about the skins. And lots of people go that route. But I think you may underestimate the power of brand and of trend for the kind of people who pay $600 for shoes. (Not that I'm knocking such people. I would pay a LOT for an awesome bag, while many people would look at me like I'm crazy.) Fashionistas are used to paying a premium for a Name and perceived status symbol. I think it's a combination of the design -- which goes beyond just the cover, don't forget the inside and keyboard, which is unusual, even for designed notebooks -- the fashion name attached to it, and the idea that this piece of hardware is obviously targeted at women (something we do appreciate, when done right) that could make this netbook successful. EV,

True about the skins. And lots of people go that route. But I think you may underestimate the power of brand and of trend for the kind of people who pay $600 for shoes. (Not that I’m knocking such people. I would pay a LOT for an awesome bag, while many people would look at me like I’m crazy.) Fashionistas are used to paying a premium for a Name and perceived status symbol.

I think it’s a combination of the design — which goes beyond just the cover, don’t forget the inside and keyboard, which is unusual, even for designed notebooks — the fashion name attached to it, and the idea that this piece of hardware is obviously targeted at women (something we do appreciate, when done right) that could make this netbook successful.

]]> By: EV http://blog.laptopmag.com/the-fashionista-notebook-will-it-catch-on-with-its-intended-audience/comment-page-1#comment-14249 EV Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:09:14 +0000 http://blog.laptopmag.com/?p=6872#comment-14249 Interesting post... I think the Vivienne Tam edition is nice sure, and the idea of aesthetically pleasing machines is nothing new, but charging a large premium for a design on the cover and a different color scheme won't really fly in the market. Especially given the fickleness of netbook hardware. People can submit their own designs (or god forbid other's designs) to skinning sites for around $30 and get a custom skin for the lid of their netbook which basically gives the same effect at a much cheaper price. Interesting post… I think the Vivienne Tam edition is nice sure, and the idea of aesthetically pleasing machines is nothing new, but charging a large premium for a design on the cover and a different color scheme won’t really fly in the market. Especially given the fickleness of netbook hardware. People can submit their own designs (or god forbid other’s designs) to skinning sites for around $30 and get a custom skin for the lid of their netbook which basically gives the same effect at a much cheaper price.

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