Channel 9 Forums - Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/Dev/App_Themes/C9/images/feedimage.png Channel 9 Forums - Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums Channel 9 keeps you up to date with the latest news and behind the scenes info from Microsoft that developers love to keep up with. From LINQ to SilverLight – Watch videos and hear about all the cool technologies coming and the people behind them. http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums en Mon, 20 May 2013 06:53:51 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 06:53:51 GMT Rev9 48 -48 -1 Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? For those who enjoy the Microsoft’s latest wave of product names and packaging... take a watch of this lovely parody of if Microsoft designed the iPod packaging.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/162066#162066 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 14:47:17 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/162066#162066 dahat 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/dahat/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? I do lots of branding stuff for Microsoft and I've read lots of their guidelines. This Flash movie isn't too far off Smiley

You can tell it was done by someone who does MS branding.

Whoops. You're never supposed to shorten Microsoft to MS Cool

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a549ded1f3db4d5cbbd69deb013e467a#a549ded1f3db4d5cbbd69deb013e467a Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:05:24 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a549ded1f3db4d5cbbd69deb013e467a#a549ded1f3db4d5cbbd69deb013e467a Harlequin 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Harlequin/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Hahaha, awesome and funny because it's true.

Simplicity and elegance were never (EVER) MS's strong points. This just takes it to the extreme (but not -that- extreme...).

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/e48f6ee6dd114619a8319deb013e46bf#e48f6ee6dd114619a8319deb013e46bf Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:58:16 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/e48f6ee6dd114619a8319deb013e46bf#e48f6ee6dd114619a8319deb013e46bf misterorange 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/misterorange/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? I quite like the final product; it would be cool if they published images for each of the faces of the box so we could look at them in more detail. The Apple design is good though.

Angus Higgins

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/d2b90f48891b4972bab89deb013e46e9#d2b90f48891b4972bab89deb013e46e9 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:59:51 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/d2b90f48891b4972bab89deb013e46e9#d2b90f48891b4972bab89deb013e46e9 Angus 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Angus/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? I have to agree, I quiet prefered the last box. One thing that annoy'd me whenever I got my iPod. The box had no information. My kids toys that require no assembly at all had more instructions than a $250.00 piece of electronics did.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/2010afae312042bd83c89deb013e4713#2010afae312042bd83c89deb013e4713 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:18:00 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/2010afae312042bd83c89deb013e4713#2010afae312042bd83c89deb013e4713 Cybermagellan 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Cybermagellan/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? That was hysterical.

Brilliant Tongue Out

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/799eada4a0c94405a0f59deb013e473c#799eada4a0c94405a0f59deb013e473c Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:54:50 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/799eada4a0c94405a0f59deb013e473c#799eada4a0c94405a0f59deb013e473c Michael Griffiths 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Michael Griffiths/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? well no , i understand the point. i dont like marketing committees going overboard. but look at the XP box... was that overcomplicated? no it was pretty simple and plain. microsofts advertisements are usually simple and plain also. so i dont get it as a criticism of microsoft

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/2bc7715ad6aa41869fb89deb013e4767#2bc7715ad6aa41869fb89deb013e4767 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 18:19:09 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/2bc7715ad6aa41869fb89deb013e4767#2bc7715ad6aa41869fb89deb013e4767 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Haha. This is really good.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/8b4c7da2258a402ea2279deb013e464f#8b4c7da2258a402ea2279deb013e464f Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:02:14 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/8b4c7da2258a402ea2279deb013e464f#8b4c7da2258a402ea2279deb013e464f Christian Liensberger 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/littleguru/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? So true it hurts to stop laughing. Whoever created this really did a great job.....I love the music. That video is hilarious!

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c8a4125de8b0484faeec9deb013e4791#c8a4125de8b0484faeec9deb013e4791 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:13:13 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c8a4125de8b0484faeec9deb013e4791#c8a4125de8b0484faeec9deb013e4791 Zeo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Zeo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? hilarious

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a30adc1d9c3242bb9c749deb013e47ba#a30adc1d9c3242bb9c749deb013e47ba Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:13:49 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a30adc1d9c3242bb9c749deb013e47ba#a30adc1d9c3242bb9c749deb013e47ba Simo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Simo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?

brian.shapiro wrote:
well no , i understand the point. i dont like marketing committees going overboard. but look at the XP box... was that overcomplicated? no it was pretty simple and plain. microsofts advertisements are usually simple and plain also. so i dont get it as a criticism of microsoft


It's not just about a particular box...

Look at this:



Huge OEM logo ("CREATIVE").  Model logo ("Zen").  The words "PORTABLE MEDIA CENTER" screaming at you, just in case you forgot what it was you are holding in your hand.  A Windows logo button, just in case you didn't pick up on the same Windows logo on the off-center menu on the display ("Hey!  This is a MICROSOFT device!  Remember us?  MICROSOFT!")

Now look at this:


Where's the Apple logo?  Where's the word "iPod" screaming at me in BOLD, ALL CAPS, HIGH CONTRAST type in case I forget what this thing is?  Where's the text screaming the model "5G" or "VIDEO iPod?"

The Apple logo appears briefly on the display when it cold-starts.  The logo and identifying text is all on the back, where you never have to look at it.  And if you do flip it over and look at the back, it's beautifully laser-etched into a mirrored silver finish. 

They even care about looking good on the back side. 

It's a completely different design aesthetic.  That video is more than about the boxes....

Also, have you seen a Windows XP box lately?   They added a big ugly triangle for SP2.  This is the Japanese box:



The Japanese box for XP Professional is even worse, it has the "NOW WITH SP2!!!" thing screaming at you, along with a big overlay screaming at you to "STEP UP!!!!!!" TO PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!!



It's totally like the video.  Big Smile

And here we have the Apple OS box:



It still looks like you're buying a box of Death LOL but -- and this is my point -- at least it's a tasteful Death.  Big Smile

I watched the Digital Kitchen "Origami" video, and the main that impressed me?  The Origami wasn't screaming with logos and festooned with text.

Of course, that could be because, in the video, it's still a prototype... Tongue Out

 

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/0c2aa59c20f4493681909deb013e47ee#0c2aa59c20f4493681909deb013e47ee Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:24:10 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/0c2aa59c20f4493681909deb013e47ee#0c2aa59c20f4493681909deb013e47ee Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Anyone know where that music comes from?  I'm *sure* I've heard it before, can't remember what it is.

Thanks,
ScottR

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/b2ed6ca4884f46eca7609deb013e4817#b2ed6ca4884f46eca7609deb013e4817 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:07:36 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/b2ed6ca4884f46eca7609deb013e4817#b2ed6ca4884f46eca7609deb013e4817 ScottR 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/ScottR/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
ScottR wrote:
Anyone know where that music comes from?  I'm *sure* I've heard it before, can't remember what it is.

Thanks,
ScottR


It seemed vaguely like what I remember from a PeeWee Herman movie of long ago. Big Top PeeWee maybe?

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/94363ebdf144489a85ca9deb013e4843#94363ebdf144489a85ca9deb013e4843 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:10:54 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/94363ebdf144489a85ca9deb013e4843#94363ebdf144489a85ca9deb013e4843 dahat 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/dahat/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Theme - Pee Wee Herman - Pee Wee's Big Adventure

The only way I know this is because the music was used for the Blue Ball Machine page that surfaced a while back and the ID3 tag on the MP3 (which I just checked to find out what it is) says what it is.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/d53bf46559d04ee7bdaf9deb013e486d#d53bf46559d04ee7bdaf9deb013e486d Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:16:50 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/d53bf46559d04ee7bdaf9deb013e486d#d53bf46559d04ee7bdaf9deb013e486d JonathonW 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/CannotResolveSymbol/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
dahat wrote:
ScottR wrote: Anyone know where that music comes from?  I'm *sure* I've heard it before, can't remember what it is.

Thanks,
ScottR


It seemed vaguely like what I remember from a PeeWee Herman movie of long ago. Big Top PeeWee maybe?

The movie starts with a small part of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra".

The rest uses the song "Breakfast machine" by Danny Elfman, from the soundtrack of Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1e7507d0d8614d7a9b329deb013e4898#1e7507d0d8614d7a9b329deb013e4898 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 20:21:24 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1e7507d0d8614d7a9b329deb013e4898#1e7507d0d8614d7a9b329deb013e4898 Sven Groot 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Sven Groot/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? ok. the original XP boxes weren't like that though. and even current US XP boxes are nothing like the Japanese messes. (i remember seeing the SP2 triangle it was nothing too distracting)

i have an original XP box somewhere its very plain, you open it up theres a booklet with a few illustrations and a place to rest the CD. (from what i remember)

and yes i think all of the PMC designs ive seen look bad. but if you look at the origami pictures (whether prototype or not) it looks very simple in the same way that ipods do. i wonder what all those controls are for though

btw i dont think the OSX box is a 'tasteful' box of death. its imo a little bad taste to use so much graphic effects and focus on a big X. but then again i find the OSX interface style to be a bit of bad taste when most people dont.

i hate though how on certain micrsoft webpages, even looking a the windows vista page now, they overuse photos of people smiling, which has nothing to do with the product, it comes off as insincere corporate gloss. ( a lot of corporate pages or pamphlets are like this )

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/812cd9503ae444f9a0539deb013e48c6#812cd9503ae444f9a0539deb013e48c6 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 21:21:35 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/812cd9503ae444f9a0539deb013e48c6#812cd9503ae444f9a0539deb013e48c6 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? simple beauty...

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c92814c7e76f464088249deb013e494a#c92814c7e76f464088249deb013e494a Mon, 27 Feb 2006 21:35:58 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c92814c7e76f464088249deb013e494a#c92814c7e76f464088249deb013e494a pwzeus 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/pwzeus/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Cybermagellan wrote:
I have to agree, I quiet prefered the last box. One thing that annoy'd me whenever I got my iPod. The box had no information. My kids toys that require no assembly at all had more instructions than a $250.00 piece of electronics did.


I've got to agree as well.  With the Apple iPod box, you don't know what you've got until you open it up.  Most (normal) people throw the box away eventually anyway, so who cares what it looks like on the outside. 

It's only the pretentious, black-turtle-necked Apple drones who care about the style of a cardboard box.

Good god, how can I patent that phrase.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c54f4af4938a4f218dad9deb013e4976#c54f4af4938a4f218dad9deb013e4976 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 22:44:33 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c54f4af4938a4f218dad9deb013e4976#c54f4af4938a4f218dad9deb013e4976 ScanIAm 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/ScanIAm/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? When I buy something as significant as an iPod (just not an iPod, no iPods, ever) the packaging is either very important, or not at all.

I go online and research what I am going to buy and then walk into a store that I know has what I need and grab it off the shelf and buy it on the spot. (Office Depot/Best Buy types get confused over why I don't listen to their advice and when I get impatient when they won't open the bleeping cage right away). The other thing that I do is sit there in the store and read all of the boxes. If I am at the store, I don't have access to the internet and I can't get all of the relevant information. So I want a complete feature list, compatability list, hardware and software reqs, all on a  scratch-n-sniff label. Or I just buy it online and save my self the trouble of human contact. Tongue Out

But, hey... I'm not the kind of person who gets all weak in the knees over product packaging. I guess you have to appeal to the great unwashed.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/de0652907a564043b2479deb013e49a2#de0652907a564043b2479deb013e49a2 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 23:16:57 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/de0652907a564043b2479deb013e49a2#de0652907a564043b2479deb013e49a2 kettch 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/kettch/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
ScanIAm wrote:
It's only the pretentious, black-turtle-necked Apple drones who care about the style of a cardboard box.


There is an absolutely brilliant column from 2003 that answers your very question:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/a/2003/10/01/notes100103.DTL

The column, in praise of Apple's packaging, starts off with the phrase, "Oh right like you even care."

The whole column is just sheer genius, because it makes your very argument, it starts off from your point of view -- who cares about the style of a cardboard box? -- and, slowly, inexorably, it draws you...

No screaming colors and no garish cartoon graphics and no massive corporate logo and no bullet-point exclamation points listing the outrageous features you'll never use and you're like, wait a minute, what they hell does Apple think they're hawking here, art?

...to the opposite point of view.

These are the things that are nearly dead in our mass-consumer culture, things normally reserved for elitist niche markets and swanky boutiques and upscale yuppie Euro spas and maybe cool insider mags like I-D and Metropolis and dwell. They are most definitely not to be expected of mass-market gadget makers. This is why it matters. This is why it's important.

I don't want to quote the whole column here.  Go read it.  The columnist nailed it dead-on in 2003 and Microsoft still hasn't figured it out.  If you've ever opened an Apple product, you'll probably think, Yeah, I know exactly what this guy is talking about.

It says something, doesn't it, that they put that much thought into their packaging?  The stuff you're going to throw away?  I mean, if they carefully thought about where the cables should be placed, how they should be folded, where the manual should go -- doesn't it imply that they also put at least as much care and thought into the device itself?

The old iPod packaging (the "cube") was much nicer than the packaging introduced for the iPod nano and 5G iPod.

My first iPod was a third-generation unit.  I have to say, the packaging impressed me.  At first, it was a little puzzle: how does it open?  Ok, not too hard to figure out: You slide the cube out of its sleeve.  The black cube then unfolds in half -- it's hinged -- and inside it's all white.  Except for some subtle gray text: Designed by Apple in California.  Then you unfold two flaps -- the whole box is an origami trick -- and on the right is your iPod, and on the left, a white package holding the manuals & software.  The package has a single word on it: Enjoy. 

Just opening the box puts a smile on your face.

That's sheer genius.   It's the best kind of advertising.  It associates the emotion of feeling good, feeling like you are doing something special, with seeing a product for the first time.  The "OOBE" that everyone talks about and almost no one gets right.  People remember that good feeling -- that's all the associative cortex in the brain does -- and they become repeat customers.   Repeat customers are always your best customers.  Some of your repeat customers turn into rabid fanboys.  Or your best evangelists.

Most companies think, once you've made the sale, you've got a customer, therefore who cares about packaging?

Full Disclosure: Yes, I own a black cashmere mock turtleneck. Expressionless

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/074f17cbc5834a519b299deb013e49d7#074f17cbc5834a519b299deb013e49d7 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:17:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/074f17cbc5834a519b299deb013e49d7#074f17cbc5834a519b299deb013e49d7 Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Apple is style...

that's why it (iPod) continues to sell so well

All neat and clean, it's has a new look and feel.

They're simply being different and it's working for them.

i just checked out the new macs at best buy...

i really wanna buy one. no pc laptop looks cooler.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/6b13b15fdf274ec7ae5e9deb013e4a03#6b13b15fdf274ec7ae5e9deb013e4a03 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:26:28 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/6b13b15fdf274ec7ae5e9deb013e4a03#6b13b15fdf274ec7ae5e9deb013e4a03 LaBomba 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/LaBomba/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? And looking at the latest Vista build it's more of the same...

clutter, and lot's of it.

Yay, a sidebar that is going to take up resources and be hardly used!

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/9a651d47f44440e8a38f9deb013e4a2f#9a651d47f44440e8a38f9deb013e4a2f Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:28:03 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/9a651d47f44440e8a38f9deb013e4a2f#9a651d47f44440e8a38f9deb013e4a2f LaBomba 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/LaBomba/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Man that is just beautiful! The difference between Apple and Microsoft is spelled out right there in that parody. MS can seemingly uglify anything. Just look at Vista.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a091ce75a27e4c52a4d69deb013e4aac#a091ce75a27e4c52a4d69deb013e4aac Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:05:55 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/a091ce75a27e4c52a4d69deb013e4aac#a091ce75a27e4c52a4d69deb013e4aac Bobinho 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Bobinho/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Microsoft often does a great job with design and it is rarely noticed. Sad

This blog is a great example. The design is content focused and very clean. There's hardly any Microsoft branding at all. I love this site for those reasons. The thing that makes the site important is the people and the content they contribute.

I see two discrete lines of text at the bottom of the page to provide full disclosure and let you know it's a Microsoft site... and a really cool block dude. Wink

Here's another great example of cool Microsoft layout: http://blogs.msdn.com/max/default.aspx 

I like this page as well: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.aspx

And I really enjoy using: http://local.live.com/">http://local.live.com

And another: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/innovation/yourpotential/main.html

The XBox 360 campaign was recognized for generating some of the coolest ads of 2005...

Jump Rope Ad:
http://dwl.xbox-scene.com/video/xbox360-ad.wmv

Water Balloon Ad:
http://www.xbox.com/NR/rdonlyres/FBB86DEB-7BE7-49CF-AF2E-27406FFF562D/0/vidxboxcommercial001Hi.asx

I could go on, but I think you get the point. Smiley

Apple does a nice job with their designs but they're not perfect. I love using my iPod - it's a cool product. I like features such as the touch wheel and the quality of the ear phones, the huge capacity of the hard drive - but the startup and indexing time is long, the battery life leaves a lot to be desired, the screen shows strange rainbow colors during certain times of the year (it's mentioned in their owners manual), the contact list import doesn't work, the shuffle button is buried deep in the menu structure, wav files of significant length won't play properly, my legacy version of the device won't charge off USB 2.0, the iTunes store definitely has a significant and noticeable presence in iTunes, the software by default rips cd's to mp3 at a poor quality, and I've never understood why there's a hard limit on the size of plaintext files the viewer will render.  The iPod has its problems too. That doesn't prevent it from being a very cool product

I was impressed with the iPod packaging too. A previous post mentions the simplicity of the messaging inside the box. That impressed me too. It's brilliant. But look at this Apple.com page: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA166Z/A --- is it as brilliant as the iPod box? Hardly. Does that make it poor? I don't think so. Does this mean that Apple doesn't know anything about design? Not at all! In fact, it could easily be argued that this page is very well suited for its audience. 

These discussions and issues are very interesting to me. I don't think these need to be religious debates though. It's too easy to state Apple "is style". What about Motorola? What about Maxtor (I really like my one touch II) or Bose? What about all the great high end stereo designers of the 1970's and 1980's? How about the industrial designers of the 1950's? What about Ray and Charles Eames? The designers at BMW? Kool Keith? Can't they all have some style? Smiley

Besides, if Apple has a monopoly on style, I'm going to advocate internally we pursue litigation. Tongue Out

Apple and Microsoft both have a lot of talented people who care about design. 

The video is funny. I dig it. Props to whoever made it. Cool

 

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/61a2bfcd824f491788399deb013e4a82#61a2bfcd824f491788399deb013e4a82 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:15:40 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/61a2bfcd824f491788399deb013e4a82#61a2bfcd824f491788399deb013e4a82 dano847 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/dano847/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? sometimes i see poor microsoft designs

but man

do i have to take a photo of my xp box and its contents to prove to you how minimalistic they designed it.

get out your own box i guess and take a look.

so get off microsofts back about this

they shouldnt be the whipping boy for bad design because there are hundreds of companies out there that should beat microsoft to that honor

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/0134f79c7ca74f3e820b9deb013e4ad6#0134f79c7ca74f3e820b9deb013e4ad6 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 07:18:04 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/0134f79c7ca74f3e820b9deb013e4ad6#0134f79c7ca74f3e820b9deb013e4ad6 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
brian.shapiro wrote:
so get off microsofts back about this

they shouldnt be the whipping boy for bad design




[whipcrack]

"I'd say that's got some shelf presence."

EDIT: Helps if you play music while looking at this.  (Or, if you have an iPod, buy the music from iTunes)

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5d15503f864a44229d6f9deb013e4b03#5d15503f864a44229d6f9deb013e4b03 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:48:27 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5d15503f864a44229d6f9deb013e4b03#5d15503f864a44229d6f9deb013e4b03 Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? yea dont use some weird japanese box that nobody in the states has seen to prove MSs bad design.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/4bce1df5dc944697af409deb013e4b2c#4bce1df5dc944697af409deb013e4b2c Tue, 28 Feb 2006 21:52:57 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/4bce1df5dc944697af409deb013e4b2c#4bce1df5dc944697af409deb013e4b2c brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
brian.shapiro wrote:
yea dont use some weird japanese box that nobody in the states has seen to prove MSs bad design.


Microsoft designs software boxes like washing detergent: "NEW! Protects against stains|viruses* better than ever!" (Delete as appropriate), Apple doesn't need to "sell" their software, their close-knit niche status, cult following, and reliable social networks ripe for viral-marketing ensure that their latest iProduct will be snatched from the shelves. Microsoft, too, has a cult following (granted, not with as much furvour, but refer to Neowin and Bink as examples) but instead uses the "old money" approach of selling to PHBs (who need sales-bullets) rather than those lower-down in the capitalist food-chain.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/f6ae545e12e143d3b34b9deb013e4b59#f6ae545e12e143d3b34b9deb013e4b59 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:04:26 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/f6ae545e12e143d3b34b9deb013e4b59#f6ae545e12e143d3b34b9deb013e4b59 W3bbo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
W3bbo wrote:
...ensure that their latest iProduct will be snatched from the shelves.

If it is an iPod.

Let's keep in mind that pretty much anything else from Apple is gathering dust on those same shelves.

(to keep things in perspective, Apple sells about 3.5 mils computers every year. Windows XP Media Center Edition, arguably the less common among Microsoft's consumer operating systems, sells about 3 mil per quarter)

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/b02b9e68b4504c3298129deb013e4b83#b02b9e68b4504c3298129deb013e4b83 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:20:49 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/b02b9e68b4504c3298129deb013e4b83#b02b9e68b4504c3298129deb013e4b83 PaoloM 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/PaoloM/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
PaoloM wrote:
(to keep things in perspective, Apple sells about 3.5 mils computers every year. Windows XP Media Center Edition, arguably the less common among Microsoft's consumer operating systems, sells about 3 mil per quarter)


Judging by these figures, I'd say Apple sells slightly over 4 million Apple Macintosh units in a year.

I've had a look around on the Internet for MCE sales figures, I have found numbers from early 2005 which doesn't seem to be doing nearly as good as Apple (some 400,000 sales between 2004-08 and 2005-01), granted the sales would have accelerated somewhat since then, but I doubt they're anywhere near 3 million units / qtr.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/adbebb63966e47a2b2339deb013e4bb0#adbebb63966e47a2b2339deb013e4bb0 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:32:50 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/adbebb63966e47a2b2339deb013e4bb0#adbebb63966e47a2b2339deb013e4bb0 W3bbo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Karim wrote:
ScanIAm wrote: It's only the pretentious, black-turtle-necked Apple drones who care about the style of a cardboard box.


There is an absolutely brilliant column from 2003 that answers your very question:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/a/2003/10/01/notes100103.DTL

The column, in praise of Apple's packaging, starts off with the phrase, "Oh right like you even care."

The whole column is just sheer genius, because it makes your very argument, it starts off from your point of view -- who cares about the style of a cardboard box? -- and, slowly, inexorably, it draws you...

No screaming colors and no garish cartoon graphics and no massive corporate logo and no bullet-point exclamation points listing the outrageous features you'll never use and you're like, wait a minute, what they hell does Apple think they're hawking here, art?

...to the opposite point of view.

These are the things that are nearly dead in our mass-consumer culture, things normally reserved for elitist niche markets and swanky boutiques and upscale yuppie Euro spas and maybe cool insider mags like I-D and Metropolis and dwell. They are most definitely not to be expected of mass-market gadget makers. This is why it matters. This is why it's important.

I don't want to quote the whole column here.  Go read it.  The columnist nailed it dead-on in 2003 and Microsoft still hasn't figured it out.  If you've ever opened an Apple product, you'll probably think, Yeah, I know exactly what this guy is talking about.

It says something, doesn't it, that they put that much thought into their packaging?  The stuff you're going to throw away?  I mean, if they carefully thought about where the cables should be placed, how they should be folded, where the manual should go -- doesn't it imply that they also put at least as much care and thought into the device itself?

The old iPod packaging (the "cube") was much nicer than the packaging introduced for the iPod nano and 5G iPod.

My first iPod was a third-generation unit.  I have to say, the packaging impressed me.  At first, it was a little puzzle: how does it open?  Ok, not too hard to figure out: You slide the cube out of its sleeve.  The black cube then unfolds in half -- it's hinged -- and inside it's all white.  Except for some subtle gray text: Designed by Apple in California.  Then you unfold two flaps -- the whole box is an origami trick -- and on the right is your iPod, and on the left, a white package holding the manuals & software.  The package has a single word on it: Enjoy. 

Just opening the box puts a smile on your face.

That's sheer genius.   It's the best kind of advertising.  It associates the emotion of feeling good, feeling like you are doing something special, with seeing a product for the first time.  The "OOBE" that everyone talks about and almost no one gets right.  People remember that good feeling -- that's all the associative cortex in the brain does -- and they become repeat customers.   Repeat customers are always your best customers.  Some of your repeat customers turn into rabid fanboys.  Or your best evangelists.

Most companies think, once you've made the sale, you've got a customer, therefore who cares about packaging?

Full Disclosure: Yes, I own a black cashmere mock turtleneck.


From the article wrote:

This is what Apple does. This is what they are known for and why their design team is so famous and why they win so many awards and why they engender such passionate devotion from their adherents and why Macs are still far, far superior to PCs and always will be. It's true.



Crist on a cracker....are our lives so empty and hollow that the visceral experience of opening a paper and styrofoam package will somehow fullfil us?  Are we all a bunch of eskimos looking for someone to sell us some ice-cream?

From the article wrote:

Is it just another goddamn overpriced radioactive instantly obsolete tech gadget they suck you into buying via sinister marketing and cloying ad copy and the sense that if you don't buy one now you must be a Luddite dork? Sure. But then again, maybe, just maybe, if you look a little closer, it doesn't always have to be.


Sorry, Charlie, it does always have to be.  Unless you get stuck in some kind of stasis chamber time-warp, your 5Gig iPod will eventually be as timeless as buggy-whips and whale-blubber reading lamps. 

Self affirmations to the effect of "I've been sold a quality product, look how great the package is" reeks of elitism and auto-erotic brainwashing.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/61ab760891014152b17a9deb013e4bec#61ab760891014152b17a9deb013e4bec Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:36:21 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/61ab760891014152b17a9deb013e4bec#61ab760891014152b17a9deb013e4bec ScanIAm 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/ScanIAm/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
W3bbo wrote:
PaoloM wrote: (to keep things in perspective, Apple sells about 3.5 mils computers every year. Windows XP Media Center Edition, arguably the less common among Microsoft's consumer operating systems, sells about 3 mil per quarter)


Judging by these figures, I'd say Apple sells slightly over 4 million Apple Macintosh units in a year.

I've had a look around on the Internet for MCE sales figures, I have found numbers from early 2005 which doesn't seem to be doing nearly as good as Apple (some 400,000 sales between 2004-08 and 2005-01), granted the sales would have accelerated somewhat since then, but I doubt they're anywhere near 3 million units / qtr.


From Globeinvestor.com in January:

"Media Centre-based PCs picked up a lot of traction in 2005, Mr. Gates said. Cumulative unit sales to date are 6.5-million worldwide, of which 5.5-million were logged last year, he said.

In addition, Intel Corp., which is promoting its so-called Viiv chip technologies aimed for multimedia machines for the networked, digital home, will require that Viiv customers base their products on Microsoft's Media Centre Edition."

(apologies for the colours!)


Mind you, these figures shouldn't surprise anyone who has been into any PC chain such as PC World or watched something like QVC - 3/4 of the PCs they sell there are running MCE.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/aa6049d08d564cdd85989deb013e4c1c#aa6049d08d564cdd85989deb013e4c1c Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:43:05 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/aa6049d08d564cdd85989deb013e4c1c#aa6049d08d564cdd85989deb013e4c1c Cider 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Cider/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Cider wrote:
"Media Centre-based PCs picked up a lot of traction in 2005, Mr. Gates said. Cumulative unit sales to date are 6.5-million worldwide, of which 5.5-million were logged last year, he said.


That's still nowhere near 3m/qtr, more like 1.4m/qtr which is only marginally more than Apple's sales.

Cider wrote:
In addition, Intel Corp., which is promoting its so-called Viiv chip technologies aimed for multimedia machines for the networked, digital home, will require that Viiv customers base their products on Microsoft's Media Centre Edition."

(apologies for the colours!)[/quote]

Out-of-context, Cider, you should have highlighted the first 2 words of the original statement Wink

Cider wrote:
Mind you, these figures shouldn't surprise anyone who has been into any PC chain such as PC World or watched something like QVC - 3/4 of the PCs they sell there are running MCE.

Well yes, I suppose part of the surge in sales can be explained by the "push"-factor presented by the big shops, I suppose if Apple did allow PC World to ship their computers then they'd see similar sales, rather than contract it out to John Lewis, of course it's probably part of the Mac Cult not to be involved with "commoners" that shop at PC World.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/69882eb0b7b8485d811e9deb013e4c4a#69882eb0b7b8485d811e9deb013e4c4a Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:48:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/69882eb0b7b8485d811e9deb013e4c4a#69882eb0b7b8485d811e9deb013e4c4a W3bbo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? maybe, w3bbo.

but i want to prove something.

when i got my xp box and opened it, it was a pleasant experience.

 

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/bc7e473a5e3940bebf319deb013e4c74#bc7e473a5e3940bebf319deb013e4c74 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:52:38 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/bc7e473a5e3940bebf319deb013e4c74#bc7e473a5e3940bebf319deb013e4c74 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? btw, Karim,

I hate how on iBooks you have an overly large Apple logo on the back. And Microsoft didn't design the Zen--which does look ugly and obnoxious. The MS prototype for origami doesnt look ugly at all

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/8d2e0c40d04a449bb56f9deb013e4c9f#8d2e0c40d04a449bb56f9deb013e4c9f Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:11:02 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/8d2e0c40d04a449bb56f9deb013e4c9f#8d2e0c40d04a449bb56f9deb013e4c9f brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
W3bbo wrote:
Microsoft designs software boxes like washing detergent:


Should we be surprised? IIRC Steve Ballmer used to work for Lever Brothers, or Proctor and Gamble (can't recall) marketing soap powder, before he joined Microsoft.

Admittedly that was probably more than 25 years ago now...

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c4a05113f5674851a4bf9deb013e4cca#c4a05113f5674851a4bf9deb013e4cca Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:14:05 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c4a05113f5674851a4bf9deb013e4cca#c4a05113f5674851a4bf9deb013e4cca Mike Dimmick 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Mike Dimmick/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
brian.shapiro wrote:


so get off microsofts back about this


Microsoft made that video, brian.shapiro. But you go ahead and defend Microsoft's designers against... er, Microsoft's marketers?

Scobelizer wrote:
It was done by Microsoft marketing for an internal meeting with its designers, I’m told.



]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/ac64f29f742b449ba51d9deb013e4cf5#ac64f29f742b449ba51d9deb013e4cf5 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 00:49:32 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/ac64f29f742b449ba51d9deb013e4cf5#ac64f29f742b449ba51d9deb013e4cf5 Cairo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Cairo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Cairo wrote:
brian.shapiro wrote:

so get off microsofts back about this


Microsoft made that video, brian.shapiro. But you go ahead and defend Microsoft's designers against... er, Microsoft's marketers?

Scobelizer wrote: It was done by Microsoft marketing for an internal meeting with its designers, I’m told.





yea and if meant as a perfectly serious critique then microsoft marketing should give its designers more credit than that.

but at any rate microsofts designs arent 'exactly' like that as ive seen some posters say in response to the video.

and what youre mocking me for pointing out that XPs packaging design was very simple? it was.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c18c8576f17749b496e29deb013e4d23#c18c8576f17749b496e29deb013e4d23 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:17:06 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/c18c8576f17749b496e29deb013e4d23#c18c8576f17749b496e29deb013e4d23 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?

ScanIAm wrote:
Crist on a cracker....are our lives so empty and hollow that the visceral experience of opening a paper and styrofoam package will somehow fullfil us?  Are we all a bunch of eskimos looking for someone to sell us some ice-cream?


Who said anything about being "fulfilled?"  You're exaggerating.  I said opening the iPod box made me smile.

Products have packaging; Apple's packaging just goes above and beyond the call of duty.  It's part of an aesthetic that says even the stuff that "doesn't matter" -- the back of a device, the way the cables are wrapped, the box it comes in -- should get painstaking attention to detail.

Do you know what is meant by "presentation," in a culinary context?

Let's say we are all eskimos looking to buy ice cream.  And it's mostly all the same: a lump of frozen milk and sugar.  What flavor?  Cup or cone?  Here ya go, kid.  Plop.  Ok, move along, we got other customers.  NEXT!

Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream.  It all looks the same, it all tastes the same.  Who cares.

Except at the Apple ice cream store.

They don't just dump your ice cream in a cup at the Apple ice cream store.  First they put down a plate.  Then they dust the plate with confectioner's sugar, to make it look like snowdrifts.  Then they stick a couple of minature husky dogs and a sled sculpted out of fondant on one side of the plate.  Then they take your scoop of ice cream, and -- ha! -- it looks exactly like an igloo, like it was made out of little blocks of ice or something -- and they set it down in the middle of the plate.  And then they put a little engraved cardboard sign in front of the dish that says "Enjoy."

Did they need to do that?  No.

Will it make the ice cream taste any better?  Probably not.

Is it nice that someone in this world is so passionate about ice cream that they care about how it's presented?  Yeah, I think so.

ScanIAm wrote:

Sorry, Charlie, it does always have to be.  Unless you get stuck in some kind of stasis chamber time-warp, your 5Gig iPod will eventually be as timeless as buggy-whips and whale-blubber reading lamps. 


The article agrees with you.  It's all temporary.  Hell, we're all temporary.  In the history of the Universe, YOU are about as ephemeral as iPod packaging.  "All men are like grass, and their glory is like the flowers of the fields."  i.e. here one season, gone the next.

That to me says, make the most of it.  If you have to open a cardboard box, let it be a good cardboard box.  Let it be a cardboard box that makes you smile.  Big Smile

ScanIAm wrote:

Self affirmations to the effect of "I've been sold a quality product, look how great the package is" reeks of elitism and auto-erotic brainwashing.


It's certainly natural to think, if the details are finessed, then the big picture probably is too.  Human beings make superficial assumptions that way.  Good culinary presentation doesn't mean the food's gonna taste good though.

I don't think elitism plays into it at all:

This is the point. Detail and nuance and texture and a sense of how users actually feel, what makes them smile, what makes the experience worthy and positive and sensual instead of necessary and drab and evil.

These are the things that are nearly dead in our mass-consumer culture, things normally reserved for elitist niche markets and swanky boutiques and upscale yuppie Euro spas and maybe cool insider mags like I-D and Metropolis and dwell.  They are most definitely not to be expected of mass-market gadget makers. This is why it matters. This is why it's important.

They are most definitely not to be expected of mass-market gadget makers. This is why it matters. This is why it's important.

Oh sure, Apple's elitist. This is the common line.

...

Fewer and fewer manufacturers of consumer landfill crap give a damn for how consumers might actually, dare I say, care about the fit and finish of the products they decide to allow into their lives. And this is exactly the sort of nuanced stuff we so desperately need more of.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/af301db484c84983a5fc9deb013e4d5c#af301db484c84983a5fc9deb013e4d5c Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:32:06 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/af301db484c84983a5fc9deb013e4d5c#af301db484c84983a5fc9deb013e4d5c Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Karim,

You didn't find opening the XP box sort of nice also? ESPECIALLY compared to previous versions of Windows boxes, or boxes for other software.

And even though I never fully liked XP's luna interface I think it gets hit too much and people ignore that there are a lot of positives in it that would be worth repeating. People also praise the OSX interface while ignoring a lot of bad taste in it. I think this Apple is the god of style and MS is the devil , is just plain wrong

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/37771d2207b94053a4999deb013e4d87#37771d2207b94053a4999deb013e4d87 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:37:49 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/37771d2207b94053a4999deb013e4d87#37771d2207b94053a4999deb013e4d87 brian.shapiro 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/brian.shapiro/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Mike Dimmick wrote:
W3bbo wrote: Microsoft designs software boxes like washing detergent:


Should we be surprised? IIRC Steve Ballmer used to work for Lever Brothers, or Proctor and Gamble (can't recall) marketing soap powder, before he joined Microsoft.


Note subtle spotlight in background:



Note subtle spotlight in background:



Not-so-subtle spotlight in foreground.  ("Think different?")

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1e715f5af1024d6ab2859deb013e4db3#1e715f5af1024d6ab2859deb013e4db3 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:51:44 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1e715f5af1024d6ab2859deb013e4db3#1e715f5af1024d6ab2859deb013e4db3 Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
brian.shapiro wrote:
You didn't find opening the XP box sort of nice also? ESPECIALLY compared to previous versions of Windows boxes, or boxes for other software.


Not especially... I remember being slightly annoyed that there was no CD case, just a foam peg in the cardboard folder that also had the product key plastered to it.  I remember thinking, "Oh great, I gotta keep this whole huge FOLDER now instead of just a CD jewel box."

The box itself was an ok design... SIX YEARS AGO.  I thought the point of the video was that they can take an "ok" design... and over time... as it is designed by committee... add more and more and MORE crap to it.  The "now includes SP2" triangle is just ugly.  (Who came up with the sliver of cloud???)  Why not just change the color of the box?  Or go with a tiny, discreet "SP2" badge?

In fairness, I don't remember anything particularly nice about opening a box of OS X either.  It was certainly no iPod box.  And even the current iPod boxes (nano, 5G) are nothing compared to the old iPod cube boxes.  I remember opening my 5G iPod box and thinking, "That's it?  That's all there is to it?  It's just... a box?"  I remember feeling vaguely cheated.  Big Smile

But, as I tried to say earlier, it's not really about a particular this box or that device... more of an opinion about the overall aesthetic.

brian.shapiro wrote:

And even though I never fully liked XP's luna interface I think it gets hit too much and people ignore that there are a lot of positives in it that would be worth repeating. People also praise the OSX interface while ignoring a lot of bad taste in it. I think this Apple is the god of style and MS is the devil , is just plain wrong


I am pretty much the only person I know who likes Luna... (Didn't Frogdesign do both Mac OS and Luna...?)  I'm just miffed that they left it at Blue, Silver, Olive Green for six years.  Ok I think last year they gave away "Royale" for Tablet PC owners.  <rolleyes>

I've worked with enough Apple products to know they are less than perfect.  (Do not even get me started on Apple customer service.)  But when it comes to design, they're one of the few companies that really does seem to care.  Their products are by no means perfect, but they seem to really care about ergonomics, making sure things are the right size/weight/proportion, making sure things like the iPod have rounded edges and are comfortable to hold, have tactile or audio feedback, animations, etc. 

Whereas Microsoft had the Philippe S+ARK mouse... LOL  I can see the meeting now... "We need to prove we can do this design thing, that we're fresh... let's get one of those young hip designers..."

This was the peak of Microsoft design:



That was perfect.  LOL

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5f3d1f6ddeb345f789269deb013e4de6#5f3d1f6ddeb345f789269deb013e4de6 Wed, 01 Mar 2006 02:39:46 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5f3d1f6ddeb345f789269deb013e4de6#5f3d1f6ddeb345f789269deb013e4de6 Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? Word is that this was made by somebody inside Microsoft, and that they're in hot water now that this has come out.

If true, that's foolish. Denying the reality is a move from weakness. As is using power to suppress the discussion. Seems like a poor idea to punish people for being talented and expressing dissenting opinions; the obvious lesson for employees and prospects to draw is that Microsoft would rather have a mediocre monoculture.

Of course, if that's what the execs want, it's easy enough to get.
 

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/fa7f23af6e024a90a8fe9deb013e4e13#fa7f23af6e024a90a8fe9deb013e4e13 Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:03:08 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/fa7f23af6e024a90a8fe9deb013e4e13#fa7f23af6e024a90a8fe9deb013e4e13 buggy123 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/buggy123/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? I think that this may be a good idea of what we could expect if MS redesigned the packaging for the iPod.

http://www.stupidvideos.com/video/just_plain_stupid/Microsoft_iPod_Resdesign/?c=&p=2

Cheers,
Doctor

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/713025bdce424e1592409deb013e4e58#713025bdce424e1592409deb013e4e58 Sat, 04 Mar 2006 19:17:23 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/713025bdce424e1592409deb013e4e58#713025bdce424e1592409deb013e4e58 Doctor 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Doctor/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box? 'Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla on Tuesday confirmed with iPod Observer that his company initiated the creation of the iPod packaging parody video.' via Digg

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5dc038d24f294e0492359deb013e4e82#5dc038d24f294e0492359deb013e4e82 Tue, 14 Mar 2006 21:18:07 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/5dc038d24f294e0492359deb013e4e82#5dc038d24f294e0492359deb013e4e82 Stephen 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Stephen/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Karim wrote:
I am pretty much the only person I know who likes Luna... (Didn't Frogdesign do both Mac OS and Luna...?)  I'm just miffed that they left it at Blue, Silver, Olive Green for six years.  Ok I think last year they gave away "Royale" for Tablet PC owners.  <rolleyes>


No, Frogdesign came up with the new Windows logo and some WMP skins.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1d02f1188b3c4482abc59deb013e4ead#1d02f1188b3c4482abc59deb013e4ead Tue, 14 Mar 2006 21:35:40 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/1d02f1188b3c4482abc59deb013e4ead#1d02f1188b3c4482abc59deb013e4ead W3bbo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
W3bbo wrote:
Karim wrote: I am pretty much the only person I know who likes Luna... (Didn't Frogdesign do both Mac OS and Luna...?)  I'm just miffed that they left it at Blue, Silver, Olive Green for six years.  Ok I think last year they gave away "Royale" for Tablet PC owners.  <rolleyes>


No, Frogdesign came up with the new Windows logo and some WMP skins.


This page says frog also did "the Windows Start bar," though it's unclear whether they mean "Start Menu" or "Taskbar."  Perplexed

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/4c1f272b8ec243aaa4899deb013e4ed9#4c1f272b8ec243aaa4899deb013e4ed9 Tue, 14 Mar 2006 22:40:31 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/4c1f272b8ec243aaa4899deb013e4ed9#4c1f272b8ec243aaa4899deb013e4ed9 Karim 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/Karim/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - What if Microsoft designed the iPod box?
Karim wrote:
This page says frog also did "the Windows Start bar," though it's unclear whether they mean "Start Menu" or "Taskbar." 


Both are evil.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/43139ff6bc644cc59ca79deb013e4f04#43139ff6bc644cc59ca79deb013e4f04 Tue, 14 Mar 2006 22:50:31 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/162066-What-if-Microsoft-designed-the-iPod-box/43139ff6bc644cc59ca79deb013e4f04#43139ff6bc644cc59ca79deb013e4f04 W3bbo 48 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/W3bbo/Discussions/RSS