Filed under: Comment
So yesterday I went and bought the above iPOD clock radio.
There were a number of reasons why I went out to buy it … none of them in the least bit practical …
1 I’d just been in the World’s most boring research meeting and needed something to make me feel good about wasting the last 2 hours of my life
2 I am a sad, technology-obsessed individual
3 We have so many bloody iPODs around the place, anything that can take one off the shelf and charge it is alright by me
4 It came with a remote control – meaning it is more than a clock, it’s a gadget
5 I like the idea of waking up to something other than a Naziesque ‘Buzzer’ or the most inane Singaporean Radio DJ [think Fluff Freeman from 1982!]
Anyway, when I got it back to the office, I was looking at the symbols on the box …
Made For iPod
Dual Alarm
Wake To iPod, Buzzer or Radio
Play & Recharge
… then I came across this one …
What the …. !!!???
The cheeky bastards are trying to make out that ‘Worldwide Radio Frequency Ranges’ is some sort of ‘super, special feature’ when in reality, every soddin’ radio on the planet offers exactly the same benefit.
They’re not saying my new gadget can pick up all radio stations in the World from my house in Singapore … oh no … they’re just saying that wherever I take it in the World, it can pick up local radio signals.
It’s like Ford promoting cars saying, “Multi-Journey Capable”
That little logo … that seemingly innocuous little symbol … immediately made me look at the product as a pile of cheap tat, which for a new brand in the marketplace [iLuv] is not good.
Luckily for them, it works really well … but marketers preoccupation with meaningless little symbols is driving me mad, especially when they are for features which really aren’t ‘unique features’ at all.
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Yes that logo is bad but have you seen the crap MS are putting on their Vista boxes? And how come you’ve not ranted about that unbelievably shit campaign? I…no, we… demand answers Robert.
Comment by Pete February 23, 2007 @ 3:37 pmBloody good point Pete – I’ve meant to write about that awful ‘WOW’ thing. Will do it soon I promise.
Comment by Rob February 23, 2007 @ 3:41 pmoh don’t start on the wow.. your blog will fill with more rants than the other one! lol!
i’ve got an awesome dad joke for you though: how many microsoft developers does it take to change a light bulb? none. bill gates will just turn around and declare that darkness is the new industry standard.
Comment by lauren February 23, 2007 @ 4:34 pmput some gaffa tape over the button. simple solution to a monster problem.
Comment by Marcus Brown February 23, 2007 @ 5:18 pmI can see your point, but then again having worked in an electrical store I can assure that people are unaware of the most obvious things…
Id like to see what you mean about Vista boxes, not seen one yet!
Comment by Rob Mortimer February 23, 2007 @ 5:27 pmI’ll take a photo and show you Rob – it’s like LCD/Plasma Televisions … more logos than can fit on a 60″ tele!
Talking of 60″ tele’s … anyone want one cheap? Brand new … full 1080 HD … used for one shoot and now the client doesn’t want it back.
And yes … it’s a SONY!
Comment by Rob February 23, 2007 @ 5:40 pmAnd I appreciate I haven’t defined my definition of cheap … but if you’re interested, let me know and I’ll ‘chat’ to my Japanese counterpart.
Gee I’m nice. Well, I am at the moment anyway.
Comment by Rob February 23, 2007 @ 5:44 pmI wish…
Unless cheap means prices that someone at Sony would shoot you for offering! 😉
Comment by Rob Mortimer February 23, 2007 @ 5:48 pmCheap shot having a go at Fluff now he’s dead.
Comment by Stan Lee February 23, 2007 @ 8:20 pmYeah … I know and I did kinda-like him … but hey, life’s tough, get over it, haha!
And Rob … interms of massive TV’s at cheap prices, let me see ‘how low they will go’ … don’t threaten, don’t get eh!
Plane to Indian heaven to catch … night all.
Comment by Rob February 23, 2007 @ 8:40 pm