14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is gearing up for the personal computer "catwalks" of the future. The era when a computer was judged exclusively by what it featured under the hood is well gone. Now, the exterior aspect weights just as much in the balance of user perception as do configuration specifications. One lesson that the Redmond company has learned from Apple is that computer design does matter. And in fact, that is manages to speak to end users on a more personal level than the hardware configuration. Well, Microsoft is also looking to attract customers to PCs and, ultimately, to its Windows operating system through design, only that unlike Apple which controls the hardware development, the Redmond company is at the mercy of original equipment manufacturers.
"Fashion is how we express our identities. Style is everywhere today. Look at house wares - everything from potato peelers to handheld vacuums have been infused with style. In the technology world, we've already seen cell phones reach the status of fashion accessory. The shift we're seeing in consumer PCs is just as inevitable", revealed Nadine Kano, marketing director for experience computing at Microsoft. "Product differentiation in the PC industry is getting harder and harder to achieve based on technical specs. People have always wanted power, speed and reliability, but these days they can get comparable disk space, processor speed, and RAM from many PC manufacturers. To get something unique, people are now looking for style."
The PCs integrated with this article have been selected by three key fashion figures just for Microsoft. Nigel Barker, fashion photographer, fashion designer Tony Shellman and fashion stylist Misa Hylton selected the Sony LT, the Signature PC and Haier Notebook VM as top of their class when it comes down to design. Hardware configuration aside, these three are the most aesthetic computers among the lineup of technology at 2008 International CES. Kano explains that OEMs are starting to play to Microsoft's tune on the matter.
"The PC experience is becoming more about the person and less about the technology. You show most people a PC ad that lists specs like processor speed, video card RAM, and so forth, and they have no idea what it means. But if you tell them they watch TV on it - now that means something to them. (...) The more personal my machine feels to me, the more attached I become to it and the more loyal a customer I will be. The best way for PC makers to attract buyers in this extremely competitive landscape is to appeal to people on a personal level, and fashion is a very personal thing", Kano concluded.
