In my previous post I said “If you ask me, Microsoft should start making PCs next 
.”
Just came across this article in BusinessWeek: Microsoft, Design Guru. Its pushing a sleek new hardware vision to PC makers. Will they bite?
An excerpt:
A How-To kit for the ideal PC has been making the rounds of leading design shops. It calls for “accelerated curves” and “purposeful contrast.” The preferred colors include a shade of black called Obsidian and a translucent white dubbed Ice. “We want people to fall in love with their PCs, not to simply use them to be productive and successful,” reads the enclosed booklet. “We want PCs to be objects of pure desire.” A How-To kit for the ideal PC has been making the rounds of leading design shops. It calls for “accelerated curves” and “purposeful contrast.” The preferred colors include a shade of black called Obsidian and a translucent white dubbed Ice. “We want people to fall in love with their PCs, not to simply use them to be productive and successful,” reads the enclosed booklet. “We want PCs to be objects of pure desire.”
Doesn’t sound much like Microsoft (MSFT), does it? But it is.
Good, good…this is a great move on Microsoft’s behalf. I am all for making products that are visually rich, simple, and emotionally appealing to our customers/end users. Time and again it has been proved that it is the design of the product, not the number of new features, which excites and appeals to the customer. The classic example being iPod which still pales in comparison to some of the other mp3 players out there as far as features are concerned. Traditionally, Microsoft has always focussed on features as a key selling point but now things are changing and more focus is being put on design. Hopefully, we will soon have a PC that is a design marvel – hardware, software, and everything else including packaging!
