“Apple is not taking part in the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas but is present at the trade show through rip-offs of its products,” Daniel Ionescu reports for PCWorld.
“From MacBook Air-inspired ultrabooks, to iPad-like tablets, smart TVs, and cloud computing technology, you will find clones of Apple’s product lineup at CES 2012 – and this is just a taste of what’s coming up at the show this week,” Ionescu reports. “Ultrabooks, thin and light laptops, are expected to be the big thing this year, and unsurprisingly most of them look more or less like a MacBook Air, except they run Windows.”
MacDailyNews Take: As does the MacBook Air, making it the only real choice for any buyer with any sense whatsoever.
Ionescu reports, “Android tablets didn’t manage to overthrow the iPad from the top seller spot in 2011 — in fact, they barely managed to nudge it. So this leaves plenty of space for tablet manufacturers such as Toshiba, Acer, and Samsung to have a go again at tablet designs… But as often occurs with CES announcements, probably more than half of these Apple rip-offs will never end up in consumers’ hands. The project may be spiked by the vendor, or the product ships too late to matter anymore. Just because they resemble an Apple product doesn’t mean they are of the same quality; and consumers are increasingly aware of this, as shown by the continued dominance of the iPad and iPod in their market segments.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: CES 2012. Lawyers specializing in defending patent and trade dress infringement should be handing out business cards to the exhibitors.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
I think the cogent take here is the quality mention. After handling an iPhone, or an Air, there really is a remarkable sense of dismay when picking up one of the plethora of copies, wannabes, and ripoffs. Plus, you also become quickly aware that forcing Windows onto an Mac is a crime.
Agreed. The quality gap is significant. This is a relatively new development that hasn’t attracted much media attention, but consumers are noticing. Apple’s attention to detail used to be primarily a software advantage. But use of unibody construction and advanced materials now sets Apple apart on the hardware front as well. I see Windows laptops that look like MacBooks, but they’re made of painted plastic, and that’s a difference that becomes immediately apparent as soon as a consumer lays hands on them. With price parity and a clear quality advantage, Apple now wins in the value comparison. Heady times for us old Mac die-hards.
Another takeaway is the line “Apple rip-offs” in PC World, once a bastion of Microstuffian hedgehogs, but increasingly showing signs of clearing vision.
Yeah, that was surprising. I thought it was just in the MDN headline, but it’s in quotes in the article, supposedly. Shocking that they are now telling the truth.
Its clearer vision only because they have had their noses rubbed in it like a naughty puppy over this type of crappy journalism lets see if they keep it up.
If they gave real info not regurdated bs I might once again subscribe. I’ll keep watch here too.
Let’s not forget the upcoming — but final — Balmy keynote, leading the charge with MS vaporware and hype. “I like our strategy; I like it a lot.”
You should read the comments on the original article… These 15-year old really hate Apple. I wonder why.
Because they’re juveniles?
Just look at all the TV ads like ‘My Clean PC’ then you know you should have chosen ‘The Real Deal’ – a Mac.
thanks MDN for removing my comment….
oops, ok, it was OK to remove it…
“So this leaves plenty of space for tablet manufacturers such as Toshiba, Acer, and Samsung to have a go again at tablet designs…”
Don Quixote anyone?
No wonder Ballmer and MS bailed out. I don’t blame them. Look how foolish HP made Ballmer look like last year. Hilarious!
The only cool thing I’ve seen so far is a mobile phone that runs on a single AA battery and last for 15 YEARS!
http://www.spareonephone.com
I’m going to get a few for various places – car, wife’s car, server cabinet…
Other than that, there’s nothing at CES apart from shameless Apple copying.
II’m fine with tech companies stealing from each other it is good for all of us. What do you all want? A world run by all apple tech?
..let them clone apple devices…maybe one of them will make a breakthrough something really innovative..and then we can all use it on the device of our choosing…to say that companies won’t spend money on r &d because their products will just be stolen is bogus