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Enderle's Ferrari Laptop

Posted by michael on from the vroom-vroom dept.

deminisma writes "Hilarity abounds as 'analyst' Rob Enderle gushes over his new Ferrari/Acer laptop. The laptop apparently even plays the sound of a car revving up while booting, which Enderle seems to think is all the rage at meetings."

14 of 563 comments (clear)

  1. Try as they might... by inertia187 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Nothing beats the sleek style of the Apple Titanium PowerBook (old and new). Not even this bucket of bolts, with it's stupid engine sound can change my mind. I'm still not sure I've ever heard a real apple make the sound my TiBook makes when I power it up, but I prefer it none the less.

    --
    A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
    1. Re:Try as they might... by ShadowDrake · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I hate to offer the point, but it's true. The boot sound is the feature that I like best about Macs. I wish that x86 makers would allow you to embed a short sound file into the BIOS image and flash it with a preferred sound.

      I had a laptop that had a close startup sound (DFI Mediabook, I believe a Kapok 9200 rebadge), but in these days of decent integrated audio, it should be on every mobo.

      --
      It's just like a fascist dictatorship, without the punctual rail service!
    2. Re:Try as they might... by jcr · · Score: 3, Interesting

      No, we went for the Aluminum because we didn't want the machine to flex as much as the titanium allowed. Try picking up an Aluminum powerbook by the corner, then try it with a TiBook.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  2. Style over substance by IamGarageGuy+2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is the coming of consumer products that have less to do with the tech and more to do with the marketing. Does this mean that laptops are now becoming fashion accesories more than tools? I also wonder if this is a bad thing or a good thing?

    --
    Stay tuned for new sig...
  3. So stupid it's almost surreal by ChaosDiscord · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The great features on this wonder laptop? A pretty red finish that he apparently spends time worrying about damage to. It plays a revving up sound when it boots (as far as I can tell, this is just the Windows Log In sound), and Ferrari themed background image. This man is a giant dork. Yes, I appreciate good looking hardware and even a nice desktop graphic. But to suggest that those are key purchasing decisions, let alone something to base an article on, is inane.

    --
    Search 2010 Gen Con events
  4. Re:Which Nissan? by dolo666 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This CEO of Nissan. :-)

  5. Re:What's in a name? by wankledot · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "When it's old, it's no classic, it's slow and out of date and looks lame compared to some cheap POS." This one is true for laptops, but hardly for Ferraris. There are very very few Ferraris that are NOT classics.

    --
    My sig is blank, I typed this by hand.
  6. Ferrari? more like a Fiero Kit Car by Pontiac · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This thing looks like a gussied up Fiero to me..

    A real Ferrari Laptop would have Carbon fiber pannels, a true performance CPU (battery life is for pussies!) a 19" display and a connely leather keyboard. Nobody would care that it cost $30,00 and has a 30 minute battery life..

    --
    If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur. --Red Adair
  7. Re:This is pretty stupid, and not worth a /. artic by JMemmert · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If I wanted more than a great paint job, I'd go for a Hypersonic laptop... same great red color (among other colors) and I'd get great performance, too.
    On the other hand, if I were silly enough to consider a sound effect during startup like the one described "cool", I'd never go for performance if I could get the brand name... Silly.

  8. Laptop isn't just for show... by terradyn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I own this laptop and aside from the many double-takes I get at the office, the system is a powerhouse:

    AMD Athlon XP-M 2500
    512M Ram
    4 USB 2
    DVD+-RW
    IR, Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g
    15" screen 1400x1050 resolution
    4in1 media reader

    to name a few things...

    Also of note is that even though the website quotes a mono headphone jack and I've seen some message boards that are complaining about it, I can say that it is definitely a stereo headphone jack. You'll have a lot of fun with this system.

  9. Suckers (or Economics of the Ferrari Laptop) by DingoTango · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Forbes just did an article about this laptop. The Acer Ferrari laptop retails for $1900-$2000, but laptops with similar hardware retail for $1200-$1300.

    So the suits observe, rightly so, that $700 for a logo and a paintjob is a pretty good deal (for them). The Forbes angle is that we should expect to see more of these "dressed up" laptops and other hardware, since consumers are willing to pay disproportionately more for the cache of identifying with their favorite brands.

    Interestingly, the same principle explains why ugly-ass autos like the PT Cruiser continue to be marketed and sold: Niche items have higher margins.

  10. Who says Ferrari's even "the best"? by SuperBanana · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Fortunately, the Article mentions how this is mainly designed to appeal to PHB's who think that because a company is good (or arguably the best) at making cars, the laptop bearing their name is good, or arguably the best

    And it shows just how ignorant some people are to think that Ferrari builds the best cars. They don't, in part because there is no such thing as "the best car". It doesn't help that they're unreliable, grossly under-equipped with features, often handle like a bar of soap, have atrocious build quality, impossible to service(much less find someone TO service them), and grossly, grossly overpriced. Witness the rebirth of supercar/sports car companies in the last 10 years.

    Fastest? No. McLaren has had that for quite some time. Best techno-gee-gaws? Nissan Skyline, hands down. Best autobahn machine, aka, groundcoverer? Take your pick between the Audi RS6(450hp) or the BMW M5('only' 400hp), or the Merc S600(then there's also the Bentley Arnage Turbo). Best daily sports car? Porsche 911 twin turbo(AWD, extensive dealership network, loads of creature comforts). Best go-cart type? My personal favorite is the Caterham Super 7, but there's the Lotus Elise and the Noble(which is probably the fastest closed-wheel car around a track you can find). Best "gotta move a bunch of stuff" vehicle? Ask anyone in the UK, it's the Ford Transit(the funny super-tall van that's started to pop up here in the US). So on etc.

    Further, all it takes is determination to beat Ferrari; there's absolutely nothing about being Italian that makes you build a better car. Ask Henry Ford- when Ferrari refused to sell out to him no matter what the price, he told his staff "beat Ferrari", and the Ford GT40 was born. It slaughtered Ferrari, and everything else. And just think...it's baaaack!(and you can even buy one yourself now, and they're downright gorgeous. I saw it at the NY auto show a year or two back, and there was a -huge- crowd of people just staring, and staring, and staring...)

    Even other Italian companies did Ferrari in handily- the Detomaso is a perfect example. Near identical construction, nice Italian design...but a huge 5.7l big-block chevy V8 in back. So, you could pretty much find anyone to work on it, and there's enough room around the engine that you could practically climb in with it. No "drop the engine to remove the sparkplug" nonsense here.

    Whenever I see a newish Ferrari on the road, I yawn. When I see an older one with racing history, that's slightly more interesting, but still somewhat yawn-inspiring.

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  11. I have to say, it's kinda fugly by Cthefuture · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Not that I would expect anything better from Acer (ugh) but come on, do a little design work.

    The thing is red on top with a red stripe on the side and a cheap looking silver everywhere else (I don't know about the back). It looks nasty. They could've integrated the red so much better (think Alienware in Ferrari red).

    And the case is a regular old Acer case. It would've been so cool if them Italian engineers could've added a little flare or something, sheesh.

    Right now it's just a dorky laptop that looks like it was made with some duct tape and a spray can.

    --
    The ratio of people to cake is too big
  12. Re:booting sounds? in a meeting? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I had to give a presentation in a meeting recently. Actually, I was one of two people giving presentations, the other was a visitor (we had three groups of visitors there, and ourselves). We all arrived at the meeting on time. I opened up my powerbook, which woke from suspend mode instantly. He sat down and waited while his Dell booted. The person chairing the meeting suggested that it might waste everyone's time a bit less if I went first. I plugged in the projector, which was detected automatically, and gave the presentation using my mobile phone as a remote mouse.

    Afterwards, the other guy messed about trying to get Windows to recognise the projector, and fired up powerpoint. After every slide, he had to walk to the laptop and press the mouse button to advance it.

    Which person do you think made the better impression?

    Having a laptop that makes a whoosh sound when you boot does not make a good impression. If the people in the meeting are focusing on the technology you are using then they are not focusing on you.

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News