Thank you for the wonderful memories, my skinny friend. Oh how you were ridiculed when you first came out. People calling you names akin to what women use when their aunts come to visit. ‘It’s just a larger iPod Touch, why would anyone want one?’
Technology
The problem with importing a tablet
So over the Chinese New Year break I decided that I would get a new tablet for myself (and give my trusty old iPad 2 to Max). After some research online, I decided that the NVIDIA Shield Tablet K1 would be the one for me. In terms of price, performance, size and features, it seemed like a great option – especially the price tag (RM955 including shipping). It fit my budget, and it was an Android tablet – something I hadn’t owned before. After 3+ years of using the iPad 2, I figured it’d be a good experience to try an Android tablet.
I found the tablet on Amazon, checked out, got the SMS from my bank about my credit card being used and smiled to myself. What could go wrong?
Sex in tech
Apple does a lot of things I don’t agree with, but there’s one thing I think they’re brilliant at: not using sex to sell their products. As far as I can remember, Apple has never used any sexy ladies to market their products. Their ads, while sometimes ridiculous, are clean and wholesome. But what’s important is that they focus on their products. And when there’s a plethora of parodies available online, you know they’re doing something right.
At launch events, they don’t have sexy women parading around holding their devices. Instead, they have old men on stage talking about what’s good and new about their devices.
The lack of sexy women holding their devices allows consumers and the media to focus on what’s important – the products that they are selling. Not the scantily clad women holding them. Sure, you don’t see media writing about the women, but on social media and event photographs – they’re there. If they’re not the focus of the launch event, then why hire them in the first place?
Also, what are sexy women holding gadgets supposed to achieve? Today’s tech world is pretty different from what it was like many years ago. There’s no need to cater to basement-dwelling mouth-breathing neckbeards who dream of being in the company of such women – technology is now embraced by everybody.
Sure, sex sells. It’s been proven. Evocative imagery draws attention. But they’re irrelevant when it comes to technology. Sexy women for alcohol, fashion and beauty products makes sense, but tech? Unless they’re selling high-tech sex toys, I don’t see the connection.
I’m not against using sexy women to sell tech – people should be able to do whatever they want to. I’m just questioning the decision to do so. Never have I seen a device being used/held by a hot girl and thought to myself ‘oh shit, I need to own that product!’.