What makes it special? Knowing the competition and designing something better.

In a word of ever increasing options, especially in technology department, how is a consumer able to decide what the right product is for them? As consumers, we are constantly bombarded with so many new devices that essentially are all the same. Here is an article about the unveiling of Hewlett-Packard First Windows 8 Touch Screen Laptop. After reading the article, here were some of my initial reactions: This isn't anything new. Why is touch screen so attractive? How can they compete? What's the best way to market this?

After reading this article, I certainly wasn't convinced that this laptop is the next best, coolest thing to own. Perhaps it's because I already have a laptop and no desire to own a tablet. Granted, the Envy x2 is probably just as decent as the laptop as I own. It does have the neat function of being a tablet with an attached keyboard...but wait, doesn't a tablet have the option of an attachable keyboard already exist? Yes (there are even wireless keyboards for tablets). Which is why I don't see how consumers can decide what to buy. There are just so many choices.

So here is where I get to my real point. We think it's cool to live in a society with so many choices. There's an option for everyone. Devices are continually developed with more functions in all different price ranges. I think we are at a point where the seemingly endless choices are not really all that different. For example, compare the Nook Touch with the Kindle Touch. Both are exactly $99 and both have one Home button. They were designed with the same function in mind, to read ebooks. You could easily compare cellphones in this way. Now try comparing the new HP Envy x2 with the iPad or android tablet, they probably aren't so different. When you get down to it every device is essentially the same.

The real difference in the product is the marketing, advertising, price, image, etc. Which company can market the device to make it seem like you have to have it? If they can do that, then they win. Each company just seems to be trying to outsmart the other. Here I'll amend what I said about the devices being all the same. Each device that comes out requires a degree of innovation to separate itself with other devices and with each new device marketed we are always advancing in the technological world. We are lucky to live in a world with so many innovators designing devices for our everyday convenience.