Its usually pretty easy to tell what a given computer is when it makes an unpaid appearance. Dells are very easy to spot for their round logo, even when blacked-out. ThinkPads make many appearances and are also easy to spot on account of their consistent looks and distinctive features (red eraserhead). Apple’s are easiest because they just look cool and distinctive.

I like looking at how the placements match the characters. My favorite example was “You’ve Got Mail” where Tom Hanks used a ThinkPad and Meg Ryan a PowerBook. Both were paid placements and both really featured the product in both consistent with the character who used it and with the character of the product itself.

A-ha. I didn’t notice the content change.

Re your P.S.: I edited the article’s content for clarification, so the message and my response was moot.

Thanks.

Peace,
Gene

And another thing…

Why in some commercials or movies or clips do they have the label/insignia or whatever blurred/covered up with a sticker, etc.???

Hmmmm…

Hi there.

I work professionally in television production. The reason for the cover up is if the company is not actually sponsoring the show then you cannot show their logo because it would constitute an advertisement. You will notice lots of coverups or blurs on “reality” shows because they generally cannot control the location environment. If you see logos on scripted shows then it means that the company paid the production company/network to have its products shown on camera.

-Derek

P.S. Gene, I saw you reply to my earlier comment via email, but I don’t see my comment or your reply here on the website. Any idea as to why?

And another thing…

Why in some commercials or movies or clips do they have the label/insignia or whatever blurred/covered up with a sticker, etc.???

Hmmmm…

I think that we see that the good guys only use Apple since Bill Burns on UFO Hunters is using an Alienware laptop.

Though I’m a Mac user, I’ve had to use Windows through the years at clients and other places. What strikes me and in a not so subtle way is that when you use a Windows computer after using Macs, there is just this overriding lack of elegance.

The screens, type, windows design and so on are just butt-ugly!

Maybe because I’m a digital imager first and designer second these things jump out at me, but if I had to spend my day inputting medical data, I’d want something easy on the eyes and that’s the Mac experience vs Windows.

There is something to be said for design in our commodity devices and their spot in the workplace.

Got myself one of those nice translucent blue clip on cases for my MacbookPro
Sure looks nice.
The only thing I don’t like is it adds weight and bulk to the unit.
Maybe I should get a MB Air instead and get it anodized blue by some engineering firm (wink wink.)