Computing

The hyenas are grouping again to grab the chops of Apple with yet-another-class-action suit. This one claims that the iMac’s 20-inch display has been marketed as having the same features as the iMac 24-inch. Looking at Apple’s web site, their case seems weak. The technical term, I believe, is bloody frikkin stupid:

Rich, vivid color. No matter what you like to do on your computer — watch movies, edit photos, play games, even just view a screen saver — it’s going to look stunning on an iMac. That’s because iMac now features a glossy display with glass cover that makes graphics, photos, and videos come alive with richer colours and deeper blacks.

The lawyers behind the case claim that “Apple is duping its customers into thinking they’re buying ‘new and improved’ when in fact they’re getting stuck with ‘new and inferior. Beneath Apple’s ‘good guy’ image is a corporation that takes advantage of its customers. Our goal is to help those customers who were deceived and make sure Apple tells the truth in the future.”

Maybe I’m blind, even if I have been working with Photoshop since the early nineties, but after seeing the iMac 20 and iMac 24 side by side, I can’t hardly notice the difference. And the fact is that photos and the whole interface look stunning on them. And Apple never claims it’s the same screen, so I can’t see what’s wrong with Apple’s promotional material.

Maybe it’s time to start dismissing this kind of “Let’s Get a Big Chunk of the Rich Corporation Shareholder’s Money” just because we can. What do you think? Do you think the iMacs show such a difference? And even if there’s one measurable one, does Apple text seem misleading to you? [Street Insider]