I understand cost-cutting measures. Production-wise, the first Leopard box is probably the most expensive of them all. But after the good design logic that went into every single box before Snow Leopard, I can’t understand how they have settled with this bland design. Especially in this release: The new OS is packed with strong features under the hood, but no wowiezowie eye candy or any must-have-or-die new tool…so why not mark the engine improvements with an awesome box? Or, if not awesome, at least a solid design that tells a good story.
Because right now, the only story I get is, “Hi, I’m a bloody white cat with spots who has been hunting wabbits on the snow all day. I’m wet.” Veehee lame indeed.
Rick
August 25, 2009 at 8:40 AM
almost as lame as the wet grass they previewed with Leopard or Nemo on the original iPhone.
I see a pattern developing here.
Report Permalinkglennc
August 25, 2009 at 9:34 AM
do you love apple that much that their packaging gets you down? do you display your box on your shelf after you install the OS? why care
Report Permalinkrc
August 25, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Exactly.
I’m really surprised actually, that they offer such nice boxes in the first place. I mean every Mac comes with those grey reinstall DVDs…and those that buy the major releases separately weren’t going to be swayed by whether the box was shiny or not, so why bother?
And chances are – since most of the improvements in this version are not consumer related – that they don’t even need to drum up the features on the back of the box. Since the material is available online there’s a fair possibility~~nay almost certainty, that the buyers will know more than the back of any box could hope to provide.
In fact, we’re almost to the point of being sold a single grey DVD in a sleeve. Take it further and offer downloads…hell the framework’s already built into the online store…
Report PermalinkDousatsu
August 25, 2009 at 10:39 AM
It’d probably be more expensive to buy a high quality stock image of a snow leopard than to spend 30 seconds design time in photoshop swapping the purple space pattern on the leopard box to icy blue…which is most likely what they would have done.
I’d rather they spent less money on packaging design so I wouldn’t have to pay so much for a bloody computer to finance their wankery.
Report PermalinkBennish
August 25, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Glennc – yes, they do.
Report PermalinkCam
August 25, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Awh, I like it! I mean, sure the Leopard box looked pretty amazing. But I like kitties! And it’s a particularly pretty one. The space theme from Leopard was kind of ugly in my wee humble opinion.
Report Permalinkcaptain
August 25, 2009 at 11:59 AM
“so why not mark the engine improvements with an awesome box?”
Because Snow Leopard will cost $29? I’m sure the previous box was quite expansive to manufacture with its funky 3D hologram thingy.
glennc: “why care”
People want Apple to pay close attention even to details.
Report PermalinkSteve
August 25, 2009 at 8:46 PM
I don’t mind it actually.
Report PermalinkWinmac Pro
August 25, 2009 at 9:17 PM
The pic of one of the most difficult to photograph animals on Earth is more interesting than a stylized X. It also makes sense because no one has called the new OS “10.6″–the majority of bloggers, people on the street, and Apple themselves have referred to it as “Snow Leopard”. Now that Microsoft went with the highly imaginitive “Windows 7″, it’s time for Apple to take naming convention elsewhere.
Report PermalinkI Am Me
August 26, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Personally, I find that the ‘clipart’ version is my fav, while the ‘Jaguar’ version to be the silliest.
I also like that the ‘Leopard’ and ‘Snow Leopard’ boxes are less wasteful. Each box contained a disk and a pamphlet only. There was never a need for such large boxes.
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