This is what a knockoff Amazon or eBay charger does to your $1200 MacBook Pro
I get it. Knockoffs are enticing. In the case of Apple laptop chargers, even more so. Why pay upwards of $70 for a charger when one that looks identical to it can be yours for $15 on eBay or Amazon? Well, here's why. Rossman Repair Group based in NYC explains why knockoff chargers in particular are bad news for your computer. The current going through the charger may not be regulated correctly and could fry your entire computer. And knowing how expensive MacBooks and MacBook Pros are, that money you saved on a charger may come back to bite you in the ass when you have to buy an entirely new computer because of it.
Over the last few years, I've slowly stopped buying cheap accessories on eBay and Amazon for my computer because time and time again they just don't hold up to the name-brand parts. When I need something to work correctly 100% of the time, I can afford to pay a little extra for a genuine part because I know that extra cost goes into less headache in the future. I think that's what it all comes down to for me. Headache. I know some people who are extreme penny-pinchers -- but honestly, at what cost? How much time is spent finding the best deal, the right one, the cheapest, only to find out that it just doesn't hold up to the real thing (and sometimes you end up spending the same amount just to replace crappy parts). I don't stand for that. Get me something that works and works right every time and I'll be a happy man.
New book highlights the design aesthetic of Sony
Last year, Rizzoli released a book called Sony Design that chronicles the history of Sony as an electronics maker and pioneer of industrial design. When I think of beautiful consumer products, two companies come to mind for me -- Apple and Sony. And while Apple gets plenty of praise for their design, Sony has sort of been pushed to the wayside by the other company's success in the market (that's not to say that Sony is doing bad though).
This book has some beautiful photos of classic Sony products famous and forgotten that have basically driven the design of their respective markets. Boxy, retro, and sometimes colorful designs that were the look of decades. Whether you like them now or not, Sony has had a huge influence in the design of everyday things today. You'll love this book if you care about good design in relatively small packages. Get it now.
