Apple: get your cash by give you "AIR"

Apple unveiled new MacBook Airs -- in new 11.6-inch and updated 13.3-inch display sizes -- during an October 20 media event dubbed "Back to the Mac." Standard configs for the 11.6-inch model sell for $999 and $1,999 and $1,299 and $1,599 for the 13.3-inch Air. Many respondents used the more typical speeds-and-feeds measure to evaluate the, ah, Air quality.  

''The next generation of MacBooks''

Apple introduce the newest MacBook air by above words. Actually, I'm not surprise with it. Every time Apple use the words like" most, best, perfect, ever" to show their products are unique. After customers bought the product, Apple will introduce the "newest" product again. Unfortunately the new one always kick your old one ass. You will confuse if you should buy a new one because it is better than yours. Even it just add one new function. 

In my mind, MacBook Air is not a typical laptop, it should be divided to netbook, which is been thought as a BULLSHIT by Apple. But actually the MBA(MacBook Air) is really a netbook, 11.6-inch, pack aging Intel Core 2 Duo processors -- ranging from 1.2GHz to 1.86GHz in standard configurations. Apple swapped out hard drives for sold-state storage, which I observes are puny. Apple offers 64GB or 128GB storage on the smaller Airs and 128GB or 256GB on the 13.3-inch models. So,Old CPU tech, 64GB max drive (even if it is SSD) and a $999 price tag place way over a fully optioned laptop with optical drive 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive and loads of RAM. Sorry I'll pass. Actually, now I have a 13-inch MacBook pro, if I must to choose a i-product to buy, I will buy a IPAD. But, even iPAD, I don't know when to use it expect in travel.

just kidding

In my view, Apple can sell anything to the fans by just add a "i" to the name. I think Apple is creative, but sometimes it use too many promotion methods, Although the product always cool, but customers should not be treated as folks that just pay cash.

learn managing creative people from MAD MEN

My research is about the creative management, these days I borrowed some books in this topic from library, and also search the Internet to collect the relative informations. A website catch my eyes on it for a long time, this post is about the MAD MEN, author find a lot of manage theory from this TV series. I think the author is very cool, she can find some deep things from a popular TV series. I'd like to learn this discovery ability.

When Sterling Cooper’s new management, personified by Lane Pryce, criticizes the ad agency’s creative department for being a bunch of lazy alcoholics, Draper defends his team with a statement :

“You came here because we do this better than you, and part of that is letting our creatives be unproductive until they are.”

It is a simple word, but show the important thing that should be do for manage the creative people----" let creatives be unproductive until they are." To reach this goal, the author find some absolutely ways in episode.

1 build a creative workplace

In my research, I also focus on this point that build a suitable work environment for the creatives. The Google's central meeting space looked more like a spoiled teenager’s bedroom than anything else. Big screen TV, videogame controllers strewn about the floor, a pool table, crazy posters and snacks everywhere. The workers enjoy all had their own offices, but this is where they came to unwind, brainstorm, bounce ideas off each other while bouncing tennis balls off the wall. The workplace do not give them any pressure, so they can do creative work even sometimes themselves don't know exactly.

2 motivating the creatives

The author said "The creative department over at Sterling Cooper were not paid huge salaries, and yet they often worked into the evenings and over the weekends to meet important deadlines. But why would anyone do anything if the cash isn’t there? It has been proven again and again that creative people are not motivated by money.'' I find I missed this point at my research, sometimes, for some easy projects, the cash can let creatives work harder, but for a lot of jobs, they fall into the work not for the money, they just like the feeling like fight for their privilege. So, manager should notice that, and motivating the creatives by some different ways.

3 For the love of Pete, let them be unproductive until they are!

The talent's work style is so different from others. You always see him just sleep in the sofa，or play the video games whole day. As a manager, you will feel unsatisfied with him. But you should let him do what he want to do, maybe he is doing the brainstorm, after he got the idea, he will be productive right now. And must give you a perfect job. Then, he, go to sleep again. LOL.

I find it is so helpful that to read some relative materials, it really broaden my horizon, enlighten my views. Hope you all good with your researches~

something about the research

The research, most important thing of this semester, really makes me crazy, actually I don't know how to do the research.

As my view, research must be "do" not be "write". so I need to do some researches to find out something special about my topic. My topic is about how to manage the creative people, my idea come out from a news that I've read about the google. The google's employee all have a free work environment, they can play video games, watch TV, listen music or even swimming. It sounds so different from the traditional work place. But google's employee really do a good job, make the google been the NO.1 search engine of the world. I'm curious about the google's management policy. How they coordinate the work and leisure perfectly.

But, when I start to do my job to collect the information about the creative people management, I find it is so difficult to get the useful information that suit my topic. Although, there are so many titles about the creative management, but it always focus on the "creative project" not the "creative people". It really confuse me.

I don't know how my classmates feel, I feel dangerous with my research, I must to read much papers and try to collect information not just from the internet. Anyway, that's life, tomorrow is another day, the future should be beautiful. Just do it ~~!!!!

where amazing happens..... 2

Last week, I meet a accident, 3 days after the crash, my insurance company inform me that my car is a total loss. That really confuse me, anyway, insurance company is really cool. The total loss claim settlement is very good, even the amount is higher than the amount that I bought the car. I told some friend about this. They said it's unbelievable. It sounds like a American dream. This situation will never occurs in China. "The insurance always give you the limited compensate. They focus on how to maximize their profit." A friend who has a experience with the accident claim in China said.

Why the situations so different in these two countries? How the differences come out?

As some Americans said, the insurance company not always so easy to deal with. In my case, my car is fixable, but it will cost the insurance company more money than they expected, they don't want to do this. They pointed this case a total loss, and give me the settlement based on the blue book value. It maybe higher than the real value, but it saving a lot of time and labor to inspect the car. Also, the fast settlement make the client satisfied with the company's work. Although in one case, the insurance company will faced a loss. But they will receive a long-term success. Because the client would not get accident everyday.

In my opinion, the Chinese insurance company has a short industry chain, they only want to decrease their loss by cut the compensate amount. But in America, after give the client the compensate, the company can sell the car to some body shops, they can use some parts to fix another car. It makes some profit. At the same time, when the insurance agent give me the check, he also give me a list that their recommend cars that almost like my total loss auto. This is a nice work, If the client buy the car from the list, they can get reward from the dealer, it also makes profit. Last but not least, with satisfied with the insurance company's services, the client will be the long-term client of the company, that contribute a lot to the company's long-term success.


After that, I bought a car yesterday, it is a Saab 9-3, a safety vehicle. I hope god to bring good luck.

Where amazing happens....

As a NBA fans, the words" where amazing happens" is so familiar. But I don't understand these words deeply until last weekend.

10/10 is my friend ERTE's birthday, some friends planed to give him a surprise, at 10/9 10 pm, we called ET, told him we want go to sands casino, he said OK right now. We set off at 1 AM, and arrived the casino at 2 AM, I have been to Macao once, and the Sands casino here is much smaller than Macao's. My friend told me that Sands is just a small casino, the Las vegas is the perfect place. Anyway, I am not very interested in gambling. Chinese think the birthday would give people lucky, ERTE did a good job in casino, and earned about 20 bucks, I think it is not bad, because I lost 20 bucks here. LOL, that is to say, ERTE get my money? hah, just kidding. 4AM we went to a 24hours eatery, we all had the steak, It really sucks, the taste really made me sick. Whatever, at least it made my stomach felt better.

10's morning, I went to lehigh university visiting my friend, my friend cook a delicious Chinese dinner for me, I enjoyed the food and the talk with my friend. At the way back to Kutztown, I had a accident. For avoid be knocked by a faster pick-up truck, I knocked a car parking the road side. God bless I am ok, and nobody was hurt. But I did not saw the truck number because it ran away fast. The police came rapidly, and my insurance company did a good job till now. I think everything will be ok. LOL.

The NBA new season will begin, the Houston Rockets and New Jersey Nets will have 2 preseason games in China, the Yao ming has returned, and maybe it is a good opportunity for him to get a ring, but I think Miami Heat is the best team of the league, Boston, Lakers are also the great team. Let's see what amazing will happen this season. I will my daily life will not be amazing again. HAHA!

JOB problem

Last week class, a group talked about some generations differences, as a 80’s, I agree with this group’s work, and I don’t know if the situation for the American younger is the same with the Chinese. So, I will write something about myself, to some degrees, these things will stand for the real situation of Chinese 80’s guys.

I graduate from university this summer, my university located in the eastern of the country, the China’s most development area. My university is simply a good one, it is a top 50 college of China. My major is International business and trade, as you know, my country’s economy is dependent on the trade in a high level. So external trade is really a hot business from in China. For students those major is trade, they can get a good job easily. But after the world crisis 2009, everything was been changed, a lot of trade company closed, and the job opportunity is so limited that quite a lot students transfer their mind to getting a job from other industry especially the bank. I found a job in a bank worked here half a year, I felt uncomfortable with my job content, because it lack of challenge and so bored.

In another hand, after graduation, Chinese parent always hope Children get marry as soon as possible, and after that, younger’s job and family are completed. I don’t want my life with a fixed track, so I choose to go on my study in America.

I don’t know the American younger’s situation, I think the job is a big problem for youngers in any time. Self fulfillment is really a important part of people’s life!

Give you a video about the job interview in China.

Global brand positioning

 Yesterday,  I went to the crossing outlet for shopping, in CK factory store, I find 2 pairs CK jeans are just 40 dollars. It's amazing, in China, CK is a premium brand that attracts a lot of young white-collars and college student. In China, a pair of CK jeans costs 1200 RMB ( about 170 USD), I think it must be a promotion so that is a lowest price. Then, I clicked the CK's website, find that average price of the CK jeans is 80 USD. In China, CK never do a promotion because they always sale well. So, what cause this situation?


In my opinion, there are three major reasons.


First of all, Chinese have a servile attitude to foreign things, Chinese always think highly of the foreign goods, for example, Haagen Dazz is not only a simple ice cream, but also a sign of good taste，it means a perfect lifestyle. But, in American, it just a ice cream. So, foreign brands always show their "foreign sense", and they do not need to do a lot of promotion, the Chinese customers would enjoy shopping their goods. Another example is Starbucks, it is also a high quality life sign in China.

Secondly, some people in China called "new rich" have a strong purchasing power. The new rich almost have a high education background, and like the western culture. The can and would like to purchase the high price foreign goods, and the new rich become more and more big, this wave should promote the foreign brands' development in China.


Thirdly, Chinese people lack the ways to show their success. The rich people in China always find that there is limited way to show their wealth. So purchasing high price goods or even luxuries become a easy way to achieve the goal.

 the first extra-long HUMMER owner is a young rich man, and he is also a actor

In conclude, the foreign brands always have a different , simply is higher brand positioning in China.

Yes, I got it~

This week the most important thing to me is ---- I can drive!  Yes, I passed the PENNDOT's check process, and got my learner permit, and will take the road test this Friday. Anyway, I have bought my car, the mini cooper s.

I have been United State for 1 month, I find some different between my expect and the reality, let me talk about the differences.

Food
In my view, American people always eat steak as major food, but in the university dining hall, there is potato, turkey, chicken and burgers everyday. if someday there is beef, that could be a big news! Chinese people likes pork, sometimes we can get the pork at dining hall, but it really sucks. I think almost American foods are "fast food", and people did not wish to spend longer time to prepare and enjoy a dinner. Chinese people treat the supper as a important thing of daily life, household will spend about 3hours to prepare for the supper.

Wear
Hollywood film is a major way for Chinese people to know the U.S. So we always think Americans are fashion guys. But I find Americans are freestyle, and always tee and jeans. Actually I have not saw a people wearing suit expect the professors.

Driving 

In Hollywood film, the driver always drive in a rude way,  but I find drivers here are polite. And they do not use the horn at all.