The Joy of Printing
Today, I bought a printer, because I have an assignment due tomorrow that needs to be typed. I already had it finished, but I needed it printed out. Anyway, this printer has been the topic of much discussion and envy.
In college, typical points of discussion and envy include televisions, computers, video game consoles, stereos, and other high-tech gadgetry that either looks or sounds really good. If you happen to have a really awesome "Raiders of the Lost Arc" poster, people might get kind of jealous. The people who get the latest version of the iPod as soon as it launches are looked upon as gods.
Printers, however, don't normally invoke such a reaction.
It was first seen when I was working with my entire audio setup: Headphones (because they sound better than speakers), microphone, blank paper for sheet music, and a miserable excuse for a switchboard made up of a computer program I happened to have open. In a college dormitory, this could be considered impressive, especially considering the mic was studio-style, rather than cruddy desktop PC style. Somehow, though, people looked past this, as well as the nifty tech tools in the other rooms, and focused on an almost ordinary printer.
"Looks like somebody got a new printer," I heard, then looked to see who it was, only to find Bryan, my floor's "Resident Advisor" gazing at either the printer itself, or quite possibly the enormous box on my bed. This sort of behavior continued for most of the hours following the original purchase.
Now, I'm not really sure what's so exciting about this thing. I mean, it's a freaking printer. And a scanner. And it can read from SD, MMC, CF, and numerous other tiny storage mediums. But it was probably the gloss factor. In all seriousness, this thing is white, curvy, and glossy, and could easily be confused for some sort of Apple product (particularly the iPod, if not for the size). Nevermind the laser-accuracy despite the inkjet design. Nevermind the 22 Page-Per-Minute speed. Nevermind the ability to act as a photocopier without even the aid of a computer.
I guess, then, that the lesson is to only get shiny stuff. It might seem a bit cliché, but shine factor will impress anybody, no matter how good or crappy the product in question actually is. And if you want to get really ambitious and try the same printer as me, just know that it was already sold out when I bought it, and Radio Shack let my buy the display model, so you probably won't find the thing yourself.
In college, typical points of discussion and envy include televisions, computers, video game consoles, stereos, and other high-tech gadgetry that either looks or sounds really good. If you happen to have a really awesome "Raiders of the Lost Arc" poster, people might get kind of jealous. The people who get the latest version of the iPod as soon as it launches are looked upon as gods.
Printers, however, don't normally invoke such a reaction.
It was first seen when I was working with my entire audio setup: Headphones (because they sound better than speakers), microphone, blank paper for sheet music, and a miserable excuse for a switchboard made up of a computer program I happened to have open. In a college dormitory, this could be considered impressive, especially considering the mic was studio-style, rather than cruddy desktop PC style. Somehow, though, people looked past this, as well as the nifty tech tools in the other rooms, and focused on an almost ordinary printer.
"Looks like somebody got a new printer," I heard, then looked to see who it was, only to find Bryan, my floor's "Resident Advisor" gazing at either the printer itself, or quite possibly the enormous box on my bed. This sort of behavior continued for most of the hours following the original purchase.
Now, I'm not really sure what's so exciting about this thing. I mean, it's a freaking printer. And a scanner. And it can read from SD, MMC, CF, and numerous other tiny storage mediums. But it was probably the gloss factor. In all seriousness, this thing is white, curvy, and glossy, and could easily be confused for some sort of Apple product (particularly the iPod, if not for the size). Nevermind the laser-accuracy despite the inkjet design. Nevermind the 22 Page-Per-Minute speed. Nevermind the ability to act as a photocopier without even the aid of a computer.
I guess, then, that the lesson is to only get shiny stuff. It might seem a bit cliché, but shine factor will impress anybody, no matter how good or crappy the product in question actually is. And if you want to get really ambitious and try the same printer as me, just know that it was already sold out when I bought it, and Radio Shack let my buy the display model, so you probably won't find the thing yourself.
posted by Covarr at 12:21 AM
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2 Comments:
Bling!
Covarr! Great writing!
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