The 'Book Page

The BarbiBook

Why not Barbie™?

Dan Knight - 1999.08.02 - Tip Jar

In The iBook disaster, John C. Dvorak dissed the iBook design as a "girly" computer, saying, "The only thing missing from the new Apple iBook is the Barbie logo."

After the US women's soccer team once again legitimized women's sports, what's wrong with a little "girl power" in the boring world of personal computing? And just last week HP removed the glass ceiling and appointed Carly Fiorina as president and CEO, proving women and technology do mix.

Then again, who better to brighten up the computing world with a "girl friendly" machine than the iMac company, Apple Computer?

From the Mattel side, Barbie used to be simply a well shaped shell for girls to dress up. You bought the doll; you bought lots of clothes. Today Barbie can be a Malibu "beach babe," a doctor, or anything else.

She's acquired a "more realistic" figure and been liberated from the stereotype of blonde ditz clothes horse. Whoever Barbie is today, she is her own woman.

Putting it all together, both Apple and Mattel both know how to market. A hot pink BarbiBook could be just what the doctor ordered to have twelve-year-old girls salivating for a G3. Team Barbie with the iBook and imagine the possibilities.

After all, it isn't just horsepower, 0-60 times, or miles per gallon that sells cars. Looks count.

The same goes for computers, ever since the iMac.

How about it, Steve, could you do the iBook in Barbie pink? (Not only could you sell the Barbie crowd, but there's this cosmetic company with pink cars....)

Art by joe@leblanc.org, who has also done art for iBook Zone.

Opinion: The iBook disaster, John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine, 1999.07.26. "I suppose I shouldn't say this, but I can only describe it as a 'girly' machine."
Opinion: The Barbie fixation, Janelle Brown, Salon, 1999.07.28. "...Dvorak's article is chock-full of sexist stereotypes."
Opinion: 'Girly' iBook not worthy of men, Polly Sprenger, Wired, 1999.07.29.
Take a look at a real "girly" computer.
Huh?, Will a Barbie computer make math easy?, Salon, 1999.08.04. Mattel really is releasing a Barbie computer, but it's no iBook or Mac.

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Fix Home Button Delay, Tablet the Ultimate Mobile PC, iPad Notebook a Possibility, and More, iOS News Review, 2012.02.10. Also using your iPad at work, two photo editors, a new iPad text editor, Macally's magnetic iPad 2 stand, and more.
White MacBook Goes End-of-Life, Logitech Touch Mouse Supports Gestures, Firmware Updates, and More, The 'Book Review, 2012.02.10. Also MacBook Air better than any Ultrabook, docks for MacBook Pro models, Intel offers improved SSDs, and more.
Mac and iOS Browsers: Options Galore, Freeware Forum, 2012.02.10. Safari is adequate on Mac and great on iOS, but the range of good alternatives is stunning. LEM writers share their favorites.
Apple's Support Lead Shipping, Smartphones Outsell PCs, OS X Ported to ARM by Intern, and More, Mac News Review, 2012.02.10. Also the power of Tex-Edit Plus, Google and Twitter are already censoring the Web, Snow Leopard Security Update, and more.
LogMeIn: Remote Screen Sharing for the Rest of Us, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 2012.02.09. Configuring the Mac's built-in screen sharing to work over the Internet can be difficult or impossible. LogMeIn makes it easy.

Latest Deals on Low End Mac

More links in our archive.

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay