Leather Laptop

[dsenette]

September 05, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Lenovo Group Ltd. today unveiled a laptop bound in hand-stitched brown leather to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the ThinkPad line. It will sell for $5,000.

Each laptop in the Lenovo ThinkPad Reserve Edition line will be individually numbered, Lenovo said. Only 5,000 will be sold.

For the price, buyers will receive 36 months of "executive class" services that include a one-on-one setup call between the customer and a dedicated service representative, Lenovo said. The same service rep will stay with the customer throughout the laptop's life. Around-the-clock access to service reps will be available, and Lenovo is even promising access via a toll-free number that will be answered before the fourth ring. If an in-person support call is necessary, the service rep will reach the customer's location within four hours, and a replacement machine can be shipped overnight if required, Lenovo said.

Rich Fennessy, CEO of Insight Enterprises Inc. in Tempe, Ariz., said in a statement that the service features of his ThinkPad Reserve Edition are impressive because "Lenovo will provide me immediate assistance and a solution no matter what it takes."

The leather binding makes the laptop appear to be a large book or an elaborate personal leather folio instead of a computer. The cover, which is actually bound to the machine, is described by Lenovo as "saddle-grade premium French leather" and it features a rounded spine that is carefully designed to avoid covering up the opening for the exhaust fan and various ports, including the CD port.

for any of you junkies who can't get enough leather

http://www.thinkpadreserve.com/

might even get one of these to go with it

[Beaverslayer]

Well I think I see a new line coming out if those things sell. I'll just go buy a bunch of laptops for $1000.00 and cover them in leather and make a bundle. Hand laced and all....

Ken

[wolvenstien]

You got that crap right....

Well I think I see a new line coming out if those things sell. I'll just go buy a bunch of laptops for $1000.00 and cover them in leather and make a bundle. Hand laced and all....

Ken

[Mike Craw]

Yeah, 5K will buy a LOT of lace!

[nomi]

Sometimes I think people are missing the chance to make some real money in leather

The type of person (normally an executive) that is willing to buy such an item, doesn't care about the price. Seriously.

They're looking for the prestige. Market to that factor, and you can make some serious cash

- Noel

[wolvenstien]

I would end up going to prison.... I hate dealing with the "upper elite".....

[nomi]

That is one way to go I guess

- Noel

[Mike Craw]

I think many, if not most of us, started off in leatherwork as a hobby. We tend to think of our work as being "craft" pieces and not really the high quality art that some of it has evolved into over the years. Nomi is probably right about some folks not minding paying top dollar for things. Jeremiah Watt talks in his saddle making video a little bit about pricing your work, and he made the point that if you work really cheap, you'll only attract cheap customers.

I'm sure he's right, and I'm sure there are folks out there who would just pull out their checkbooks and write down whatever figure you told them. I'm pretty sure I don't know any of them, but they're prpbably out there. In the "Show Off" section, I posted a photo of a briefcase that I had made and mentioned that it was one of the few thing I've done that I was "fairly" satisfied with. I know in my own case that I have a certain expectation of how something should turn out, and it almost never does.

My wife will get really excited about a piece of leatherwork or woodwork that I have done, and I'll think, "How can she be that happy? I can see two things I screwed up, and one thing I should have done but didn't." I'm not sure how many others of you feel that way about your work, but it makes it almost impossible to name a high price and keep a straight face! Maybe Johanna should set up a "Group Therapy" section...?

Edited September 7, 2007 by Mike Craw

[Johanna]

I watched an old man charge a customer $10 to set a rivet one day in Macon, and he never missed a beat. After the customer left, I asked him how he could justify that kind of money, and he said, "You don't argue with the plumber, do you? They are paying me for what I know, not what I do."

He had to turn his attention to the customer, and he figured setting down his tools for a few minutes to set the rivet was worth ten bucks. A 10 minute visit in the doctor's office costs me $80, so the old man was probably right on target.

That laptop is selling for that price because of the service agreement it's bundled with, but the leather is a nice touch. They will come to your house to fix it!

Nomi's right, though. There are people who don't care what the price is. If you don't expect the right prices from the right customers, you won't get enough to cover costs.

Johanna

[dsenette]

My wife will get really excited about a piece of leatherwork or woodwork that I have done, and I'll think, "How can she be that happy? I can see two things I screwed up, and one thing I should have done but didn't."

i'm the same way with my metal sculptures....i hate every one that i've ever made...there's always something wrong or something i don't like...but the people who have them now love them and can't see the crap that i think sucks about them....i've been able to turn my "brain off" once i get to the stage where i'm finished with something...that way i'm able to accept compliments without doing the whole "what...that thing sucks!" deal

[Mike Craw]

I wish i could do that! What if my brain's already off...

[Dragons Pearl]

LoL, sometimes I wish I could figure out how to turn mine on!