

The backstory behind 37Signal's "Draft" iPad app - mawhidby
http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2420-launch-draft-for-ipad

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joubert
$10?

Adobe Ideas is free:
<http://blogs.adobe.com/designandweb/2010/04/adobe_ideas.html>

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antidaily
Funny tweet: @tedroden: 37 signals releases MS Paint for the iPad... will
probably sell millions.

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tptacek
Irony(?): it's priced high relative to "professional" pure-play drawing apps
like SketchPad and Brushes, but by omitting needless features like color and
brush controls and adding the one feature of collaborative diagramming, it's
probably going to be more valuable to me than either of those other apps,
which I mostly use to goof around with my daughter.

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ajg1977
Finding a high priced product more valuable is not ironic :)

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tptacek
I'm pretty sure I'm not finding the concept valuable because of the price
point.

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swilliams
From the comments, by Jason Fried, "We might add yellow to version 2.0 in
2012."

Kind of sums up a big part of their design philosophy right there.

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fredoliveira
also considered arrogance by some

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jasonfried
and having a little fun in the comments section by others.

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fredoliveira
actually I know you were having a laugh - even commented with the rest of the
guys here how I found your answer funny. Fact is, however (and I'm sure you
know this), quite a bunch of people take that as arrogance.

Personally, I don't care - I agree with your policy on doing less (if your
vision is in fact to do less with a product). The fact that some consider it
arrogance (as I was alluding to) doesn't mean I do.

(your downvote on my comment was not necessary, but this explanation of my
comment might have been. Apologies for the misunderstanding, if there was one)

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10ren
I love the idea of deliberately making it imprecise to serve the specific task
(to sketch; and ignore details early on.)
[http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/getting_real_ignore_detai...](http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/getting_real_ignore_details_early_on.php)

And their pricing strategy (from the comments): _encouraging other people to
add Campfire integration to their own apps – even free ones_

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jshen
they're selling the sizzle, not the steak

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Qz
From the comments:

"I don’t think $9.99 is too expensive. What you’re paying for is the Campfire
integration and the judicious removal of features."

Sad but true. This is how they earn money at 37s.

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taitems
The app and its price tag seem to embody the true spirit of Apple hardware.

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georgieporgie
To provide extremely well-engineered devices that look and feel fantastic?
Apple hardware is pretty awesome. 1st gen issues aside, that is.

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taitems
More so simply dress up something incredibly simple (with a brand name and
implied value) and chuck an exhorbitant price tag on it.

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georgieporgie
Erm. I'm not sure exactly what Apple hardware you think is incredibly simple,
but having recently looked at Mac vs. Wintel laptops, I can assure you that
the Mac laptops are incomparably better engineered.

Personally, I use computers for many, many hours per day, and the little
things really add up. Maybe you don't care about that, and you just want the
right CPU and hard drive. If that's the case, more power to you.

I hate Apple on principle (1st gen purchase, 'they' mean it when 'they' say
not to buy 1st gen!), but I can't seem to find anything to compete with their
hardware.

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taitems
As the owner of a Lenovo work horse, I'd have to respectfully disagree. It's
rugged, powerful and has survived freezing weekend/overnight conditions that
have damaged macbooks. If something had actually failed, I could have easily
swapped it out.

I was just trying to make the point that 37Signals and Apple have a similar
reality distortion field.

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georgieporgie
Let me refer you to my previous statement:

> Personally, I use computers for many, many hours per day, and the little
> things really add up. Maybe you

> don't care about that, and you just want the right CPU and hard drive. If
> that's the case, more power

> to you.

My MacBook has been used heavily for four years, and is going strong. The
screen, keyboard, and touchpad feel great. The screen is vibrant, with a wide
view-angle. The operation of the hinge, the magnetic power adapter, and the
layout of the ports is good. The sound is unequaled, in my experience, in a
laptop form factor.

I don't know if it survives freezing. I don't really care, though, since I use
my laptop on my lap, which isn't freezing.

It sounds like you care more about edge-case exposure issues, which are
relevant to you. I care more about the daily user experience.

I've read many posts slagging Apple for overpricing, but when I examine the
components, it's as good a deal as any. For example, most cut-rate Wintel
laptops have utterly crap screens, something you don't know until you use a
better one, and yes, I know Lenovos are [were?] said to use some good ones.

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robryan
I think the price also reflects though that they don't actually need to sell
this to anyone, it's already paid for itself in improving internal process.
The people it's mainly aimed at using campfire, I'd imagine would pay for it
whether it was 99 cents or $10 if it is useful in improving business process.

