Core77

I just came across Year-End Thoughts on Microsoft, Apple, Intel and Lenovo by Rob Enderle, TechNewsWorld and his insight and analysis of the these firms, their product designs and most interesting, the impact of business decisions on product innovation and design was just amazing. There's a whole section on Apple and a discussion the possible impact of using Intel. Go read the full article, but here are some highlights,

Design: Apple and Voodoo

Speaking of design, one of the things I'm hoping will come out of the Apple-Intel deal is a broad realization that incredible design is once again possible. Over the years the hardware OEMs have consistently used Intel and Microsoft as reasons they can't build really cool products. Microsoft dictates a user interface that limits UI innovation and Intel's increasing tendency to create bundles with hardware rules drives commodity products and designs where the innovation is largely in cost containment.

Lenovo: IBM PCs Reborn

IBM once had some of the leading designs of its time. The Butterfly notebook was the first ultra-light notebook that had a full-sized keyboard; the X Series desktop was the precursor to the current iMac and earned a place in the Smithsonian for its design; they even had one of the first tablet products called the Transnote. These products weren't successful, but they did open the door for follow-on products from others. It was IBM's lack of vision that blocked the company from enjoying the success that it had enabled for others.
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Expect amazing things from Lenovo in the near future -- products that will once again lead in design and, for those of us who love design, once again, these will be products to lust after.