Medion offers personalized laptop on the cheap

If there were ever a jack of all trades in the electronics biz, Medion would be it. The company seems to make everything (or else their logo sure gets around), and this time the label appears by way of a new budget laptop. The MIM 2220 is a predictably average machine that sports a 15.4-inch WXGA display, a dual-layer DVD burner, WiFi, 256MB of RAM, 40GB HD, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports along with a FireWire connector. Surprisingly, the notebook is powered by a 1.7GHz Intel Pentium M processor, which is a notch above the Celeron we anticipated. But the run-of-the-mill specs are overshadowed by the bargain basement pricetag (just £400) and the option to have Medion (or whoever really makes this thing) emboss any picture onto the lid of the machine for another £45. While the uniqueness of the offering -- and the delightfully low price point -- may draw in a few customers, you may want to think twice about about completely ruining its (small) resale value by plastering your face on it. Might we suggest something a little more cheeky, perhaps?

[Via Mobilemag]

[Ian Jardine @ Jul 21st 2006 9:06AM]

Pds 400.00 doesn't sound cheap compared to what you can buy in the USA in Dollars.

[Eric Vogel @ Jul 21st 2006 9:48AM]

For up to $300 you can have it done here: http://laptopdesignusa.com/ They can do it on a new lid and change it on the same day when it is done.

[Andrew @ Jul 21st 2006 10:43AM]

On the image on that laptop...if those people are taking a picture of themselves, how does the camera show up in the picture?

I guess someone could have taken a picture of them. But seriously, who takes a picture of someone taking a picture?

[dave @ Jul 21st 2006 11:13AM]

I Do

[yuppicide @ Jul 21st 2006 11:14AM]

Show us links then to what you can buy in the US for $400. I need a laptop and I'm from the US. I don't know anything that cheap.

[yuppicide @ Jul 21st 2006 11:30AM]

That laptop design website is just for printing. You still have to buy a laptop. That website is $95-$195 just for the printing.

[Special_K @ Jul 21st 2006 11:30AM]

Wow... I see one market for this idea that wouldn't be completely stupid: 'tops with company logos for trade shows and theft prevention. Other than that, this is one of the worst ideas I have ever seen. Who in G-d's name wants to see a metapicture of you and your friends? No one! That's what your desktop is for- so you can see and display your annoying images of yourself and your hubbie/girlfriends/dog, without pissing me off and forcing me to throw your crappy no-name laptop onto the subway tracks where it belongs. Anyone who would choose to deface their laptop like that has the IQ of a Q-Tip, or perhaps a crayon- about the same intellectual level of my friends back in grade 4 who installed Comet Cursor and Bonzi Buddy on their desktops then complained about spam, popups, and general system slowdowns. Those kinds of people should be relinquished of their laptops, and fired in a rocket into the sun.

[ben potter @ Jul 21st 2006 11:33AM]

I will do the same thing for a lot less than either of the two. I know this is advertisement but pcvinel.com (not quite ready) is what I do and would give any engadget reader a discount. An adhesive backed full color print costs between 95-195 on laptop design usa, that is a complete rip off. You could go to your local print house/sign shop and get a better deal.

[PCJ @ Jul 21st 2006 12:04PM]

Medion... as someone who has lived in Germany/Austria for most of his life, I have learned to hate the name. They are Aldi's discount PC manufacturer, and while their desktops are usually decent (though loud, hot, no room for expansion, etc), saving money at all possible corners just doesn't work when you are building something as delicate as a notebook. Honestly, everyone who knows anything about computers over here stays the hell away from Medion.

[LTM @ Jul 21st 2006 12:08PM]

400 pounds at current exchange rate is around $740.00. Plenty of notebooks in my Sunday newspaper for that!

[VHB @ Jul 21st 2006 7:34PM]

I agree with PCJ. I had bought one of the Aldi/Medion desktops while living in Germany... inexpensive but for the price of quality and expandibility . My PII 400 had sound and graphic onboard etc.
Don't get me wrong, they are working ok but don't expect anything special for what you pay.

[Robin O'Neil @ Jul 22nd 2006 4:03AM]

About 10 years ago I used to have a Powerbook 1400 which came with a clear faceplate for the lid, enabling you to print out your own picture from a ClarisWorks template. At one point it was mooted that you would be able to buy third party accessories like solar panels but Apple had a patent for it and nobody seemed that interested.

[yuppicide @ Jul 24th 2006 12:57PM]

One guy here said he'll do the same thing for less?!

I contacted the company and they sent me some literature. They actually paint your picture on there somehow with automotive paint and then use some sort of clear coat on top.

For $40 more if there is an embedded logo on top or etched into the top of the case they can fill it in with material and smooth it out and then paint over it.

Does your company do that as well or is it just a graphic applied on?!