I admittedly was somewhat fickle a few years ago when I decided to build a new computer system for myself. At the time, the new translucent I-Mac’s set the benchmark for computer aesthetics and I ignorantly decided I would build my new PC with “blueberry” translucent parts, (e.g., case, keyboard, mouse, monitor, external modem).

I subsequently purchased all the above items (except the monitor) at a local computer retailer for a relatively nominal amount of money. Unfortunately, my taste for blueberries quickly turned sour after I complemented the system with a monitor.

I initially found a Futura OZ770A translucent monitor advertised for ~$165.00 via the “price-watch” search engine. While $165.00 was probably not a big fortune at the time, there certainly were cheaper monitors available for purchase. At any rate, my psychosis/lemming mentality ended-up getting the best of me and I purchased the monitor.

The first monitor that initially arrived worked for about 2 weeks. While the picture was adequate when the monitor worked, it left much to be desired. (Many of my friends owned “cheaper” units from several different manufacturers. I can honestly say that I was envious after I used their displays as a benchmark). The screen image produced by the Futura OZ770A was “dull” and somewhat “washed-out”; these variables became even more pronounced as I increased the screen resolution on the video-card. Is it possible I was jaded about my purchase and I became too subjective? Perhaps- but I decided to play devil’s-advocate anyway and I hooked-up a couple of my friends’ “cheaper” monitors to my computer. Needless-to-say, it wasn’t the video card that was producing the inferior images on the Futura OZ770A.

Nevertheless, I decided to “bite-the-bullet” and keep the Futura monitor- after all, I had a “hip” translucent system while all of my looser friends had passé putty units.

The monitor remained trendy for about two more weeks until the image produced by the monitor imploded and went blank.

I sent the monitor back to the vendor and requested a replacement, (per their return policy). After spending ~$50 on shipment costs and waiting ~2 weeks, a new unit arrived. Unfortunately, when I opened the box, the plastic monitor housing was in pieces. (Yes, the boys at UPS sometimes toss around packages like a medicine-ball, but I was surprised to discover that the plastic used in the monitor frame was thinner than the plastic found in many of the toys contained in a McDonald’s Happy-Meal. In all fairness, it is entirely possible that a “thinner” plastic needs to be used in order to produce the nifty translucent effect).

Two more weeks and $20 later, (I learned my lesson and found a cheaper shipment service), a third replacement monitor showed up on my doorstep…DOA.

Back it went; another two weeks (and you guessed it, 20 more dollars), the final and fourth replacement monitor arrived. Admittedly, the fourth monitor has worked just fine for some time, but the picture quality is no better than the first monitor I initially received. Also, to add insult-to-injury, the translucent fad is over and I had to spend $90.00 beyond the initial cost of the monitor in order to procure a working unit.

The Moral: Sometimes it’s better to stick with a time-tested quality product, (e.g., Levi Blue Jeans), than to get caught-up in a Fad and pay extra for an inferior product…(anybody remember parachute pants?)

-Kyle
(07/18/02)

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 165.00
Operating System: Windows