technical writing eMate300: Product Description
Document located online at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=20992
Touted as being "Designed by Education by Educators," the Apple eMate300 was a portable computer smaller than most laptops but larger than most PDAs and designed for use with a stylus as a primary input device. The audience for Apple's official product description for the eMate300 is ordinary consumers but the product is more directly targeted to educators and educational professionals such as school administrators who might be willing and interested in purchasing the device en masse for their public or private schools. The product description might also be written for parents who are looking to purchase an educational technological aide for their children. Because the product description serves more of a marketing function than a user manual the language is accessible and easy to understand and the level of technicality is low.
However, the eMate300 product description is well-written and well presented. It serves its purpose well in introducing new consumers to the product and showing them how the eMate300 works, how it differs from competitor products, how it differs from other Apple products, and what the eMate300 is capable of doing in an educational or home setting. One of the core strengths of this technical description is the use of frequent subheadings. The eye is easily guided to different issues related to the eMate300 such as "Easy Communication and Networking" or "Give More Students Access to the Technology They Need." Readers can tell at a quick glance what the eMate300 is all about without committing to reading an entire technical document. Visual and design aides like subheadings are integral to a well-composed technical document.
The product description for the eMate300 also includes enough information about the eMate300's operating system and other technical features to show that the document has been well-researched. Any technical information is presented clearly and under appropriate subheadings. For example, the "Easy Communication and Networking" section contains information about the device's TCP/IP capabilities without becoming bogged down with jargon. Emphasizing how the eMate300 can enhance the classroom environment and provide an affordable alternative to traditional PCs, the document is highly persuasive and would make any educational professional want to stock their classrooms with the eMate300. Therefore, Apple's product description is a prime example of a well-done technical document.
