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Bye bye paper owner's manuals
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I’ve got [more] really bad news for printers that have customers in the automotive industry, and especially one that have business printing owner’s manuals: Your days are numbered.
According to Wired Autopia, starting in 2010 Chrysler is eliminating paper owner’s manuals from its new vehicles in lieu of digital manuals on DVD. The DVDs will include tutorial videos, large color photos and enhanced diagrams and will also be downloadable on Chrysler’s website. Chrysler officials tout the move, seen by many in the industry as a cost-cutting measure, as a way to make the owners manuals more convenient. They even go so far as to note that each new Chrysler vehicle will weigh five, yes five, pounds less!
So what about the disadvantages from the consumer standpoint? Sure it’s great that you’re saving five pounds and some trees at the same time, but what if you’re stranded on the side of the road and need to reference the owner’s manual? Unless you have a portable DVD player with some battery life, you’re stuck.
It’s a tough challenge, but here’s a simple solution: Chrysler needs to invest in creating an iPhone or other smartphone application that can be downloaded on an owner’s mobile device for free. The cost for development of this option may even be offset by cutting the cost of production for DVDS. It also gives owners an option to receive the manual in whatever way works best for them: online for free, on their phone for free, on DVD for free and in print for a small charge. No charge for the advice, Chrysler. It's what we do! ;)
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