Apple Offers Free E-cards With Images From Think Different Campaign
[9: 20 AM] Apple has introduced their own free e-card system. Apple's e-cards use imagery from their award-winning Think Different campaign. The "Think Different" phrase is not used as the cards currently have a Christmas/Holiday theme to them. Images of Mahatma Ghandi, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog grace the e-cards. Each has a message that is centered around their actual personas. John Lennon and Yoko Ono have the message of "Love." Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are touting "Joy." Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog say "Cheer." Mahatma Ghandi is spreading the message of "Peace."

When you send an e-card from Apple, you can also attach your own message, which gets included in the image of the e-card itself. When sending the message, you can choose whether the image itself gets included in the automated e-mail notification or a link to the image on Apple's web site is sent instead. The whole process is simple and quick.

According to Apple's press release, the effort began as an internal effort:

"e-cards began as an effort to help our 10,000 employees spread their holiday cheer while saving a small forest of paper, postage and holiday mail rush delays," said Steve Jobs, Apple's interim CEO. "They turned out so well that we want to share them with everyone."

Apple's e-cards are sure to be a huge hit for Apple.

The Mac Observer Spin: It is unclear at the moment whether Apple is collecting the e-mail addresses of senders and sendees. Their are several SPAM organizations that get their e-mail lists from other online greeting card web sites (we have been victim to such an attack) from the hapless customers who send the free cards to their friends and family. We are waiting for confirmation from Apple now on whether they will be making their own lists available.

When you send a card, you are clearly asked whether you would like to receive electronic notifications of Apple news and specials and it is very easy to say no, though many people may in fact choose to receive them. Apple gets kudos for making that a choice.