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Jonathan Ive Named Designer of the Year
no_demons writes "Jonathan Ive, the man behind the iMac and the iPod, has won the first Designer of the Year award from the Design Museum in London. The Independent has the scoop, and BBC2 has the documentary on Wednesday, June 11th."
I think it goes without saying that this guy has changed the way a lot of people look at computers today.
They aren't just mindless machines that perform a task, thanks to him and apple they are elegant pieces of art and form met with function.
I mean come on, take a look at the iPod for example. It uses a radial menu -- the most efficient menu design, combined with the scroll wheel and a large LCD. It's completely intuitive, and so simple to use that it justifies the extra $100 compared with other mp3 players of it's class.
- tristan
Congratulations to Mr. Ive.
I'm glad there are still companies that care about DESIGN and the feel of something in your hand.
I was thinking of this today when I saw the ugly new Canon G5, an otherwise great camera that looks like a shrunken down 1970's rangefinder, complete with gratutious and useless chrome trim.
The best designs are MINIMAL. The best designs have no more buttons than necessary, that have a screen just large enough, that focus on small details and never add elements unless they are absolutely necessary. If they are held in the hand, they should be smooth and inviting and free of buttons to accidentally press, and not sharp or cold, which may look beautiful, but subconciously you want to avoid touching it.
Although Apple doesn't get 100% right all the time (the best designs are also EGOLESS as well as minimal, and do not draw attention to themselves) they are trying hard where most manufacturers are content to use ugly swooping plastic or cold sharp metal.
Well isn't Apply trying to make the iPod into a watered down PDA, with its "More ways to have fun."
According to Apple: "The iPod now lets you do a whole lot more in addition to maintaining your contacts, calendar and to-do lists. iPod now includes Solitaire, Brick and Parachute... iPod also includes a notes reader that lets you download text-based information and read it on the screen... The iPod features a sleep timer, so you can fall asleep to your music."
And we all know that the iPod cn act as a portable hard drive, right?