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Innovative Designs and Devices
Patrick Griffin writes "When it comes to product design, the significance of aesthetics, the way its design looks and feels, determines the choice of the customer once the functionalities of multiple devices are more or less similar. If supported by sound user interface and a well-tested, clean implementation, innovative design solutions can drastically enhance the user experience. The article Innovative Designs and Devices presents innovative, futuristic gadgets, devices, designs and concepts which can become reality in 2008 or over the next few years." Some of the designs are real, others are stupid, and some are just dreams for the future. But some of this stuff is really cool.
I like the concept, but, umm without the cover to protect the spinning CD (or you from it) that just seems like a HUGE design flaw.
Also the Apple remote is neat and really pays into the popularity of the Wii-mote for interaction? So you think Sony would really place people into that mind set?
Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what your country did to you
The amphibious car made me think of that. Aside from that there were certainly interesting (and what-where-they-thinking!?) ideas in there.
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
That has the be the awesomest useless appliance I have seen!
If innovative design interests you, I highly recommend "The Art of Innovation" by Tom Kelley and Henry Petroski's books "The Evolution of Useful Things" and "Small Things Considered". Kelly's book is all about innovation in the workplace and uses IDEO to illustrate his ideas. Petroski's books (and I love all of his stuff) are more of an academic view of how engineering intersects with the real world. His books should be on every geeks must read list.
so who is gonna sue Sony first Apple or Apple
Actually, done a but more thought on the subject. Picture this:
A 14"*12" flat panel touch sensitive display with bluetooth, wifi, inductive power and some clips at the back for mounting.
Now what can this be used for?
1. x1 a tablet PC
2. z2 with a hinge - a laptop, program the lower one to have a keyboard and tracker pad
3. x2 24"*12" widescreen TV/Monitor
4. x3 computer, 1= keyb, rest = screen
5. x4 wraparound display for conferences
6. x8 home cinema or wall screen
7. x1 advertisement kiosk
8. x1 display module and brains for industrial kiosk or ATE
the possibilities are endless.
but what would it need to function?
1. one seriously configurable operating system. mesh computer between linked components, mini cluster?
2. versatile mounting clip so you could add at will - USB, floppy, SD, CF, 10baseT, hinge for laptop, support for screen, external power cable, TV tuner etc.
3. ubiquitous standard - that would be the killer, you need a recognised standard so everybodies components would work together instead of a diversive formats war
4. power saving, power sharing (power one on a cable, it shares to connected units), some clever self configuration.
5. cheap enough or versatile enough to make it all worthwhile.
and finally, and obligatory - open standards on HW and an SDK so anybody can port apps or write their own.
well, I can dream.
waaaaaaaaaant
well, much of it anyway. I certainly could do without the toaster. I would love to try out that bluetooth laser keyboard.
Anyone notice that the top was down on the amphibious car? Hope they brought their wetsuits...
I would think it'll cost an arm and a leg to get it in the first place...
From another post I made, but for this topic, it's a bit more on-topic:
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There's one example of user interface elegance that has stuck with me for decades, and I use it to remind myself of what's possible, and avoiding making things more complicated than necessary:
I've had telephone answering machines before; they typically had many buttons on them (rewind, stop, play, fast forward, erase, record) and tapes for incoming and outgoing, etc.. Quite complex, for the simple task of playing and recording a message. It really felt like working two confusingly inter-related tape decks.
But then I bought one, which wasn't terribly expensive, that was clean and elegant looking, with *one* big visible button on the outside and one LED. On the side was a volume knob. And the amazing thing is that it was as functional as my prior more complicated machines.
When there was a message, the link blinked. Intuitive. You'd press the big button to hear the messages. Simple. To back up while playing a message, you simply held the big button down (not completely intuitive, but easy to learn/figure out or read in the manual). After playing the messages, the LED would blink quickly for a few seconds; you could then tap the big button to keep your messages, or do nothing to have it turf the messages. (Again, not necessarily intuitive, but trivial to learn/understand and use.) You could also record memos of your own by pressing and holding the button at any time. A lot of functionality built into one button, and not hard to use at all. Very clever.
You could stop it from answering by turning the volume knob all the way down until it clicks; fairly intuitive.
It had one microcassette; the answering message was recorded at the start, and it would record messages after that (fast forwarding as necessary for additional messages before recording). This microcassette was under an opague door (you wouldn't even know was there) on the top of the unit. Opening the door also revealed another smaller button. The single button inside paralleled the use of the outside button to a large degree, but for handling your answering message. Press and hold it to record your message (similar to the memo record of the outside big button). Tap it once to play/check your answering message, pressing/holding it to rewind during the message. Very elegant, yet quite functional.
The thing was a masterpiece of simplicity, elegance, understatement, functionality, and design.
Yes, answering machines are ancient technology now, but the thought that went into that "user interface" design continues to inspire me when I create web interfaces.
And another neat aspect to it: I'm sure the manufacturing cost of the unit was lower than others, due to fewer buttons, a single tape, and simpler design. (It likely had a bit more logic inside to handle the functionality, but overall it was likely cheaper to produce than other models.) Initial design can make such a difference to all aspects of a product's delivery.
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
I still can't work out how you're supposed to use the three seashells.
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
As if we thought it wouldn't get any worse than cubicles.
Enjoy the days when you had 20 cubicles on your office floor. Now you've got 100 Eclipses crammed into that same space.
Can you explain any way that the device you're describing is more usable than one with one function per button? I'm all for rethinking design and having alternatives, and I can see that aesthetically, your device would be more appealing to some people.
But I far prefer a rewind button, fast forward button, etc. and I find it hard to fathom how what you're describing is an improvement. Why spend time learning how to use a device that could work just like all the other media playback devices I use?
The cordless charging devices are a good idea. If there's a standard. If there's one bowl or pad which recharges everything, we've made real progress. If we end up with one per device, they just waste space.
At least three small companies (SplashPower, WildCharge, and WiPower) are pushing that idea. Incompatibly. There's no one in a strong enough position to make them play together.
One Ring to Rule Them All
-- Language is a virus from outer space.