some thoughts on i/o devices

Simply put, form factor is an important consideration when designing i/o devices because consumers won't care about cool tricks if the product doesn't look good. Marketing has proven to be a powerfu tool and we have come to depend on sleek trendy designs for the i/o devices we use in our daily lives. If designers try to market an aesthetically unpleasing product, another company will manufacture the same device in cooler packaging. The iPod is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Mp3 players were on the market long before Mac launched its iPod and solidified its place as king of the portable mp3 players. Other company's have attempted to make sleek designs, but none have come close to Mac's success. iPod become synonymous with "mp3 player" and the ubiquituous white earphones (another example of a perfectly designed form factor) became part of the urban landscape. Through excellent marketing, iPods became associated with a certain lifestyle and this technology wrapped in its trendy wrapping became an essential accessory for people of all ages.

We have already seen the effects of pervasive computing. There are very few people who do not own cell phones or PDAs. There are still people who refuse to purchase mobile phones (every movement has its resistance), but for the most part, pervasive computing is, well, pervasive in our society. To me, it seems this type of technology detaches people from what is happening around them in the moment. If we are all speaking or writing to someone who is not where we are, as we walk to work, school, etc., then we become disconnected from our immediate surroudings. We are constantly elsewhere. While these types of devices keep us "connected" with people because we are all so easily accessible, in ways, I think these sorts of things actually create as much distance as they do connection.

As far as interacting with our computers, I guess pervasive computing has created a portable version of the desktop paradigm portable so that we can now type emails, check the weather, schedule appointments, and make personal phone calls while on the move.

The technology behind ubiquitous computing and something like the "Smart House" is impressive and fascinating, but the idea of having microphones embedded in walls and cameras lurking behind picture frames all seems a tad Orwellian for my taste. With ubiquitous computing, it seems that interaction with our computers will be more two-way, rather than the user simply commanding the computer. Interfaces that require audio, scents, or gestures will replace the predominantly touch-based interfaces of the desktop paradigm. This "third wave" of computing will make our interactions with computers more spontaneous and automatic since we can interact with them from various locations, not just by sitting down in front of a computer. It seems that with ubiquitous computing, we will see less of the form factor or device itself since so much of the technology is embedded in other objects.