Because they are a cycle or two behind. While they are catching up with features and throwing in an extra bit or two (see 3G and GPS), companies like Nokia and Apple are already testing their next revisions for the next release that elegantly solves major issues and more.

So a whole bunch of news is trickling down the pipes with new phones coming out of every mobile handset carrier. The ones getting most attention are the ones with touch screen, 3G, television, music, fashion something, blah blah blah. However, a lot of these kinds of ambitious handsets came out post-iPhone (speaking more to the marketing than actual technology/implementation). What I’m trying to say is that without companies like Apple and Nokia taking a leap in design, consumers wouldn’t have these kinds of wonderful interaction models for another several product cycles. But ever since big names like Apple entered the market, the whole house goes crazy with finger flicking interfaces and tiled buttons. Yes, these are great products, and they are designed and developed by smart people, but the business side didn’t get it until someone else did it first. What does that say about the whole vertical (in America)? Do you believe you will get the same kind of awe inspiring experience daily from such a thing? I question that.

Japan is way ahead of us because of their bold steps to try something different or created a handset that was for a very specific niche. What’s nice is that they get to try out very interesting and immersive user experience models that could inspire new ways to do mobile for the regular joe. These companies are the same ones thinking about the future and are positioning themselves for success with multiple product/service deployments for the next several years. Game changing models. Not the, “well people want 3G so lets give it to them, or and a 10 megapixel camera too! too expensive? okay make that 5.” WTF would you do with 5 fucking mega pixels on a lens smaller than your IQ? Wonder why you couldn’t get that night shot of that Justin Timberlake picture with your phone? because you fell for the marketing. 3G? why do you think the Black Jack comes with two batteries?

My point is not to say my needs are your needs, because their not and you have every right to want certain things. However, you should think about the details: the interaction you have with your phone on a day to day basis. Is it fun to use all the time? Is it easy to get to where you want to do? Do you feel delighted to have such a product? How do you talk about it with your friends? What kinds of words do you use to describe it? Are you even excited about it when you talk about it?

Those “Wow” features are only Wow-tastic if it really does enable something greater, like saving me time and frustration by finally letting me listen to voicemails in any order I want and stop and play as I want. Or show me text in a way that acts like a conversation (IM) thread as opposed to an ugly list of text where I need to click in and out of screens to read the messages from the same person within the same conversation! Form and Features (should) follow Function.

What does your phone really enable you? Notice the commercials Apple used to show off the iPhone. They didn’t talk about features, they told stories about how those features affected your life beyond the phone. That’s a forward thinking product. That’s a design thinking company. That’s the kind of company I can trust in making sure I enjoy what I buy, even if it cost me $600.

Okay, so the new iPods are out, and they are hot (minus the nano, sorry). Wireless iTunes. Ringtones. 8GB iPhones get a $200 price cut. Starbucks partnership. So while everyone is getting their knickers in a bunch for whatever reason, this announcement brings many compelling questions to mind:

Apple is leveraging the huge iPod user base and pushing their technology adoption rate at incredibly fast speeds. By lowering the barrier of entry and by eliminating any major switching costs, more people will be familiarizing themselves with virtual keyboards and mobile web experiences.

Multi-touch interfaces are going to blow up and just about every mobile handset creator will be on this bandwagon if not already. We are looking at a periodin time where gestures, touch based computing and the like will be even more important to figure out in interface design than ever before. This is more complex than the mouse and keyboard days. Touch based computing will go beyond just these tiny screens. We might start seeing these screens embedded in the physical world. Crazy huh? Think Minority Report.

Anyways…

For most consumers, the iPod and iPhone will be their first significant experience with touch based computing. They will shape their understanding and model these interactions based on how Apple defines that experience. Given Apple’s track record, they do a damn good job of creating magnificent user experiences, so other competitors will have a very hard time overcoming this when everyone is deeply invested in this way of doing things on the iPod’esque interface. This is more than just a feature, this is building the right interaction model. This is about making sense with new technology and using it the right way. It’s the small details. Boy do I feel like my studio will be getting a lot of proposals on touch based interface work.

Exciting times.

Also, just extrapolating this idea: imagine gesture enhanced touch pads on mac portables, cinema displays with touch based screens and more. Use your imagination!

And finally, the whole Starbucks thing, should include a 1-touch ordering system that also keeps a history of your favorites. I mean c’mon! I’m expecting that within the year, otherwise I’ll be a little disappointed. For the record, this was a problem I had to solve as part of my interviewing process. Yea, my studio rocks.

Anyways, so I got off work a little early to check out the University Village Apple store to check out the crowd during the unveiling of the most highly anticipated/marketing/sought-after/lusted/flamed/beautifully-built consumer device known to man and history. The Wii and Playstation 3 lines across the nation did not have this much attention prior to and now after. Well maybe the Wii, and also, I’m speaking to America only, not internationally. Otherwise, the Wii is just fucking amazing.

It was just hilarious to see the line form wrapping around the village and across the street. In the end, I made it inside after snapping a lot of pictures and had my mittens on a shiny new iPhone.

Stunning.

Reviewers say it lived up to the hype, and it does. It’s a beautifully crafted device that earns its strips not because of it’s features, but because the features it does include, they did is near perfectly. That’s saying a lot. Many times you find reviews doing those silly comparison charts of features where product A has 35 features (that are arbitrarily picked) while product B has 29, therefore product A is superior. Not so. Not ever. Hopefully you will learn not to fall into that mistake again.

It’s a great little device that in time will promise to be even better. Why? How? Well, Apple promises to provide free software updates. That is HUGE. You won’t have to buy a new phone when technology and features become more advanced. Instead, you just plug in, download and update your current iPhone and it will be like a brand new one! Save your $100 or $300 in the future for something useful, for like say… a pair of jeans you always wanted. Seriously.

Yes, like any other first generation device, or any device for that matter, there will be shortcomings. However, the value you gain from what is currently available will help alleviate any frustrations for a few missing elements. Some may have more dire needs that the iPhone can’t support, but then again, you can always get something else. Design 101, don’t design for everyone. Design for specificity and you will succeed (mostly). In time, everyone will be happy.

Aside from drinking the Kool-aid, you have to admit that this is completely unprecedented and Apple products are executed very well. That much is true. Casting aside your personal preferences and biases, this is a great example of a company believing in good design and the people who use it.

I love great design, and Apple does a pretty darn good job. Is that so wrong?

Daring Fireball First Impressions
Drop Test
WSJ Review
Crunchgear Review Round-up

To me this is entirely new and refreshing. Apple demonstrates how specific technology, like IR sensors and accelerometers are used to create useful functions in real world settings. Often times, these technology features are not truly understood or misinterpreted by the consumer. For instance, the introduction of Bluetooth promised a lot of great stuff like wireless handsets and communication. People used Bluetooth the same way Google has turned into a synonym for “search,” however I’ve observed poor usage of “bluetooth” - not to mention “internet” and “wifi.”

Anyways, the point is that these terms get lost in translation and become unappreciated. With these short visualizations, I have become both informed and impressed with the clarity of understanding gained by watching them. This is good for the consumer because this gives them more power to make better decisions about product purchases and where to place value in the functionality that is respectful of their own context of use.

It’s true that these technological achievements are anything but revolutionary, but because Apple clearly demonstrates how it is broken down and worked within simple use cases, more trust is placed in the marketed product. This is far beyond just reading text and looking at comparative charts.

I hope more companies put more faith in their products that merit this kind of attention. Otherwise, more and more mediocre products will be bought and ruin another person’s day. Not to knock on Samsung, but they make fantastic products, but they turn out a new cell phone design for production every 6 weeks or less!

Tech Specs for those who like numbers and other marketing garbage

More details and toughts after the jump…

Wide Screen iPod Capability

• Multi-Touchscreen UI
• Coverflow Feature
• Built-in Speaker
• 3.5″ Widescreen

Mobile Phone

Internet Communications

Other Niceties

• Force Feedback Panels
• 2 Mpx Camera
• Built-in Mic
• Automatically Rotating Display (think Canon PowerShot)
• Runs on OS X
• Thinnest SmartPhone Evar!
• Syncs everything (all media and information like bookmarks)!
• Works on PC too!

So What?

The designers at Apple and Steve Job’s vision to make the cellular phone experience easier and more exiciting for you as a consumer takes form today. A lot of the technology that has been implemented in the iPhone isn’t revolutionary, but the application in which they are used is significant. Before proceeding any further, I hope you have a chance to watch the various different quicktime demonstrations that step by step show each capability.

(Hopefully) After seeing some of the videos, you can see that this unit is offering a lot of control to the person interacting with it. Clean icons that are big and easily understood. Minimalistic design. Dynamic buttons that actually give you a touch feedback on the screen! This is significant because with all the different things you can do with the iPhone, the controls are optimized to make it easy for you to use. Think about how many different menu screens you have to click up, down, left and right to just set your alarm clock? It reminds me of an old Nintendo code (up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, a, b, a, b, select, start) back in the day. Bonus points for anyone who knows what I’m talking about.

Some features that I particularly enjoy: Multi-Touch Screen, Visual Voicemails and the SMS interface.

Multi-Touch Screen
Hands down awesome. Now I don’t believe that this sort of application can be used as effectively on say, your laptop or desktop, but this could be great for whiteboards and devices like the iPhone. Things like the Minority Report where our hero swipes images and videos back and forth isn’t as usable as you think. Your arms get tired very quickly, and I digress. A multi-touch screen that lets you flick to scroll and “pinch” images to resize photos is nothing new, but has been elegantly used within the iPhone. Applaus goes to Apple for using it appropriately, and not go overboard. The screen also affords gestures as mentioned before in the form of flicks and slides that is naturally understood more clearly. Why use a stylus and super thin, hard to touch scroll bars at the edge of the screen? Just “move” it like the picture was physically infront of you on a table!

Visual Voicemails
Don’t you hate it when you have to wait for the first two skipped messages to hear the third old message, or forced to delete even older messages before hearing the new ones? Or having to hit 7 twice to delete a message since waiting for it to finish just takes too long? A visual list that lets you pick and choose as you will and delete without even having to listen to it is a big step in convenience that the old system couldn’t offer.

SMS UI
It takes the form of iChat, or any other IM application. This is a personal favorite because I always find it difficult to see what my friends and I have talked about grouped together like a conversation. Instead, I’m forced to scroll through the different messages ordered by date going in and out of each text. SMS, or text messaging, is a huge communication method that is growing even more popular. News reports are talking about how text messaging is a new danger while driving, people getting phones with QWERTY keyboards and just the overall popularity has swarmed our culture. It really has become almost like instant messaging. So why not make it look like it?! Oh wait, they did!

Future Implications?

If OS X is running the iPhone, then in terms of network connectivity, then Bon Jour could allow ad hoc communication between other iPhones, or your Mac. Sound familiar? Zune, what? But the benefit this time is that like iTunes, you could possibly share content through a network connection without limitation (except downloading). No 3 day or 3 play rules. Just share! Be “social.” The possibilties are countless with OS X integration and the Apple ecosystem with the iLife suite.

There are some questions that come in mind about how the multi touch may interact with front end web technologies like Flash and JavaScript, but I’ll save that for later. You tell me, what are some concerns that we should still keep in mind?

Macworld 2007 Keynote
Hands-on Preview [Gizmodo]
Close up Pictures [TUAW]

Some questions come to mind like “What it looks like? Who is the carrier provider? What can it do?” and most importantly, “How much does it cost me?”

In short: Looks like an iPod; either all carriers or Verizon/Sprint or through Apple itself; it is a mp3 phone with Apple infused minimalistic design; price points at $249 and $499 (reportedly).

However, I’d like to ask that you really think about what you do with your cell phone currently, what you like about your phone or past phones you’ve had and what features you don’t really use that you thought you would. Leave comments.

While I’m still hungover, I find peace in listening to music in my room as the mild summer breeze graces my shoulders.  There is honestly not enough Gatorade right now to save my life.  One side note really quickly - what is the true differences between Gatorade straight up, and Gatorade Rain?  It’s supposed to keep you cool and refreshed, but doesn’t any electrolyte filled - thurt quenching elixir accomplish that?  The commercials don’t even portray that.  Instead, athletes are being born from their repsective sporting device.  I’m so confused.  I guess I don’t get it since I was born out of a computer. Don’t add water please.

Just recently us UW interns headed over to Alki to do some Kayaking.  It was boatloads of fun! (haha).  The place just opened last summer and the guy who runs the shop is gnarly.  It’s located right after Salty’s on Seacret Park. You can check out his website here.  We went on the sunset tour.  It was fun watching birds fly down to catch fish and really enjoy Seattle Summer weather out in the water.  High recommended fun for lovers, outdoor adventurers and anyone who wants to enjoy the different ways of how our fair city blessed us with natural awesomeness.

If you’ve read the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, then you might get this.  If not, it’s not that big of a deal.  From my personal perspective, I am continuing to see more adoption of Apple computing products.  A lot of previous arguments against buying a Mac have slowly been dimishing and consumers these days are looking for two things: what’s popular/trendy and something that signifies exceptional quality.  Apple’s marketing has really started to take hits at the PC market by twisting the old argument that Macs were only for artists or “creative” types.  I think it’s fair to say we are all pretty creative people in our own respects.  I believe that from a consumer point of view, a full package that takes care of my needs without having to push buttons I fear my make my computer explode is the peave of mind I am looking for so that I can focus more on the work, than the computer itself.  That in a design sense is the “user experience.”  It should not be an argument as to what technologies are being used, but more on how they are executed.  Success factors are reliant on customer adoption and utility.  If I’m not using a feature that is supposed to change my life, then it isn’t a life changing feature. And I digress.  That said, now that those who have adopted Macs into their every day lives without being a recording artist are sharing and proliferating the idea that Macs are cool.  It’s like well if Charley is using a Mac, maybe that is something I should look into.  My life seems to be similar to Charley’s and he is really happy with it.  Sold.  A lot of people have already predicted a “big bang” in Mac market share, but I only see that happening in consumer markets.  The PC (personal comupter mind you) market is much to vague to make any sense.  It is mostly dominated by businesses with tons of workstations.  I mean, Microsoft gave me a tablet (which sucks ass to no end) as my working PC.  That’s another computer in the market share. However, when I am home, I use my PowerBook.  See the difference?  I think if there was a statistical analysis of consumer growth, then there should be interesting results. This subject came up out of notice that a lot of people I am around these days are buying Macbooks or plan on buying them as their next personal machine.

This weekend has been pretty interesting, but mostly fun.  Friday was the uber nerdy alcoholic sausage fest Microsoft Intern Pubcrawl.  In all honesty, it was a hilarious time.  Watching a swarm of young men in matching black t-shirts engaged in a battle of wits between their beverages and themselves merit a good time. There were no more than 10 girls in a 100+ person event.  Lucky them as a group of 10-15 circled around each one at every stop.  But that’s okay, I was never really too into competative “game” spittin’.  Plus, my new crush at George and Dragon bartends there.  I will find you, even if I do nothing next time I see you.  Anyways, I met some pretty cool people and had the typical drunken shinanigans (sp?).

Saturday was a night out to Element.  Thanks to Brian Yaminaka, he welcomed his honey home from Japan to a VIP special. Seeing a bunch of old friends and even older (not aging) faces was exciting.  Some people I didn’t even think I would see and some I feel bad that I don’t even remember.  I definately discovered crush number two. Damnit.

Last bit of news: I will be in a video on a new game-centric product.  Apparently my MySpace pictures express the right chracteristics they were looking for, or I just have a friend in advertising who thought it would be funny to have me in it.  Maybe even both!  Anyways, it’s all going down Tuesday.  They will feature it on their website.  I’ll be sure to post it once it’s available.  My internet fame is increasing!  First Safeco’s recruiting website, and now Microsoft! w00t!

That is all… for now..    

We are experiencing our lives through different senses. Each one must align with each other that compliment that whole experience. When it flows in a pattern successfully where a person feels like it is appropriate as they have pre-determined, then you have a great design.

Apple Discussion

Personally I think this is very cool and actually useful for those conscious of their athletic progression. I also think it’s a shame that this type of innovation comes from a music player and an adapter. This type of technology could easily have been developed long ago. Then again, design appeal and understanding the athlete are behaviors best understood by Apple and NIKE respectively. Now if NIKE can make a shoe that matches my taste, I might considering investing in this. I need to get back in shape, instead of hiding from the sun and reading blogs all day.

Apple Site
Nike Site

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