I am all in support for making computer technology EASIER to use but not to the effect of taking out features or make it less fuctional because of it.
Take for example iPod. I know it sounds like a another iPod bash but its the clearest case. The only reason iPod is successful other than its design is because its simple to use. Yet its functionality was so severely limited to merely playing music.
But this is the trend I keep seeing with technology. Once you dumb it down so that grandma can use it even if its functionality becomes limited, you make a winning product (software or hardware).
>Yet its functionality was so severely limited to merely playing music.
...it's a music player.
>>3
but compared to other music players that have FM and voice recording. And most having a easy-to-use removable HD feature.
iPods on the other hand everything gets done via iTunes to solidy it as a music player and for 4 generations of the product they STILL insist on music playing only.
Every model of the full iPod (not mini or shuffle) on the market now has photo capability, and all indications point to video being just around the corner. It also has a text viewer, alarm clock and calendan that synchs with iCal, some simple games... http://www.apple.com/ipod/color/musicandmore.html Nothing mind-blowing, but as >>3 said, its primary design, function and selling point is a music player. If you want a mini computer, go buy a Palm instead.
"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince.
I'm agreeing on Albright on this one. If I want an MP3 player, I'm not interested in a radio and voice recording, but I'll acknowledge occasions when you would want that.
As for all this text viewer, alarm clock and calender shit, if I wanted that, I'd get a damned PDA. I wouldn't want to use any of those things on an MP3 player.
>>6 is quoting great wisdom.
You mentioned grandparents being able to use the iPod. My grandparents own an iMac and an iPod and use them on a daily basis. She isn't a terminal geek like myself, but she's the consumer that Mac users are attracting.
Once you get down to the shell and core operating system though, it appears much harder to use to outsiders, so geeks like myself are frightening possible Mac users. The other day, I went to my friend's house with my iBook and was trying to break into his brother's PC via Terminal and a few exploits.
His brother came down, saw the terminal and said that Macs were too hard to use because of the Terminal. I use it so often since I'm a Mac power user, but it isn't necessary for using the Mac OS.
Regardless, even if I am an Apple fanboy, I do think that the iPod is overrated. I'm using an RCA flash player here, and combined with some AppleScripts you've got an iPod shuffle killer.