Comments on: Towards the Perfect Gadget http://boakes.org/perfectgadget/ A place for words and data that I publish (for the benefit of persons unknown). Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:09:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Samantha http://boakes.org/perfectgadget/comment-page-1/#comment-5552 Samantha Wed, 14 May 2008 20:33:25 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=680#comment-5552 As a woman, surely the "swiss army knife" of electrical gadgets should include such fripperies as a flick out mirror and (much like the aforementioned knife) pull out tweezers and nail buffer? Perfection is relative - so until they develop a (handbag friendly) laptop with plug in pda that's small enough to fit in the tiniest of pocketbooks whilst concealing a full arsenal of woman friendly devices (including those tweezers), from my perspective, perfection will never be achieved ;o) As a woman, surely the “swiss army knife” of electrical gadgets should include such fripperies as a flick out mirror and (much like the aforementioned knife) pull out tweezers and nail buffer? Perfection is relative – so until they develop a (handbag friendly) laptop with plug in pda that’s small enough to fit in the tiniest of pocketbooks whilst concealing a full arsenal of woman friendly devices (including those tweezers), from my perspective, perfection will never be achieved ;o)

]]> By: chris bristow http://boakes.org/perfectgadget/comment-page-1/#comment-5551 chris bristow Fri, 02 May 2008 10:35:10 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=680#comment-5551 I purchased an iBook back in 2004 because I wanted a laptop which ran Unix with a decent UI. And it's utterly brilliant, even four years on. What Apple does well is that it takes an idea and makes it work - but the underlying tech isn't bleeding-edge, it's mature. Companies who try and push new tech onto the market often end up with poor products because they're immature. This makes Apple foremost a great <i>engineering</i> company - and innovation happens naturally on top of that. Apple don't make "-and-the-kitchen-sink" products - they ensure the features they provide are useful and work well instead. I purchased an iBook back in 2004 because I wanted a laptop which ran Unix with a decent UI. And it’s utterly brilliant, even four years on. What Apple does well is that it takes an idea and makes it work – but the underlying tech isn’t bleeding-edge, it’s mature. Companies who try and push new tech onto the market often end up with poor products because they’re immature. This makes Apple foremost a great engineering company – and innovation happens naturally on top of that. Apple don’t make “-and-the-kitchen-sink” products – they ensure the features they provide are useful and work well instead.

]]> By: Chris Samuel http://boakes.org/perfectgadget/comment-page-1/#comment-5549 Chris Samuel Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:46:14 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=680#comment-5549 Can I add another point ? - Accessibility. It must have a reconfigurable tactile interface, both for visually impaired (think dynamic Braille) and to guide people who don't want to be watching what they're doing (touch typing). Accessibility also for those who desire a simpler interface. In fact an interface with a few settings like "simple", "medium", "complex", "geek" and "kernel hacker". Something like the recent Japanese concept of marketing phones with <a href="http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2004/10/005622.htm" rel="nofollow">interfaces designed for the elderly</a>, maybe ? cheers! Chris Can I add another point ?

- Accessibility.

It must have a reconfigurable tactile interface, both for visually impaired (think dynamic Braille) and to guide people who don’t want to be watching what they’re doing (touch typing).

Accessibility also for those who desire a simpler interface. In fact an interface with a few settings like “simple”, “medium”, “complex”, “geek” and “kernel hacker”.

Something like the recent Japanese concept of marketing phones with interfaces designed for the elderly, maybe ?

cheers!
Chris

]]>