As we reach from one device to another to fulfill different functions, the aspiration to have one device, portal, or screen to rule them all continues to whisper in the back of our minds. Thus in our age of consumer electronics, we constantly see the 'All-in-One' accessory, the 'Smart' appliance, the Universal remote control, etc. Examine this issue with respect to a particular set of products and with reference to one or two articles. Offer your own critical opinion.
Every year I find myself confronted with the idea of buying a new device to add to my already overwhelming collection. Most recently, I found myself gravitating towards buying a Kindle. Even though I already own an iPad and laptop, which can easily serve as an E-reader, I'm somehow left with the feeling that adding another device to my collection will somehow make things more "convenient." While the Kindle is functionally more limited and specific, people will continue to buy it because as it feels closer to reading a paper book. Another example of this can be seen with the digital camera and the iPhone. An iPhone has an adequate camera, however many people own a separate camera just for the purpose of taking higher quality photos. This is best exemplified by the quote, "Our phones now include cameras, video, email, instant message, music, the Web, games. But as the list of features on any one device gets longer, most people I know are carrying more devices than ever, not fewer" (Lacey).
From my personal experiences as a technology consumer, the "All-in-One" device is appealing because it limits the number of devices but very often the usability is lacking making it sometimes more troublesome than using multiple devices in its place. "It seems the closer the industry gets to this elusive all-in-one promise, the more they disappoint. It’s a cycle we’ve seen over and over again in technology whether in hardware, enterprise software, or the Web. There’s an inexplicable tension between simplicity/reliability and doing it all. (Lacey)" This struggle between simplicity and multi-purpose is key as it has been an issue time and time again. For instance the universal remote, while it was meant to consolidate all of our remotes to a singular device, it ended up being too complicated and unreliable leading people to abandon it all together. In concept this "one device to rule them all" sounds great, but I don't believe that there has yet to be a product that finds the perfect balance between design, usability, reliability, and simplicity.
As we reach from one device to another to fulfill different functions, the aspiration to have one device, portal, or screen to rule them all continues to whisper in the back of our minds. Thus in our age of consumer electronics, we constantly see the 'All-in-One' accessory, the 'Smart' appliance, the Universal remote control, etc. Examine this issue with respect to a particular set of products and with reference to one or two articles. Offer your own critical opinion.
Every year I find myself confronted with the idea of buying a new device to add to my already overwhelming collection. Most recently, I found myself gravitating towards buying a Kindle. Even though I already own an iPad and laptop, which can easily serve as an E-reader, I'm somehow left with the feeling that adding another device to my collection will somehow make things more "convenient." While the Kindle is functionally more limited and specific, people will continue to buy it because as it feels closer to reading a paper book. Another example of this can be seen with the digital camera and the iPhone. An iPhone has an adequate camera, however many people own a separate camera just for the purpose of taking higher quality photos. This is best exemplified by the quote, "Our phones now include cameras, video, email, instant message, music, the Web, games. But as the list of features on any one device gets longer, most people I know are carrying more devices than ever, not fewer" (Lacey).
From my personal experiences as a technology consumer, the "All-in-One" device is appealing because it limits the number of devices but very often the usability is lacking making it sometimes more troublesome than using multiple devices in its place.
"It seems the closer the industry gets to this elusive all-in-one promise, the more they disappoint. It’s a cycle we’ve seen over and over again in technology whether in hardware, enterprise software, or the Web. There’s an inexplicable tension between simplicity/reliability and doing it all. (Lacey)" This struggle between simplicity and multi-purpose is key as it has been an issue time and time again. For instance the universal remote, while it was meant to consolidate all of our remotes to a singular device, it ended up being too complicated and unreliable leading people to abandon it all together. In concept this "one device to rule them all" sounds great, but I don't believe that there has yet to be a product that finds the perfect balance between design, usability, reliability, and simplicity.
Lacey, Sarah. "Is the All-in-One Device Dream Doomed?" Tech Crunch. 13 Apr. 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2015. <http://techcrunch.com/2009/04/13/are-super-smart-phones-still-too-dumbis-the-all-in-one-device-dream-doomed/>.
--Sophia