I’ve been following Peter’s other blog with great interest–the one about SPOT watches. I don’t own a SPOT watch and I don’t have plans on purchasing one. So why the interest? Yeah, the concept is interesting. Getting the information I want, when I want it, wherever I am is becoming increasingly important to me. But that’s not really why. The Tablet PC and SPOT groups are part of the same branch within Microsoft and I’m wondering what similar issues these two product lines are encountering.
One is style, or the perceived lack of. As a Shaker-like user of computers I admit I don’t often think in terms of style when I’m working. But guess what store I giddily dash into when I stroll the mall? Yep, the Apple Store. There’s no denying it. Style matters. Particularly in the case of technologies that have shelf lives of a fleeting few years. As much as my engineering-sense denies it, the truth is style matters. OK, great style matters.
Dan Bricklin applies a business face to the style question as he contemplates what people will pay for. Is it no wonder that he’s listening to an iPod while contemplating the importance of style? Very interesting.
Too much white in Apple’s stores. Its like being on the set of Heaven Can Wait.