Re: [NTLK] [OT] Future Apple PDA

From: Joel M. Sciamma (joel_at_inventors-emporium.co.uk)
Date: Tue Mar 15 2005 - 03:09:59 PST


David M. Ensteness wrote:

> Convergence is not necessarily bad, but it is a hurdle, making a device
> that appropriately deals with tasks formerly assigned to 3-4+ devices
> is hard and not always practical.

I agree, adding capability is desirable if it's done as part of a greater
project. The convergence that is being practiced today is to randomly fuse
two or more functions together and hope that the synergy will create
something useful. This is not design.

> However, simplicity is the key to product depth. Products that do not
> offer basic, highly focused functionality on the surface will generally
> fail in the mass market no matter their depth because first impressions
> are very important.

This is a very important point. Having all features at the surface,
competing for attention as if they were equivalent, is damaging to the
adoption of the technology. Better to lure the user in with an important
feature that is simple to use but whose power can be accessed to an
increasing degree as the user becomes comfortable with it.

> E-mail on the Newton is an excellent example, its much like e-mail on
> Be OS. It only exists as a function of other things. I do not write
> e-mail in my e-mail client, I create a message in practically anything
> and e-mailing is an output function.

A good example of the task leading the function which gets us away from the
application centric model which I believe to be a needless limitation.

Joel.

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