The Incredible Shrinking Tech
When I’m going to invest in a new tech product, I usually have a long list of criteria. But at the top of my list there’s usually one thing: size. When I wanted a new digital camera, I wanted one that I could put in my pocket, or on my belt and not look goofy (so I asked for a Canon PowerShot for my birthday). When I wanted a new laptop, I wanted one that I could bring on a plane and carry around with ease (so I bought an Apple iBook 12″). When my mom asked me what kind of phone I wanted (we share a family plan), I just said “get the smallest one”. I’m loving this new movement of shrinking technology, which is being led by companies like Apple, Canon, Nikon, Bose, Linksys, and Panasonic. Keep it up guys!
Technology does not need be as large as it is. Why do we need CRT monitors anymore? Why not have a simple LCD monitor hooked up to a Mac Mini with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse? Corportations are now paying more attention to what consumers want rather than what is technically possible. With the increase of small tech devices has come a growing interest in usability research. And this is great, because really, what good is a small camera if my hands are too big for it and I keep hitting two buttons at once? Making tech smaller and more usable will hopefully also make it more ubiqutious; we’ll forget we’re using a machine. Accessing the Internet will be no different than picking up a newspaper.
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