Is Technology Too Design Focused?
Undoubtedly one of the characterizing factors of advancements in devices is not technological developments but style and design. Whilst people can argue that design and technology innovations go together, it is equally easy to see precisely how design characterizes buyer habits. This has been the case for some years since industrialized production allowed manufacturers to create cheaper products where the onus was on design rather than functionality. Case in point, the paper clothing of the 1960s were cheap and of a bad standard yet for many fashion conscience people they were must have wardrobe items.
This process carries on today. Mobile phone builders continually play with the dichotomy of functionality vs design. Some designers choose simple designs and rely instead on feature development. Many others choose to offer fewer features and instead focus on design, sometimes even collaborating with fashion designers.
With this attention given to design instead of usability, it is easy to think of products as simply aesthetic yet it is also important to remember that these devices should have functional benefits as well. When you are picking a product there is often three factors that you have to think about - features, cost and design. Sometimes you may want to spend more for design and at other times for features. Sometimes design and functionality are merged. Apple's product ethos is a good example of design converging with technology.
If you always buy products based on their design then you should start to think about the functional factor too. While it may be tempting to purchase the coolest designed product, it might not be the most robust. You should really always look at the functions of the device and how you will be using it. There is no point getting a high-tech laptop if all you do is send emails or surf online.
So, when buying a new product, always think about how or why you need it. A good example is e-book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle. They have practical uses as well. For instance, many airlines now limit passengers to a single piece of luggage. An e-book reader is a lot smaller than the average book and you can take more books with you when you go on holiday.
Phones are a good example of improved technology functions. You might be able to take your phone for all your entertainment needs. Many now feature large memories allowing you to save music, videos and pictures on there. Many cell phones now also have digital cameras as well, meaning you do not need to splash out on a separate, pricey camera. The net is no different. Lots of websites have been created with functionality and usability in mind. You can now find sites which were created to allow you to plan your web time much better. They vary from a bookmarking service, password store and personalized homepage.
A bookmarks manager can save you time and alter the way you work. Sadly, lots of them have a more functional design and feel. It will be intriguing to watch how they will develop as more people come to expect functionality that is presented in a well designed end product.
This process carries on today. Mobile phone builders continually play with the dichotomy of functionality vs design. Some designers choose simple designs and rely instead on feature development. Many others choose to offer fewer features and instead focus on design, sometimes even collaborating with fashion designers.
With this attention given to design instead of usability, it is easy to think of products as simply aesthetic yet it is also important to remember that these devices should have functional benefits as well. When you are picking a product there is often three factors that you have to think about - features, cost and design. Sometimes you may want to spend more for design and at other times for features. Sometimes design and functionality are merged. Apple's product ethos is a good example of design converging with technology.
If you always buy products based on their design then you should start to think about the functional factor too. While it may be tempting to purchase the coolest designed product, it might not be the most robust. You should really always look at the functions of the device and how you will be using it. There is no point getting a high-tech laptop if all you do is send emails or surf online.
So, when buying a new product, always think about how or why you need it. A good example is e-book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle. They have practical uses as well. For instance, many airlines now limit passengers to a single piece of luggage. An e-book reader is a lot smaller than the average book and you can take more books with you when you go on holiday.
Phones are a good example of improved technology functions. You might be able to take your phone for all your entertainment needs. Many now feature large memories allowing you to save music, videos and pictures on there. Many cell phones now also have digital cameras as well, meaning you do not need to splash out on a separate, pricey camera. The net is no different. Lots of websites have been created with functionality and usability in mind. You can now find sites which were created to allow you to plan your web time much better. They vary from a bookmarking service, password store and personalized homepage.
A bookmarks manager can save you time and alter the way you work. Sadly, lots of them have a more functional design and feel. It will be intriguing to watch how they will develop as more people come to expect functionality that is presented in a well designed end product.
About the Author:
This article has been written by the author, Eric James. Should you require anymoreLG HDTVplease visit his LG 42" Class 3D LED 1080p 120Hz HDTV, 42LW5300, With 3D Blu-ray And 4 Pair Of 3D resources!
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