Mobile Phone Manufacturers
Just one of the defining factors of trends in devices has not been technological innovations but design. Although people can argue that technology and design improvements move in conjunction, it is equally simple to see just how design rules consumer habits. Still, this is not anything new since industrial production allowed manufacturers to offer cheap products with the bonus on design instead of functionality. For example, the paper clothing of the 1960s were really cheap and arguably of a poor quality yet for lots of fashion conscience consumers they were items you needed to have in your wardrobe. This process continues today. Mobile phone builders continually play with the dichotomy of functionality vs design. Many designers choose simple designs and instead rely on features. Lots of others choose to provide fewer features and instead focus on design, at times collaborating with celebrities.
With such a attention given to design instead of functionality, it is easy to regard technology products as simply design orientated but it’s also good to not forget that such devices are meant to have functional benefits as well. When you are picking a product to buy there is always three elements that you need to think about – cost, design and features. At times you might wish to spend more for features and at other times for design. Other times functionality and design are incorporated. Apple’s product design ethos is an excellent example of design converging with technology.
If you always buy products based on their look then you should really start to consider the functional element as well. While it might be tempting to get the trendiest design, it may not be the best performing. You should really always consider the functionality of the product and how you will be using it. There is little point of purchasing a really flash computer if all you will be doing is sending emails with it or surfing the web.
Thus, when purchasing new products, always think about how or why you need it. An example of this is e-book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle. These have practical uses in real life. E.g., a lot of airlines now limit passengers to a single piece of luggage. An e-book reader is a lot smaller than your average book and you are able to take plenty more books with you on holiday.
Cell phones have greatly improved their technology features. You might be able to take your cell phone for all your entertainment needs. Many phones now have large memories allowing you to save videos, pictures and music. Lots of cell phones now have decent digital cameras too, meaning you don’t have to buy a separate, expensive camera. The Internet is not any different. Plenty of websites have been designed with functionality and usability in mind. You can now use sites which have been designed to allow you to manage your online time better. They span from a bookmarking service, password software and personalized homepage.
A bookmarks manager can really save you time and will change the way you work. Unfortunately, a lot of them have a basic design. It will be interesting to see how they develop over time as more and more people come to expect functionality that is displayed in a well designed and aesthetic product.
This article has been written by the author, Eric James. Should you require any moreApple IPod Touch (4th Generation) please visit his Apple IPod Touch resources!
