Well maybe not all of you, but definitely some of you, if not most. Look, I know this is going to be hard to hear, because you probably think you’re making great PowerPoint presentations. Consider this: If you’re speaking in front of a room full of people, you don’t need every word you say to also be on screen. At that point you might as well just go sit in a chair with a clicker and hit next every 60 seconds. “Here. Read this. It’s like a brochure, except I’ve put it up on a shitty screen with a bunch of charts you can’t read and some carelessly placed clip art. Please enjoy the stretched photos and logos.”
As the world surely knows, the “New iPad” came out today. As with every product release, the haters are hatin’ and the fanboys are gushing. Personally I like the update, and I think it’s finally time for me to get an iPad.
What I’m surprised by is the people who are disappointed that the form factor didn’t change. We heard a lot of that when the iPhone 4S came out too. And most of the people complaining that the form factor didn’t change also don’t list any gripes with the current design. Why do so many people want change just for the sake of change? Are we comforted by changes on the outside, as its our only visual assurance that we’re not being duped into buying the same device all over again? Personally when it comes to Apple products I’d rather have overhauled guts and speed boosts than a redesigned outside. They’re already doing a pretty slick job of the outside, even on Gen 1 models.
One of the driving principles of iterative design is this: don’t change the parts that are working. Often when graphic designers are coming up with multiple concepts for a creative piece, we carry across the elements that are “right”, typeface being the most common. When you spend hours searching for that perfect font, you don’t throw it away just for the sake of a second concept execution.
Not to say that Apple device designs are always perfect. Personally I think the Magic Mouse is a good example of where form has always trumped function. It’s not remotely ergonomic, and I still drag lazy fingers across the touch sensitive surface and end up shooting my cursor across the screen to the nether regions of my desktop. I do think the iPad form factor is pretty damn good however, and I’m not sure what you could do to improve it. I also like the iPhone 4 design and was pleased when they didn’t update it, although I do find the glass back makes it slippery as a damn bar of soap.
Aaaanyway, I guess my point is that we should all be more thoughtful in our wish lists. Remember that every time a product changes its physical design and dimensions, most of those lovely accessories and peripherals you bought for it no longer work on the new one. And I don’t want to hear you bitching and complaining when your iPad 3 case doesn’t fit your shiny new iPad 4, ya dorks.
Generally speaking I can’t stand pictures of myself. I have fairly asymmetrical features and am accustomed to my mirror image, so I never feel like photos look like me. I’m also almost always the person behind the camera on any kind of travel or general photo opportunities, so rarely am I captured in photos. For the NOLA/Florida trip, Jer actually brought a camera as well (an Olympus PL2), so for the first time in a long time, there are actually photos of me from the trip.
Here are the best ones: (more…)
I fully subscribe to the theory that good photographers can take a great photo with any camera. I also believe that most of the people who preach that statement tend to have a large collection of amazing cameras and lenses.
About 6 years ago when I was going to art school I started to become interested in photography. At the time DSLRs were relatively new, and being a student, I was poor. I bought a D40X with money from a tax return, and was blown away by the difference between it and my old Kodak point-and shoot. I didn’t buy a kit lens—but I also didn’t buy an expensive one. I knew my limitations. No amount of lens was going to make me not suck as photographer.
Over these past 5 years, I’ve become more comfortable with a camera, and while I’m by no means good, I’m getting to the point where I’m starting to feel limited by my 5 year old entry-level DSLR. The small sensor and pathetic ISO make it very unsuitable for hand-held shooting in low light, as I became painfully aware of when trying to take shots at my friend Kyle’s wedding this past weekend.
Today I bought a Microsoft Mouse for my MacBook Pro. Why? Because it had a touch scroll. I’ve gotten so used to my Magic Mouse at work that I really can’t give up touch scrolling, and this was the only mouse at London Drugs that had it. One gripe though: they’ve added a vibrate function to the touch scrolling to give the user feedback. GAH. The reason I wanted touch scrolling was to not have that clunky mechanical feel when I scroll. It doesn’t seem to be an option you can turn off either. It’s funny how we’re so adverse to change that we add things back in that aren’t features, just to make them feel familiar.
While I like the gesturing on the Magic Mouse, it creates a frustrating scenario where you accidentally brush your hand just over the mouse and end up shooting across the screen. I also find it has difficulty tracking on vastly different surfaces: my matte black keyboard tray and my light grey formica desktop at work both seem to cause it trouble. I also find the Magic Mouse to be seriously lacking in ergonomics, which has always been a complaint of Apple mice—beautiful form lacking in function. I also have to change the batteries in that thing every two weeks. I have a Logitech mouse at home that I’ve owned for 18 months, and I just changed the batteries for the first time a couple weeks ago.
I hate to say it, but Microsoft does make a good mouse. Right down to where they’ve tucked the USB dongle, a little spring loaded trap door on the bottom of the mouse.
Update: Nope, I hate this stupid mouse.
© Leigh Peterson
