Reverting back to SIngle Purpose Devices
We are getting very close to this world today, and unfortunately, I am seeing the weaknesses. In my pocket, I now carry a smart phone that can do all of the things mentioned above. Yes, my cell phone is straight from the bedroom of Elroy Jetson. So, why am I not satisfied? I think that there is still a good place for single purpose devices. I think I am falling back into love with these devices.
A few Examples?
The kitchen timer
I like to cook. I find that I am always needing to time something in the oven. The oven has a timer in it. You have to fiddle around to get it to work. The microwave has one, too, but when you set it, someone always resets it by putting something in there mid cooking. Wait! My smartphone has a timer app! Unfortunately, there is much fiddling around to get that to work.
Enter the humble kitchen timer. I need it to ring in an hour and a half. I set it, and forget it. I need to work in the garage for a bit? No problem, I can drag my timer out there. It never fails. It just rings when it’s done, and it’s totally portable.
The Wristwatch
Now, more than ever, the current time is a big deal. I seem to need to be somewhere (on time) several times a day. Yes, my smart phone can do this! All I have to do is: dig it out of my pocket (try that while driving), unlock it (i keep financial data on there), wait for it to fully wake up, and then, read the time.
With a wristwatch, I just need to turn my wrist and look at the face. In milliseconds and no fiddling, I know what time it is.
The GPS
My phone can even be a GPS! It can route me where I need to go, and give me turn by turn directions. The only problem is, it KILLS the batteries, so i need to make sure I keep my charger with me. Every time I turn it on, it takes a few minutes to figure out where I am. When someone texts or the phone rings, my directions stop working. This is not very good when this happens as I am negotiating an upcoming offramp.
Enter my TomTom GPS. I just turn it on, select a destination, an go! It sits there, doing its thing without any other interaction from me.
The Camera
My smart phone even has a camera! It has a video and a still camera! If i want to make a video or take a photo, all I have to do is: unlock my phone, wait for it to wake up, turn on the camera, wait for that to wake up, select the proper mode, and wait for the camera to be ready to shoot. Oh, and I have to make sure that everyone stays still long enough for the camera to actually take the photo.
I also carry a nikon point and shoot camera. When I want to take a photo, I just turn it on, and shoot! I don’t have to wait for anything to wake up and start up. It is a camera. It was made to take pictures, and that’s all. It does so brilliantly.
The Kindle
My phone can also pull all of my kindle books into it. I can even do this on my computer. They all sync, so I can keep my place wherever I go. Unfortunately, the same rules apply. I have to fire up the app, wait for it to start up, and then be subject to all the other distractions of a smart phone. Texts, emails, phone calls, etc. All of these take an incredible toll on my concentration and patience.
A Kindle device, on the other hand, just reads books. You can turn it on, and it’s exactly where you left off. It doesn’t try to remind you that life is out there, ready to assault your leisure time. It doesn’t try to send you messages from your peeps. It just reads books.
Am I Old Fashioned?
I think the jury is still out on that one. I think I am just growing weary of the endless fiddling that goes along with doing something as simple as timing a loaf of bread in the oven or taking a quick photo of something that is interesting.
What about you guys? have you grown weary of the fiddling yet?
Sergio,
Great article! I am with you. Not only are we bombarded by demands from multiple sources, even multiple demands from a single device (e.g., a cell phone), but the technology intertwined with our lives is on overkill, and we are on overload. What more beautiful thing than a book, a simple book (or, if you will, the Kindle)? You point that out so well.
Great Article, i agree in principal.
My only problem with single purpose devices is price. I know that you can spend a bunch on money on a watch but you can also get them in kids meals. So, I think Wristwatches, and kitchen timers are fine. As the price increases I think there is an assumed want for more. GPS for example. A cheap single use GPS, that works but doesn’t add anything for $50 is fine, but when they want to charge me $400, the thing better make me coffee.
I don’t think that I can agree that the kindle is a single use device. “Kindle” is more a service anyways because access you get on other devices.
hi, david..
i was initially tempted to use “books” instead of a kindle, but i wanted to look at using a kindle vs. using an ipad that offers the same sorts of distractions..
thinking back, i think “books” might have been a better example to use..
books are still SUPER cheap (if you do it right), and great single purpose devices..
i think i paid $100 for my tomtom gps, and i still love that thing..