Last week’s device announcements have got me thinking (sorry, the next iPhone does nothing for me) about my next steps in devices, services… ecosystems and my place in them. For the most part, much of what we describe as great experience with devices comes from a tight (or not-so-tight) teathering of devices and services together. And while the end result is usually something along the lines of brand affinity and mild productivity, a lot of the longer–than-short-term effects tend to get drowned out. Amazon in particular has me thinking that there is some merit to being a disruptor, but also that the disruptor when its an agile company is a hard one to get around.
That is, unless you turn yourself into such forces.
As I watched the Amazon Kindle announcements, I was amazed at the story they had to knit everything together. It wasn’t so much about making things easier, more productive, or more fun, but “here’s how we fit into your life and then get out of the way so that you can live.” Compelling story, and one that everyone not named Apple seems to be missing in most of their marketing and product focuses.
Still, I look at that hardware and ask: can I just grab my own well-speced tablet or mobile, throw onto it an operating system that will reqire me to learn a few things, and then be my own logistical play into this stream of stuff? The hardware exists, and if my thoughts on Firefox OS prove prophetic, then many of us in developed markets who won’t have carriers supporting such an open device, will actually have something web-enaled to play with (my only question has to do with whether that OS makes having a mobile web server doable).
I look at the Asus Padfone from a form factor perspective and say that it makes sense. One CPU to manage, and a modular approach to the screens and functionality. That’s kind of how it should be – with a more efficient mobile OS.
I’m feeling more than ever that I don’t want to particiapte in the streams of others disruptive ecosystems, but to be my own and then be productive and live well from there. Inside out of what folks usually choose – and hard as beans to figure out a means to.
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