Why I Listen When Steve Speaks
I could be considered an Apple “fanboy.” I know this, and have come to terms with it. I know I’m in the right camp, and here’s why.
Apple, or really Steve Jobs, is a technology evangelist. And he tends to be right on.
It’s often been said that Jobs knows what people want before they do. I think this belittles the extent of his capabilities as a product designer and manager of a corporation. Here is a basic argument for Steve’s vision, and how it can make computing easier.
Computing should be for everyone. The Internet should be accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, we are not all rocket scientists, or frankly even all that great at math. Computers, even with how simple they are today, are still too much for many people to be able to learn easily. Children of the 80s up grew up with the concepts of mice & keyboards, so it comes pretty easily to us, but what about people from poor countries, or from impoverished communities? It is pretty clear that it has been Job’s goal to simplify computing to make it more accessible, and the computer illiterate aren’t the only people benefiting from this.
Complexity isn’t always the answer. Not every device and function should be designed to be personalized – it adds unnecessary complexity that only adds to confusion. A clear, simple interface that includes an overall design philosophy common across all aspects of the operating system, including 3rd party applications, makes for an incredibly seamless and useful user experience. That, in my opinion, is what puts Apple above the rest of the hardware manufacturers currently creating catch-up gadgets to Apple’s groundbreaking devices.
Often, Apple has been the first to drop technologies that they no longer feel is necessary, or is holding back future devices. They were the first to drop the floppy disk entirely. They were the first to make a laptop without a CD ROM or DVD drive. And now they are the first to drop Flash. Of course, Adobe doesn’t like this, and there are many frustrated users, as there was when they took unpopular moves with earlier Apple products. And, of course, the industry will again follow Apple’s lead, because even with all the heat they have given Apple, most people realize that Steve is right, and the naysayers should show more respect to someone with the balls to actually do something about it. More on Flash/iOS in another post.
Example: iPad
It has been said Steve Jobs has a thing about buttons. If he can take buttons off a device, he’s going to do it. It’s to simplify technology, and although he’s gone too far a few times (the hockey puck mouse, anyone?) they tend to find ways to make use easier and more streamlined. You look at an iPad, and you will see only 3 buttons, a headphone jack, and an I/O port. It keeps thing simple, elegant, and does away with all the unnecessary doodads and gimmicks. It creates a device that’s smooth to the touch, elegant to look at, and a joy to use (I’m typing this on it at this very moment).
The competition was quick to announce tablet computers complete with multiple USB ports, Flash compatibility, and cameras up the wazoo. Of course, they are missing the most important element – the software. While the iPad is fast, it also takes great strides in UI design, with 3rd party apps trying new things all the time, while sticking to the same general design philosophy that makes the system UI a pleasure to use.
All of the “me too” devices have heavily customized Frankenstein’s monster OSs that are so snapped in, that they tend to run slow, or are too customized to even work properly. What good is a USB jack if only a couple pieces of software use each device you plug in, and nothing is universal? What the hell are all these buttons for? What use is Flash when it eats system resources, as well as battery life, all while running terribly due to Adobe’s poor code? Sure, you can say the device runs everything, but does it do anything well? Is it a pleasure to sit with it and just do what it should have been meant for?
What are these things meant for?
For me, portable electronics should do three things: browse the web, access email, and play media. These are the things I do the most, and it’s important that any device I use does them extremely well. The iPad does these three things effortlessly and extremely easily. It makes them fun again, in a way nothing has before.
Sure, multitasking would be nice, but honestly, the only real argument for it is Pandora. Running multiple programs at once just isn’t a good idea on a portable device, and I know I don’t miss it. Would i really want things popping up while relaxing using the web? Or email? Not really. But when I do need to jump to another app, most applications remember where I was, so I can instantly jump back into what I was doing. Which leaves us wanting to run multiple apps that don’t necessarily all need constant screen attention; perfect case Pandora. Of course, iTunes can run while other apps are running, but that isn’t enough for many people, and Apple listened, which is why they are bringing simplified multitasking to iOS4 in a way that won’t slow down the device or eat battery quickly.
The iPad is a content consumption device. You’ve probably heard that before. It’s like a book hooked up to the web. I can sit, relax, and absorb web content in a very relaxing way. I can understand that many people don’t see the point, but any internet addict will tell you it’s a godsend. Many people don’t see the point of it at all, but they don’t understand the value of this kind of online experience.
But don’t get me wrong, it does a whole lot more. As a web designer, I can FTP into a website, make edits to code, and upload extremely easily. I can build wireframes and early mockups for clients to help get ideas across easily without resorting to drawing on a napkin. I can exchange ideas with coworkers easily, and gather assets for projects. I can play games, either alone or multiplayer and even over the Internet, with a huge handheld screen with noting between me and the action. I get the best GPS experience I’ve ever had with a giant, easy to read screen. Plus dozens of other utilities that are always at my fingertips, with very little baggage to carry around. Not to mention killer battery life, mostly lasting 10+ hours, even with heavy use. These portable devices aren’t meant for heavy computing, but they are perfect for the average user, and a fantastic supplement to the more powerful laptop machine.
A Future Without Desktop PCs
Jobs has mentioned very recently that he sees the demand for full-blown desktop computers declining rapidly over the next few years. This seems highly probable. The difference in system power between desktops and laptops decreases every few months, and we are getting to the point that most people wouldn’t even notice the difference. I’ve often suggested that low-demand users simply pass on getting a desktop PC and go straight to a laptop as a single computing solution. Any > $600 laptop can run just about anything a consumer throws at it, and run a lot at once without a performance hit. By avoiding the purchase of a desktop, users gain mobility, and create the ability to have a mobile office without a performance hit. This wasn’t possible 4 years ago, but now it seems the most intelligent solution.
Laptops used to be for light use, but now they are workhorses. What fills the gap they previously held? I believe the iPad and other template computers fill that gap. They are much smaller, easier to carry and use, and tend to have a much more of a pleasant interface for casual computing. It’s what most people “in the know” are currently doing, and I expect many more people will follow suit as prices drop.
This Is Getting Long, So…
I believe that Steve Jobs, while imperfect, is able to read the current situation, and is able to realize what the best direction for computing should be to make it more accessible and more of a pleasure to use. For as long as he is with us, which seems like precious little time, we should be paying attention. He won’t be with us forever to imitate and play catch-up to, so we should be listening while we still can.
