You'll see in the header for this blog that I've defined a Deliberate Utility as "A system or device which is elegant, productive, and simplifies an action".
Even more simply stated - a Deliberate Utility is designed use-ability. It's a product or service which is so simple to use and effective that it permeates our lives, effortlessly. Its use becomes second nature almost over night. Think - running water or email.
Anyway - as the '00s have closed, I thought it would be interesting to make a list of the personal technology products that impacted my life with the greatest ease over the past 10 years.
1. Wi-Fi (it took all of 10 mins to set my first access point up - instant internet mobility).
2. MP3 Players (iPod obviously changed the game but it wasn't the first MP3 player)
3. USB Drives (does anyone remember the floppy? what about ZIP discs?)
4. MapQuest (what was life like before you could look up driving directions on the 'net?)
5. YouTube (little known fact, YouTube is the second most utilized search tool)
6. TiVO (From bulky VCR tapes to hard-drive storage and time-shifting... seemed like overnight)
7. The iPhone (while I don't own one, I respect what it did to the smartphone market)
8. RSS feeds + news readers (all the news I want in one place.... nice)
9. Pandora (this tool redefined internet radio for me)
10. Facebook (it's amazing how easily you can reconnect with your past)
Feel free to chime in with a similar list of your own. I'd love to read what others found as their deliberate utilities over the past 10 years.
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Jan 4, 2010
2010 Deliberate Utility 10 Wants
1. A decent battery powered digital picture frame. (None of my other picture frames require a power cord)
2. Multi-touch on the new Google Phone - Nexus One. (This will probably be my next phone)
3. XMPP support for Yahoo's Instant Messenger. (I'd rather use Google Talk or iChat but all my friends are on Y! IM)
4. The end of AT&T’s iPhone Exclusivity (It's time)
5. Mass commercial availability of lossless digital recordings (I'm kind of a audio quality snob, 320kbps or higher is a requirement for my MP3 library)
6. A webcam that can be used with large flat panel televisions (It'd be cool to have a video call w/ my family on my 42" from the comfort of my couch)
7. A break-through in battery technology which drastically improves storage capacity (It's 2010, I should rarely have to plug my laptop in the wall by now)
8. An online service that sells vinyl LPs and delivers the MP3 file of the album as an instant download (Personally, I like the sound of vinyl better than CDs but, I don't want to take the time to convert a vinyl album to MP3)
9. High quality audio streaming from the internet in my car (think Pandora in your car - SUUHWEET!)
10. A NCAA D1 Football Playoff! (Sorry, I just watched the Fiesta Bowl)
2. Multi-touch on the new Google Phone - Nexus One. (This will probably be my next phone)
3. XMPP support for Yahoo's Instant Messenger. (I'd rather use Google Talk or iChat but all my friends are on Y! IM)
4. The end of AT&T’s iPhone Exclusivity (It's time)
5. Mass commercial availability of lossless digital recordings (I'm kind of a audio quality snob, 320kbps or higher is a requirement for my MP3 library)
6. A webcam that can be used with large flat panel televisions (It'd be cool to have a video call w/ my family on my 42" from the comfort of my couch)
7. A break-through in battery technology which drastically improves storage capacity (It's 2010, I should rarely have to plug my laptop in the wall by now)
8. An online service that sells vinyl LPs and delivers the MP3 file of the album as an instant download (Personally, I like the sound of vinyl better than CDs but, I don't want to take the time to convert a vinyl album to MP3)
9. High quality audio streaming from the internet in my car (think Pandora in your car - SUUHWEET!)
10. A NCAA D1 Football Playoff! (Sorry, I just watched the Fiesta Bowl)
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