Comments on: The iPhone, Top Trumps, and widescreen TV http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/ Harry Rutherford's Blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:24:35 +0000 By: Harry http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/#comment-18505 Harry Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:30:32 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=1926#comment-18505 It was educational too — how else would 9-year-old boys learn the engine capacities of dozens of supercars, or the relative killing power of Dracula and the Incredible Melting Man? It was educational too — how else would 9-year-old boys learn the engine capacities of dozens of supercars, or the relative killing power of Dracula and the Incredible Melting Man?

]]> By: Tricia http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/#comment-18503 Tricia Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:19:08 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=1926#comment-18503 Oh Christ, a typo. I sound like the freakin' Hulk. Should I pretend that was my intent? Oh Christ, a typo. I sound like the freakin’ Hulk. Should I pretend that was my intent?

]]> By: Tricia http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/#comment-18502 Tricia Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:17:58 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=1926#comment-18502 That game sound AMAZING. I want to play it so much! That game sound AMAZING. I want to play it so much!

]]> By: Harry http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/#comment-18501 Harry Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:35:05 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=1926#comment-18501 All these companies pay lip service to the <i>idea</i> of a good user experience, and they probably think they're trying quite hard to get it right, but Apple seems to have that kind of culture much more deeply ingrained. It seems like it's not an afterthought, but an essential part of the whole development process. Even when they get things wrong, at least it seems like they were trying. Having said that, I haven't actually tried any of the phones in question, other than playing with an iPhone for a minute or so in the Apple Store. I can believe that some of them really are better: given that Apple is such a recent arrival in the phone market, you might expect some of the more established companies to have better products. But a checklist of features isn't enough to tell you whether a device will make your day to day existence slightly more pleasant or slightly less. All these companies pay lip service to the idea of a good user experience, and they probably think they’re trying quite hard to get it right, but Apple seems to have that kind of culture much more deeply ingrained. It seems like it’s not an afterthought, but an essential part of the whole development process. Even when they get things wrong, at least it seems like they were trying.

Having said that, I haven’t actually tried any of the phones in question, other than playing with an iPhone for a minute or so in the Apple Store. I can believe that some of them really are better: given that Apple is such a recent arrival in the phone market, you might expect some of the more established companies to have better products.

But a checklist of features isn’t enough to tell you whether a device will make your day to day existence slightly more pleasant or slightly less.

]]> By: Dave http://heracliteanfire.net/2008/06/10/the-iphone-top-trumps-and-widescreen-tv/#comment-18498 Dave Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:21:17 +0000 http://heracliteanfire.net/?p=1926#comment-18498 Pretty funny! Your post makes me think that the tech companies should employ anthropologists to research how people actually use stuff. I gather that Apple's big advantage is that they do seem to have more insight into that. Pretty funny! Your post makes me think that the tech companies should employ anthropologists to research how people actually use stuff. I gather that Apple’s big advantage is that they do seem to have more insight into that.

]]>