Beyond the PC

Personal technology at The Economist online

WE ARE entering what some in the technology industry refer to as a post-PC era. This does not mean that the personal computer is about to disappear. But according to estimates from Gartner, a research firm, combined shipments of web-connected smartphones and tablet computers are likely to exceed those of desktop and laptop computers for the first time this year, putting PCs in the shade. According to Morgan Stanley, an investment bank, there could be 10 billion mobile devices in circulation by 2020. Many of these will use bite-size chunks of software known as “apps”, some 18 billion of which are likely to be downloaded this year. As mobile, web-connected devices become ubiquitous, the volume of data they produce will soar. Cisco, a technology company, reckons that by 2015 some 6.3 exabytes of mobile data will be flowing each month, or the equivalent of 63 billion copies of The Economist. Much of that will be in the form of videos like the one below.

1. Industrial sleek design. Brushed aluminum-glass. Cheap plastic is repulsive.

2. Smooth tactile surfaces.

3. Maximizing screen size for the device face. Smaller frames.

4. Gorilla Glass: Tough smooth surface. Customers ask for it by name.

5. Touch screen glass. No keyboards.

6. Any color you want as long as it is black...or white. Fruity or pastel colors are discouraged.

7. Cloud based storage.

8. Flash memory instead of disk drive, hard drive.

9. Critical Wi-Fi connection. This is a network device not a stand alone device. 3G is less necessary.

10. The Prime functions are Web Surfing, Social Networking and eMail. These are obligatory.

11. Keyboards and mouse become obsolete. Only a handful of necessary external buttons, preferrably 3 or less. Everything else is handled through software and screen.

12. One necessary data output that remains is the headphone jack.

13. USB are becoming less necessary.

14. Lithium Ion batteries with at least a 1day preferably 2day function.

15. Preferably be handy, fit in your palm, and fit in your pocket.

16. Cost $99. Or $199. Or $299. Never $100.00 etc.

17. Made in China...this is by necessity. But the fact can be downplayed by saying "Designed in Cupertino".

18. Be intuitive.

19. Have a simple and flawless 'Out-Of-the-box Experience'. Usable and charged ready to go for the impatient consumer.

20. Be Tactile. Important to have a store with sample devices that consumers can fondle and hold.

21. Color Screen...black and white is obsolete.

22. Even though humans are getting fatter and fatter, everyone wants slimmer and slimmer devices.

23. Built in GPS and location based services.

24. USER FRIENDLY SOFTWARE. Critical but after 30 years, not even Microsoft gets this.

25. Manuals are disappearing, which is permissible with intuitive software.

26. Design use and around the literacy of a 12 year old. Not a Phd in computer science.

27. Have enough supply to match market demand on opening day.

28. Pay attention to Apple products. Reverse engineer them when you lack internal innovation. That is the policy of Microsoft, Hewlett- Packard, Dell, Amazon, Samsung, HTC, RIM Blackberry, Nokia and multiple Chinese and Taiwanese firms.

29. Pay attention to blogosphere. Bad reviews can sink a product just as quick as bad movie gossip. Negative reviews carry more weight than positive reviews.

30. Put in a 10 MB Digital Camera. People want it.

32. Do not give the customer too many choices--it confuses them. At most 3 choices.

33. Ideal release point is 3 months before Christmas. Superbowl ads are too late.

34. Smart Covers: Instant on with uncovering are better than an on/off switch and several commands.

35. Software embedded and integrated with hardware is far more efficient and smooth.

36. Clunky accessories and peripherals like a/c adapter should also be addressed in detail.

37. Less is More.

38. Good Design is about good editing. Leave out the Crap. And Keep the Essential.

39. Pay attention to the hand. The Ergo-dynamics of the device. How it is carried. Read. Interacted with. We would not have an epidemic of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome otherwise.

40. Make it Delightful. Customers want Magic and will pay for it.