You Only Need 3 Screens
The introduction of yet another popular device into our lives, the Apple iPad, has me going back and reviewing my personal philosophy in regards to technology — especially information and entertainment (communication) technology.
Put quite simply, my philosophy is this: I want it all and I want it all in the least number of devices possible. I want to control technology as opposed to it controlling me, so my philosophy is grounded in the belief that anything that reduces (simplifies) the distractions and, at the same time, streamlines the flow of activity in my life must be the best option.
Now then, if we subscribe to this belief, then the task of the individual consumer becomes this: if a technology purchase results in more productivity while at the same time producing less clutter (less batteries, less cables, less maintenance and less procedural routines) and less distraction (doing what one needs to do without more time-wasting road blocks, more steps and more processes), then that is the path one should choose. For example, if you have 5 digital devices in your life, but making a purchase would allow you to reduce the devices you have down to 4, then you should do it.
With this philosophy in mind we can now start to imagine the perfect world — a world were you have the perfect number of devices and have simplified your digital lifestyle as much as you possibly can. I would like to argue that the magic number of devices you need is 3. Let’s examine how I’ve arrived at this number.
We only need 3 “screens” (just a fun and interesting way to say “devices”) in our lives:
1. A small screen for being on the go.
2. A medium screen for use while sitting at a desk or in a comfy chair.
3. A large screen for public and private spaces: offices and living rooms.
I strongly believe, and I’ll start detailing why in a moment, that all human beings can get by just fine with just these 3 screens. But, more importantly, I also want to highlight the problem of technology companies — telecommunication companies and device manufactures — and their process of either blocking the magic 3 from happening or their constant introduction of inadequate and unneeded screens into our lives.
When we increase the number of screens in our lives above the magic number of 3, society suffers and becomes more complicated than it needs to be. Unfortunately many do not know this and they not only waste money adding more screens to their lives, but they waste the precious minutes of their lives dicking around. (Pardon my vulgarity. I need to make this fun to read too.)
To get a better idea of how the telecommunication and device manufacturing companies are failing us, let’s look at each screen and describe what it would be like in a perfect world.
In a perfect world, each of these screens would be exactly the same beneath the hood — they should all be and do the exact same thing, but in different locations. The only variables to consider is our physical place in the world, for one, and, secondly, the size of the screen. The only constant in this scenario should be the software inside the screen.
In the physical locations we find ourselves in we should be able to communicate in anyway we desire and the only thing we need is the appropriately sized screen for where we are. So, keeping that idea in mind, in any location we should be able to:
1. Access reading and writing communications: web pages, email, books, news, magazines, RSS feeds etc.
2. Access aural-visual communications: aural-visual calls (i.e. phone calls and/or video chat), video, audio, games, etc.
I know this is far fetched and in a few moments I’ll offer some ideas on how to scale back on this glorious outline, but let’s finish this part first to complete my point.
Once we have this very perfect world concept in mind, we can quickly start to see the downfalls of what we have in our lives today. Many of us own the magic 3 already, but they don’t do all of the afore mentioned tasks and, what’s worse, many of us supplement our lives with 4th and 5th devices in attempts to round out all of the things we need, want and crave.
A brief survey of my own life and the devices I own can highlight the problems we face today:
1. My iPhone’s web browser cannot deliver the full breath of online content. The most famous example is its inability to play Flash, but there are a lot of other video problems it has besides Flash and I don’t mean to single out the iPhone. Other smart phones have these same problems.
2. My laptop doesn’t offer an easy, lean back reading experience. I don’t mean surfing the web and sending emails, I mean the ability to lie back and get into a good story or long article.
3. My flat panel TV does not have a fully loaded web browser. Therefore, the free the Internet is off limits for living room entertainment. It also does not have the ability to play Playstation, Nintendo or Xbox games.
Unfortunately, all these drawbacks are allowing additional screen and device markets to flourish. Of course that’s good news for companies like Apple (iPad), Amazon (Kindle), and Nintendo, but it’s not good for society and it’s not good for the consumer. It costs the consumer more and adds more compliations to their lifestyle. The iPad and Kindle are just examples of devices that patch a void left open by the inadequacies of the magic 3. And what I’m not saying is that we should eliminate jobs or that we’d be better off without these companies — far from it! What I am saying is there should be a change in habits and process for the greater good.
Now then, I don’t see that perfect world scenario opening up anytime soon, so I’d like to end this with a few suggestions of how telecommunication companies and device manufactures can help reduce the number of screens in our lives. I also want to offer some suggestions for how you, the citizens of the world, and our governments can help.
Here’s what the companies can start doing:
1. Small-sized screen (smart phone) manufactures should allow access to the total web on their devices.
2. Medium-sized screen (netbook) manufactures should allow for easier reading. One suggestion is to make a netbook with a touch screen that either detaches from the keyboard or swivels around and hides the keyboard when it’s time to read. They exist, but they’re not quite there yet.
3. Large-sized screen (flat TV) manufactures should include computer operating systems in their screens or at least allow full browser capability.
4. Large-sized screen manufactures should also negotiate with game console manufactures to allow software plug-ins. In other words, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo games should work on all TV screens without the need for the game console — it’s the games consumers want, not their plastic shells on the shelf. (Imagine a world were every movie studio had a separate DVD player just to play back their movies. I shudder to think of it.)
5. Telecommunication companies need to act more like water and energy utility companies and open the flood gates of ubiquitous bandwidth — and it should be cheap. Not only would this make our 3 devices better and faster by opening up the full potential of the Internet from any location on earth, but it would also give America the socio-economic edge it so desperately needs in this day in age. The US is serioulsy falling behind even less developed countries.
Here’s what citizens can do:
1. Learn about Network Neutrality and your right to media freedom. Donate to the cause.
2. Support politicians who fight to uphold free and uncensored communication via Net Neutrality laws and policies.
3. Demand more from your technology and make it work for you and not the other way around. Don’t be a slave to technology. Become more media literate and ask communication companies not to waste your time, money or freedom.
4. Simplify, simplify, simplify.
With that all said, I now leave you with Hitler. Hitler was a madman and I hope he rots in hell for eternity, but when it comes to purchasing unnecessary devices, I think he hits the nail on the head: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4&feature=related
About the Author
Visit Matt’s blog, Illustrated Radio, at http://www.blog.mattbinetti.com/
Kindle 3 web browser presentation with article mode
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