Quandry for portable device designers

Bob Russell · 02-06-2006, 04:21 PM

RIM Chairman Jim Balsillie spoke recently at a breakfast that was attended by Palm Addict's Associate Writer Peter Wolchak.

Mr. Balsillie provided a very concise description of the tug of war that goes into every portable device design. "Asked what future BlackBerrys will look like, Balsillie said 'A lot of people tell us they want the device to be smaller.' He then paused and shrugged. 'But they also want a larger screen and a larger keyboard.' "

Similar conversations were occuring at last year's PalmSource Developers Conference in San Jose. I had the opportunity to visit with a product manager for PalmOne, and even among developers and techies he was often facing questions that in some way or other could boil down to the same issue of wanting devices to be bigger and smaller at the same time. Bigger screen and keyboard, but with a smaller case. More memory, brighter screen and small form factor, but a longer battery life. It's forever a tension of tradeoffs.

The good news? As the technology improves, the tradeoff curve gets better. Smaller more efficient radios in smartphones. Smaller more efficient batteries or fuel cells. Chip sets combined to reduce internal space for circuitry. More efficient and effective screens. In fact, I suspect that better designs for integrating keyboards will even show up over time.

So designs will get better as the technology allows. But the tradeoffs will never go away.

You can find Peter's original post at PalmAddicts.

Antoine of MMM · 02-07-2006, 05:18 PM

Yea, we really do want everything. But designers are right, there is a ton of give and take and not always does tech make that easy. I personally find there being two type of people to design for, data inputters and viewers. Viewers want battery life and screen size; power and flexiblity with connectivity. Data inputters value UI, functional design (not necessairly smaller), and exposed inputting options having as much space as the screen. Its not too much different than designing a website IMHO. There are folks that want something to view, and others who want something that is interactive. Finding most users in those areas would make it somewhat easier, though I do agree that the dynamics of design leave those two areas way too narrow.

rmeister0 · 02-08-2006, 02:04 PM

Funny how we're going to extremes here.

My television is a 65" 16x9 display. My iPod has a 2.5" display. I have nothing in between.

Alexander Turcic · 02-09-2006, 02:13 AM

65"? WOW! Plasma?

02-06-2006, 04:21 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Quandry for portable device designers RIM Chairman Jim Balsillie spoke recently at a breakfast that was attended by Palm Addict's Associate Writer Peter Wolchak. Mr. Balsillie provided a very concise description of the tug of war that goes into every portable device design. "Asked what future BlackBerrys will look like, Balsillie said 'A lot of people tell us they want the device to be smaller.' He then paused and shrugged. 'But they also want a larger screen and a larger keyboard.' " Similar conversations were occuring at last year's PalmSource Developers Conference in San Jose. I had the opportunity to visit with a product manager for PalmOne, and even among developers and techies he was often facing questions that in some way or other could boil down to the same issue of wanting devices to be bigger and smaller at the same time. Bigger screen and keyboard, but with a smaller case. More memory, brighter screen and small form factor, but a longer battery life. It's forever a tension of tradeoffs. The good news? As the technology improves, the tradeoff curve gets better. Smaller more efficient radios in smartphones. Smaller more efficient batteries or fuel cells. Chip sets combined to reduce internal space for circuitry. More efficient and effective screens. In fact, I suspect that better designs for integrating keyboards will even show up over time. So designs will get better as the technology allows. But the tradeoffs will never go away. You can find Peter's original post at PalmAddicts.

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02-07-2006, 05:18 PM	#2
Antoine of MMM Mobile Ministry Magazine Posts: 119 Karma: 4507 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Device: Nokia N75/N800 Internet Tablet	Yea, we really do want everything. But designers are right, there is a ton of give and take and not always does tech make that easy. I personally find there being two type of people to design for, data inputters and viewers. Viewers want battery life and screen size; power and flexiblity with connectivity. Data inputters value UI, functional design (not necessairly smaller), and exposed inputting options having as much space as the screen. Its not too much different than designing a website IMHO. There are folks that want something to view, and others who want something that is interactive. Finding most users in those areas would make it somewhat easier, though I do agree that the dynamics of design leave those two areas way too narrow.

02-08-2006, 02:04 PM	#3
rmeister0 Addict Posts: 270 Karma: 298 Join Date: Mar 2005	Funny how we're going to extremes here. My television is a 65" 16x9 display. My iPod has a 2.5" display. I have nothing in between.

02-09-2006, 02:13 AM	#4
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	65"? WOW! Plasma?

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