User Centered

'Bout time something like this came around! This always seemed like the best way to solve this problem:


(via Gizmodo)

A couple weeks into my first smart phone (BlackBerry Pearl/8100) I decided to take a minute away from reading my pushed mail and syncing my Outlook Calendar while Browsing Opera Mini to formulate some "first impressions" that I've been collecting on my handset throughout these fledgling smartphone toddler days.

I've been debating the full write up, as it's probably only interesting to other BB Pearl users, but then again, even a full year and three months later, the Motorola RAZR post is still getting comments (last was today!):
http://my.opera.com/usability/blog/show.dml/27659

So I might leave a full review for posterity and historic archiving, but I bet I'll land somewhere in between as I begin typing. This will probably be between the minute details of the phone, and the general *usability) point of view. In either case, as regular readers already know, this won't include technical details or call quality or any of the other stuff you can likely get anywhere else in reviews. Generally, this is usability/UI review that focuses on the user experience and UI design.

Even though I may love a product, I still tend to write negative things quite a bit because I think there's room for improvement or discussion, not because I'm knocking the product. That said, I'm very pleased with the BlackBerry 8100. I've found a device that lets me converge where I want my devices to converge and sacrifice where I'm willing to sacrifice. Even after I saw the announcement of the iPhone earlier today, I still stand behind my purchase (for now- I'll wait until I can try out the all touch screen interface- I'd prefer some keys to tap), I just thought I'd share some interface thoughts I had.

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Updated

..it's nice to see someone harnessing the power of the sun to relieve us from...well, the power of the sun.

Whether or not this solar powered fan (warning- as with all "as seen on TV" webpages, it's horrible) does in fact keep your car cooler is not something I really care about- after all *I* live in Minnesota. I know, I know- feel free to email me when January rolls around and you're wearing shorts, sandles and sipping on margaritas. We'll call it equal.

No- I'm more concerned with the weather stripping that accompanies this gadget. Is my understanding correct that you have to lay out the weather stripping on your window every time you want to employ this thing? Seems labor intensive and not very user friendly. That might be why you can hardly tell from the commercial that you have to use it (they only show it twice in the video and rolled up at the end of the commercial).

Anyway, still a funny, strange, heart-in-the-right-place type of gadget. I'd be curious if anyone is dedicated enough to lay down the weather stripping and mount this thing instead of just cracking a window on your way into the grocery store to just grab some eggs. Seems like too much trouble for a what is probably not that terribly large of a problem.

As an update to this post-kmaage points out an "AskTog" (great articles there BTW) article on child safety seats and the "out of site out of mind" of children in the backseat. Buried in the comments is this great quote that goes along with this post-

The simple solution is a system that automatically keeps the interior of the car cool without compromising security. A small solar panel providing electricity to the A/C fan, to keep the air circulating, is cheap and simple. It has the additional benefits of preventing cracked windshields, keeping the car bearable for when you enter it, and reducing gasoline consumption from running the A/C at maximum when you get into a car that feels like an oven. All of these benefits accrue to those without children or pets in the car.

I don't see any need for fancy controllers--the more sun that hits the solar cell, the faster the fan turns. Sunlight is an excellent proxy for heating of the car's interior.

*Or nature is cycling through another "hot spell" or there is no problem at all. Take your pick depending on your beliefs- but dangit man, it sure is hot out there.