On Dec 26, 2007, at 10:26 AM, Pamela McCorduck wrote: > Why are engineering and beautiful design incompatible? Google, of > all folks, ought to know better. But anyway, I wait breathlessly > until February. > Yes, very cool... thanks Doug... and Pamela for the comment.
As I read the article, I don't think Google is done with the design. I think what we see in the article is an engineering prototype and very likely there is a very high paid team of product designers out there kicking ass on the final form-factor. Apple (and NeXT) set a very high standard a long time ago in this domain which they still hold the lead in. I suspect Google will not try to trump Jobs at his own game, but rather follow his lead and carefully develop their own "branding by design". I believe this will be the first Google physical consumer-market device (though I could be asleep at the switch. It is in their best interest (IMO) to strike out in a new direction. Apple will always be the Armani or Lamborghini of computer/media/consumer products (I suspect). But what can Google be(come)? They are not without a sense of minimalism and elegance of their own. - Steve ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
