Coffee Time: Power of singular vision.
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 7:55PM 
So. The first Coffee Time got a bit more attention than I had expected. I will just say this; I am a supporter of holistic and cohesive experiences. That is why I designed the HTC 1 back in 2010 to get into school. I've always thought that Android had potential but no sense of order and direction. I'll just share some quick thoughts on this topic.
The power of a singular vision is something that cannot be ignored. Focus is power. The Nokia N9 is such an example. The hardware and software are in perfect harmony and were designed together. Although Meego has a bleak future, you cannot ignore the beauty and polish of the N9. I love the way the screen curves to make the experience of swiping more elegant. Perfection.
Then we add Windows Phone 7. In terms of just the OS, it's beautiful. The the problem here is that the Lumia 800 doesn't have the same cohesive feel as the N9. Everything from the buttons to the now superfluous curved edges just doesn't feel right. Many of the reviews now are now saying how the N9 feels superior. And it shouldn't - it runs Meego. Holistic design matters.
The iPhone 4S ad is something that shows the elegance of Apple and their clear vision of their product.
Now look at the ad for the Droid Bionic. Do you think this is something that Google would do if they had full control over their products?
The answer is probably no. I was really surprised when I saw this ad for the Galaxy Nexus. It's simple and smart. Both are hard to find in any other Android ads. This reveals so many things about Google.
The Galaxy Nexus hints at an alternate reality where Google has full control of their mobile phones. A world where their devices are free of empty marketing and gaudy devices. I strongly feel that Google has something extremely powerful that they can tap into. Imagine something like the N9 where software and hardware just melt together with the brute force of Google. The Galaxy Nexus is close. Too bad Ice Cream Sandwich still lives inside an unexciting box.
Reader Comments (11)
I completely agree with you.
Its beyond my understanding where are the major tech companies hiring their design team.
Hopefully with the purchase of Motorola, Google will start churning out more original phones.
Can't agree more with you andrew.
That would be very nice if somebody can actually port ICS to lumia 800. I just love how minimal lumia 800 is, but not sure about WP7 until I try it out...
It disappoints me that Google is now partnered with Motorola, only because I don't like the Motorola design language. I guess the only way I can describe it is "too serious."
If Google had partnered with HTC, the Nexus phones would be unreal, just look at the Nexus One. People still love that phone today.
It's really a pity about MeeGo (though with that name maybe it really was a doomed project), it looks to have great potential and usability. Still needs some tweaks to make it competitive with the Big 3 but it is fresh and doesn't try to be any of the others. Maybe Nokia will put it up for sale and another company with develop it.
Although your last post got on my nerves a little bit, I like this one much more. Much more thought provoking and less argument provoking.
The galaxy nexus was designed by Google or so Matias said.
I agree 100%. Android has come a long way, but the OS and device elegance just isn't there yet. Meego and the Lumia, like the iPhone and iOS, are completely in-house designed, cohesive and seamless experiences. ICS is very impressive and I actually considered buying the Galaxy Nexus, but ICS is still a little rough in some places, as is the phone. For example, the phone is made out of basic plastic.
@Chris
exactly what I was talking about with the galaxy nexus. samsung doesn't realize the power of a solid feeling device (though i get there stress on durability).
The weirdest phenomenon I've seen with apple products is that when someone cracks their iPhone screen, they generally blame themselves, where as an android user blames the phone for being too fragile. just interesting.
Yeah. I do agree on some sense. But Wp7 really needs a flagship device. Most are either forgetable or simply uninteresting. There said, Lumia 800 is a step forward into the right direction. I'm just hoping to see more variations from here onwards. That will be exciting. Then again, iPhone too needs a revamp. It's getting overshadowed to say the least.
I'll say straight out, I like Apple. The more I learn the more I like. Apple is not perfect, but they are great.
Nokia always had too many products, never anything great, then got killed by Apple and now its really trying to fight it's way out of bankruptcy.
Motorola was something, a classic of the mobile industry, did ok with Razor damn those phones were thin, but then that was it, now owned my Nokia.
HTC they're a buch of business men trying to utilise the industry, no major contribution.
Sammy is just trouble
Microsoft just woke up and realised they mossed the start...
Google has potential, and if it's only pressuring Apple to keep inventing then they are good enough for me, but seriously Android is a good idea but thats about it, no sense of refinement and focus and direction, a lot of mess mostly... and what ever happen to Nexus, though it lacked Apple philosophy...
Now here is the issue with the mobile industry. When Apple came in with the iPhone they revolutionised a mobile phone, I mean just think about it. But that was then, today even Apple has lost it a bit and 'touch screen' and apps are exhausted a bit. The whole industry needs fresh outside of the box thinking. No amount of curving glass will make an otherwise outdated plastic fresh. I and the whole industry is just waiting for the iPhone5 to see what they come up with and then exploit that for the next few years. It's lame, I find it hard to believe that a new fresh phone once a year is hard to come up with. And its not just having a good industrial designer, its much more broader and holistic...
PS These days anyone can become a designer but I still see so much S#!@ design its crazy, The Art of Design has been lost to trendies and businessmen...
Actually Steve Jobs had the right philosophy, that should be applied to design, Designers have to be super broad in understanding and then have deep dimensional understanding of the principles of the world. I heard Steve quote: "May the result be greater then the sum of the parts" thats what I am talking about... And everyone can say that with Apple products, its not just the sum of the components that makes the iPhone... anyways sorry for ranting.
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