This presentation was very image intensive, it encouraged us to look at the aesthetics and examine why they are the way they are. These images were in chronological order and to me, showed the lifespan of the technology.
The products varied in style, colour, price etc. but all consisted of the same technology. There is an argument for the style of the time i.e. 'futuristic' looks different through different times and cultures.
Personally I feel these images showed the cycle of a technology. There seemed to be a common theme where a device would first appear, looking very segmented and geometric and more of a case for the internals than a desirable object. There would be a few more iterations where the device steadily gets more sleeker and beautiful.
Then the styling would start to follow current trends and themes, this would seem to be the start of it becoming cheaper and more accessible, no longer specifically for those who are well off and enjoy new technologies but more suitable for the masses.
The final stage seems to be when the technology becomes almost universally-friendly, it becomes small and more colourful, with only a hint of the technology it encases. Here we begin to see integrations of the technologies into other areas, it is almost as though the market widens to accommodate all potential users. Often becoming less like designed pieces and more like plastic toys.
At this stage all of the various options are available and people are free to pick designs which they feel suits their lifestyle. I feel this 'life of the technology' is one which has repeated itself in many different products and almost mirrors Apple's incarnations of the iPhone.
I'm not sure if this was the intention but I could not help seeing patterns...
No comments:
Post a Comment