Visceral Reaction to iPad: The Negative?

uvox

Don Norman's concept of "emotional design" success is based on the visceral, behavioural and reflective reactions to the user experience of the design of the device.

I was in Stanford, Santa Clara, Ca recently and saw a couple of punters returning their iPads to the Apple Store, one cos it was an unwanted gift, the other because it was "way gay" (whether you or I think it is, is neither here nor there).

So, today, we have now have style guru Tyler Brûlé coming out with this in the Financial Times (you may need to reg for free):

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/57d93842-906a-11df-ad26-00144feab49a.html

"Over the past few weeks I’ve witnessed this scene play out at several hotels and beach clubs and each time it’s the same. While the sensible majority get on with flipping through their magazines, studying journals, whizzing through paperbacks and neatly folding their newspapers, there are usually four or five souls around the pool who are determined to show everyone else that a) they’re at the forefront of modern technology; b) they’re super-duper connected and everyone else around them are fire-fearing cave-folk and c) they look like complete twits."

(Natch, using the iPad in bright sunlight is unlikely to be a problem in Ireland this summer)

Question is, is there something emotionally negative about the iPad's design that just does something to you on the visceral level? In Irish terms, I guess it centres around you thinking others think of you like c) in Tyler Brûlé's piece.

Are there those who don't want to touch the iPad as an option because of it's 'Dublin Bikes-riding 'murse' (man purse)' connotations/high 'look like a gob****e on the train' quotient/The 'lads at Bohola GAA Club say Real Men only use MacBook Pro 16GB RAM and Ubuntu' factor?

What irks you about this device's design?

naasrd

Nothing irks me about it's design what so ever, and I'm a little baffled that there's no option D for people like me. I'm 6.1, very short tempered and anyone who even looked crooked at me, let alone patronised me for using my iPad in public would need an Israeli snatch squad to get their head back out of their hole. Is that visceral enough...?

uvox

I'm interested in knowing is there anything emotive about design that prevents people acquiring one in the first place.

Tom Dunne

uvox wrote: »

I'm interested in knowing is there anything emotive about design that prevents people acquiring one in the first place.

I would say no - especially if you actually get to play with one before you buy it.

Having had one in my hands yesterday for the first time, it was as you would expect - lots of "ooooh's and aaaaaah's". Smooth, slick and visually stunning.

georgiemcgrane

uvox wrote: »

Are there those who don't want to touch the iPad as an option because of it's 'Dublin Bikes-riding 'murse' (man purse)' connotations/high 'look like a gob****e on the train' quotient/The 'lads at Bohola GAA Club say Real Men only use MacBook Pro 16GB RAM and Ubuntu' factor?

What irks you about this device's design?

Very funny. As far as the design goes, its simply the most creative piece of tech ive ever used. It occupies a place in the market where it doesnt compete with mobile phones or laptops and actually fulfills a really useful function in a new and unique way. If the iPhone's killer feature is a phone (which it is) then the iPad's is Web Browsing. Its just a brilliant web experience.

uvox

well spotted.i would agree with the potential for the NUI (natural user interface).

opinion guy

uvox wrote: »

Are there those who don't want to touch the iPad as an option because of it's 'Dublin Bikes-riding 'murse' (man purse)' connotations/high 'look like a gob****e on the train' quotient/The 'lads at Bohola GAA Club say Real Men only use MacBook Pro 16GB RAM and Ubuntu' factor?

What irks you about this device's design?

Oi!!!! Dublin Bikes are awesome

uvox

Agreed on Dublin Bikes!