Aaron Toney wrote: > >> Normal people barely have a two-gadget limit: phone and iPod. It's >> awkward > > Hey, liked your post on wear hard. Quick question, were you referring > to / quoting something when you referred to people having a > two-gadget limit or was that just an observation. This was asked of me off-list, but I'm copying the list because I can't find any documentation, research or even news articles to back this up, even in the list archives. Help? Prior to the advent of the iPod, there was an anecdotal "one gadget limit." I'm fairly sure it's not just anecdotal, and I'm fairly sure I didn't make it up. The idea is that in the general case, a normal person will only carry one personal electronic device on their person. That is, a single electronic device is all that can usually be comfortably fit in one's pockets, purse, etc. in most circumstances, in most styles of clothing. It doesn't count if your PDA is in your briefcase, because you've got lots of other stuff in your briefcase, too; that's what it's for. It also doesn't count if you're the kind of person who wears electronics in belt holsters or uses ScotteVests. In addition, in the general case, a normal person will only *want* to carry one personal electronic device around with them. That is, given that each device requires additional cables, power adapters, battery types, knowledge, synchronization support, etc., a single electronic device is all that can usually be fit in one's head on a constant-use basis. The iPod moved the MP3 player out of the gadget category and into the fashion and status accessory category, thus creating something of a two-gadget limit. This isn't generalizable, though: it only works if one gadget conveys status, as a form of conspicuous consumption, and is fashionable enough to function as an accessory when not in use. Thanks, Vitorio Miliano _______________________________________________ Wear-Hard mailing listhttp://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard
From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH)
Maintained by R. Paul McCarty
Archive created with babymail