Raise the hammer has an interesting article that compares the iPhone and the OLPC XO, not on technology grounds but on social directions. While the iPhone and the XO may be the poster children in this article, the question that is posed is a valid one people must ask themselves. In a world where technology is shaping society, is it better to create an “I” generation or a “We” generation?
[read this post in: ar de es fr it ja ko pt ru zh-CN ]January 25, 2007
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But the distinction is bogus, no? I mean, the iPhone is (ultimately) a communications tool- at least potentially a great ‘we’ tool, at the level most people think of that as being. Vista would likely have been a much better example of an ‘i’ tool, it seems to me.
Comment by Luis Villa — January 25, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
Not totally bogus when looking at restricting 3rd party applications and DRM restrictions. As with everything there are a couple of different angles. Is the Wii a We product under the articles definition? I think the question posed by the article is more interesting than the products they talk about (other than the fact that I work on one of them which brought me to the article in the first place).
Even as a communications device will the iPhone allow innovation outside of Apples little bubble? Or is it just a communications device because that is what everyone is willing to buy?
To me at least the distinction between I and We is more about attitude. Am I delivering a product that makes you the center of the world (with us as the gatekeeper) or am I delivering a product which makes everyone around you the center of your world. I think every product has elements of both and the key is where the balance is struck.
Your comment that the iPhone is a communications device may just point to the fact that we are moving from the me generation to a we generation and not many devices these days will survive without some sort of connectivity built in. This is good, the line has moved, but still needs to move further. So in the end I don’t think the article was off mark but perhaps a bit simplistic in its analysis.
Comment by J5 — January 25, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
Makes sense; thanks for clarifying.
Comment by Luis — January 25, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
iPhone might not allow innovation outside their bubble, that is true.. But what honestly would you innovate anyways? iPhone has got a prettier and more working GUI than any open source desktop has, and nice amount of software. Given the hardware limitations (the hardware isn’t imho very good for being innovative, they dropped the ball completely on the 3G data and cameras stuff) there isn’t much you could add anyways.
The DRM doesn’t actually harm you as it does not prevent you from playing non-DRM’d music anyways. My Banshee syncs nicely with my iPod and I expect it later to work with iPhone as well. Don’t like iTunes? Then don’t use it. Don’t like DRM? Then don’t use it. Rip the CDs like usual or visit some good torrent sites.
The Cingular deal most likely sucks. Bundling is such. It’s American way mostly, in at least where I live 90% of phones are not tied to any carrier. You shouldn’t blame the phone for that anyways, that’s the point. Most likely the European versions will be sold also without carrier tie-ins, at least in the more sane countries.
I don’t think OLPC is that great as “we” device. I don’t have one and it seems I am at this moment unable to get one either. Seems more like “them” device to me, just having to settle in seeing some demos on teh web.
Comment by nonnano — January 25, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
nonnano,
You missed the point and are blinded by two examples which Luis has already pointed out are not the best comparisons. Of course the point of contrasting the “I” and “We” mentalities is still valid.
BTW I can tell you grew up with the me generation sense of entitlement. And I quote “I don’t think OLPC is that great as “we” device. I don’t have one and it seems I am at this moment unable to get one either”.
Comment by J5 — January 25, 2007 @ 7:58 pm
I think the “I” vs. “We” related to the device is somewhat ambiguous. The abiword team has spent a few hundred volunteer manhours on the olpc project, yet none of use owns an olpc device.
Comment by Rob — January 26, 2007 @ 5:21 am
“weBook” – great name!
Comment by weBook XO — January 27, 2007 @ 6:58 pm