Orbotix Works Through Challenged of Virtual UI
What happens when you combine a smartphone and a robotic ball “game”? The folks over at Orbotix share some of their insights on designing for a Bits and Atoms game platform. I don’t like Sphero’s chances if their main product is a $99 cat toy, but if these interaction design patterns are broadly applicable they may have a nice head start on the market.
The Great Ephemeralization
A great article written in response to Tyler Cowen‘s “Great Stagnation” essay. The thesis is that it is hard to measure we get out of invisible innovation e.g. the way most smartphones now offer turn by turn GPS navigation a feature that once manifested itself in a $300 stand alone device, but is now a tack on feature like custom ring tones. a sample:
“But the real lesson here may not be that the American economy is stagnating, but rather that the government is bad at measuring improvements in our standard of living that come from the software industry.”
Dual Chambered Slurpee Cup = Real Time Beverage Customization
Proving once more that America is out of real problems, 7-11 has introduced a new Slurpee cup that allows you to achieve real time customization of your beverage by switching the valve to one side or the other.
