One of my worst purchases ever? The Ambient Executive Dashboard. This device, with its three faceplates, and swinging indicators, promised to open up analog, real-world display of information which is normally constrained (not locked) in digital arenas.
The problems?
First, the device’s wireless coverage was miserable, in an office building in the heart of San Francisco’s business district. My indicators would either not move or swing inconsistently.
Second, the 30 included faceplates are for non-personal information, like weather, traffic, and market indices. Weather and market indices are mildly interesting, but traffic isn’t generic… which route, etc.
Third, the basic device cost $150.
Fourth, the opportunities to customize what information was displayed were limited. You can pay extra for some faceplates which can be tailored via a dedicated website (# of Yahoo Mail messages, etc.), but true personalization is not available. I bought this device well over a year ago, and even today, the developer specifications are still “in preparation” — that was the case when I bought the device, too.
When I left CNET last month, I left the Ambient Executive Dashboard behind. I hope someone else either found a better use for it or threw it away.
I was reminded of my wasted money when I saw mention a few weeks ago of Violet, a French company whose tagline is “The Smart Object Company.” As long as a device is seen as a toy, or a fashion object, I suppose Violet may deliver up to (lower) expectations, with a digital “rabbit.” At least Violet offers an API (look on the right, for a link to the, sigh, PDF).
Ambient and Velvet are among the few companies I know of that are innovating on analog displays of digital information. I haven’t searched/shopped around, so maybe I’m missing entire industries (not just companies) who are delivering great products and services in this category. Am I? I hope so.
There’s something marvelous about the concept, so although I’ve been burned once, I’m still anxious for someone to amaze me. Think about how many digital displays mimic analog displays because of the comfort and immediate comprehension which results. We’re seeing a promise of more realistic analog control of digital devices with new products like the Nintendo Wii, with its motion-sensitive system (photo). So there is hope for the reverse… digital control of analog displays. Yes, our planes are turning into “fly by wire,” but I’m looking more in the personal gadget realm.
Digital displays themselves open new possibilities, of course, at times far beyond what you can do with analog devices. I still hope that CNET News.com does more with What’s Hot, for instance.
But we’re all still human, with more senses than just sight and sound, so engage us!