"The Perfect Thing" Article Response

1. 1) In this article, a brief history is given as to the development of the iPod. Apple wanted to create a product that would allow consumers to store mass amounts of music on a small device that was easy to navigate and use. In order to design such a product, Apple had to evaluate many different prototypes. As in the article, Fadell presented three models to Steve Jobs. While he intended for the first two models to be rejected, this shows that he had to design different models to find the correct solution. The designers also had to ensure that the product would be easy to use for the consumer. For example, Apple looked at past MP3 players and noticed that there were only plus and minus buttons to go through playlists. This would be incredibly inconvenient and frustrating for the consumer if he or she were trying to scroll through thousands of songs, so Apple made sure to add the simple but logical feature of being able to go from song one to one thousand. All of these considerations that Apple took into account highlight the design process. Eventually Apple reached a solution that has been extremely successful.

2. 2) While it is difficult to ever deem something “the perfect thing,” there are many factors that ought to be taken into consideration when evaluating a product. These factors include durability, price, necessity, size, ease of use, purpose, battery life for electronics, health risks associated with the product, etc. All of these factors are important to take into consideration, but the purpose of the product seems to have the greatest impact on the rest of the factors as they revolve around why the product is needed in the first place.

3. 3) The iPod was certainly a revolutionary product when it first came out. It has just recently had a new generation released, and new features have been added yet again. The original strength of the iPod was that such a small device was able to hold so much music. People were amazed by the ability to organize and search through thousands of songs at the touch of a button in an object about the size of a deck of cards. Since the first release, it has only gotten more and more impressive with the release of the iPod touch, which added applications for everything. The myriad of applications surely is a strength of the iPod touch as few other competing products offer so many. The iPod can also do more than just music. One can store pictures, watch videos, and even access the Internet making it almost like a handheld computer. Many settings on the iPod are customizable, which is nice for the consumers. While there are many strengths to the iPod, there are also several weaknesses. For example, they are not always very durable. Many iPods cannot survive falls on tile, or at the least they start to wither away and the screen may have a faulty display then. The battery life is not always the best if one wishes to use applications, watch videos, or pretty much anything besides just listen to music. Internet connections can also be somewhat difficult to connect to, and typing is also rather difficult for beginners. In the end though, the iPod is an extremely useful product that appeals to practically all consumers.