Speed up or slow down?

Microsoft recently announced the availability of a new handheld computer, a small tablet-PC, developed under the codename 'origami'. Others have commented that the market for the product is unclear. Is it for businesspeople? Consumers? Both? Doesn't matter to me, I like anything I can draw on :-)

But what struck me was that the devices, like this one from Samsung, have a distinct techy look and feel to it. Grey with chrome and subtly visible yet meaningless buttons. The connotations I get are 'sleek', 'fast', 'efficient', in other words, 'let's speed things up some more'.

Contrast this with the Apple iPod.. It's cool but not techy. Has a 'meaningless' circle (it doesn't do anything UI-wise) but at least the symbols on it are easily recognized. But most of all, it's a relaxing form. Instead of speeding up, it seems to want to slow down. Peaceful. It's about the human side of technology.

This is the nature of the difference between Apple and Microsoft. It's not about which hardware is better, which OS is better, or such details.

As it stands now, looking at the design of their hardware, Microsoft is for business, Apple is for people.

At the same time, on the software front Microsoft is definately becoming more people-oriented. Just look at the user-interface innovations made in Word, Excel and PowerPoint in Office 2007. Amazing stuff!

Next step: going from 'people' to 'human'...

Design = Philosophy + Creation