Play More: Embedded Futures

This is an experiment to enable more play in my life.  I've come to realize that - for me - to play is to create, to dream and to imagine. So I will begin with a possibility that arose when I first interacted with a Flip Video Camera.

A year ago I came across my first Flip Video Camera.  The amazement of flicking a switch and seeing a USB connector pop out amazed me so much that I went around the office demonstrating this feature over and over to the immense enjoyment of my co-workers.  Click.  Click.  Click. See!  Full frame video and audio for less than $100 and no cable!  Click.  Click.  Click. 

A neat solution to something few in the industry addressed as a problem - not having a cable on hand.  But this was not the real innovation as I saw it.  What floored me was that there was no software to install (aside from a driver issue).  Rather, the software to edit and upload your movies existed on the camera in PC and Mac formats.  Plugging in the camera caused it to appear as a drive and double clicking the software on the camera would cause it to run on your computer. 

This idea of software delivered "embedded" in a device is what got me excited.

I'm going to take a very broad and liberal view of "embedded software".  The industry views embedded software as something extremely specialized and included on a chip to better enable the hardware to interact with the real world.  But what if software came embedded on devices the way the Flip software for editing videos comes "embedded" on the Flip Video camera?

Questions for Playing

What are the human behaviors?  The unmet needs?

Devices that require software to be installed SEVERELY limit their ability to be used collaboratively with others who don't have the software installed.  As we move into a participatory culture and world, should devices that require software not come with the needed software on them?  I buy apps on my iPhone that require me to install software on my PC or Mac.  But updating my iPhone software doesn't update the computer software.  And further, to use these apps with another computer I have to find and download the software required.  Why?

What trends/changes show a shift away from software delivered via CD-ROM?

Networked computing/storage is exploding.  Google Docs, anyone?  How many people are shifting to buying and downloading software?  What if media was intelligent and DRM was less about who could use it and where it was being used from?  Networking standards have come a very long way.  I can connect my Mac and PCs to the same networks with less and less issues.

What if in the future we upgrade our "computers" by purchasing other physical devices that enable new features or capabilities in our devices?

Scenarios / Play Time!

The Car as Catalyst

Kat was late for work.  Again.  She grabbed her purse, coat and keys and shoved them under one arm, freeing up her hands to initiate a call to her assistant on her iphone.  Her car - sensing the approaching keys with an RFID signature - turned on the lights, started the engine and unlocked the doors.  Tossing everything haphazardly into the car and speaking into the bluetooth earpiece, "Jana, can you move my 8am?  I'm not gonna make it."

Her iphone beeped in her ear.  It had connected to the car and found local software standing by to run.  She began to dig through the debris on the seat beside her to find her phone while listening to Jana complain about how full her day already was.  "Aha!" she pronounced as she came up with the phone, much to Jana's surprise.  "It's cool, Jana, just reschedule Marketing to next week.  I'll call him later today."

She pressed "Proceed" on her phone, allowing it to launch the apps found in the car and quickly bypassed the signature check.  The dashboard application came to life - allowing her iPhone to take over the entertainment functions for the vehicle.  She smiled and turned to put her hands on the wheel, knowing that her favorite programming would begin as soon as this call ended. If it ended. Jana continued to ramble on about some trip the Chairman wanted her to take.  She put the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway, making a mental note to download some new audiobooks on time management to her phone.

The Printer as Enabler

Jeremy ran the office for a small not-for-profit that helped to develop sustainable building projects in the core of Toronto.  He felt good about his job but his role could be quite challenging. He was constantly tasked to accomplish the impossible on budgets that were always insufficient.  His latest task was to replace the aging office equipment as well as upgrade everyone's software in the office with a budget that was more appropriate to throwing a pizza party.

So when Jeremy decided he needed a new printer for the office, he became very interested in the new lines of multi-use printer/copier/fax/scanner/counterfeiting units.  There were so many to choose from. It was a bit daunting and he had already wasted an afternoon at one of the stores with some kid who was just reading to him from the boxes.  One model did stand out in his mind, however, and it was the new Xerox model.

He didn't really care the technology the printers used to print but he did like their story about less waste.  What really amazed him about this particular unit was that it came with a full copy of Photoshop SmallOffice - they called it "Smart Software".  He wasn't quite sure what "Smart Software" was but figured it was worth a risk.  He had 24 hours to return it with no questions asked. 

When he unpacked the printer, he was a bit surprised that there were no CD-ROMs or software to install.  The quick-start guide walked him through how to plug the printer in and how to get it on the network. Jeremy walked through the setup instructions while eating a bagel and as he pressed the last button, he had to jump back.  Like magic, a network drive began to appear on every computer in the office - Macs and PCs.

He sat down at his computer, thinking this was beyond cool.  There was a folder for drivers and another folder for software.  He clicked on the software folder and there was a Mac and a PC executable for Photoshop as well as ScanSoft.  He double clicked Photoshop and sure enough, a full copy of Photoshop SmallOffice launched.  A screen came up and said he was the only user and 2 more copies could be run at any time by any other computer on his network.  It also warned him not to copy the software to his computer as it would only run when launched from the printer.

Was this cool?  Sure, but Jeremy wasn't sure how this would be adopted.  Over the next few weeks he became a believer.  His office saw a constant flux of people as they used a lot of part-time and even seasonal staff.  Suddenly it was ridiculously easy to get people connected to the printer.  And if they needed to scan something, the software was right there for them.  No more installing of CD's and the like.  Furthermore, his graphic artist on staff was beyond happy as they had been using a copy of Photoshop that was 5 years old.  If anything, Jeremy was interested in buying more concurrent licenses for the applications...

Electronics as Enhancement

"Is that the new Samsung 3000+ Entertainment console?", Josh asked in a reverent and disbelieving tone.  Greg grinned and nodded.  Josh gulped visibly and a look of envy flashed across his face before he regained his composure.  "That's the one that turns on 5D sound in World of Warcraft 7?"  His question died at the end as he noticed the shit-eating grin on Greg's face.

Greg had to laugh as he pulled his laptop from under the coffee table and presented it to Josh.  "Here.  Try it."  Josh had been reading the reviews and his hand trembled as he went to launch World of Warcraft from the Start menu only to have Greg bat his mouse hand away.  "Dude.  Please.  You have to run the special version off the console."

Josh looked like a geek who had been shown up by a small child.  Greg grinned and double clicked the network drive for his sound console and launched the icon located there under games.  It quickly searched his hard drive for the other needed game components and then launched the advanced version that took advantage of the unique capabilities of the house-shaking sound system that the packaging promised "came close to bending time and space."

Play with Me, It's Fun!

This is about playing, not predicting.  It's about unlearning and exploring without the normal boundaries in place.  What emerges and what other ideas come up are totally a bonus.  So wade on in.

P.S.  Come on Alan, you can't let that last title "get off" so easily.  ;)