Cinematic Personal Space
I broke down and joined the head-bobbing, white-corded masses and bought an iPod a couple of months ago. There is little that I can say about this fantastic little device that hasn’t been said time and again. As a designer of user experiences, this is the holy grail from the tiny word “enjoy” greeting the purchaser as he opens the package to the way the backlight fades out instead of merely shutting off. Its a lovely piece of electronics that doesn’t feel technical or well, like electronics. It changes the way you listen to music.
An article in Wired News today captured my feelings on this device very accurately.
So, for example, music allows people to use their eyes when they’re listening in public. I call it nonreciprocal looking. Listening to music lets you look at someone but don’t look at them when they look back. The earplugs tell them you’re otherwise engaged. It’s a great urban strategy for controlling interaction.
It’s also very cinematic. The music allows you to construct narratives about what’s going on.
Its amazing the detachment, the feeling of being in a personal space, that one gets by putting on a pair of headphones and listening to music. I particularly enjoy listen to music while shopping—perfect for canceling-out the hubbub of a busy grocery store or mall. And, of course, the ability to tune out the periphery at work is another great use.
The iPod has liberated me from the mundane and given legs to portions of my music collection that I haven’t touched in years. Pretty powerful stuff.