A Digital Dying Breath

Jun 12, 2009 | 8 Comments

A lovely design detail on Amazon's Kindle is the your battery needs charging notification that appears when the battery is gone. The persistent nature of the bi-stable display means the notification will still be there in a month's time.

For every electronic device without power, an opportunity to deliver a message with that last dying breath. (or at least until charged). And with a slightly more prosaic but no less useful edge - if you had to take one piece of information out of your phone/device before it died what would it be?

Kinda related: tracking the power consumption of individual vending machines in Japan and prevalence of private-public power infrastructure in China (trying say that after a few glasses of rice-wine).

Location:
United States » Calabasas Keywords:
bi-polar | display | Kindle | persistence | power

8 Comments

Dave | June 12, 2009 4:40 AM | Reply

Plug me in?!

Mary Jo Zilveti | June 12, 2009 4:48 AM | Reply

Jan, if I could choose what part to rescue of my mobile, I would choose the memory card. Just an example. Two monhts ago, while I was walking in my rides with gps mobile (http://sportstracker.nokia.com login: zilveti), evaluating the Sports Tracker, I had been robbed by a guy in his bike. What to do? Nothing. Just complain for a little, than change my passwords from mobile twitter, facebebook, google latitude, etc. THe bad thing: I have forgotten to backup de pictures and some interviews I had made. It happens. The problem of power? Well, as the mobiles phones and iPods have problems with charging, you always have to take with you a battery charger.
Best regards,
Mary Jo Zilveti
http://nomadismocelular.wordpress.com
(2 or 3 years ago, I interviewed you in Brazil at a round table with some journalists)

Parker | June 12, 2009 11:36 PM | Reply

In the case of a phone, I'd like it to display the last number I dialed. Or a pre-set number, or set of information.

In the case of other devices (or a phone, as well) maybe a "If found, please return to..." type of message.

How come you don't allow comments on all of your posts, Jan?

Cheers

Jan | June 13, 2009 12:04 AM | Reply

> comments

Too much spam.

Andrew | June 19, 2009 10:47 PM | Reply

I think you mean bi-stable dude... Altho I love the idea of a bi-polar display, furious one minute, crying the next.

Jan | June 21, 2009 4:32 AM | Reply

> bi-polar