All-in-One

Currently, people have a thing for gadgets which function like Swiss knives. I do not refer to cellphones or cameras which reveal can openers or nail files in secret compartments. I am talking about gadgets which have more than one functionality, as illustrated in cellphones with high resolution cameras and music players.

I love it when new gadgets or equipment are churned out of the technology conveyor belt and I think it is pretty amazing how my phone can take high resolution photographs which can really come in handy when I realize I have forgotten to plop my prosumer camera in my bag. Be that as it may, I actually fall within the category of people who still prefer gadgets dedicated to a particular function. That should explain the healthy co-existence of my camera, cellphone and MP3 player in my bag.

Having a multi-functional device means utmost convenience and I do not disagree with that. However stuffing all these features into one device calls for certain limitations. For instance, high resolution camera phones are nowhere as good as the dedicated gadgets. Take for example, my mother’s N73 and my eight-year old Kodak digital camera. Both boast of 3.2 megapixel resolution but the Kodak’s shots are always superior to those taken from the N73 in terms of clarity and vibrancy in color. Another instance is when you’re inside an airplane and the inflight radio bores you to death. You do have a music player in your phone but, hey, commercial airlines do not allow phones to be operated anytime during the flight even if they are on the so-called “flight mode.”

Call me conservative but I think multi-functionality as a product feature can be perfect for poster ads but there are still certain trade-offs which need to be worked on. Until that is settled, I’ll need more space in my bag for all my babies.