Alice Rawsthorn on the Best Designed Products of the Year
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 12.23.07
Alice Rawsthorn of the International Herald Tribune (and who I think is one of the best writers on design around) picks her favourite designs of the year, loves the iPhone- "The only serious candidate for 2007's design product of the year" but suggests that
While Apple's rivals play catch-up, they'd do well to reflect on the other new component of "good design" where Apple fares less well - sustainability. With a few honorable exceptions, the story of sustainable, ethical or guilt-free (call it what you will) design has been embarrassingly flimsy. That's why 90 percent of design is destined for the 10 percent of the global population that needs it least (the privileged minority) and why so much of that stuff is designed, made, sold and discarded with little or no thought for the environmental consequences. ::iPhone's magic touch becomes design's gold standard for 2007
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Why does everyone pick on Apple? I'd bet that only a tiny fraction of all products being sold today are consciously designed "with the environment in mind" (however that is defined)
Does "design" subsume the function of material selection and pollution prevent? If so, then nearly all the stuff we buy that is made in China is at similar risk of design that is 'mindless of environment', especially if you consider the total lack of pollution controls on industries in China.
The issue is not design at Apple or firms like them. The issue is US government policy that favors outsourcing to nations that have no standards for environmental performance or fair labor practices. Once China gets such and they are enforced, the supply chain will just move to the next no standards country - unless trade and tax policies are modified.
I agree with what you are saying about Apple being singled out for their non-eco-friendly design. In this case, however, I don't believe the author was picking on Apple. She points out that while other manufacturers catch up to Apple in design innovation, they should also look at sustainability in their designs. Sustainability is an area where they can more easily stand out from Apple because Apple is lacking. She also seems to imply that the other manufacturers severely lack in sustainability in design, which we know is true, except for "a few honorable exceptions".
I cant believe the apple is picked for anything. Most people I know with hit have complained about it. But of course they always follow with how much they still like it, even though.... I guess it justifies spending that much money on a phone. Kind of like ordering extra large everything at a fast food restaurant and then getting the diet coke to justify the gluttony.
I do know one complaint I do hear a lot about the Apple phone is that you cant cradle it between your chin and shoulder so your hands are free to work, like you can almost every other phone in the world. I find this alone enough to not buy it. I often have to multi task , phone on shoulder, pen in one hand, tapping keys on the computer with the other. Seems like it would be a no brainer for a phone designer. But I guess when bells and whistles where more important than ergo functionality, ergo functionality loses.
[I do know one complaint I do hear a lot about the Apple phone is that you cant cradle it between your chin and shoulder so your hands are free to work, like you can almost every other phone in the world. I find this alone enough to not buy it. I often have to multi task , phone on shoulder, pen in one hand, tapping keys on the computer with the other].........
.........If you really have to do that with a cell phone I feel sorry for you. I have a home office & thank god for speaker phone which I find essential & incredibly convenient for land line use, in fact if there's no speaker phone I won't use the thing. Cradling a phone between your chin & shoulder is a good way to injure yourself.