Flip, the case for simplicity, but for whom?

Yes, we all make the case that technology needs to cater for everyone, including our grand parents and their parents: they want to use cell phones too, they need to be able to program their digicorders to watch programs on their flat screens as well,...

So we are told we need to simplify interfaces, go back to the basic functions: phones which can make calls (as opposed to organise your life, take pictures, do the grocery shopping and schedule your evening out), computers which are able to send emails and browse the web without the need to touch a button on a keyboard,...

I came across the Flip only recently, and I think it's a fantastic product (I've yet to find a retailer who sells them in Europe). In essence it's a camcorder which does what it have to do: record video. No menus, no weird interfaces, just a big record button and play and delete functions.

You'd think it was ideal for someone older who does not have the technological luggage we young hipsters have... But when I discussed the merits with an older acquaintance of ours who might fit that bill, he bluntly stated that it was way too 'Fisherpricy' for him.

And that's where the trouble starts: lots of people who don't really follow technology (and gadgetry) trends expect technological innovations to be a bit 'difficult'. Lots of buttons and functions often translates as 'more powerful' (or more flexible), that's probably why there's quite a bit of resistance against Macs from pc users. Things that look too simple and almost 'toy-like' can easily put off those target groups who still expect technology to be expensive and sturdy (and to last a lifetime, which is probably a bigger issue now that I think of it).

If you look at a success product like the iPod, you should be able to point out how they opened up the market to an audience that, previously, wouldn't even have considered an mp3 player. And while they did enlarge the market, I do get the impression that it became widely adopted by young people who are used to technology and the speed of evolution these days. They have come to terms with the fact that it is a toy, and that it will probably be replaced by another toy in a year or so (see also: the 30 year old sofa vs the Ikea Klippan with 'disposable' covers...).

It doesn't seem to dampen their sales results though...