Flippin’ off feature creep.
One of my technology heroes is Pure Digital CEO Jonathan Kaplan. Yesterday Mr. Kaplan introduced the new Flip Video Minio (nice name,) an evolution of the smash hit pocket video recorder the Flip.
Why is Mr. Kaplan a hero? Here is what he had to say about his company’s technology approach. “We resist ‘feature creep’ like no other company in the world today. When our products get more complicated, they get less easy to use and less fun.”
The Flip is so called because a USB port pops out of the side of the device for easy plugging into a PC. A click or two later (after a software install) and your video is on YouTube. I wrote an earlier post about how the Flip will change the world
http://spoppe.livejournal.com/61926.html , but the real kicker here is that the Flip and its new sibling the Minio are bringing video recording to the people. Simplicity creates ubiquity, and ubiquity creates markets.
Usability is big business. Why? Because too many devices suffer from feature creep. And think of all the money Pure is saving on their toll-free customer care call center. Good job!