You might have wondered if the Jade logo on the lid is upside-down. It depends on which way is up. The logo choice is intentional: it represents how we feel about you and technology. Of course, Shift Sight is designing for its customers. This design choice may not live to see production, but let's discuss it. One Thumb Policy Prior to writing this post, I decided to see if logo orientation was once a hotly debated UX issue. As it turns out, Apple used to orient their logo this way as well. The reasoning at Shift Sight is the same as Apple: Steve Jobs was focused on the user experience instead of the onlooker. According to the linked post, the logo was eventually rotated because users were trying to open their laptop from the wrong side. As Jade is not a complete clamshell, this problem does not exist here. The current design even includes a notch to allow the lid to be opened with a single thumb. Jade is designed for self-development. As it stands today, the logo orientation reflects this: Jade is a tool for you, not to advertise the Shift Sight brand to the world. Of course, nothing is permanent. If this choice is unsettling, it will be changed. The Experience The website revision-in-progress will convey the user experience that Jade brings. Based on what has been disclosed, you can see that many products on the market that fall short of Jade in some regard. But the best part – the optimal experience – has not been shown in detail. Your immediate experience is the only thing in your control. The experience is the reason why customers will fall in love with Jade. And this experience is a means to a sustainable future. The electronics market is trending toward more connectivity. Companies want to take more control away from the customer. Products become more dependent on infrastructure to work. (If you need an example, consider “smart thermostats” that stop working when your Internet goes out. Or “smart refrigerators” whose features stop working when the company decides you need to upgrade.) These three things are leading to electronic waste and digital addictions. Consider: We do not have a piano waste crisis. We do not have a paintbrush waste crisis. We do not have a handsaw waste crisis. We do not have a basketball waste crisis. These objects have [at least] four things in common: they enable self-development, the experience is self-directed, the activity is self-contained, and each of these is a moderately durable item. In all cases, the participant directs the challenges to match their skills. Nobody paints a Picasso on their first day, nor does someone who has never picked up a basketball plan to break professional records. Jade is unique among STEM and edtech products because of a carefully curated, individualized experience. I intend for it to have purpose and meaning to you as it approaches the end of its 20-year life. FluidityShown above is a snapshot from one of Jade's videos. A full explanation of the above snapshot will be given in the video, but there are a few takeaways here:
1) In "Direct" mode, BASIC (and C) code responds immediately. There is no delay to compile and no delay to download. The feedback is instant and purposeful. (Jade will be equipped with real-time compilers as well and an operating system that supports executing partially interpreted, partially compiled code. Stay tuned.) 2) Both BASIC and C support units. Attaching units, such as length, to code solidifies the experience. The code becomes connected to the world in some way. And, a programming tool like Jade that supports it can prevent mishaps. 3) Electronics and code are merged in real-time. The CB function refers to a Carrier Board pin (#48). The signal is available in code immediately. 4) Real-world values can be shown. The Carrier Board translates the voltage at pin #48 into a real-world unit: Fahrenheit. This is scaffolding, not lowering of the bar. Jade is a tool that fluidly turns programming [and your favorite subject, should you desire] into art. Due to careful consideration of how technology affects people, Jade will not impose a burden on its owner. As I write this, the videos are rendering. The website is being rewritten. (Our resident artist selected some new fonts for our hidden-pages-in-progress. The change affected all pages.) I will show you, to the best of my ability, the type of experience that Jade will give you and your children. Electronic waste threatens our very existence and disposable electronics threaten our mental health. This post title – “Upside-Down" – refers to more than just the logo. Shift Sight intends to turn an industry on its head. Everyone has a responsibility to this planet. You cannot breathe, drink, or eat money. Let's turn the tide together. Shift Sight will provide the means, and you will provide the future.
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Ty is a Founder of Shift Sight, LLC. Archives
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