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At a recent social function someone asked me what, as an industrial designer, is the single most important object in my life. The answer came quickly: my laptop. Like many of you I use it for work/income, socializing with friends, e-flirting on those sad nights I can't make it to the bar, pursuing purely creative endeavors with no payoff, archiving life (i.e. photos and self-shot videos), and passive entertainment, i.e. watching tons of downloaded TV shows.
That latter item is the one people seem divided on, particularly those who own large flatscreen TVs. Do you watch television on your computer? Is there a difference and even, as some suggest, a cultural difference between watching programming at a desk as opposed to from a couch? Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of Panasonic AVC Networks, seems to think so, according to an interview from CES done by Bits blogger Matt Richtel. Says Sakamoto:
"A PC-centric world is a 30-centimeter culture," he said. "Television-centric entertainment lets you experience the world at three meters. It's about leaning back and enjoying life.
"It's more human," he added. "I hope it's more human."
Call me crazy, but this designer doesn't think it makes a difference. Do you? Also, what's your exhaustive list of what you use your computer for?
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Comments
I don't feel that it is possible to classify the "art" of watching television as more or less human. I do however feel that the process of consolidating every aspect of your life into one computer begins to bridge the gap between work & play,relationships & responsibilities. I personally enjoy the variety/freedom that comes with keeping certain aspects of my life separate from others. Or at least transitioning between different environments for different tasks.
Laptop-
Side projects, sketching, music, travel.
Desktop-
Finances, internet, photos/video, TV, music, socializing.
Work Desktop-
Work.
Iphone-
Everything except work/sketching/tv.
When i watch TV programs on my laptop I am rarely in the comfort of my own home. I almost always feel rushed and impatient with the program and never seem to enjoy it.
TVs are the most preferred medium everything about the experience is much more comforting
I agree with Sakamoto. I spend all day working in front of a 22" screen, when I come home it doesn't feel like I'm relaxing until I'm in front of a 42" TV, with my hands off a keyboard and on a controller/remote in a lazyboy. What would he say about the iPod video culture?
The most important difference between 10ft and 2ft viewing (or 3m and 30cm) comes down to which is most appropriate for shared or personal experiences. The only way television (10ft) inherently affords a lean-back experience is that the necessary size of the screen (due to the distance) enables more people to view the content simultaneously. With that comes a set of expectations and learnt behaviors around what the experience of watching television is like (e.g. it's a more casual experience because conversation usually takes place while watching with others). Additionally, the rapid emergence of computers has seen television labeled as a non-interactive platform, giving it a reputation as a passive medium. Because of all these associations, it's not surprising Toshihiro Sakamoto connects television with the leisurely notion of "enjoying life".
That's not to say television isn't appropriate for lean-forward experiences. Most gaming takes place on consoles connected to televisions. That's also not to imply it's impossible to lean back and enjoy life from 2ft. It's just that 2ft platforms come with their own set of expectations and learnt behaviors: We're accustomed to using computers to participate in very interactive activities, so it seems awkward for some to sit in front of a laptop and not be mousing and typing as usual. But for an emerging group of consumers, digital media and interactive entertainment has totally redefined what is and isn't enjoyable - the passivity of television seems boring when compared to the interactivity and scale of the internet. And so if they were to choose a distance from which to be "enjoying life", they'd choose 2ft.
I certainly hope we're not so far gone that television is what we're now calling our experience of the world.
And more human what say now? I think he just means "more bigger," but grabbed the wrong word.
I spend all day staring at a screen for work. It does not matter to me the distance, size or object... screens are flat and inflexible to the environment I am sitting in. So, if I am inches or feet away from a screen... there is nothing human in either experience. I will consider humanistic distance when a laptop, TV or desktop adhere to my movements... not while I am adhering to its.
I recently purchased a new desktop computer (24" iMac), and one of the best things I did with it is set it up in a new home office space - in my bedroom. I feel I have the best of both worlds now, sitting at the desk to be productive, then moving the chair aside and lying in bed about 3 metres away for a dose of passive entertainment. It's great, you should all try it sometime, especially if, like mine, your local network TV programming is terrible.
For the record -
Laptop -
Mobile photo storage, Facebook and Gmail in cafes, crowding around with friends at parties watching YouTube.
Home Desktop -
Freelance productivity, photo post-processing, music composition and recording, socializing, music/movies/tv shows.
Work desktop -
Work, Digg and blogs.
Motorola V3xx -
Reading the news, last-minute eBay bids while on the move.
I live alone. Before Tivo, I watched TV almost exclusively on my laptop, and never thought twice about it. I don't think there is anything less human about it. If you're alone, great watching it on the computer. If not, the TV is more sociable.
I agree and disagree with JasonP; if I am watching stuff on my laptop i'm usually in transit somehow, however i feel that it is refreshingly relaxing to put work aside for the 45 min trainride or whatever.
At home I usually hook my laptop up to my flatscreen - what does that make me? Bi-something?
I might be on the edge here, but I ditched my TV in favor of a 24" iMac. It's big enough to watch from the couch, and it's also a great desktop. I built a desk myself that blends the utility of a computer desk with the beauty, functionality, and expandability of an A/V cabinet. Simply removing the chair allows it to be a great home theater.