Offline Usability

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<p>There seems to be a lot of talk lately about usability in the real world (yet still applied to the IT industry).
We see companies like Apple, Nintendo and Google redefining UX and the expectations users have on hardware and software. </p>
<p>But what about away from the screen? How do these companies fare?</p>
<p>How about UX from the moment you open the box?</p>
<p>I discovered a great commentary on the differences between todays leading companies.</p>
<p><a href=”http://www.fulltimecasual.com/”>fulltimecasual</a>, a fellow twitter freak, blogged about <a href=”http://www.fulltimecasual.com/?p=207”>apple sending an iPhone user a paperclip (with instructions) so he could change his sim card</a>. Compare that to HP who <a href=”http://www.uxmag.com/strategy/55/two-euro-short-of-ux”>deny their consumers printer cables</a> forcing their customers to run back to the shops to buy an over priced glorified wire - just so they can actually use the product.</p>
<p>Sure, Apple sending a paperclip to their customer may have been a little overboard - <em>but I am seriously surprised the paperclip wasn’t pre-bent into shape</em> - Though failing to supply your new customer something as important as a USB cable for printers!?
The whole saga flashes me back to many Christmases ago, where I’d get score some awesome present from Santa but couldn’t play with it cause it didn’t come with batteries!</p>

<p>When you consider the amount of love Apple and other companies like <a href=”http://www.jawbone.com/”>Jawbone</a> or even <a href=”http://www.moo.com/”>Moo</a> put into their packaging its easy to see why their such desirable products.</p>

<p>So, here’s to sexy packaging! And companies ensuring UX both on and off the screen!</p>