Market research shows time is the No. 1 pressure in people's lives today, says WestWayne's Johnson. Yet many keep the dark secret that their gadgets are wasting theirs. It is not macho to admit one can program only a single speed-dial number into the deluxe new phone, or that when the laptop freezes, they shut it off. Rather than complaining to manufacturers, we adjust to the difficulty. We live with short battery life.
Frustration can ensue from the most obvious design flaws.
The PowerBook G4's stylish titanium case transfers heat from the microprocessor to the human thigh. Sometimes annoyance comes with an excess of riches. When Jeff Hawkins invented the PalmPilot, he envisioned a handheld computer that could read script. He vowed to keep it simple. It fits comfortably in the hand.