Emerging Tech: November 2007 Archives

Despite some misgivings, I was still almost excited about the Chumby project. But when one arrived this morning at Organic, and we gleefully ripped open the packaging [cue montage of kids in a candy store on Christmas]... that excitement pretty much faded to complete disappointment.

The device is chunky - like a little, ugly, bloated change-purse. The material seems cheap. The LCD is lack-luster. The touch-screen is trash. In a weak attempt at customization, a few 'chumby charms' are included in the package - which can be attached to a metal stud on the side of the device.

As a ubiquitous device, the chumby fails miserably - tied to a power-outlet. The sheer size of the thing is a limit on its mobility. And it feels so goddamn out of place in pretty much every setting... with the exception of a child's playroom.

I felt the future of ubicomp crashing down into a pit of sharks...

...and then I pulled out my iPhone to check my email.