everyday six-million dollar men and bionic women?
So a few days ago I saw a Saturday night live skit, where they were impersonating Steve Jobs as he was introducing the newest i-pod. He first pulled out the i-pod nano, but then he was like wait! That’s old news! Introducing the new just released i-pod micro! And then he pulled out another one and he was like “but forget that, here’s the new i-pod released 5 seconds from now! The i-pod invisible!” Well, besides the obvious comedy, this skit really made me think about howo true this is. Apple has been releasing new ipods like crazy, and just by counting I can think of 7 different kind of ipods…
So, I started thinking about the social implications of the shrinking ipods. Clearly, it’s more desireable to have the latest, smaller ipod, but what could happen if ipods become so small, you couldn’t tell that it was there? Would it be as cool? What could happen if ipods got so small, they could be implanted in your cochlea? You wouldn’t see hundreds of college students walking around campus with the telltale white headphones. However, this could also cause serious traffic problems…i.e. me on my scooter ringing my bell like a madwoman trying to get the person in front of me to move so I don’t run them over…however, they would be listenining to the cool jams. And what would happen with kids who are being lectured to by their parents, and instead of listening intently and feeling bad for what they have done, they are rocking out to the latest n’sync pop hit..?
The ipod has definitely become a symbol of social status in today’s world. Without an ipod, you’re out of the loop, to a degree. Even apple’s signature white headphones serve as a way to communicate to those who see you that you have an ipod, not an inferior music player. The shuffle and the nano are often worn proudly around the neck, especially in asian countries.
Would in-body devices, or smaller devices (such as earrings that play music) be as popular? The same attribute that would make them desirable, (their inconspicuousness), could also ultimately deter buyers. You can’t make a social statement with something that is unseen. However, for those living in large urban settings, like New York (where there has been a rash of subway ipod thefts), this could be an ideal investment.
I guess this same sentiment could be applied to may of today’s technologies. Smaller cell phones, smaller computers, eventually everything could be implanted in our bodies and we really would be the bionic, million dollar men. Could these improvements to the human body create less of a social hierarchy? Less greed? Or would these advancements simply not be possible, as their being would not promote future sales via user advertising?
Personally, I think that there would not be enough sales of technology like the ipod with out the high visability and recognition of the product. What do you think?
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