nano-chromatic

I was browsing the internets the other day when I happened upon the news that Nintendo’s releasing in Japan. They look pretty fantastic (I’m especially diggin’ on that yellow one).

The video reminded me how much I love the smurf blue DSi. It kinda reflects my odd taste, and I dig that. Sadly the digital tool that reflects my odd digital tastes the most is boring on the outside. My smartphone. The 2010 smartphone is a decidedly black, white, and grey affair. Well consider this my call to arms. For color. My call for color if you will (clever, right?).

Apple, Google, HPalm – will someone, somewhere PLEASE build a serious smartphone in some damn colors. Color doesn’t limit functionality or reception (although apparently covering your hand over an antenna does). Color isn’t inherently immature or non-technical. So why are we stuck with monochromatic portable gadgets? It’s problem is so bad that a company named Colorware has created a highly lucrative (and insanely pricey) business out of simply COLORING the pieces of our digital culture.

win-pictures-gameboy-color

All gadgets should come in clear purple (Nintendo called it “Atomic Purple,” which is also awesome)
Portable gamers are used to having a glut of color options available for their perusal. Since the very early days of the industry handheld gaming systems have tended to come in a rainbow of colors. Other gadgets have had their flirtations with color as well. Nokia did it (albeit with faceplates) with their popular phones in the early 00s. Apple did it with their original iBook (fair disclosure… I owned one… and yes it looked like a clamshell mated with a purse… but a colorful one!). Heck, they created a whole campaign about it with their nano-chromatic line of iPod nanos. So why do we live in a world of black and white now?

Apple is the most egregious violator in my eyes – if only because they’ve got a well documented history of being a leader in color. It started with that (still superior) colorful Apple logo. It continued with the delightfully colorful iMacs. When the whole nano-chromatic iPod nano hit, I figured Apple was just continue their conquest of color. But then the iPhone 3G came out… in black and white. And the iPhone 3GS came out… in black and white. And the iPhone 4 was announced… in black and white. Except that it’s only available in black until late July. You’ve got to be kidding me, Apple.

call for color

Maybe it’s because glass only comes in black and white

Look, I understand the economics are a bit wonky and it’s tough to stock all those colors of the same product. Why not just follow gaming’s example? Both the PSP and the DS always come out with only a couple of colors at first. Usually black and/or white are one of them and there’s another crazier color in the mix. Then, as the platform begins to lose a bit of steam, release some more colors (usually along gender lines) and BOOM – more sales. It’s a tactic Nintendo has used again and again to much success over the past two decades. Check Nintendo’s balance sheet – I promise you – the tactic works.

In a world where the Gulf of Mexico is being turned black (or brown if it’s been *ahem* “chemically dispersed”) – the last thing we need is LESS color. So consider this my Chromatic Call:

Smartphone manufacturers release us from the bonds of black and white and grey and silver. Not only do we deserve mini-computers in our pockets that enable us to Yelp that mediocre phở we just had in Wicker Park. We deserve to do so in COLORS, dammit.

 

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