Here’s my personal nightmare as a reviewer of personal technology: I wake up one morning to discover the most important thing about new computers, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and mobile phones is what color they are.
I write about geeky stuff–megabytes and data rates and detailed cost-benefit comparisons, what industry insiders call “speeds and feeds.”
I’m woefully unprepared to become an Information Age fashion writer, picking out hot design trends and commenting on whether curves or straight lines will look better in next year’s spring PC line.
So you’ll understand why the whole idea of Sony Liv makes me nervous.
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Sony recently made a deal to develop a product line exclusively for Target Stores, the first time Sony has entered such an arrangement with a single retailer. The line made its debut in early May.
Liv (pronounced the same way as the first names of actresses Liv Tyler and Liv Ullmann) offers nine products, mostly in the realm of personal audio, priced at $19.99 to $149.99. There are several portable radios, tabletop radio-CD players and a universal remote control.
All the Liv products are adaptations of existing Sony products, sharing the same basic design and model numbers. The only differences are the color scheme–Liv features what Target calls “a fresh shade of white, highlighted with cool lime and silver”–and the packaging.
This forces me to explore my softer side and ask: How much does color matter in consumer electronics?
The answer: More than I realized.
Sony Liv works because the color scheme is aimed at Target’s core market of female shoppers ages 25 to 45.
“Sony Liv was created as a fashionable alternative to traditional home electronics,” said Steve Eastman, a merchandising executive at Minneapolis-based Target, in a March 25 news release announcing the new line.
The advertising slogan for Sony Liv explains what Eastman is talking about: “Created to complement–not clash with–your decor.”
Consumer electronics are typically designed to stand out, with bright colors and garish design elements, intended for buyers who want to make a statement about who they are through what they buy.
What many of us want, however, are products that blend in. The best design, in other words, is the one that attracts the least attention.
Sony Liv’s elegant colors make that subtle transformation.
I still don’t claim to be an expert on product design, but I feel I’ve learned some things from contemplating Liv.
First, it’s not a one-size-fits-all world.
Second, as digital technology becomes more common in every aspect of our lives, design considerations will become more important than engineering specs. So the technical issues I write about will be less crucial.