BERG has come out with two more "alternative futures" videos, once again made with Dentsu London and Timo Arnall.
I've been struggling to put into words what I feel and think when I see these visions. I see this as all about ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) or calm computing.
When folks spoke about ubicomp (I remember talking about it back in the 90s) it focused on the computer, the devices, the data, and how it would interface with people. And one theme was that "computing" would recede into the background.
But these videos are much more – much more current with how we use machines and our expectations of how to interact with them and the world. Today, computing and devices are as hum-drum as a newspaper or magazine, no more wondrous than a chair we sit in. All that was ubicomp has finally receded into the mundane.
In Incidental Media (video below) and Media Surfaces: The Journey the focus is on the peripheral (ambient?) "calmness" of information presentation, with a bit of play worked in. Surfaces (printed and digital) become a part of the landscape, much like clouds or smells that provide information should you turn your attention to them.
One key thing that I'd also like to point out is that all this information or activity is modest – it's as smart as a puppy and isn't meant to be a smidgeoun smarter.
What did you think of when you saw these videos?
Video: Incidental Media
And, I got to say I chuckled a few times when I saw some of the names in the videos and that Finnish coaster. Nice touches for those who know. 🙂
