What’s In The Box
Thursday, September 20th 2007 | Ismael Ghalimi
As the specifications for the Redux Model 1 are converging toward something realistic, we are now thinking about the whole product, including documentation, packaging, software, and web services. Here is an introduction to packaging, and an overview of what you should find in the box when you receive your device.
The Redux Model 1 is a minimalist device, and its design philosophy should be reflected in the product’s packaging and the set of accessories that come with it. In a nutshell, anything that is not absolutely necessary should be avoided. Here is what the box should contain (optional keyboard sold separately):
- Tablet
- SD Card
- USB Cable
- Power Adapter
Following the best practices for product packaging set by Apple, the Tablet is what the user should see first when opening the box. It should be wrapped in clear plastic, or have its screen covered with a transparent removable sticker. Out of the box, the tablet’s battery should be fully charged, and the setting of options should be deferred to a later time, when the user feels she needs to change the tablet’s default settings. The tablet’s serial number should be laser engraved on it’s back for easy access.
Paper documentation should be avoided at all cost, unless it is a requirement for certification. If it is not, documentation should be uploaded onto an SD Card stowed in the tablet, thereby removing the need for any packaging for the SD Card itself. Documentation should be provided in plain HTML format, making it easy for it to be produced from a Wiki or equivalent content management system.
The USB cable should have a regular USB connector on one end, and a Mini USB connector on the other. Some have suggested the use of a retractable cable, but this option should be avoided in order to remove any movable part from the product. No spinning hard drive, no hinges, no retractable cable. This option is also significantly more cost effective, thereby offsetting the cost of the SD Card. The USB Cable should not have any tie wrap, but should instead come with the same kind of clear plastic holder used by Apple for its USB cables.
The power adapter should support the standard 100V - 240V input voltage range, have a replaceable outlet connector, be low profile, and use the USB cable to connect to the tablet. The best example of such a product is Apple’s USB Power Adapter. By default, the power adapter should come with a connector made for standard power outlets used in the U.S. An optional kit similar to the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit should be sold separately, at a later stage of the product’s commercialization.
The box itself should be made of dark gray cardboard produced from recycled paper. The Monolab logo and the product’s name should be embossed on the front of the box. The device’s serial number and any additional regulatory information should be printed on a sticker affixed to the back of the box. The box itself should be shrink-wrapped in clear plastic. The orientation of the shrink-wrapping’s seal should not matter. The box itself should be made of a single piece of cardboard folded without glue.
Padding should be made of dark gray foam produced from recycled materials, similar to the one used for the OQO model 02. Four rectangular pieces of foam should be used, layered on top of each other. All four pieces should have the same length and width as the inside length and width of the cardboard box, but should have different heights. Foam Piece #1 should have two rectangular inside cuts, one for the Power Adapter, and one for the USB Cable. Foam Piece #2 should have a round inside cut showing part of the Power Adapter underneath, and would be used to separate the tablet from the Power Adapter and USB Cable. A sticker could be affixed to Foam Piece #2 and display critical instructions related to the tablet’s first use. Foam Piece #3 should have a rectangular inside cut for the tablet. Foam Piece #4 should have no inside cut, and should be glued to the back of the cardboard box’s top cover.
The unboxing process should be as follows:
- Remove and discard cardboard box’s clear shrink-wrapping
- Open cardbox
- Remove tablet
- Remove and discard tablet’s clear wrap
- Read instructions for first use printed on sticker
- Remove Foam Piece #2 by sliding finger through round inside cut
- Remove Power Adapter
- Remove USB Cable
- Stowe Foam Piece #2 back into cardboard box
- Close cardboard box and keep for (unlikely) product return
- Turn Redux Model 1 on
- Enjoy!
Next: software and web services…
Entry filed under: Office 2.0
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Ismael,
Might I suggest a tight fitting bag made of some a soft material for protection? It should not be too bulky or you will lose the benefit of the slimline design. Have you considered color? Black and white seem to have been done to death, but I might go for a dark blue myself.
You might want to consider some innovation on the power supply, I find that I have many supplies, each with cables that just get tangled together. My suggestion would be a cable spool that allowed you to wind both the mains and the DC cables at the same time into a cassette arrangement. It could be part of the power adapter perhaps, or separate and plug into the power adapter. Probably too expensive though.
Cheers
-Bob
Bob,
Regarding the protection cover for the device, we have deviced not to develop any, much like Apple does, and leave it to third party providers to do it. Users have too many conflicting requirements for these, not to mention different tastes for materials and colors, and we cannot provide something that would match the needs and expectations of a large enough group.
Regarding cables, keep in mind that the USB cable we will provide is used to charge the device itself, much like you do with an iPhone. All you need is one cable, and you could use any Mini USB cable for doing so. There are many retractable cables you could buy to make it easier to carry around if you want to. But for our design, we want to keep it as simple as possible, and innovate only where it truly matters: at the form factor level, and maybe a little bit at the web service level.
Best regards
-Ismael
It is very interesting to see this device take shape right before our eyes. However, I would like to be reminded of the purpose of the device. At this point, it’s difficult for me to visualize exactly what it is you’re thinking of. A small screen device (like an iPod Touch) and a larger screen device for output (like a Sony Reader) merged in some hopefully elegant way.
But I was wondering if you could remind me of the purpose of the device, or exactly what you expect it to do. I mean, it seems there are several devices out there that already meet the need for connectivity, viewability, usability, etc. You mentioned the HTC Advantage and the OQO model 2. And what about a UMPC? Aren’t those devices at least close enough to meet the needs you had in mind? I realize the OQO is expensive, so since cost is a factor, that would be out. But it seems a huge step to design and manufacture (right down to the power supply and packaging) a device that does what it seems other devices may already do. Put some very good software (à la Etelos) behind some currently available devices, and I think you have a winner.
So, please point me to where you listed the things you expect out of this device. What is its purpose, and how do you see it being used, what functions would it provide that other devices can not? I’m sorry I haven’t read everything here, so if you’ve already answered these questions, please just point me to the right spot.
Thanks,
-John
PS. I appreciate your thought process on this project and hope to continue to follow your progress on this device, wherever its evolution should take you!
John,
This page gives a good overview.
As you already pointed out, the use case for the device is very much a work in progress. I have some intuitions, but they need to be refined. Nevertheless, here are some elements that make the device unique.
Unlike the OQO or a UMPC, it’s built around a mobile phone platform, not around a computer platform. In essence, it’s an oversized mobile phone, not a downsized laptop computer. As a result, it’s a lot cheaper to manufacture (at least half the cost of a UMPC), and should provide significantly longer battery life.
Size and weight also matter. The device should be half as thick and half as heavy as your typical UMPC. As a result, portability will be significantly improved, making many use cases more practical.
All that being said, keep in mind that experimentation is the whole point of the exercise. We’re designing a unique form factor on purpose, and it might very well fail, falling in between two already successful form factors (mobile phone and laptop computer), never finding its killer use case scenario. That is a likely outcome, and we’re willing to take the risk. Also, the project itself is interesting. This is the first time we get to build our own piece of hardware, and this is downright cool. It’s all about the journey…
Best regards
-Ismael
Ismael,
Enough with the plastic on plastic on plastic! Is there any valid reason to shrink wrap the device if it’s enclosed in foam and has a screen protector on it already? I appreciate that you’re trying to limit the environmental impact of the packaging through online documentation, recycled materials and glue elimination, but why not seek to reduce/eliminate the plastic as well?
Matthew,
You’re right, reducing the use of packaging materials is definitely one of our goals. Here is what we are planning to use so far: screen protector for the device itself, foam pieces for protecting against shocks during transport, and shrink-wrapping plastic for protecting the cardboard box, which many people will want to keep. I do not see how we can get rid of any of these. Do you?
-Ismael
Ismael,
I think you’ve outlined the bare minimum now. Thought you had a couple extra layers of shrink wrap in there for some reason.
Matt,
Good to hear, we really tried hard to get rid of anything unnecessary.
-Ismael
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