Lady Geek

Linksys invited me to the unveiling of their new Wireless-G Broadband Router WRT54G2.  I went to the event with pretty low expectations, I mean how sexy can a router be?  Its not exactly like my PSP or my prized possession: my Internet radio.  In the hierarchy of technology, surely the router is at the low end with the cables and bits of kit that I know I have to own but don’t particularly want to think about?

The dream: Will customers fall in love with their networking technology? Might we feel the same about a router as we do a well-designed sofa?

Firstly, I was really impressed by the fact that Linksys are taking the female market seriously and want input from Lady Geeks and those who work in the field. Linksys have conducted some research and recognised that over half of all women with broadband have a wireless network and want a simpler way to connect all their technology together.  95% of women with a wireless network have a PC/laptop, 68% a digital music player, 52% a DVR/PVR, 50% a games console and 14% a digital photo frame. This company has realised that women are clearly no longer a niche market but the drivers of tomorrow’s growth.

Secondly, having always classed routers as ugly things with strange antennae to be hidden, I was really impressed by the look and feel of the new Linksys product.  It’s piano black, sleek, sophisticated and smooth to the human hand. Gone are the outlandish “cyberman” antennae and the garish colour-schemes. Linksys have gone for a minimal look: The rounded form has a set of LEDs that shine through the dark plastic and a simple button which when pressed automates the configuration of many devices.

In the press event Linksys made a big show of their bundled configuration software: EasyLink Advisor. Unfortunately I could not use it because it only supports Windows XP and vista. I have have a Linux based PC. Fortunately a call to a geek friend revealed an alternative setup method that required only a web-browser. Even without the helpful software it was pretty easy: Go to a web-page and fill in a form. After that, it just worked.

I was impressed with the attitude of the designer: He stated that ‘Technology has to exist on the same terms as furniture.’

It’s clear that Linksys are genuinely attempting to apply this philosophy to their product-design, however they do not apply this consistently: For example, the packaging is quite ordinary: It’s cluttered art-work and flimsy shrink-wrapped cardboard gave the impression of a product that does not stand out from the crowd. First impressions matter – and companies that focus exclusivly on the functional attributes of their products fail to make that impression.

This led me to ask some questions: Is technology equally or more important to women than the furnishings in their home?   Would women prefer to get a new HD TV than a new sofa?  Are we a nation of geek obsessed individuals who can’t think past their front door?  If in the 50s people defined their houses by the cars parked in the drive, is the naughties about whether you have a WIi or an Xbox?  Will there soon be more conversations about the type of router you should have rather than your choice of carpet?

The reality (for now) – The router’s design values are ruined by the fact that it’s permanent home is a dusty corner of my attic.

In light of these questions – have Linksys achieved their goal?

I think they are on the right track but will need to apply the principle of emotionalising the product right through from the packaging to the in store experience to the web-based configuration interface. It’s going to take a few more years of this kind of design refinement and a deeper understanding of women before router-manufacturers will have made a device that women will choose over a designer sofa.