The new “getting started” with gadgets

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by on January 11, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Eric Friedman

Getting started with gadgets has changed.  It used to be that each electronic gizmo, phone, or device required a quick registration and understanding of their proprietary system.

Now however, you are greeted with ever familiar OAuth prompts for services you probably already have an account with.  This happens with more than just web services.  Unboxing a new TV you are asked to install widgets for Facebook and Twitter.  Setting up a digital picture frame you are asked to OAuth with Flickr.  Certain sites and web services can even benefit from handshaking with foursquare too.

This is somewhat of a realization of BizDev 2.0, showing that the openness of these APIs is making life easier for first time customers.

Even in the latest iPhone, there is a deep iOS 5 Twitter integration, that makes for sharing to that service very easy.  Creating a prompt from photos and more gives you easy access to an already established social network that you want to share to anyway.  Some may think this means that the kings are decided in this arena, but I think that is hardly the case.  Folks like Twitter may have a stronger foothold, but there will always be room for people to break out beyond the constraints of the social networks of today.

Back to my original thought, getting started with gadgets, you now have a much higher chance of an interconnected device.  The so called “internet of things” is coming, highlighted most recently by Twine raising over 500K on Kickstarter.

This shows a world of interconnected devices, that starts with the initial OAuth handshake.

Do you think you will be able to have a device in the future that doesn’t require a sign in?

Posted by Eric Friedman on January 11, 2012

http://www.ericgfriedman.com/2012/01/11/the-new-getting-started-with-gadgets/

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  • http://www.startupdispatch.com/ Puranjay

    We’ll move to a future where sign-ins should be passive. A device should be able to detect your proximity (say, a powerful camera zooms in on your retina from afar, or some other sci-fi technology) and log you in automatically. I expect my refrigerator to greet me by name and depending on the time of the day, pour a favorite drink. I expect my TV to do the same.

    Ten years down the line, the technology landscape should look vastly different. You can’t bet against it. In 2001, our most gorgeous game was Quake III, we still used fixed line phones, AOL was still selling dial up internet, and this (or any) blog didn’t exist. It’s anybody’s guess what’ll happen in 2021

  • http://www.marketing.fm Anonymous

    Its a good point. I think the transition will be much slower than we think, but these ubiquitous identity services are a first step. I think your fridge example may be brought to life via something like a Facebook card (or something similar)