I tried my first series of observations during my morning commute to ITP on September 14. After our discussion of the observation assignment in class on 9/20, I discovered I had been going about the observations incorrectly. The focus was supposed to be observation — not interpretations.
Here is what I saw during my observations
- 2 iPods
- 1 mobile device user browsing emails
- one tablet PC user (me) observing others
- EZ pass readers wirelessly collecting tolls from cars, trucks, buses going into the Lincoln tunnel — this is transparent technology
- GPS system in a Lexus SUV
- cell phones on the bus (making calls, playing games)
- many cell phone users in cars holding their phones and talking
- Toll-taker at the Lincoln Tunnel toll plaza grooving to his iPod
Once in Manhattan and on the A train, I encountered many more iPods and other personal audio devices: almost half of the riders were wearing earbuds of some sort.
It seemed that everyone was isolated from everyone else.
One lady who boarded the train after me thumbed her Blackberry nervously for about 3 minutes.