more beige

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Today's post about the brain-dead simple new Smart Cables from Michelin reminded me of my buddy Matt Hardigree's excellent Beige Bites Back series on Jalopnik.

I find myself torn on the issue of beige-ness. On the one hand, there is a strong business case for building the sort of mildly invisible / ruthlessly efficient appliances that the market demands in quantity. On the other, you find cars that require knowledge, attention, and (one might say) a bit of work to really get them down the road.

This principle applies to computers, cameras, and espresso machines, as well as cars. Some are fairly automatic, and easy to use for even the most lay of laymen, while others require a more informed touch - lest, something like this happen.

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DO YOU CONNECT THE "+" TO THE "-" OR THE "+" TO THE "+"

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I'm not really sure where any of this is going (still), but I don't think anyone else does, either.

That said, it may be that the future really does belong to the Soma addicts Prius drivers and iPad buyers, but I like to think there will still be some room for those people who like to tamp their own espresso on a copper-and-brass La San Marco, boot into Linux on a Sony PS3, and tune an orchestra of carburetors by ear ... but maybe there won't be.

If not that, maybe I'll be able to sip my Mc'Spresso and text about the good 'ol days while my automobot drives me to work in the mornings. That would be nice, too.