The Future of Connected Devices Will Enhance Our User Experience 

Everyone born after 1980 is rather familiar with the basics of technology. We have come to hope that anything that needs to be controlled to come with a wireless remote. We have grown to expect information to be available, concise and clear at all times. It has been put into our heads that "there's an app for that" for everything and although it may not be entirely true at the moment, technology gives marketers and engineers the opportunity to solve problems that have yet to be solved. (Sena, 2013) 

Why is connected devices so interesting? Peter Sena says, "Connected devices allow any object to become smart by communicating with one another in ways that will make the end users life simpler, more informed and thus better." The future of connected devices can better businesses by providing an opportunity for brands to stake their claim in the future of user perception. This allows users to gather more information about a company's product while creating a brand experience. (Sena, 2013) In the article, "Connected Devices and the Future of User Experience" Peter Sena lists ways users experiences can be enhanced with a product, they are as follows: 

• Imagine a motorized mirror and a camera on top of a sunglasses case that could tilt itself automatically so someone trying on glasses could see their reflection without bending over. 
• How about a virtual model that sees you looking at them and smiles back at you? And, what if the lighting around the product changes to a warm colour encouraging you to buy the product? That's friendlier than going home and buying it on Amazon.
• What if people could signal a department store sales associate their location, the product to try on and their size, all without ever downloading an app? One-click happiness. 

Simply, devices communicate with one another through WIFI (wireless internet), bluetooth (radio technology) and NFC (near field communication). Below is an example of connected devices used by a team from Digital Surgeons marketing agency, demonstrating the game of Pong by using their phones as controllers. 

They demonstrate this game by using three simultaneously connected devices: a laptop and two smartphones. The laptop is directed to a page that contains the game board and once a mobile phone is connected the player can choose which paddle they would like to control. Players control their paddles by swiping their thumb up and down on their phone screen. The movements of the player's is captured and relayed to the game board through the socket server. 

Other examples of connected devices are: 

• Nikes Fuel Band
• CamelBak's Thirst Application
• Philips & the HUE Lighting System

So where does the connected future stand? The development of connectivity between devices has opened many doors for businesses and marketers. Through our mobile phones we are able to experience a whole new world of products, brands, and the overall experience of retail therapy. Peter Sena states, "In the end of it all, the brands that focus on transparency, values and delivering a better end-to-end experience will be the ones that win." (Sena, 2013) He is right. 

References

Pong demo with phones as controllers via nodejs. (2013, Novemeber 27). Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/77638491

Sena, P. (2013, November 19). Connected devices and the future of user experience. Retrieved from http://www.agencypost.com/connected-devices-and-the-future-of-user-experience/

By: Ashley Couto