WhatGordonSaw: January 2012

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Virtual Subway Station Shopping (from Tesco/Samsung JV)

This is a new concept launched by Home Plus Korea (joint venture between Samsung and Tesco). Products are displayed in public places with QR codes beside, shoppers simply scan what they want with their smartphone, and then choose a delivery time direct to their home. The scheme was originally trialled on a small scale but has recently expanded to many locations around the city, the concept has also won some awards and been recognised around the world for its creativity and boundary-breaking strategy. You have to wait for trains, you can now use that time to do the shopping, the layout enhances the user experience that is already delivered online as items are shown in real size and side by side.

I love it. But have yet to try it.

Poem on a window.

Gapyeong Makkeolli, Korean Rice Wine

Heineken- "Brewed wite NatuReal Ingredients"

Sock Vending Machine ($5 per pair)

"Hongdae Hors d'oeuvres" a.k.a. processed cheese on crackers served on kitchen roll

Friday, 13 January 2012

Toilet Technology

This is an automatic toilet that I found in my hotel at the Vivaldi Park Ski Resort, as you can see there are almost 20 different controls. I think the integration of technology to clean and dry you on the toilet is a good thing, however the application must be simple. I find this control module and the functions it offers much too complicated- whilst the toilet the can do much more than an average toilet perhaps the user's utility diminishes as they are confused and bewildered or worse still given a sudden surprise from down below! (also it is not just a language barrier because I asked a Korean friend about the labels) New technology should not make a simple procedure more complicated it should do the opposite or offer some kind of new function of equal complexity.