My friend Ike on Twitter just now pointed out a blog entry about the new rollerball design of the Dyson vacuum cleaner, and the fact that a PR person from Dyson commented on the entry. It reminded me that upon seeing the commercial the other night, I let out a huge gasp (akin to the gasp precipitated by the MacBook Air commercial). “Oh, I want one of those!” I said. My husband replied, “But you don’t vacuum.” Good point, but I still want one.

Just so you don’t think my house is terminally filthy, I do have the luxury of paying someone to clean it (the result of some fuzzy logic on my part about how it saves us money). Anyway, the house is spotless and he doesn’t argue! But before I had this luxury, I toted my canister vacuum up and down stairs, tripped over it, knocked it over, and generally cursed at it, even though it did a great job and I do appreciate its engineering. (It’s an Electrolux, same as Mom had).

The point of the blog post, and why I gasped upon seeing the Dyson, is this:

Another great example is the TV spot for the new Dyson Ball vacuum where James Dyson demonstrates the “steering” problem with conventional vacuum cleaners due to their being on four wheels that are only able to roll forwards and backwards and then showing his solution, putting the vacuum cleaner on a ball so it can pivot on a dime.

…

As for the Dyson example, they’re taking the entire experience of using their vacuums very seriously - always looking for ways to improve and rethink them and then actually doing something with what they learn. How is it working for them? They’ve been cleaning house on the competition for some time now. (Bad pun intended.)

Good design wins because it takes user experience into account and acts on real research into user habits, preferences, and desires.

If my husband ever figures out that my logic isn’t quite so spot-on, I’m buying a Dyson. Although, that will cost more than the cleaning service.

As my friend Rebecca said when she saw I was on FaceBook, “welcome to the black hole of the internet.” Well, I guess it’s true. However, it’s pretty cool to connect to college, high school, and even elementary school friends you haven’t talked to in years. It’s also fun to see what they look like now, what their husbands/wives and babies look like, and what they’re up to.

I’ve been reading an interesting book given to me by another friend who’s on FaceBook too (and suggests I “super-poke” people…strange, last time I actually poked someone it didn’t go over so well). It’s called Surfing the Himalayas, and the Buddhist monk Master Fwap’s description of enlightment is oddly like the new world of the internet since joining FaceBook, Twitter, and several other cosmic bodies of cyberspace:

“‘Before you became enlightened,’ Master Fwap continued patiently, ‘the world appears to be three-dimensional, dull and boring. But in reality, the world is not three-dimensional, and if you are at all aware, it is anything but boring.

‘Life is composed of millions of dimensions. To an awakened mind, life and even the most repetitive tasks in daily living can never be dull and boring at all, because infinity exists in all things.’”

I have to admit that life seems to have a new dimension, because people I either never knew before, or haven’t seen in years, are now in the forefront of my mind. I’m also meeting new people and hearing about things around town that I might have never known. So far, it’s ok to be sucked into the black hole of the internet.

Because of our work with CapMed, Microsoft has chosen PointClear as a HealthVault Consultant (at the time of this writing, there are only four in the world, including us).

You can see the directory on Microsoft’s site here:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/healthvault/cc136753.aspx

How can we help you use Microsoft HealthVault to expand your business and build your brand with consumers?

Having been a teenager in the late 70’s and early 80’s in Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd was (still is) a staple in my music collection. I still have to resist the urge to yell Freebird at the end of any concert (even classical) and don’t tell anyone, but I still stand and put my hand over my heart when Sweet Home Alabama is played.

Imagine my surprise when a friend of mine sent me this version of Sweet Home Alabama. Enjoy

Peace

Keith