Marshall wrote:The extra design and fabrication costs would probably have been earned back in won-over-spouse sales.
I've been involved in the design and launch of a number of software products. Letting your hard work into the wild to be judged by thoughtless critics who have no appreciation of the effort poured into its creation isn't pleasant. But costs mount every day that the product remains in development and market windows don't stay open forever. From what I've seen, it's clear Bill et al made the right choices given the constraints.
As for the bank-of-buttons versus an alternative, I think the paddle has an irresistible "push here" attraction. Paul Pratt tricked his out for the SCAA show:
Is it real, or is it Photoshop? (flickr)Nick wrote:The sort of ergonomic design that Kehny is talking about isn't something that any machine manufacturer that I can think of has really attempted.
Really? I thought Elektra did a pretty nice job of combining function and looks, as noted in my research notes from the
Buyer's Guide to the Elektra A3, excerpted below:
HB wrote:The big appeal of E61-type lever machines is the coolness. I jokingly refer to this as
THE REALLY BIG BUTTON factor. But for an E61, it is functional and cool at the same time. Returning to the A3, note its brew activation lever:
When I saw the teenie-tiny picture from the Elektra website, I wondered what the heck the cam lever was doing way up high on the grouphead. Once I had it in-house and the covers off, I saw the bare truth:
IT'S A REALLY BIG LEVER THAT DOESN'T DO MUCH OF ANYTHINGNote: You should click the first link of this entry to get the joke.My mind reeled at the ways I would chide Elektra for creating such an elaborate way of a pushing a button. I mean
puh-leez, a six inch woodgrain handle to flick a microswitch? Can you say "a little over the top"?
However, keeping an open mind is a key part of writing a quality review, so I mentally moved on and gave no further thought to its prominent protuberance. Ironically my wife commented later the same day, "Hey, I really like those woodgrain knobs and levers. It's much prettier than Junior."
Granted, she's bigger and unquestionably more stylish.
To the point of today's entry: Pretty as the fancy lever is, it ain't just for show. Somebody at Elektra thought to position it near the steam toggle switch and align it such that your hand is naturally
right next to it when steaming. Flipping the lever down / flicking the switch of most machines to cut off the pump requires you reach away from where you're focusing while frothing. That's miffed me more than once when I've accidentally injected a splotch of big bubbles.
Not with the A3. Your hand is nary an inch away. Flick one, pump off. Flick two, steam off. Thunk and pour. Big Elektra Lever, today you earned yourself a "good idea" emoticon!
I thought the Synesso's "big switches" served the same purpose, but I don't have enough time with the machine to have an opinion on how effective its layout works. At least the Synesso's steam switch isn't
directly beneath the steam arm.
jrtatl wrote:If I may: What is going on in Atlanta in September? I live in " 'lana" (as the locals say) and am just curious.
I don't follow Nick's comment either, but I think he's referring to the SERBC. Last I looked, the calendar on the SCAA didn't mention it. There was talk of holding it in Atlanta, not Chapel Hill (NC). If the competition is held in Atlanta, it's a great excuse to go on a roadtrip and crash Bob Roseman's place.
by Marshall on Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:33 pm 
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