Skins SA: making your device a true extension of yourself
You know that anxiety you have when you think you've lost your phone or laptop? That quick nanosecond when the world seems to stop and you just go "oh no!" in your head? That very moment is indicative of the dependency we have on our devices in 2017. I do not share the pessimism of being reliant on devices, as my father does, being that I am a Computer Science major. Technology has been a major part of my life. I have grown up with the internet, and as such my lifetime can be expressed succinctly using a selection of memes and viral videos - something which aptly represents the globalized world we now live in.
When I first heard someone describe a device as an "extension" to oneself, it admittedly sent a shiver down my spine. It is a an eerie thought. One which immediately makes me think of vivid Sci-Fi's like iRobot, Ex Machina and Her. As the years have passed, however, I understand the sentiment. Your device is no less (and no more) an extension of yourself as is your wallet, your shoes or your hat. All of these items are merely replaceable and redundant trinkets in a world where there are things that matter far more.
Don't worry. You didn't click on the wrong post. This is about a company, Skins SA, in Durban who are offering stickers to personalize your device. There are fancy diamond finish options or plain neon colors, and you can apply them on everything from your smartphone to your tablet or MacBook. I was fortunate enough to tag along with my girlfriend who opted to cover her smartphone at their branch in Umhlanga, and you can see the pictures of how that came out below. The owner is a great guy, was really friendly and covered her smartphone quite quickly. I myself purchased their R120 adapter for the iPhone 7 (since Apple made the decision that nobody would need to listen to music and charge their phone simultaneously). But when I sat at my laptop to write this piece, I thought to myself, what exactly are Skins SA selling us? You see, there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of your devices as they are right now. You're still going to use it the same. By adding a sticker to it, it's not going to bring you any more joy or happiness, and it's certainly not going to prevent you from getting the next iPhone. No chance.
What Skins SA are in fact selling you is a reminder. A reminder that in a world with over 7 billion people, where people have the same phone from the same damn fruit company, where everyone watches videos on the same website, and listens to music from the same 5 artists, and wears clothing designed by the same few people, whilst driving in a car driven by hundreds of thousands across the globe, that you are not, and should not be like everyone else. You were born you. And whilst you are on the same planet as the rest of us, and we're all using the same products day in and day out, you can still be you.
When I first heard someone describe a device as an "extension" to oneself, it admittedly sent a shiver down my spine. It is a an eerie thought. One which immediately makes me think of vivid Sci-Fi's like iRobot, Ex Machina and Her. As the years have passed, however, I understand the sentiment. Your device is no less (and no more) an extension of yourself as is your wallet, your shoes or your hat. All of these items are merely replaceable and redundant trinkets in a world where there are things that matter far more.
Don't worry. You didn't click on the wrong post. This is about a company, Skins SA, in Durban who are offering stickers to personalize your device. There are fancy diamond finish options or plain neon colors, and you can apply them on everything from your smartphone to your tablet or MacBook. I was fortunate enough to tag along with my girlfriend who opted to cover her smartphone at their branch in Umhlanga, and you can see the pictures of how that came out below. The owner is a great guy, was really friendly and covered her smartphone quite quickly. I myself purchased their R120 adapter for the iPhone 7 (since Apple made the decision that nobody would need to listen to music and charge their phone simultaneously). But when I sat at my laptop to write this piece, I thought to myself, what exactly are Skins SA selling us? You see, there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of your devices as they are right now. You're still going to use it the same. By adding a sticker to it, it's not going to bring you any more joy or happiness, and it's certainly not going to prevent you from getting the next iPhone. No chance.
What Skins SA are in fact selling you is a reminder. A reminder that in a world with over 7 billion people, where people have the same phone from the same damn fruit company, where everyone watches videos on the same website, and listens to music from the same 5 artists, and wears clothing designed by the same few people, whilst driving in a car driven by hundreds of thousands across the globe, that you are not, and should not be like everyone else. You were born you. And whilst you are on the same planet as the rest of us, and we're all using the same products day in and day out, you can still be you.
Comments
Post a Comment