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Comment by currysausage | Hacker News Reader

> The first 40! seconds of the video didn't show the product in action

Same about the microsite: "We believe hands can do amazing things. What will you do with yours?" - So what is the site about? I scroll down one screen - "Blending the physical and digital worlds that you live in, Sprout unleashes your creativity like never before." - I still got no idea, it's just marketing gibberish.

The visual design is certainly beautiful, but there's a lesson: First of all, tell me what the site is about!

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??! There are pictures. I came here first, saw your comment, then looked at the site and had not trouble understanding the product or principle of operation just by looking at it.

Obviously that's no help to blond people who would prefer text, but in fairness they're highly unlikely to use such a product anyway.

> ??! There are pictures.

On screen no. 1, there's a picture of sunlight shining through somebody's hand.

On screen no. 2, there might as well be a picture of an iPad with a fancy case.

On screen no. 3, I see that this machine can be operated in desktop mode, but I still know nothing about what makes it special. Is it an Android tablet with an innovative desktop stand?

On screen no. 4, there is a matrix of six little images; two of them finally (and way too late) let me guess the mode of operation.

On screen no. 5, there finally is a clear view of the machine.

> who would prefer text

This is not about text vs. pictures. What I'm saying is that if you try to advertise a new kind of product to me, you should just go ahead and tell/show me what the point is. When you have done that, show me pictures of sunlight and trees (if you think that's necessary).

I guess I infer things differently from you...

1: a hand, text about creativity, so it's something I can manipulate?

2: it's an electronic device of some kind.

3: it's a computer with some sort of tray instead of a keyboard...?

4: (small pictures of people) oh, that's a second screen of some sort, it looks like there's touchscreen action going on with both screens, and it's some sort of projector?

5: OK, it's definitely some sort of a second screen, that looks like a board game so I suppose it must be interactive and the thing on top is a camera or something

6: Some hipsters I am supposed to identify with but I don't care

7: that top thing looks more elaborate than just a projecter, looks like a Kinect so it's probably a camera and/or motion detector

8: it's on sale now plus that's a pen so it must have pretty decent resolution on the lower part, maybe it's also a tablet

9: Accessories, oh it's called a 'touch mat'

10: I can 'grab' and 'mash' things? OK it's definitely got a camera in it then.

All I did was scroll, without clicking on the alternative buttons or + buttons (which turn out to have specs, now that I have tried them).

I found it perfectly simple to work out what was going just on the first look. Personally I am OK with having my curiosity stimulated. The 'Tour' thing (in the second section of the page) is self-explanatory, had I clicked on that first.

You shouldn't have to infer anything for a new product being announced. This is shoddy marketing on HPs part and makes me feel like they have something to hide. Definitely not tempted to buy this.

Initially, I tried to see how stereotypes about blondes related to what you were saying and then I realized you meant "blind people."

Oops, hehe. In my defense, I am in fact blonde.

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