What makes a power user?
 

So I'm a bit ignorant about the mobile phone industry. So Im trying to figure out what makes a power user. I figure it is some that lives and breaths with their phone. BUT I would like to get more precise. Like does it include:

• The 16yo who sends 100 sms's, plays games and listens to music all day?
• The corporate lackey who talks for 4hr / day, does email and schedules meetings etc.
• The techy who like to code on their device

We use this terminology all the time but im curious what it really means. cos imho they are all "power users" in different ways, and the first example is probably the most intense user out of the group, but, i think we often forget about him.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Let's not overcomplicate things :D

Power user is generally a person who knows everything there is to know about the device and makes good use of the features.

Obviously the power users of Nokia candy bar phones (the old, non ip-friendly model) were different than the future power users of the N900.

The N900 will redefine the term power users. They'll finally be able to code the kitchen sink accessory for their phones and write scripts to make 'em sandwiches.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Is that realistic, it will take power users from being 10-20% of potential users to being maybe 1%? When I get my n900 in a few weeks will I never be able to be a power user because i can't / don't code my own apps?

:eek:

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Techniclally, the answer to that question is "marketing."

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Eactly as Ysss said, its a ever-changing term - what power user today will definitely be different from tomorrow technology.

And its really a subjective term - I hardly think you can strictly define it.
But just understanding the full potential of your device and using it to the hilt would be what a power user does (unlike say using a phone to shoot photos only or phoning with a camera.)

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Term definition is fun!

But yeah, "power user" can mean many things in many contexts. There are power users of particular hardware or software, and then there are those of us who cross great technological chasms in order to know a lot about many things.

We scoff at the pitiful term "power users" though, and at any attempts to place us into boxes. There are no words to describe us. :p :D

Re: What makes a power user?
 

A power user: one who uses electricity or gas.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

I think it means someone that heavily relies on multiple features of a particular device, and maybe one or two not so obvious features of that device. The general concensus would probably be the users that are early adopters of new features and those that develop new use cases for these devices.

The power users of the PC in the 90's is the power user of the smart device today.

Honestly, though, there will be a new segment created by this device. The power user doesn't apply to the devs. I'd consider them the trailblazers and mavericks of the market. (I prefer Mavericks myself. GO DIRK!!) The "tinkerers" will be a new market, and the N900 is the only game in town. All other devices need another device for making apps, but not this one.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Agreed. Though I traditionally think of power users as users who use the device in ways the company designing it never designed or thought it could do. So even with the n900 there would be people who expand the n900 past what most people think it could do and people that follow said people expanding the path.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

I already can't wait for the first over-clocked n900 ;)

Re: What makes a power user?
 

I'd say it's also someone (like me), who isn't afraid to approach the command line, so long as all of the instructions are there.

Tim

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Wouldn't the "Power User" be writing the instructions you follow?

Or would that be a "guru" writing them?

Re: What makes a power user?
 

i was little confused about the thread where theres a poll about who the n900 is for b/c i found it hard to seperate a techie and power user.
people would think a techie is more capable than a power user but i dont think so i've heard lot of techie ppl and read lot of techie blogs give misinformation on numberous occasions and wont acknowledge it.
a power user to me is some one who knows it all about there product of choice and is willing to go that step further to try something different with it.
a techie is some one who just thinks they know it all about everything but in reality know very little.
just my opinion from past experience mixing it with both kinds of users and a big reason why i prefer reading articles from people like symbianguru who started out as power users

Re: What makes a power user?
 

I'd say a guru would be writing the instructions. The power user is gullible (er, brave) enough to follow them. ;)

Tim

Re: What makes a power user?
 

Haha as long as it's not a "rm" command. =P

Re: What makes a power user?
 

NvyUs, I think the power user is just that: a user. I'm no developer, but have become savvy with tech because of my extensive tech usage.

Real techies are the guys running the IT dept, writing your apps, and hacking your Speak and Spell to make it talk like T-Pain.

Re: What makes a power user?
 

To me power users are those willing to squeeze the power of the stuff they are using. People ready to go beyond the user manual and the official marketing.

Finding peers to get help, discuss and help others is basically a consequence of the above.

Developers are usually power users as well, but I don't expect a power user to have developer skills automatically. Not at all.