VICTOR CHU DESIGNER

Scout Electromedia

2000, 1999

SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK

modo

Victor lead the conceptual design direction for the device product design working closely with IDEO’s industrial design, materials and color teams. He also created the "Characters" content feature, and the packaging experience design.

The Design Objective: A sexy, fashion-technology device that provides nightlife information and advertising to urban hipsters in New York, LA, SF and Chicago. Modo was the first wireless lifestyle entertainment content device.

Cultural & Tech Context, 1999 to 2000: The most fashionable cell phone was the tiny Motorola V. The V phone featured a small black and white LCD display with a pull out antennae. No wired headsets, no SMS text messaging, just phone calls and voicemail. And up to 100 phone numbers. In 1999, the first BlackBerry was introduced as a black and white two way pager, three years before its debut as the first mobile email device in 2002. Google was a blank search page with an input field created by Stanford students. The urban hipster was a large unofficial, young and influential marketing demographic. Handbags and heels were accessories and not luxuries. Jigga was the king of NY and Shephard Fairey just moved to LA.

The nightlife Handheld

Your handheld mobile device defines who you are and what you do. Modo is your cure for what to do and where to be. When checking for the next party to bounce to, modo's shell illuminates and glows, attracting attention in dark clubs, bars and restaurants. Modo’s form is handy and natural. Its silicone cover strap provides full cover. While the optional thong strap is perfectly casual. Modo comes freshly sealed in a single serving pill pack. The anti-packaging unpacking experience is designed for your life in the city, pick it up at Virgin Mega for only $100, peel back the vacuum sealed foil, turn on and receive the latest nightlife info instantly.

Digital Characters

Before blogging, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, there was modo's "Characters" broadcast. Each city had its own set of characters who posted their daily drama.

Characters were real life local celebs who exemplified their scene. Amy Larocca w a fashion writer in New York and was the fashion girl character while Richie Rich personified fashion nightlife and Michael Prichinello, a publicist, was the avatar for the Wall Street set.

GOT YOUR MODO WORKIN’
ArtByte
November-December 2000
by Chris Allbritton

Wrapping your fingers around it and feeling it settle into the curve of your palm, modo makes you think, not of molded plastic, but of the curve of a sensuous hip. And of hip in the street sense. Modo is a handheld device that uses a wireless network to put location-based information about clubs, movies, shows and shopping at the fingertips of today’s excruciatingly lifestyle-conscious 18 to 34-year-old urbanite. For now, modo is available only to New Yorkers; later this year the company will expand its service to Los Angelenos and San Franciscans. Think of it as a digital concierge with attitude.

Designer Victor Chu envisioned the device existing at the intersection between fashion and technology. He wanted to evoke the feeling that modo- which means, well, nothing, actually- is alive, or at least lifelike. Artbyte buttonholed Chu at the launch party for modo, where he offered insights into why modo is what it is.

The Case and Shape
We designed it to look like a beetle. I really wanted to emphasize its living nature. The two knobs at the top are like eyes and the back is like a beetle’s shell. Because it’s constantly changing its content, it’s as if modo itself is alive and the beetle shape really reinforces that. We wanted modo to look organic. We also wanted to make it very sensuous, so women would like it. It’s sexual. That was deliberate. The flap hooks into this notch at the bottom- almost like a thong, see? The Flap
The flap is made of a silicone material. It’s designed to evoke sexy feelings. Women especially like it. It’s like skin, or a tongue. These little ridges and bumps are like backbones and the nub is sort of clitoral. It’s very sensuous.

The Colors
We made the modo in three colors- dark blue, pearl and gold- so that it could be a fashion accessory. That’s very important. It appeals to women and young people. And the dark blue makes it look professional enough for executives. Technology can be boring, but making it part of your everyday life is interesting.

The Content
Each night, Scout Electromedia [the company that makes modo] updates the data on the devices using the network, so every morning you’ll have something new. There are movie listings, bars, things to do, that kind of stuff. We have editors who create this content. One of the things I came up with was the “characters”- local people telling you what’s cool. Again, since these are live people giving you information, it makes modo seem more alive.

About modo
modo, a lifestyle-oriented device with information targeted to a socially active 18-34 year old demographic, offers a daily guide to the best bars, restaurants, clubs/DJs, live music, movies, sporting events, coffee shops, museums, shopping, and just about everything else. On a daily basis, local editors select and review interesting and appealing activities in their cities. One of the first electronic products to merge fashion, media and technology, this pocket-sized device is available in a variety of colors. modo will retail for less than $100, and does not require subscription fees.

"Scout Electromedia's goal is to design products for the 260 million people in the U.S. who don't use PDAs. When we began the company we set out to create simple and useful wireless products that consumers really want," said Geoff Pitfield, CEO of Scout Electromedia. "By forming alliances with Virgin, DKNY, Fred Segal and Village Voice Media, we've succeeded in partnering with some of the best companies and most recognized brands in their respective areas. Each of these partnerships add a great deal of value to our product and services."

"Like Virgin, modo has a distinctive point of view when it comes to entertainment," said Lori Schlachter of Virgin Entertainment Group. "As a retail partner for modo, we saw an opportunity to deliver Virgin's customers a new way to access the compelling entertainment experiences in their local cities. By pointing people to the hottest salsa dance clubs, a local band gig, or interesting comedy performances, modo offers more than just an exhaustive laundry list or directory. We feel that it's the unique perspective modo has that Virgin's customers will embrace."

As a complement to the provocative and eclectic content being created by the local modo editors, Village Voice Media will provide weekly event listings for Los Angeles and New York.

Adding to Scout Electromedia's product partners, PageNet was selected to be its provider of wireless bandwidth to all of Scout Electromedia's U.S. markets. PageNet will enable the daily broadcasts of original content to individual modos.

About Scout Electromedia
Scout Electromedia is pioneering a new market in the wireless industry that combines wireless technology, innovative product design and contextually relevant information into user-centric, portable lifestyle products. Founded in September, 1998, Scout is grounded in the belief that technology should be enabling, not frustrating. Scout creates wireless products that are intuitive, reliable, useful and fun. Working with a variety of partners, Scout is committed to leading the development of consumer friendly products that add value to people's lives. Based in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles and New York, Scout Electromedia is funded by Idealab!, Chase Capital Partners, Flatiron Partners and Techfund Capital. The company's strategic partnerships include alliances with IDEO Product Development, Pixo Inc., Wieden & Kennedy, and PageNet.

Note on the fall of Scout-
The weekend before the closing of Scout, all investors met to agree on a bridge round. Idealab agreed to anchor the round. Monday Idealab announced they had run out of capital and the financing fell apart, Scout closed its doors only weeks after the New York launch and a few days before the LA launch. modo had sold 5000 units, with 15,000 ready to ship and had paying advertisers. Scout executed superbly, hit milestones and met expectations. Unfortunate for everyone at Scout, Idealab was at the very start of a money mismanagement and fraud scandal... Read More >

Modo Story: The product that started a quiet revolution in mobile entertainment. by Tamara Carleton

Digital Information For The Tragically Hip
THE NEW YORK TIMES

Idealab buoys Scout with Funds
VARIETY

Modos for Moderns
BusinessWeek

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