Google has got us used with their style of well put-together and touching commercials by now. I still think that the Google Chrome Dear Sophie commercial (the ad that actually presented Google’s services and Chrome being the thing that brought them together) is one of the best ads out there.
Back to this ad. Well, let’s watch the commercial first and talk about it afterwards.
http://youtu.be/GDCED88IZP4
If you didn’t/can’t watch the video, here’s the short version: A couple are expecting a newborn and when a friend posted on Google+ asking about the name they picked, they start arguing and talking to friends and family on Hangouts about whenever to choose Alfie or Kevin. They end up both compromising and choosing (Alfie + Kevin=) Alvin, and adding an account on their Nexus 10 for the baby.
Ok, so the first thing that came to my mind when I first watched it, was that Google always picks cool songs for their ads. The song they used here is played by Temper Trap and it’s called “Sweet Disposition” (which I happen to know and love).
The commercial is all about the multiple accounts feature that was introduced in the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean build. Since a tablet is used pretty much like a PC, the feature is definitely a good idea when people share tablets. Especially if you are really careful with your home screens and don’t want people to mess with them.
On the phone though, I think it’s different. The smartphone is more of a personal item compared to a tablet. A smaller screen (well small-ish since we have now 5+ inches displays) adds more intimacy to the interaction between the user and the handset and usually if you lend your phone to someone, it’s so that they can check their e-mail, search something on the web or to let them try to beat your high-score, actions which don’t call for separate accounts. When a friend asks for my phone to go on the web for something, for example, I put the browser in incognito mode, so that they don’t sign me out of web sites.