JANE IRL – Spring 26 Edition

The best reason for tech. Another real conversation : )

Today, Jane returned for a second real conversation.

Recorded in one take, lightly edited (2 mins 43 secs). As usual, I’m first sharing it simply to listen for yourself. Later, I will have more to say.

This exchange gives a little context about what we, as consumers, might envision in our homes for the long term.

Add to Jane’s view, the perspective of Mauro Porcini – an Italian-born designer who has influenced more around us than we may realize. At PepsiCo, 3M and now with Samsung.

In his book The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People(1), Mauro refers to an example of a “simple, friendly product that makes its way into our homes in a gentle manner adding a touch of poetry, style and practicality.” Such designs have “incredible collective power to raise the level of the emotional, aesthetic and functional quality of our day-to-day experiences.”

That’s what we want in our homes over our whole lifetimes. Let the exploration begin!

Starting – as I hope Mauro would appreciate – with a real person: JANE In Real Life (IRL) Spring 26 Edition.

NOTES

(1) The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People. 2022. Mauro Porcini. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Chapter one.

I first listened to the audio book, narrated by a performer rather than Mauro himself. If you want to hear Mauro’s voice, check out this April 2026 podcast (Design Matters). I will refer more to his views and examples in the weeks ahead.

The simple, friendly product? The Lumio Book Lamp in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) store in New York, NY.