Special issue on out-of-box experience and consumer devices

Abstract“Computer equipment is hard to choose, install, maintain, and, especially, operate” (Landauer 1995 In: The trouble with computers: usefulness, usability, and productivity). How many cables did you have to connect (and organise) before the personal office system was properly installed and put into use? How many set-up procedures and agreements did you have to complete before you could access your e-mail with your mobile phone or PDA? Did you lose any documents or applications when you replaced your old computer with a new one? Computers, mobile devices and information technology products are sometimes difficult to put into use because of the several operations required prior to their first use.