#product-usability

#product-usability

When I first unboxed Turbro's Suburbs TS25 Smart Electric Fireplace, I was annoyed that it did not come with the recommended 6-inch Phillips-head screwdriver needed to attach the fireplace's freestanding legs. I dug through my toolbox and found a shorter screwdriver, which made screwing in the 16 screws a whole affair. Yet I persevered and placed the white polished-enamel fireplace in my living room.

When I walked into a conference room in Google's San Francisco building last week, I expected to find the typical tech briefing setup with rows of chairs facing a wall of screens and a corporate voice managing a slide deck. Instead, I found myself in what looked more like group therapy with a large circle of cozy chairs arranged around the center of the room.