I was wondering again about Alpha families and related mobile services. Thus far, I don’t think I’ve really found a convincing ‘Alpha family’ package. Let me first re-name and re-define this micro-trend.

In homage to the great ‘i’ prefix, I prefer iFamily. It seems apt, seeing as how the iFamily invariably comes fully laiden with iPods in all their shapes and sizes. I have to say here that even the great Apple have missed a trick. It’s very difficult to share a single iTunes library across a set of iPods in one family. It is possible to access a shared library for remote sharing via iTunes, but not for remote syncing to a device. It is also possible to put the library into a shared location (discussed here), but this isn’t a standard configuration and doesn’t ‘just work’ in true Apple ‘don’t make me think’ fashion.

An iFamily is a gadget-loaded family who share a common digital lifestyle and who aspire to use technology as a means to get ahead in life - as a family - and to maintain and strengthen family bonds. Recognising that their kids increasingly use technology, iFamily parents seek to use this for the good of the family by finding ways and means to tap into the technology to aid family relationships, shared experiences and so on. This is perhaps sounding a bit wooly, but if you already recognise what I’m talking about, then you’re probably part of the trend.

I can give a few examples of our own iFamily habits:

1. Shared use of a growing iTunes library in which everyone gets to add new songs and make playlists - personal and shared ones (e.g. for listening together in car)
2. Shared use of on-demand media (in this case an Apple TV) to watch episodes as a family at a time when everyone gets to sit around the TV
3. Frequent exchange of email and other digital messages to keep each other up to date (parents often forward online booking confirmations - e.g. Cinema) to kids
4. Shared use of an Amazon and eBay account to sell/buy goods
5. Using shared note spaces (e.g. thumbjot pinboards) to plan family events (e.g. a trip to Centerparcs or other family outing/project)
6. Shared online project space (e.g. Basecamp) to mange family projects
7. Shared use of media production tools (e.g. cameras, iMovie etc.) to make movies for sharing
8. Various online educational resources
9. Shared Google calendar (likely to move to Mobile Me soon)
10. Shared use of computer(s) each with own account (and we also have shared accounts - e.g. ‘video’ for shared movie making resources)

Increasingly, the iFamily extends to the wider family, such as aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents, especially using shared photo galleries and so on.

Most of my friends who have an iPhone have a similar experience to mine - their kids all want one (each). The cheap option here is the iPod Touch. My 9-year old son has one and this is frequently how he will get to see his emails. Of course, he’d prefer an iPhone because it isn’t limited to WiFi. This comes with the problem of the hefty contract, which only goes away later this year when the PAYG tariff arrives. However, I think that there is an opportunity here for Apple to cater specifically for iFamilies, similar to their existing Mobile Me family pack.

What I’d like is a shared package of iPhones plus Mobile Me family pack plus an iTunes family account, incorporating online management tools to control a shared budget from one credit source and do other things, such as access management. It would be nice if the set of devices and accounts were configured as a family unit, such as a default shared calendar, automatic picture sharing, automatic ‘find me,’ family email alias and so on.

Clearly, I’m not expecting to pay full monthly tariff for the kids devices, but I don’t mind paying for the devices and some incremental charge to my account. I accept that their service will in some way be ‘limited’ (which I haven’t thought through) to prevent abuse. At the end of the day, I’m already paying money for gadgets and PAYG phones elsewhere, so why not bring that money to O2 and Apple, if they want it? I don’t mind, so long as we get a decent family experience. Remember, we’re talking about iFamilies here where there is a perceived benefit to the joint use of technology, which I happen to think is a very real benefit.

As discussed in a previous post (”Calendar in my Picture Frame“), the ability to share the family calendar via a digital display in the kitchen would also be useful. I’ve always been a fan of this idea ever since I prototyped a shared fridge display back in 1998. Back then, mobile users could add digital post-its to the display. I’d probably opt for the calendar in the kitchen and a digital pinboard next to the front door, if not hanging on it (where we currently use magnets to pin stuff). The ‘bump into‘ effect is essential in shared digital experiences.

Returning to the extended family, it would also be nice to include other family members in a group account to make certain aspects of sharing easier. I think that an iPhone would be the ideal mobile device for some grandparents. In this case, it would be nice to share photo albums across devices in a very easy fashion. I would argue that it ought to be easier to bring new photos to the attention of a grandparent on an iPhone than asking them to log into an online gallery.

I’m sure it’s only a matter of time…

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