Amazon FireTV

I've been the ID Lead on FireTV from the beginning - starting work on it in 2012. When we started, the core team was a handful of people. Now, with two generations designed, developed, and shipped, the project is an established success that is a core part of hardware at Amazon.  It started with the set-top box and the remote.  Over the two generations, we have shipped 2 boxes and 3 remotes.

This has been one of my favorite projects.  The first generation is without compromise and exactly as intended.  The second generation did have some trade-offs for cost savings but the integrity of the design remains.

Streaming Media Player

ITS A BOX
Unapologetic.  Deliberate. Restrained.

This concept was based on a DVD/CD jewel case - the old way of handling media.  An early concept used a foot wrapped around the device to allow both horizontal and vertical use.  The angular break referenced another product in development at the time.  We eliminated anything unnecessary and pursued a simple box focusing on detail and execution.

DETAILS MATTER
Simple designs require high levels of execution.  We pushed for horizontal alignment of the connectors.  This took a team effort with ID, PD, PM, and packaging all coming together to show that the cost of custom connectors was equal or better than off the shelf connectors that would have grown the product.  The 1st generation was molded with negative 0.75º draft - the 2nd generation was molded with 0º draft. The corners are controlled by a small C2 spline.

DEVELOPMENT
Molding a simple box to high cosmetic standards is exceptionally difficult.  The black CMF with gloss black surfaces makes this even more difficult.  The matte top surface required countless iteration.  Working closely with PD, tooling engineers, and material + process engineering, we were able to deliver parts that are jewel-like with a high perceived value. 

CMF
The CMF was originally completely practical.  The remote used IR and this meant the box needed to have the gloss black of IR resin. Ultimately, we dropped IR in favor of Bluetooth.  We kept the CMF because it still fulfilled the desire to be understated - and we just liked it.  The bonus by changing to Bluetooth was that the device could completely be hidden away.

Voice Remote

The remote is the touch point of the product.  When we designed the remote, the UI was just beginning to be developed.  Ideally the UI and ID would be developed simultaneously.  The realities of the differences between hardware and software development made this impossible. We knew the remote would have voice search.  For everything else, we worked closely with UI and UX to ensure a great experience once the hardware and software came together.

Early concepts using extruded housings and interlocking folded forms.  The triangular cross-section device influenced the final form but the section was refined to allow it to sit with the top facing up - not leaning to the side.

While we wanted the remote to be simple - we were unsure which buttons to include to provide the most seamless experience. To decide, we created a clear guideline:  if we couldn't control the experience every time, the button was out.  Voice went to the top because it was the differentiating feature.  

The form is asymetrical so you know which end is which without looking.

The remote is formed to fit perfectly in your hand with nothing like the feet often found on remotes to distract you.

DEVELOPMENT
Molding the double-shot keys for the 1st generation was a challenge to eliminate weld lines and have clean shut-offs.  In sub-assembly we set a high standard for skew control.  For the housings on the 1st generation, the soft-touch paint application required finesse to avoid fat-edge at the key holes.

Generation One (left) with soft-touch painted housings, double-shot hard capped keys, and latched battery door.  Generation Two (center) with as-molded housings, double-shot hard capped keys, and sliding battery door. Generation Three (right) is the same as Gen2 but with a compression-molded keypad with padprint icons.  Generation 3 is currently shipping with FireTV and FireTV Stick.