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Take a look at this.

I've always been sympathetic to the art for art's sake approach, and in the same way I adore technology that's impractical and imbued with a major 'wow' factor.

For me, the new Razorfish Touch Framework (RTF or 'Razorfashion') falls squarely into this category. The touch-screen looks gorgeous and fun to use, like a supercharged iPhone the size of your torso. But one awkward question lurks at the back of my mind: is it really going to revolutionise clothes shopping?

No. I don’t think it is. Certainly not in-store. I think it’s a great innovation that’s been developed in the wrong market.

Listen closely to the video voiceover stating the RTF ‘brings inventory in-store to life.’ Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I can’t think of anything that brings shopping more to life than going to a store, handling the clothes, inspecting the quality of cut and fabric, asking advice from well-informed shop assistants and - with luck - haggling a few quid off the bill.

It doesn’t make sense to me to go to a shop, spend 10 or 15 minutes playing with a very stylish computer, and then returning to the real world to use up additional time inspecting the threads that are hanging on the racks.

That said, I can imagine myself sitting in front of a touch-screen home computer, playing with something just like the RTF and - if I liked what I saw - making the all-important decision to visit the store for a spot of in-person shopping. That's where I think the future of the software lies.

RTF is a fine and exciting development, but its real place is in the home, not in a shop. Unless, of course, it can be used to sample digital replicas of the goods sold in-store. I wonder what the music retailers think?

About the author

Ben Locker is a freelance writer who has contributed to a wide range of publications, from The Times to local newspapers and magazines. He has been blogging in various corners of the Internet since 2003, and is as interested in the mechanics of the web as he is its content.

A magazine journalist and qualified teacher, he has spent much of his career working for education charities and other voluntary sector organisations. He became a freelance writer in early 2006 and now runs a popular copywriting agency.

Ben is particularly interested in the craftmanship of writing, and most enjoys helping others crystallise their ideas in the right words. His first book, a satire of which he was co-author, was published by Atlantic in 2007.