For years, a big thing in computers and digital devices has been to look cool and enticing. Apple is the acknowledged leader of that pack, but nearly everyone has climbed aboard.

That’s been a big improvement over the era of beige-box computers. (You’re old enough to remember those? Pull up a rocking chair, adjust your shawl and let’s swap stories some time.) But lately, I’ve found the appeal of attention-grabbing design has started to wane.

In our house, we have an extensive digital existence centered around a Mac Mini, located under our TV in the living room. There are thousands of photos – they are easily the most precious bytes in our lives – but also a lot of music and video. That amount of data overwhelms the Mini’s hard drive, and we’ve come to rely on external drives to bolster its capacity.

But those external drives have a problem: they’re awfully, well, fun. Our two Western Digital MyBooks have whirling and blinking blue and green lights on their faceplates that have proven irresistible to a certain two-year-old’s curiosity. And it’s not just kids; adult eyes keep getting drawn down to all that visual candy as well.

Next time I’m shopping for gear for our Digital Lifestyle Hub™, I’ll be on the lookout for something unobtrusive – something that recedes into the distance. I’m looking for the discreet butler that’s there when I need it, not the carnival barker shouting for my attention.

I’m not saying bring back the beige. But I am saying that elegance and discretion may be the two watchwords for design if you’re trying to sell gizmos to the digital lifestyle hub crowd. Especially those of us with two-year-olds who recently figured out which end of the screwdriver goes where.