Googles Next Venture

Google Goggles…sounds funny but could be a game changing prodcut.  Google is working on augmented reality goggles that will could display information right on the glass’ lens.  Resturant ratings,emails and directions can be conveyed without the user ever taking their eyes off what they are doing. Sounds great to me as I’m usually glued to my iPhone, sometimes at inappropraite times like driving or walking through a crowded area.

Rumors surfaced that the glasses would run on an android OS and ability to connect to a wireless provider, which brought up my first question… without a keypad on the glasses it would have to have the android equivelant of apples “siri” so the user could ask questions or direct inquiries? That would be pretty neat until the people around you see you talking to your glasses but I distinctly recall odd looks directed towards me while using the iphone headphones to make calls while in college (it looks like you’re talking to yourelf while walking down the street).  If the glasses can connect to a wireless network AND have a feature like “siri” wouldn’t the glasses also be able to make phone calls if they had a dedicated ear piece?

“Goggles…. Call the closest pizza place from my current location”

The rumored cost is about as much as an iPhone without a contract, 500-600 dollars.  For that much they better look good too.

Could these “goggles” disrupt the technological trend smart phones have been following or just become a substitute?  I personally think if the goggles include wireless voice service and can make calls, they can become the next big item.

“Goggles….. show me the directions to my pizza and it’s reviews”

“Goggles….. sell my iphone”

Porter and the Internet

Porter's "Strategy and the Internet" made the case that the internet doesn't change the rules of business (many dot com companies learned this the hard way).   Porter's five forces still apply but the internet has put a spin on them.

Buyer or your customer's power has probably never been so high as it is today. Anyone can search the internet for a better deal, cheaper shipping or a bigger discount.  A store (physical or internet) can no longer just set a price and profit margin because the customer will know the price of every other competitor in one quick internet search.

As a buyer/customer can view hundreds of offers at once, Porter explains that the rivalries among competitors will be reduced due to reductions in price difference. I couldn't agree with this more.  As long as website takes paypal, I will likely order from them just based on cost despite how well done the website is, their notoriety or key differentiators.  I am assuming I am not alone on this. 

The more customers that are willing to buy from a source simply because it is cheapest, the more powerful the suppliers become.  If a customer simply wants the cheapest option, why not just go to the supplier? Like I said earlier, if I find a TV $200.00 less on one site than all others, I have little care who I am actually buying from (as long as it works and is not stolen).

So what about substitutions and new entrants? I think these become the toughest threats now that the internet exists.  As Porter states, barriers to new entrants are reduced, ideas can quickly be taken and altered and the vast size of the internet and the market it reaches can favor even the newest company.

Creative Sandpaper

Creative abrasion is product of different ideas and solutions that would hopefully bring out the best compromise/solution. After reading about Nissan's approach of hiring polar opposites to pair up as a design team, I am astounded on how much the strategy didn't make sense at first thought and makes perfect sense once I dwelled on it.

My first thought on pairing equally qualified but opposite in direction designers was that every meeting is a time bomb waiting to explode.  Arguments will be a constant and could become counterproductive.  What if a designer has thin skin?  Surely someone is bound to be offended as thought processes clash.

But then I thought, what if the creative minds have the project devotion to see past each disagreement and unselfishly strive for the best solution (whether it was your idea or not).  Without creative abrasion, wouldn't the first "solution" suggested often become THE solution.  A saying that I have heard seemingly a million times in my engineering career applies here "The first idea is rarely the best idea" and without creative abrasion, the first idea will likely be the only idea.