DocAndersen
Sidebar for the Innovation series a little of the reality of failed innovations. My top list of failed innovations and my perception/opinion as to why they failed!
1. Keecker – homepod integrated speakers and project that rolls around your house. Why did it fail? I don’t think the move away from TV’s has happened quite as quickly as the Keecker team would believe. The reality of creating something that has a robotic control system, as well as integration with android tv, is expensive.
2. Jibo – personal interactions assistant They raised more than 70 million dollars and had a brilliant idea: why did it fail? They didn’t have a market.
3. SingleCue – automation system for your computer but the problem was it lacked integration with much. A small market and the company refocused on the other products they had.
4. Apple Newton, can you be too far ahead of your market? Apple was with the Newton. The revised and delivered the iPad and changed the game.
5. Peeble – the first smartwatch to ship (well the first to start developing the Samsun Gear was the first to ship). Pebble’s issue, the reality of the market. They raised a lot of money on Crowdfunding, but when you penetrate your market and saturate that market, there is no room for growth.
6. Microsoft Bob – the first digital assistant, became Clippy and then disappeared. Except, Bob eventually would become Cortana and then slowly disappear again.
First off, big companies fail. IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and others have all launched solutions to the question we didn’t ask. I had a Newton, the one thing that it did better than most of the other devices in that space was handing writing recognition from a stylus. The return of Steve Jobs to Apple killed the Newton forever.
The question when it comes to a great idea, do other people think it is a great idea. My father and before him, my grandfather always used to say, “start off asking ten people if it is a good idea.” Then modify to fit what the ten people thought and go back and ask ten more people. As someone that advises several innovators, I tell them that. It is important that you understand that your market is critical.
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Question of
do you have a great idea?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you have a solution to a problem?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you remember changing the channel on the TV with the dial?
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Yes
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No
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It’s an interesting post. I have a lot of great ideas and I am trying to implement some but most remains to be implemented.
I have been working on my “great idea” for three years. I am closer but not there. It can be a long process.
Q: do you have a great idea?
Yes (4 votes) – 44%
No (5 votes) – 56%
Q: Do you have a solution to a problem?
Yes (6 votes) – 67%
No (3 votes) – 33%
Q: Do you remember changing the channel on the TV with the dial?
Yes (9 votes) – 82%
No (2 votes) – 18%
Some days I have ideas, but today I am fresh out!
My best ideas sometimes play hide and seek!
I have an idea but don;t know how to enforce it
I have been in that boat myself. The reality of ideas.
Write it down, think about it, share with some trusted friends. if it has merit, and it is your passion, then chase it!
Thank for the sincere advise, Sure I,ll try this also and one of the biggest Idea I may Inbox you
I would be honored. I have talked to and worked with many innovators over the years.
Interesting as always. Sometimes the most innovative products came about by accident or surprise and became the most demanding things ever.
Come here Watson I need you!
yes happenstance, accident and luck are all components of innovation. They just happen to be the parts we cannot control!
Is it possible that someday there will be an innovative product that is made to be used only by its own creator?
The joke answer would be yes, Skynet. (from the Terminator movies). The reality is and not the funny answer I suspect that will in fact be the case. I do a lot of 3d printing, 90% of that is just for me.
Very interesting post. I agree with your dad. Maybe should really ask users about innovation.
I think for many excited innovators that is the one thing they forget.
Oh my gosh I do remember not having a remote control!
My grandfather used to call me remote control for the longest time.
Oh that is a funny memory. 🙂
I remember my uncle asking him once why he didn’t upgrade to a TV with a remote. Grandpa said “I have a voice-controlled remote, Boy, channel 8.”
As always very interesting and instructive … I very well remember television on buttons … it was also a good innovation ….remote controller
it was great, my grandfather stopped saying get up and change the channel!!!
That’s right … sometimes we were kids remote
I remember those days of being a kid remote!
I also remember them well
If you have a great idea then hang on to it until you create what you started out to create. Don’t take others too seriously, maybe just modify a wee bit.
if you are right that works, sometimes you need to know what others think!
I love this. It is fun really. I had missed all these
thanks! We are all glad you are back!
Am happy to know. Sometimes absence breeds fondness
I’ve had heard that before, but sometimes absence just makes one sad.