09 Aug 13
2 edits
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
09 Aug 13
Originally posted by bill718Microsoft knew a long time ago about this problem. Computers work. Software works. Technology companies have to find artificial means of maintaining cash flow because people don't like to buy the same product over and over again.
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
Enter planned obsolescence...
09 Aug 13
Originally posted by bill718Tech companies don't fulfill tech needs, they create tech needs. Things we did perfectly fine without have somehow become indispensable.
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
09 Aug 13
Originally posted by bill718Are people become bored waiting for the next big breakthrough of a gadget by the companies you list. Answer: Maybe.
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
Yet, go to rural East Texas or the plains of Africa or the inner areas of the most technology advanced cities in the world, and I do not think you will find saturation of gadgets or their capability.
Though, there are those of us who have the latest iPad and iPhone 5 (waiting for the delayed iPhone 5s), and on the lookout for neat gadgets. I am writing a patent application for Intel dealing with WiGig, and is interesting stuff.
09 Aug 13
2 edits
Originally posted by bill718A more broader question outside of the scope of your original post is has society reached a saturation point with technology generally? Answer: No. Not even close.
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
As for maximum level of technology (not saturation), I think you would agree that the assertion has been made every decade since the industrial revolution that we have reached some kind of maximum or plateau of technology.
Technology will continue to advance and increase efficiency of production, etc. (Though individuals can waste time for sure on their gadgets I know.)
Technology will continue to massively transform society for centuries to come. I think of Star Trek, where advances in technology rendered poverty, starvation, etc. as obsolete. I think that a more likely outcome than the doomsday predictions or scenarios.
09 Aug 13
Originally posted by moon1969The problem with Star Trek is that we already have the technology to do a lot of that stuff like end poverty etc.
A more broader question outside of the scope of your original post is has society reached a saturation point with technology generally? Answer: No. Not even close.
As for maximum level of technology (not saturation), I think you would agree that the assertion has been made every decade since the industrial revolution that we have reached some kind o ...[text shortened]... c. as obsolete. I think that a more likely outcome than the doomsday predictions or scenarios.
The problem is that there are powerful individuals and organizations that profit from poverty and they don't want to lose their status and wealth.
11 Aug 13
Originally posted by AThousandYoungGood point
The problem with Star Trek is that we already have the technology to do a lot of that stuff like end poverty etc.
The problem is that there are powerful individuals and organizations that profit from poverty and they don't want to lose their status and wealth.
Originally posted by AThousandYoungBad point 🙄 There is far, far more profit to be made from non-poverty than can ever be made from poverty.
The problem with Star Trek is that we already have the technology to do a lot of that stuff like end poverty etc.
The problem is that there are powerful individuals and organizations that profit from poverty and they don't want to lose their status and wealth.
11 Aug 13
1 edit
Originally posted by bill718open source will increase and increase, Microsoft have produced howlers, Windows Vista, Windows 8, all crap, the latest Linux distributions are awesome and they are all without charge. While the linux community is trying to create innovation through inclusion, Microsoft are trying to make their products even more exclusive, the newest xbox releases will only allow your friends to share their games on your console if you pay, this will ultimately backfire on Microsoft i reckon, they are completely out of touch with reality.
With like companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others are struggling to find the next big breakthrough. Have consumers finally reached a saturation point with technology? Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/apple-ultimate-sin-boring-112837485.html
11 Aug 13
2 edits
Absolutely saturated. For example my current phone (Android-HTC One XL) does everything so well the only reason for upgrading would be if it breaks down. Previous to this one there were inadequacies of design or memory (system memory to install apps) that kept me hankering after the next latest thing. Does it bother me that my 720p hd screen has been superseded by 1080p. Honestly, no. The last time I watched a movie on it (was also the first time) I was stuck on a 6hr train ride. I got bored with the movie and used the phone to facebook play chess while listening to music (in ear headphones...brilliant)
Maybe my needs are not cutting edge, but I can answer emails watch video clips play the odd game. The biggest selling point of the upgrade to my phone seems social media and news feeds that are customizeable. I think this is where they've finally hit the wall. If HTC thinks that we are all that enveloped into the technology BORG that we need even more clever ways to be updated and that rather in the long run the average consumer will usually settle into a routine that requires maybe 2 or 3 things that they want to keep an eye on, then they've got head rocks.
And if I did want all those feeds, I'm sure there's a rom somewhere.
EDIT: Having said all that my phone is an indispensible part of my kit and I do feel a little lost without it. 😛
11 Aug 13
Originally posted by bill718With computers there was a noticeable slow down in the rate at which we upgraded our computers. There are two basic reasons for this:
Have tech companies fulfilled every major tech need of consumers, and reached a plateau of sorts? Thoughts?
1. Computers got fast enough to do some tasks adequately, so if they were used solely for those tasks there was no need to upgrade.
2. The rate of improvement actually slowed down to some extent. OS releases got slower, hard disks failed to keep up with Mores law in terms of speed and so on.
I think with smart phones we will see something similar. Everyone will get to the point where the phone they have does most of what they need, and they will take longer to upgrade, because to upgrade means paying more per feature if there are less new features.
Having said that, I am not yet at the point where I have the phone I desire, but I can't actually afford a top of the range phone, so I will wait till what I desire is the bottom of the range and I can afford it.
11 Aug 13
Originally posted by rwingettI know you drive a gas driven vehicle, with computers giving it clean emissions, and great gas mileage. I'm betting you have a microwave in the house, a modern efficient refrigerator/freezer, air conditioning and furnace, steam iron, washer and dryer. This barely scratches the surface, but which of these non necessities do you want to do without?
Tech companies don't fulfill tech needs, they create tech needs. Things we did perfectly fine without have somehow become indispensable.