When it comes to entering, creating, or dominating markets, disruptive innovation is the most powerful tool you have. Unfortunately, most companies find disruptive innovation difficult to achieve and virtually impossible to replicate. In Innovate the Future, renowned technology innovator David Croslin helps you solve this problem once and for all. Croslin introduces a proven process for consistently creating inventions, technologies, and methods that are truly transformative.
Drawing on his unsurpassed experience leading innovation in organizations ranging from start-ups to the Fortune® 20, Croslin identifies structured steps for optimizing the entire innovation lifecycle. Then, using real examples and case studies, he shows how to apply these steps to
Innovate the Future is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to drive more strategic value and profit from innovation: CxOs, strategists, entrepreneurs, R&D leaders, product and line of business leaders, and investors alike.
I have received many requests for signed copies. If you are interested in getting a signed copy, please send me an email at: david@innovatethefuture.com
As the book becomes available in specific countries, I will provide details.
Original Web Article: T-Mobile unveils new Android, BlackBerry smartphones
Review Summary:
All of the wireless operators are recognizing the importance of having a variety of Smartphone offerings that target specific operating system (OS) capabilities and libraries of applications that will meet the lifestyle needs of their customers and provide the sticky features needed to keep those customers through device replacement.
Review/Analysis:
T-Mobile is opening its eyes to alternative revenue streams. T-Mobile is also recognizing that to compete in the Smartphone/Netbook space you need to offer a huge library of applications to your customers.
There are literally millions of developers creating applications for Smartphones. These are independent developers. Not Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android developers. Not Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone developers. Developers that want to sell their applications on every device on the planet regardless of operating system (OS) and regardless of the device manufacturer. To gather these applications on to their specific devices, the device manufacturers are opening up their devices to the developers:
Eventually, all these application stores will balance out and carry pretty much the same applications. The differences to the consumer will become the features of the device and the operating system that maximize the benefits of each application. Consumer preferences will be broad and varied.
To maximize market penetration, wireless providers, like T-Mobile, must offer a blend of devices and operating systems. This should have a rather dramatic downward effect on customer churn.The world of the wireless providers is changing quickly. It will change even more over the next year.
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David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: Nokia releases Ovi app developer tools
Review Summary:
All of the major device manufacturers are recognizing the importance of having a library of applications that will meet the lifestyle needs of their customers and provide the sticky features needed to keep those customers through device replacement.
Review/Analysis:
Nokia (HEL:NOK1V) is opening its eyes to alternative revenue streams. Nokia is also recognizing that to compete in the Smartphone/Netbook space you need to offer a huge library of applications to your customers.
There are literally millions of developers creating applications for Smartphones. These are independent developers. Not Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android developers. Not Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone developers. Developers that want to sell their applications on every device on the planet regardless of operating system (OS) and regardless of the device manufacturer. But to get the applications running on Nokia devices, Nokia has to open the door into the device and provide a sales model to deliver the applications.
The Nokia Ovi Software Development Kit (SDK) and the refurbished Ovi Store will allow Nokia to fall into line with the other device manufacturers and offer literally thousands of applications on their devices. And reap revenues from each application sale. And retain customers who would otherwise shift to an alternative manufacturer’s device. And gather new customers that would otherwise refuse to shift to Nokia no matter how cool the device because of missing applications.
Competitive pressures are everywhere:
Nokia is making the right moves. We will see if they execute those moves optimally.
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David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: LG to re-enter laptop biz with mini notebooks by year end
Review Summary:
LG Electronics (SEO:A066575) had pulled notebook sales in India because of low volume consumer sales. But, LG is now ready to reenter the market with Netbooks (mini Notebooks) by the end of the year. Why?
Review/Analysis:
Some OEMs, like Nokia (HEL:NOK1V) and LG Electronics, appear to be picking up on the pending explosion in Netbook sales and the collapse of the traditional notebook computer market.
Why is this drastic shift in device sales from notebooks to Netbooks going to occur?Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is reinventing itself. Microsoft Windows 7 is designed for the new breed of Netbook devices and will easily dominate the market. Not because of volume. Because of quality and breadth. Microsoft recognized the opportunities and intentionally slowed down the sales of Netbooks by placing restrictions on how XP can be packaged and sold.
Microsoft Office 10 will move the software giant’s application suite from traditional fixed platforms into the cloud. Same capabilities. Same user experience. Very small footprint. Will a different sales model arise? Free entrance level packages have already been discussed. Per Usage billing for best of breed?
Microsoft Media Player 12 and Microsoft Media Center will pull together all media types and position Microsoft Windows based platforms as the predominant media platform in the home and on the road.
LG, through its initiatives with Microsoft, is positioning itself to be an early winner in the Netbook sales explosion that is coming. Stop thinking just consumer sales. Think enterprise sales - small, medium and large. Government sales.
So many things are changing right now. And they are accelerating:
The entire consumer and business IT and communication infrastructure models are shuffling. Unified and ubiquitous communications are being redefined and are now practical. Doors are opening for both large players, like LG and Nokia, and small players.
Everybody better start running now…the door of opportunity is already wide open.
SPEAK WITH THE AUTHOR:
David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: Microsoft partnership just the start for Nokia
Review Summary:
Nokia (HEL:NOK1V) announced the delivery of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Office on Nokia’s Symbian devices. This is the first totally clear indication of Microsoft’s new directions. Microsoft is positioning to dominate the new IT and consumer services market. Nokia could win big.
Review/Analysis:
Microsoft is reinventing itself.
And Nokia is positioning itself to benefit.
Microsoft Windows 7 is designed for the new breed of Netbook devices and will easily dominate the market. Not because of volume. Because of quality and breadth. Microsoft recognized the opportunities and intentionally slowed down the sales of Netbooks by placing restrictions on how XP can be packaged and sold.
Microsoft Office 10 will move the software giant’s application suite from traditional fixed platforms into the cloud. Same capabilities. Same user experience. Very small footprint. Will a different sales model arise? Free entrance level packages have already been discussed. Per Usage billing for best of breed?
Microsoft Media Player 12 and Microsoft Media Center will pull together all media types and position Microsoft Windows based platforms as the predominant media platform in the home and on the road.
Nokia, through its initiatives with Microsoft, is positioning itself to be an early winner in the Netbook sales explosion that is coming. Stop thinking just consumer sales. Think enterprise sales - small, medium and large. Government sales.
So many things are changing right now. And they are accelerating:
The entire consumer and business IT and communication infrastructure models are shuffling. Unified and ubiquitous communications are being redefined and are now practical. Doors are opening for both large players, like Nokia, and small players.
Everybody better start running now…the door of opportunity is already wide open.
SPEAK WITH THE AUTHOR:
David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: MetroPCS to launch 4G mobile network
Review Summary:
Network Long Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G will deliver higher speeds and more reliability. But who will benefit the most? And how will they benefit? Service providers with increased ARPU? Network equipment vendors with increased sales? Device manufacturers with increased churn? Software vendors with increased markets? Consumers with increased functionality?
Review/Analysis:
Who will benefit the most from LTE deployment? The shifts that are occurring involve a whole lot more than just deployment of LTE. Let’s look at key topics for each of the players:
Service Providers:
Network Equipment Vendors:
Device Manufacturers:
Software Vendors:
Consumers:
Everyone will win (or have the opportunity to win). For a while…
SPEAK WITH THE AUTHOR:
David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: Apple says Google Voice app alters iPhone
Review Summary:
The FCC is reviewing agreements between smart phone manufacturers and service providers to see if they are stifling competition. The service providers generally restrict VoIP capability from cell phones. Why and where will it finally end?
Review/Analysis:
Unless you are buying your cellular service on a prepaid model (where you pay for a certain number of minutes up front) or you rarely use your cell phone, you probably have an ‘unlimited minutes’ plan. You may also be paying for Internet access.
If ATT (NYSE:T), Verizon (NYSE:VZ) or other cellular providers allowed VoIP services on their devices, you would not need the unlimited plan since you would just be using your Internet access for phone calls.
The real issue here is that the concept of a ‘minute’ of conversation just will not die in the minds of communication providers. Most of your conversations on your cell phone travel over IP networks anyway. It’s pretty easy to calculate the upload/download data requirements for an average VoIP conversation. Change the calling plans for tiers of data usage that reflect these VoIP calculations and you no longer need minutes in the calculation.
For some reason the service providers still think that verbal communications need to be metered in minutes instead of data volume like any other IP usage. They reference the issue of delivering Quality of Service (QOS) for you and your talking experience.
With the right bandwidth management tools in place in the networks, the service providers could deliver the quality of service and maintain effective throttles on usage from cellular devices based on tiers of Internet access.
It will come.
But first the ‘minute’ must die.
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David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: Deutsche Telekom plans fixed/mobile merger in Q1 2010
Review Summary:
Any service, any device, anywhere. Service providers like Deutsche Telecom are realizing that in order to compete against low priced VoIP services and a multitude of media providers, they must deliver a fully converged service environment.
Review/Analysis:
Deutsche Telecom is merging its fixed and mobile divisions.
Why?
The answer is simple if you answer a couple of other questions.
What’s the difference between using a smart phone on the road or at home or the office?
Nothing.
What’s the difference between using a Netbook on the road or at home or the office?
Nothing.
What makes services consumer ’sticky’?
Lifestyle impact.
How do you get lifestyle impact?
You blend all services together and you maximize the ‘transformative value’ of those services so that they provide the greatest value in the broadest ways.
Keeping the Deutsche Telecom fixed and mobile divisions separate is a great way to commodotize them both and suffer from continuous customer churn. Merge them and you increase the possibilities for lifestyle impact and increasing the transformative value of those services.
So, the answer to why is Deutsche Telecom is merging the divisions? Growth, revenues and survival.
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David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
Original Web Article: Steve Jobs Takes Aim At Competitors
Review Summary:
The recent Apple announcements (iPod Nano video capability, iPod Touch Gaming and iTunes Enhancements) are evidence that any form of information moving across the Internet, be it videos, music or games, are just more types of media content for Apple to innovate with. Why do you need a special game console like the Sony (NYSE:SNE) PSP or Nintendo (OSA:7974) DS? Or a device designed for just taking video like the Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) Flip? Apple is blending the multimedia experience into one device.
Review/Analysis:
Apple now offers over 21,000 different games and 75000 applications. All can be loaded on the same device, the iPod Touch. Listen to your music. Web access. Social networking. All for $199.
Hmm…seems that my kids Sony PSP and Nintendo DS are running a little short of functionality.
So, what do these Apple announcements mean?
The Flip will not survive unless the price drops to $49 or less. And Cisco will never be able to duplicate the music availability and flexibility of iTunes. Enough said.
Dedicated game consoles like the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) xBox and the Nintendo Wii are probably next on the Apple target list. Why buy an xBox when a nice Netbook with the right software and external devices can deliver the same experience and give you a portable computer to boot. The Wii might last longer just because it is unique and probably has some patented technologies.
In short, Apple is converging all types of media: audio, video, games. And it is converging all types of services: browsing, communications, social networking. And it is doing it with Apple devices that have small footprints and proven technology. All with a staggering consumer acceptance rate.
How will Cisco, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and others respond? That answer is too long for this news review…but, I will tell you that they better move fast.
SPEAK WITH THE AUTHOR:
David Croslin consults on this and many other topics through Gerson Lehrman Group. Please click here to contact David Croslin.
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