In this article written by Morten T. Hansen and Julian Birkinshaw, it's depicted that how managing innovation is like a series of steps that need to be arduously followed.Managers need to take an end-to-end view of their innovation efforts, pinpoint their particular weaknesses, and tailor innovation best practices as appropriate to address the defi ciencies.
The innovation value chain composes of three main phases of innovation:
- Idea Generation (for ideas inside your unit; looking for them in other units; looking for them externally)
- Conversion (selecting ideas; funding them;)
- Diffusion (promoting and spreading ideas companywide).
Managers can pinpoint their weakest links and tailor innovation best practices appropriately to strengthen those links. Companies typically succumb to one of three broad "weakest-link" scenarios. They are idea poor, conversion poor, or diffusion poor.
Rarely do executives examine their company's innovativeness--the capacity to conceive, develop, roll out, and improve new offerings--as a whole.
Read the full article here. Do share your comments on innovation value chains of leading firms.
24 comments:
Sir, is the third phase is Must for all the Innovations?
sir,
the second phase of value chain is not much clear to me .I mean innovation is the work of knowing rather than doing .But lots of knowledge creates only confusion, so how can one chose the best one idea easily.
Swati let me try ......
1) Innovation is not only about knowing but also about doing...
eg many of us knows a lot,and that too the very unique ideas but not all of us are Innovators..
so until and unless any Ideas is not funded or taken to the market that does not becomes Innovation...
Let me put in another way ..a bit of scientific and technical ...
there is always a huge number of Ideas in the organizations very few of those reach to the end result of Innovation..
So this like a funnel.. on the mouth of which there are numbers of ideas and when those ideas starts passing through that funnel .. the number gets reduced according to the value and worth of those ideas... and thus in the funnel itself happens two processes ie Creativity and Invention... and finally if the result is funded or monetized and taken to the market ..that becomes INNOVATION...
2) for the second question, I agree a lot with your statement...but again Management is something which is required not only in Business but in every aspect of Life...
So Knowledge Management handles the case to not let the state of confusion and Fuzziness...
innovation is like jumping big leaps through or with the help of small leaps
Team,
Innovation process is like a funnel. There would be plenty of IDEAS/ OPPORTUNITIES to start with which would then be CONVERTED to INVENTIONS (not yet sold). Then it will get DIFFUSED to be converted to an INNOVATION. All of these steps are important, while firms may take varying time in executing these.
INNOVATION = CREATIVITY + RISK TAKING
INNOVATION = INVENTION + EXPLOITATION
INNOVATION = KNOWING + DOING
Two short innovation stories
=====================
3M Polarizing filters
=====================
Computer-related eye and vision problems are on the increase and it's not just workaholics who are at risk.
Overseas studies show a direct link between the use of computers and the growing number of vision-related health problems, such as eye strain, headaches, neck pain, blurred vision, light sensitivity and irritated eyes (see attached research summaries).
According to the American Optometric Association, more than 70% of computer users suffer from these symptoms and a mere two hours a day in front of a computer can put some people at risk.
Ideation - 3M spent more than a decade researching the effects of office lighting and computer use and has highlighted glare from computer screens as a major cause of vision and eye problems.
Conversion - As a result of its research 3M designed a computer screen filter which is, to date, the only glare reduction filter in the world proven to elevate a computer monitor's anti-reflection performance and, in some cases, raise it to the next, "higher-class" level.
Diffusion - Having already passed the most stringent international testing methods for monitors in bright environments,13M™ Polarising Filters were recently awarded the exclusive, international "Q-Mark"2 symbol of quality for the safety and everyday suitability of electronic display products.
=========================
Teledyne
Water Pik Misting Massage
=========================
Ideation - After researching and evaluating current trends, Waterpik made the decision to concentrate on developing new shower head product platform concepts that provide the best showering experience and value.
Conversion -
Trends Meeting with Waterpik marketing professionals to list and prioritize key consumer wants and needs
Technology Session with Waterpik engineers to uncover applicable technologies and competencies
Innovation Session with 21 participants including consumers, external designers and marketers, and Waterpik specialists - Over 140 concepts were generated
Validation and concept refinement consumer sessions
Diffusion - Two years after the session, Waterpik was ready to introduce their new product. The showerhead has seven unique and adjustable settings that address consumers' interest in being able to adjust the coverage, force and shape of the shower spray. A mist and pressure control feature exists to allow the user to "turn their shower into a spa.
Venkitakrishnan M N (11161)
Innovation story - Teflon
_________________________________
Polyterafluoroethene (PTFE) is a fluorocarbon solid. It is a high molecular weight compound consisting wholly of carbon and fluorine. PTFE was invented at DuPont and is most well known by the DuPont brand name – Teflon.
1. Idea generation:
PTFE was accidentally invented by Roy Plunkett of DuPont in 1938. Plunkett was attempting to make a new CFC refrigerant and accidentally invented PTFE. What seems to have happened is this:
Plunkett and his technician assistant, Jack Rebok, were testing the chemical reactions of the refrigerant gas tetrafluoroethylene (TFE). One pressurized cylinder of the gas, which they themselves had filled earlier, failed to discharge when its valve was opened. They set the cylinder aside, but Rebok later noticed it was too heavy to be empty, and suggested they cut it open to see what had gone wrong. Plunkett agreed, despite the risk of an explosion; and they discovered that the gas inside the cylinder had inexplicably solidified into a white powder. Intrigued, Plunkett put his scheduled work aside and began to test the properties of this substance. It was much more like a lubricant than other slippery solids, like graphite; and in addition, it proved inert to virtually all other chemicals and had an extremely high melting point. In this chemical reaction, iron from the inside of the container acted as a catalyst! In time, Plunkett found that the gas had polymerized (that is, its molecules had bonded), becoming polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin.
2. Idea development
On further research Plunkett found that the compound’s unique properties were caused by an impenetrable shield of fluorine atoms which lock onto and protect the compound's essential string of carbon atoms. More importantly, over the years Plunkett invented a way to reproduce the TFE-to-PTFE through more efficient polymerization techniques in the lab.
The next year, Plunkett became supervisor of Du Pont's tetraethyl lead production, while the Plastics division refined his production process for the PTFE resin. By 1941, PTFE had both a patented process and a trade name: Teflon®.
3. Diffusion
In 1946, the first products were sold: machine parts for military and industrial applications. In the early 1960s, Teflon found its most famous use, as a seemingly miraculous non-stick surface for cookware and also in coatings for satellite components. Today, Teflon is used as a coating for myriad metals, fabrics and wires, but also as a plastic in its own right. Teflon has expanded into a whole family of polymers, found in industries as varied as aerospace and pharmaceuticals, and sold in over forty countries world-wide. DuPont also has a website by the name www.teflon.com which provides solutions for different engineering design needs through the various fluoropolymer resins, films and coatings that they manufacture.
___________________________________
Arti Mali
11049
Innovation
According to BusinessWeek, innovation today is “much more than new products.” Innovation is also “reinventing business processes and building entirely new markets that meet untapped customer needs.” The ubiquity of the Internet and globalization of the business expand generation of new ideas. Innovation is then “selecting and executing the right ideas and bringing them to market in record time.”
Innovation at “Apple”
Apple Inc. is the World's Number One Innovative Company. BusinessWeek proclaims "their creativity goes beyond products to rewiring themselves."
Apple’s history of innovations
Apple has created great innovations beginning with the first Apple computer in 1976, Graphical User Interface(GUI) along with the popular Macintosh introduced in 1984, the reliable PowerBook introduced in 1991, the PDA named Newton that created a new industry of handhelds in 1993, the new millennium revolution beginning with the iMac in 1998, the new iBook hot on the heels of the iMac in 1999, the iPod that put an oomph in the MP3 players and essentially changed music as we know it in 2001, iTunes software and Music store service that changed the Music industry business model and made it easy for fans to listen and buy music piecemealed in 2003, iPod mini, iPod (U2 Special Edition) and iPod photo in 2004, iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod with Video and Mac Mini in 2005, the new iMac with Intel core Duo processors, the new MacBook with Intel processors in 2006 and the most recent one being the revolutionary iPhone.
1.Idea Generation
Apple’s innovation and growth is first and foremost driven by inner conviction about the outer world. This conviction is about changing how consumers live around music or entertainment.
Mostly Apple's zest comes from its reputation for inventiveness. Throughout its entire life since its first computer in 1976, Apple has prospered by keeping just ahead of the times. Their expertise comes from having a very product-oriented culture, despite being a technology company.
Apple hires people who want to make the best things in the world and thus has a large pool of ideas to consider.
2.Creation
Among other practices, one of the best policies that Apple follows is “saying no to 1,000 things" so as to concentrate on the "really important" creations.
Apple doesn't actually manufacture the hardware. Long ago, when Apple managed its own factories, precisely matching the waxing and waning demand of the market sometimes caught the company flatfooted. But, taking a page from other manufacturers, Apple now relies on others to do most of the nuts and bolts manufacturing work.
3.Diffusion
By combining technical knowhow with a new concept for how to sell music online, Apple's iPod music player has become the most influential new tech product in years. At the same time, Apple has maintained its reputation for making the most elegant, easy-to-use desktop computers as well.
Apple's iPhone is continuing to gobble up the smart phone market. Apple's PCs and notebook computers-long relegated to a niche status-are expanding their market share rapidly in the PC market.
In the words of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, “Apple's customers are so loyal because when you buy our products, and three months later you get stuck on something, you quickly figure out [how to get past it]. And you think, "Wow, someone over there at Apple actually thought of this!" And then three months later you try to do something you hadn't tried before and it works, and you think "Hey, they thought of that, too." And then six months later it happens again. There's almost no product in the world that you have that experience with, but you have it with a Mac. And you have it with an iPod.”
---------------------------
Siddharth Anand
11060
The history of Mankind, our history, is a history based on innovation. Innovation is a process which leads to improved engineering, technology, methods, state of mind and organization. If you look at it that way, we are constantly involved with innovation as human beings. We have no choice other than to carry on learning and improving ourselves. Innovation means venturing away from familiar ground into uncharted territory. With the aim of somehow discovering something better in the uncharted territory than on the familiar ground.
Today our memory is primarily driven by the laws of the free market. So a supplier needs to churn out innovations constantly, otherwise the competition will leave him standing.
If a company comes up with little or no innovation, there are no short-term consequences, there may even be a positive effect on profits. Developing innovation always entails provision of resources as well, and making a long-term investment in the company's future.
One such story of innovation - FedEx Express
FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. We offer integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand.
FedEx is passionate about sustainably connecting people and places and improving the quality of life around the world. FedEx is committed to providing outstanding customer experience, to being a great place to work, a thoughtful steward of the environment and a caring citizen in the communities where we live and work.
1. Idea Generation
In 1965, Yale University undergraduate Frederick W. Smith wrote a term paper about the passenger route systems used by most airfreight shippers, which he viewed as economically inadequate. Smith wrote of the need for shippers to have a system designed specifically for airfreight that could accommodate time-sensitive shipments such as medicines, computer parts and electronics.
In August of 1971 following a stint in the military, Smith bought controlling interest in Arkansas Aviation Sales, located in Little Rock, Ark.While operating his new firm, Smith identified the tremendous difficulty in getting packages and other airfreight delivered within one to two days. This dilemma motivated him to do the necessary research for resolving the inefficient distribution system. Thus, the idea for Federal Express was born: a company that revolutionized global business practices and now defines speed and reliability.
2.Creation
The company incorporated in June 1971 and officially began operations on April 17, 1973, with the launch of 14 small aircraft from Memphis International Airport.
Though the company did not show a profit until July 1975, it soon became the premier carrier of high-priority goods in the marketplace and the standard setter for the industry it established.
3. Diffusion
The company entered its maturing phase in the first half of the 1980s. Federal Express was well established.
The first evolution of the company's corporate identity came in 1994 when Federal Express officially adopted "FedEx" as its primary brand, taking a cue from its customers, who frequently referred to the company by the shortened name. By that time, customers used the term as a verb, meaning, "to send an overnight shipment." It did not take long for the meaning to catch on, and today it's common terminology to "FedEx" a package.
The second evolution came in 2000 when the company was renamed FedEx Express to reflect its position in the overall FedEx Corporation portfolio of services. This also signified the expanding breadth of the FedEx Express-specific service offerings, as well as a FedEx that was no longer just overnight delivery.
-Apeksha Mahesh
11070
Story of Innovation..Weed Eater Inc.
We are all by nature inventive, and ideas are cheap. The real challenge is innovation, bringing a great invention or idea to commercial fruition. It is the application of the idea that takes true genius, hard work, patience, timing, and often good luck and good connections. It is what separates the millionaire entrepreneur from the pauper inventor.
Ideation: In 1971, Texan George Ballas was looking for a better way to trim around the trees in his yard. One day, while going through an automatic car wash he observed how the bristles stood out straight as they spun around.
Creation: Returning home, he punched some holes in a discarded popcorn tin, inserted knotted fishing line through the holes, and attached the contraption to his rotary electric edger. It worked so well he founded his own company, Weed Eater Inc. refined the product until it virtually sold itself in hardware stores nationwide, and finally sold out to Frigidaire Poulan, who still produce them by the million.
Operation: The line is hand-wound onto a reel before the job is started, leaving both ends extending from the reel housing. The motor turns the reel and the line extends horizontally while the operator swings the trimmer about where the plants are to be trimmed. The operator controls the height at which cutting takes place and can trim down to ground level quite easily. As the line is worn, or breaks off, the operator knocks the reel on the ground so that a release mechanism allows some of the line in the reel to extend and replace the spent portion. The newer models have an 'auto-feed' operation where a small cutter on the line-guard ensures that the line length exposed for cutting does not exceed the length that can be swung efficiently by the motor. Newly extended line operates more efficiently because of its heavier weight and surface effects.
Lalit Nainawat
SIBM-B
11020-A
What better way to talk about innovation value chain than start with a company that has pioneered a century of innovation, 3M Company formerly known as Minnesota Mining Manufacturing Company.
Before talking about their value chain I would like to see back in history as how this company started innovating and diversifying in various technologies.
They started out way back in 1902 when industrial revolution was hot in the America. They actually started out as a Mining industry to sell the mineral corundum to manufacturers to make Grinding wheels. That business did not go well for them so they decided to jump into manufacturing Sandpaper. Now here is where Richard Drew (inventor and employee in 3M) came into picture. He observed that two tone auto paint job were difficult to manage at the border of the two colours. Drew took it up as a personal challenge and while working in 3M he started working on this pet project. His general manager William McKnight wasn’t that happy with Drew concentrating on other work which was not in 3M domain. McKnight did ask him to stop doing that and concentrate on his official work i.e. on sandpaper. But Drew carried own this work anyways. Later when he was done this product was introduced to his manager & the auto paint job firm and it turned out to be a hit. This product was none other than the Masking Tape.
Suddenly then McKnight realized the importance of this pet project that Drew had carried out. This according to me led McKnight to promote the concept of individual innovation among employees. After this followed number of innovations including Cellophane tape. In 1948 when McKnight had became the chairman of 3M he said the following three paragraphs which would guidelines to any firm thinking about innovation. It is as follows
“As our business grows, it becomes increasingly necessary to delegate responsibility and to encourage men and women to exercise their initiative. This requires considerable tolerance. Those men and women, to whom we delegate authority and responsibility, if they are good people, are going to want to do their jobs in their own way.
Mistakes will be made. But if a person is essentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are not as serious in the long run as the mistakes management will make if it undertakes to tell those in authority exactly how they must do their jobs.
Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative. And it’s essential that we have many people with initiative if we are to continue to grow.”
Here we see the bloodstream of 3M’s innovation value chain which is still followed.
First we generate trust in employees by delegating tasks to them to perform. Secondly understand that mistakes will be done. Mistakes are part of life. An individual has to commit mistakes to learn more i.e. learn for these mistakes and try other alternatives. Thirdly is let the employees take the initiative. Don’t interrupt. Because of this we have the famous 15% time policy in 3M :)
Those who know the company best, point to four key ingredients that foster a culture of innovation at 3M:
1. attracting and retaining imaginative and productive people;
2. creating a challenging environment;
3. designing an organization that doesn’t get in people’s way;
4. offering rewards that nourish both self esteem and personal bank accounts.
Idea generation in 3M
Innovation has thrived at 3M because people talk. They strike up lively conversations in hallways, cafeterias and labs. They talk across departments and divisions. They meet to share ideas in brainstorming sessions and forums. While more traditional organizations have kept researchers and engineers within their own area or divisions, where their loyalties were strongest, 3M has instead fostered a strong sense of attachment to the company as a whole. The granddaddy of that concept was the Technical Forum which had its start in 1951. An organization in which participation was purely voluntary, its original goals were to foster idea sharing, discussion and inquiry among members of the 3M technical community, while educating technical employees.
Manley Johnston, vice president of international technical operations of 3M learned that if you have a good story to tell in this company and if you have the guts to tell it, people will listen and support you.
Conversion in 3M
Conversion in 3M can be mentioned in following two steps.
"Take small steps." - Experiment, but on a small scale. When something looks promising, go all out and seize the opportunity. This way one can do plenty of inexpensive experiments that create a funnel of would-be innovations.
"Give people the room they need." - Without entrepreneurship, there is no experiment. Without experiment there is no success or failure. People need some time, incentives, job security and room to experiment.
Diffusion in 3M
To explain this I would like to quote Moe Nozari, executive vice president, consumer and office market who looks back at his 31 years. Early in his career, Nozari discovered a catalyst that could be used to create Utethane, a component in many 3M products, He says “I went to my boss, George Allen, who later retired as senior vice president, Research and Development and said, ‘I have finished this. What do I do now.’ His answer was, ‘No, you are not finished. Now you go to every division in this company and show them what you have done and work with them to incorporate your invention into their product lines’ That was the best professional growth opportunity for me, because I learned about the company and the wide range of skills and responsibilities that 3M people have.”
For 3M, the technologies belonged to the company not the business units. So once they had innovative technology they will try to see if it incorporates in other departments and helps them make a product.
-----------------
Anubhav Vanmali
SIBM-B
11053
Innovation at SONY
The world took a big step towards the iPod generation when Sony introduced the Walkman in 1979. The device was not particularly advanced - portable tape recorders had existed for decades - but it was an advance in marketing. The Walkman was not promoted to professional journalists, like most portable tape recorders were at the time; it was promoted to ordinary consumers.
It was a music player first and foremost; it had no record function.
According to Sony, "In 1979, an empire in personal portable entertainment was created with the ingenious foresight of Sony Founder and Chief Advisor, the late Masaru Ibuka, and Sony Founder and Honorary Chairman Akio Morita. It began with the invention of the first cassette Walkman TPS-L2 that forever changed the way consumers listen to music."
The developers of the first Sony Walkman were Kozo Ohsone, general manager of the Sony Tape Recorder Business Division, and his staff, under the auspices and suggestions of Ibuka and Morita.
Walkman Prehistory
The first affordable portable radios were introduced in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They were made possible because of the transistor, invented several years before at Bell Labs. The transistor gave them cleaner sound than vacuum tube models , and transistors rarely wore out or overheated. They also made radios much less fragile and also allowed them to be a lot smaller.
There were some cassette recorders available at the time, although they were not designed for the general public. Sony called theirs Pressman and marketed it exclusively to reporters. These recorders lacked stereo sound and were very expensive. They also used (typically) microcassettes, which had no support from record companies (and were expensive to boot).
With the limited choices presented to consumers, the most popular cassette tape players were either home stereos or car players.
Idea Generation
In 1963, Philips Electronics designed a new sound recording medium - the cassette tape. Philips patented the new technology in 1965 and made it available free of charge to manufacturers all over the world. Sony and other companies began designing new compact and portable tape recorders and players to take advantage of the cassette tape's smaller size.
In 1978, Masaru Ibuka requested that Kozo Ohsone, general manager of the Tape Recorder Business Division, begin work on a stereo version of the Pressman, the small, monaural tape recorder that Sony had launched in 1977.
Sony's first stab at the personal tape player market came in 1978, with the TC-D5. It had excellent quality sound (surpassing most desktop players) and was easy to operate. Unfortunately for most potential customers, the price was around $1,000 (¥300,000), and it was hardly portable.
One regular user was Ibuka, then Sony's honorary chairman. He used the player on airplane trips, but he found the player too heavy for everyday use. He instructed the tape recorder division to create a smaller version for his personal use.
The division, led by Kozo Ohsone, modified a Pressman to do the job. They removed the record function and added stereophonic sound. Ibuka was immediately impressed and suggested that they bring a similar item to market.
Idea Conversion
By 1979, Sony's tape recorder division was flagging. There was little demand for their high-end products, while products from competing lines succeeded (boom boxes, etc.). In February, 1979, Morita, the company's chairman, encouraged the engineers to develop a player similar to the one they had developed for Ibuka. But this one had to cost less than ¥40,000 yet provide the same sound quality. He wanted the product by June 21, 1979.
Though he was sceptical that the division could create a player so quickly, Kozo Ohsone was eager to avoid having the division consolidated into another division (Sony was going through a reorganization at the time) and quickly designed a portable tape player based on Ibuka's modified Pressman player. They used lower end components to bring the price down and encased it in a small, stylish enclosure.
The Right Name
There was a problem: The device didn't have a name. Ohsone suggested that they use the name "Walkman", a play on the Pressman, but the company's leadership was skeptical. The name sounded like a straight Japanese translation, and they feared it would not catch on in the US and Europe.
Several other names were suggested. Walky was the most popular, but none were as memorable as Walkman, so the name stayed.
Morita was worried that the device wouldn't appeal to the young or active because of the headphones. They were far larger than the player (they weighed more than 400 grams) and were more like earmuffs than today's headphones.
Three years before, Sony engineers in another division had designed a lightweight pair of headphones. They eliminated the large, enclosed earpiece and in its place put soft foam. Ueyema decided that he could make the Walkman more of a personal player by including these smaller headphones. A listener could now use a tape player while in motion without disturbing those around him or her. The new headphones weighed around 50 grams.
Idea Diffusion
Enter the Walkman
On June 21, 1979 the Walkman was announced to the public.
Before the new player was available to the public, the press lampooned it. Some claimed that nobody would be interested in a tape player without a record function. Others pointed out that the most popular tape recorder of the time had sold less than 15,000 units, and Sony had produced 30,000.
The company was unfazed by such criticism and pushed on with promotion. Sony distributed the player to young people and celebrities around Japan, generating demand.
To promote the device amongst younger Japanese, Sony hired young people to walk through the Ginza, offering passersby to listen to the Walkman's excellent audio quality.
A month after the Walkman became available in Japanese stores, it was sold out. The device was popular amongst all consumers, not just those under 20. Sony had succeeded at creating a personal audio player, and it prepared to launch the product in Europe and North America.
In ten years Sony sold 50 million units, and competitors had sold countless knockoffs. The term "Walkman" even entered our language, used to describe any cassette player, and it's listed as such in the Oxford English Dictionary.
The brand lives on today, as Sony attempts (unsuccessfully so far) to translate their brand recognition into MP3 player sales.
Jeethesh
11132
Kellog's Story
In 1894 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was superintendent of a famous hospital and health spa in Battle Creek, Michigan. His younger brother, Will Keith Kellogg, was the business manager. The hospital stressed healthful living and kept its patients on a diet that eliminated caffeine, meat, alcohol, and tobacco.
The brothers invented many foods that were made from grains, including a coffee substitute and a type of granola, which they forced through rollers and rolled into long sheets of dough.
Ideation:
One day, after cooking some wheat, the men were called away. When they finally returned, the wheat had become stale. They decided to force the tempered grain through the rollers anyway. Surprisingly, the grain did not come out in long sheets of dough. Instead each wheat berry was flattened and came out as a thin flake. The brothers baked the flakes and were delighted with their new invention. Will Keith Kellogg eventually opened his own cereal business, and its most famous product is still sold today:
Conversion:
In 1906, W.K. Kellogg entered the cereal business, as American eating habits began shifting from heavy, fat-laden breakfasts to lighter, more grain-based meals. W.K. discovered that a better flake was produced by using only the corn grit or "sweet heart of the corn."
Idea Diffusion:
With the advent of pasteurization of milk, the ready-to-eat cereal business expanded. To keep up with a growing market, Kellogg Company developed new product, packaging and marketing innovations to fit consumer needs. In 1914, Kellogg Company created Waxtite® wrappers, a new concept in packaging technology. W.K. Kellogg believed that if people tried a good product, they would keep buying it. To ensure that consumers would continue to seek out his products, he distributed free samples of his Corn Flakes, and then followed up with advertising in magazines and on billboards.
This aggressive marketing strategies the company used for several years enabled it to survive a great depression and 2 world wars and has survived 102 years of success in its business and still counting . The company's brands include Kellogg’s®, Keebler®, Pop-Tarts®, Eggo®, Cheez-It®, Nutri-Grain®, Special K®, Rice Krispies®, Murray®, Austin®, Morningstar Farms®, Famous Amos®, Carr's®, Plantation® and Ready Crust®. Kellogg products are manufactured in 17 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world.
Today with 2007 sales in excess of $11 billion, Kellogg Company (NYSE:K) is the world's leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods.
John Abraham
SIBM-Bangalore
11170
Section C
Company – Pixar Animation Studio - “Technology inspires art, and art challenges the technology.”
Pixar’s Operating Principle
1. Everybody must have the freedom to communicate with anyone.
2. It must be safe for everyone to offer ideas.
3. We must stay close to innovations happening in the academic community.
Product – Toy Story
Idea Generation – Director – John Lasseter currently Chief Creative Officer, Pixar. Producers – Steve Jobs, Ed Catmull.
After having joined Pixar in 1986, John Lasseter in 1988 lead the team that made a short film called Tin Toy. This went on to be the first computer animated movie to win the Oscar. After meetings with Disney it was agreed that a movie Toy story will be made with some characters from Tin Toy.
Idea Selection or Conversion – Walt Disney
After the draft script was ready in 1993 it was presented to the head of Disney’s creative department who then rejected it. The script was worked on with changes to the character and story and re-presented. This time it was accepted. This was 1994.
Diffusion – The movie was released on Nov 22, 1995.
The first completely computer animated movie
Budget - $30 million. Gross - $355 million
Considered one of the greatest movie made.
-----------------------------------
Balaji
11166
Innovation need not always necessarily be directed at the product itself, but rather as a means to making your final product something so different that nobody would have ever seen it before, well atleast, nobody would have seen it the way it's just been presented...
I'd like to mention the example of The Bullet Time, a registered trademark of Warner Bros. The single scene that fascinated audience around the world was only a part of the entire package, that lasted barely 30 seconds in a 2 hour 15 minute movie.
And yet, so much thought and work had gone into this one scene, that the results were more than visible. It became instantly recognizable as one of the greatest action scenes, and took film making to a whole new level. such was the impact of this one scene that countless movies continued to spoof the very same sequence or have tried to go better in the years that followed.
Idea Generation
And yet, to think that the entire concept of bullet time was concieved even before filmmaking itself was born, is something really fascinating. Antecedents to Bullet Time occurred much before the invention of cinema itself. Eadweard Muybridge used still cameras placed along a racetrack to take pictures of a galloping horse.
The 1969 Animation series Speed Racer had scenes of the main character leaping out of his car, freezing in mid-air, and the camera doing an arc shot from front to sideways.
Idea Conversion
A similar system was in place which would take still photographs simultaneously around a person, and by combining manually the images, the effect of the camera moving around the person could be achieved.
The same concept was used in the Bullet Time sequence, wherein adjusting the timing of the still cameras would give the impression that the video camera is moving much quicker than the bullet itself...
And what they achieved using the simple system of still cameras was a masterpiece, a scene that set the standards of action movies for the many years ahead...
Idea Diffusion
Yet, for all their confidence in their abilities, the directors- Wachowski Brothers were never able to find the adequate funding they needed.
The Wachowski Brothers approached Warner with the idea of the Matrix and Warner balked at the budget they had submitted. Over eighty million dollars. Warner instead agreed to give them ten million. The Wachowski Brothers took the money and filmed the first ten minutes of the movie (the opening scene with Carrie Ann Moss) using the entire ten million. They then showed the executives at Warner the opening scene, and Warner was so impressed, they green lighted the entire asking budget.
In 2003, Bullet Time evolved further through The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions with the introduction of high-definition computer-generated approaches like virtual cinematography and universal capture. Virtual elements within the Matrix Trilogy utilized state-of-the-art image-based computer rendering techniques
The movie is today rated as one of the finest works of modern science fiction, and yet, one wonders whether it would have had the commercial success it did (over $600 million worldwide, excluding DVDs) if it wasn't for the action sequences that it became instantly famous for.
INNOVATION BY CISCO
CISCO-TELEPRESENCE Being Here is Being There
As convergence brings voice, data, and video onto the same network, new technologies are rewriting the rules about collaboration, and not a moment too soon.
Enabling Accurate, Trustworthy Communication
Experience real-time, face-to-face communication and collaboration with colleagues, prospects, and partners, even if they're in opposite hemispheres.
We live in a world of paradox. Technology has allowed us to establish economically advantageous business operations worldwide. However, to excel in today's fast-moving business environment, you have to interact and collaborate with co-workers, partners, and customers all over the world at a moment's notice. You need to continuously innovate and transform your business model to maintain competitive edge. And you need to plan ahead to respond rapidly to unexpected issues that affect business continuity.
At the same time, much of business is still done based on the quality of your relationships with the people with whom you interact most often. To build and maintain these critical relationships, you often need to travel, which translates to lost time and reduced productivity, not to mention valuable time spent away from home and family
Because globalization increases the need for communication among colleagues and partners, the likelihood increases that business discussions will encompass not just multiple people but also multiple locations.
While today's meeting and collaboration tools provide a significant productivity boost, most users will admit that these tools are still no substitute for in-person meetings. In the past, videoconferences in particular have been difficult to set up, challenging to use, and frequently unsatisfying in their ability to replicate in-person meetings and the benefits of face-to-face interaction.
To improve this situation, Cisco has developed an innovative solution that creates an "in-person" meeting experience over the converged network. Cisco TelePresence delivers real-time, face-to-face interactions between people and places in their work and personal lives using advanced visual, audio, and collaboration technologies. These technologies transmit life-size, high-definition images and spatial discrete audio. Now it's easier than ever to discern facial expressions for those crucial business discussions and negotiations across the "virtual table."
The components of Cisco TelePresence use standard technologies in conjunction with specialized applications and hardware to create an approachable solution using the network and unified communications as core components.
Cisco TelePresence uses the standard IP technology deployed in corporations today and runs on an integrated voice, video, and data network. The system supports high-quality, real-time voice and video communications with branch offices using broadband connections. It offers capabilities for ensuring quality of service (QoS), security, reliability, and high availability for high-bandwidth applications such as video, particularly high-definition video, which can require 1 Mbps to 5 Mbps, depending on the resolution.
This system includes purpose-built office furniture, which incorporates cameras and displays, lighting, speakers, microphones, and projection capability into a specially designed table for larger rooms, or, in smaller configurations, into existing office furniture
Benefits of Cisco TelePresence:
All of this points to the need for a technological solution that allows the same type of face-to-face business interactions, without the constant need for global travel. That's where the concept of Cisco TelePresence comes in. It allows for real-time, face-to-face communication and collaboration over the network with colleagues, prospects, and partners, even if they're in opposite hemispheres. The potential scenarios:
• Corporate Level: executive meetings
• Human Resources: job interviews
• Customer Service: troubleshooting of technically complex products and access to remote experts
• Sales: presentations and demonstrations of products and services
• Design: collaboration between teams with expert involvement as needed
• Consulting: interaction between outside vendors and clients
• Staff Meetings: regularly scheduled updates of projects between personnel at remote sites
Employees derive both personal and professional benefits from Cisco TelePresence. They can:
• Connect "in person" at a moment's notice with customers, partners, and coworkers
• Reduce time to market and make decisions faster
• Use scarce resources more efficiently by making the right resource available at the right time in the right location
• Build better trust, understanding, and relationships across distances and cultures
• Realize greater productivity through more frequent interaction
• Improve quality of life and morale by gaining leisure time
• Make your organization "greener" by using technology more effectively and traveling less
Simplifying the Concept
Despite their relatively low cost, traditional video systems remain unused because they are not reliable, offer low quality, and are too difficult to schedule and use. Cisco TelePresence is a new kind of collaborative application that offers several significant advantages:
• Integration with enterprise groupware (such as Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes) allows users to schedule Cisco TelePresence meetings in the same way they would send a calendar invitation
• Instead of confusing remote-control keypads used with most television-based systems, users can initiate Cisco TelePresence meetings using a telephone keypad. After scheduling, the meeting information appears on the meeting room's phone display. Users simply select the meeting from the display to launch the call.
• Cameras are positioned for optimal coverage of the room, so participants do not need to adjust them during their meetings.
• The network provides the same reliability as dial tone, making Cisco TelePresence a solution that users can depend on, even for external meetings.
• Services in the network ensure high quality, security, and reliability for every meeting.
The result: Meetings start promptly, proceed smoothly, and aren't hampered by audiovisual difficulties, which is especially important for meeting participants who might be attending outside of traditional work hours. Because of improved visual communication, important contentious issues are discussed more efficiently, with less risk of misinterpretation and confusion. Now, you can focus on the meeting instead of the technology.
Innovation can be in a form that can revolutionize the way we live. In relation to communication, Bluetooth was a revolutionary invention that made transfer of data among 2 electronic devices much more faster, easier and secure. Here , I would like to give the example of zigbee, something which is much bigger and much more powerful than Bluetooth.
ZigBee is the name of a specification for a suite of high level communication protocols using small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4-2006 standard for wireless personal area networks (WPANs), such as wireless headphones connecting with cell phones via short-range radio. The technology is intended to be simpler and less expensive than other WPANs, such as Bluetooth. ZigBee is targeted at radio-frequency (RF) applications that require a low data rate, long battery life, and secure networking.
The current list of application profiles either published or in the works are:
• Home Automation
• ZigBee Smart Energy
• Telecommunication Applications
• Personal Home
• Hospital Care
Typical application areas include
• Home Entertainment and Control — Smart lighting, advanced temperature control, safety and security, movies and music
• Home Awareness — Water sensors, power sensors, smoke and fire detectors, smart appliances and access sensors
• Mobile Services — m-payment, m-monitoring and control, m-security and access control, m-healthcare and tele-assist
• Commercial Building — Energy monitoring, HVAC, lighting, access control
• Industrial Plant — Process control, asset management, environmental management, energy management, industrial device control
HISTORY
ZigBee-style networks began to be conceived about 1998, when many installers realized that both WiFi and Bluetooth were going to be unsuitable for many applications. In particular, many engineers saw a need for self-organizing ad-hoc digital radio networks.
In the summer of 2003, Philips Semiconductors, a major mesh network supporter, ceased the investment. Philips Lighting has, however, continued Philips' participation, and Philips remains a promoter member on the ZigBee Alliance Board of Directors.
The ZigBee Alliance announced in October 2004 that the membership had more than doubled in the preceding year and had grown to more than 100 member companies, in 22 countries. By April 2005 membership had grown to more than 150 companies, and by December 2005 membership had passed 200 companies.
During the last quarter of 2007, ZigBee PRO, the enhanced ZigBee specification was finalized.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME
An urban myth perpetuated by the Zigbee Alliance is that the term “ZigBee” originates from the silent, but powerful method of communication used by honeybees to report information about food sources. The myth says that the communication system is known as the “ZigBee Principle"[8]. By "dancing" around in a zig-zag waggle dance, a bee is able to share critical information, such as the location, distance, and direction of a newly discovered food source to its fellow hive members. However, no such term exists in apiology, the scientific study of honeybees. Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet and a worker on the initial development on Zigbee, confirmed to a journalist in 2004 that the name was initially meaningless and had been chosen from a long list on the basis that it had no trademark liabilities
Saurabh Gupta
11151
BLU-RAY DISC
Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of the wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba—the main company supporting HD DVD—announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders,[2] leading almost all other HD DVD companies to follow suit, effectively ending the format war.
Origins
Philips and Sony started two projects applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical) and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer), a format of rewritable discs which would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE). The core technologies of the formats are essentially similar.
The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000. Because the Blu-ray Disc standard places the data recording layer close to the surface of the disc, early discs were susceptible to contamination and scratches and had to be enclosed in plastic cartridges for protection. In February 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray, and the Blu-ray Disc Association was founded by the nine initial members.
The first consumer devices were in stores on April 10, 2003. This device was the Sony BDZ-S77; a BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan. The recommended price was US$3800; however, there was no standard for pre-recorded video and no movies were released for this player. The Blu-ray Disc standard was still years away as a newer, more secure DRM system was needed before Hollywood studios would accept it, not wanting to repeat the failure of the Content Scramble System used on DVDs.
Blu-ray Disc format finalized
The Blu-ray Disc physical specifications were finished in 2004. In January 2005, TDK announced that they had developed a hard coating polymer for Blu-ray Discs. The cartridges, no longer necessary, were scrapped. The BD-ROM specifications were finalized in early 2006. AACS LA, a consortium founded in 2004, had been developing the DRM platform that could be used to securely distribute movies to consumers. However, the final AACS standard was delayed, and then delayed again when an important member of the Blu-ray Disc group voiced concerns. At the request of the initial hardware manufacturers, including Toshiba, Pioneer and Samsung, an interim standard was published which did not include some features, like managed copy.
Laser and optics
Blu-ray Disc uses a "blue" (technically violet) laser operating at a wavelength of 405 nm to read and write data. Conventional DVDs and CDs use red and near infrared lasers at 650 nm and 780 nm respectively.
The blue-violet laser's shorter wavelength makes it possible to store more information on a 12 cm CD/DVD sized disc. The minimum "spot size" on which a laser can be focused is limited by diffraction, and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. By decreasing the wavelength, increasing the numerical aperture from 0.60 to 0.85 and making the cover layer thinner to avoid unwanted optical effects, the laser beam can be focused to a smaller spot. This allows more information to be stored in the same area. For Blu-ray Disc, the spot size is 580 nm. In addition to the optical improvements, Blu-ray Discs feature improvements in data encoding that further increase the capacity. (See Compact Disc for information on optical discs' physical structure.)
Ongoing development
Although the Blu-ray Disc specification has been finalized, engineers continue working to advance the technology. Quad-layer (100 GB) discs have been demonstrated on a drive with modified optics (TDK version) and standard unaltered optics ("Hitachi used a standard drive."). Hitachi stated that such a disc could be used to store 7 hours of 32 Mbit/s video (HDTV) or 3.5 hours of 64 Mbit/s video (Cinema 4K). In August 2006, TDK announced that they have created a working experimental Blu-ray Disc capable of holding 200 GB of data on a single side, using six 33 GB data layers.
Also behind closed doors at CES 2007, Ritek revealed that they had successfully developed a High Definition optical disc process that extends the disc capacity to 10 layers. That increases the capacity of the discs to 250 GB. However, they noted that the major obstacle is that current reader and writer technology does not support the additional layers.
JVC has developed a three-layer technology that allows putting both standard-definition DVD data and HD data on a BD/DVD combo. If successfully commercialized, this would enable the consumer to purchase a disc which could be played on current DVD players, and reveal its HD version when played on a new BD player. The first 'hybrid' Blu-Ray/DVD combo is anounced to be released February 18th. The Japanese optical disc manufacturer Infinity has announced this. 'Code Blue' will feature four hybrid discs, which feature a single Blu-ray layer (25GB) and two DVD layers (9GB) on the same side of the disc.
In January 2007, Hitachi showcased a 100 GB Blu-ray Disc, which consists of four layers containing 25 GB each. Unlike TDK and Panasonic's 100 GB discs, they claim this disc is readable on standard Blu-ray Disc drives that are currently in circulation, and it is believed that a firmware update is the only requirement to make it readable to current players and drives. In December 2008, Pioneer Corporation unveiled a 400 GB Blu-ray disc, which contains 16 data layers, 25 GB each, and will be compatible with current players after a firmware update. A planned launch is in the 2008-2010 time frame for ROM and 2010-2013 for rewritable discs. Ongoing development is under way to create a 1 TB Blu-ray disc as soon as 2013.
As of April 2008, a joint licensing agreement for Blu-ray Disc has not yet been finalized. A joint licensing agreement would make it easier for companies to get a license for Blu-ray Disc without having to go to each individual company that owns a Blu-ray Disc patent. For this reason a joint licensing agreement was eventually made for DVD by the DVD6C Licensing Agency.
Variants
Mini Blu-ray Disc
The '''Mini Blu-ray Disc''' (also, Mini-BD and Mini Blu-ray) is a compact 8cm (~3in) diameter variant of the Blu-ray Disc that can store approximately 7.5GB of data. It is similar in concept to the MiniDVD. Recordable (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) versions of Mini Blu-ray Disc have been developed specifically for compact camcorders and other compact recording devices.
BD9/BD5 Blu-ray Disc
BD9 and BD5 are lower capacity variants of the Blu-ray Disc that contain Blu-ray compatible video and audio streams contained on a conventional DVD (650 nm wavelength / red laser) optical disc. Such discs offer the use of the same advanced compression technologies available to Blu-ray discs (including H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, VC-1 and MPEG-2) while using lower cost legacy media. BD9 uses a standard 8152MB DVD9 dual-layer disc while BD5 uses a standard 4482MB DVD5 single-layer disc.
BD9/BD5 discs can be authored using home computers for private showing using standard DVD±R recorders. AACS digital rights management is optional. The BD9/BD5 format was originally proposed by Warner Home Video, as a cost-effective alternative to regular Blu-ray Discs. It was adopted as part of the BD-ROM basic format, file system, and AV specifications. BD9/BD5 is similar to 3× DVD for HD DVD.
AVCREC
AVCREC is an official[92] lower capacity variant of the Blu-ray Disc used for storing Blu-ray Disc compatible content on conventional DVD discs. It is being promoted for use in camcorders, distribution of short HD broadcast content and other cost-sensitive distribution needs. It is similar to HD REC for HD DVD.
Note that AVCREC is not the same as AVCHD content stored on DVD. The latter is a media independent format and is used presently in tapeless camcorders that record onto DVD and Blu-ray Discs, as well as onto SecureDigital and MemoryStick memory cards. Playing back AVCHD content on a Blu-ray player may require modification of AVCHD directory structure, but does not require re-encoding of video files themselves.[93]
Blu-ray Disc recordable
Blu-ray Disc recordable refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder. BD-R discs can be written to once, whereas BD-RE can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. The theoretical maximum speed for Blu-ray Discs is about 12x. Higher speeds of rotation (10,000+ rpm) cause too much wobble for the discs to be read properly, as with the 20× and 52× respective maximum speeds of DVDs and CDs.
Since September 2007, BD-RE was also available in the smaller 8 cm Mini Blu-ray Disc diameter size.
On September 18, 2007, Pioneer and Mitsubishi co-developed BD-R LTH ("Low to High" in groove recording), which features an organic dye recording layer that can be manufactured by modifying existing CD-R and DVD-R production equipment, significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
In February 2008, Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi and Maxell released the first BD-R LTH Discs, and in March 2008, Sony's PlayStation 3 gained official support for BD-R LTH Discs with the 2.20 firmware update.
Unlike the previous releases of 120 mm optical discs (i.e. CDs and DVDs), Blu-ray recorders hit the market almost simultaneously with Blu-ray's debut (at least in Japan).
Divya J. Rao
11174
Quoting Albert Eintein "the world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation."
The story of Herman Miller(since 1923)'s "journey to sustainability" is a good example of the step-by-step process of integrating ecologically intelligent design into business practice. From hiring dedicated staff to pursue a new design protocol to engaging its supply chain in materials assessment, the Michigan-based furniture company is modeling a comprehensive, long-term commitment to sustaining industry.
Herman Miller provides complete solutions that help create great places to work. Through research, design, manufacture, and distribution of innovative interior furnishings, complemented by furniture management and strategic consulting services, the company serves organizations and individuals around the world.Herman Miller ranks 96th on Fortune magazine's 100 best companies to work for. It has been consistently ranked as one of the America's safest companies to work.
Let me brief you how innovation came into being in Herman Miller
Initially till great depression they focussed on traditional furniture only.
1.> industrial designer Gilbert Rohde was a turnaround for the company.Rohde speculated that the decreasing size of modern homes would inspire a demand for a smaller, simpler, and lighter furniture style.De Pree, the owner referred to be "more honest" than that of traditional pieces.
2.>De Pree, a profoundly religious man, had begun to regard furniture design as a moral issue, and he admired the simplicity, high quality, and utilitarianism of the modern designs.
3.>One of his employees on the death bed(1927) recited poetry. He was profoundly impacted by this incident and that he sought to realize and encourage the hidden strengths and talents of all of his employees.
4.> After the death of Rohde, they hired George Nelson and many other innovators that broadened the company's reputation for quality and innovation.
5.> In 1950's, employees could serve as a valuable source of ideas for operations and cost effectiveness and should therefore be called on to participate in management decisions. The plan called for team organization and provided employees with various incentives, including financial rewards for productivity gains. Revolutionary at the time, the plan proved successful for Herman Miller and has since been adopted by several other major companies.
6.> During the 1960s D. J. De Pree's son Hugh took over operations, and Herman Miller began changing the configuration of the American office floorplan.
7.>Importance given to all ideas of employees and even the necessary time required by them is made available to them.In the words of D. J. De Pree "everyone has the right and duty to influence decision-making and to understand the results".
Idea Generation : Came into being after inclusion of designer Rohde in the company and since then it has never looked back.
Conversion: Employees are given enough time for designing the product and even a free hand in decision making process.
Diffusion: At Herman Miller the free way process has been an intgral part of their system.
Besides all this stuff, if you folks are really wanting to free your mind, pls do enter in these to sites, to watch innovation methods in the web space.
http://www2.hermanmiller.com/discoveringdesign/
http://thoughtpile.org/
Ashutosh Dixit (11126)
Innovation by Microsoft - SURFACE
Microsoft Surface is a Multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of natural motions, hand gestures, or physical objects. It was announced on May 29, 2007 at D5 conference.
Microsoft Surface puts people in control of their experiences with technology, making everyday tasks entertaining, enjoyable and efficient. Imagine ordering a beverage during a meal with just the tip of a finger. Imagine quickly browsing through music and dragging favourite songs onto a personal playlist by moving a finger across the screen. Imagine creating and sending a personal postcard of vacation pictures instantly to friends and family, while still wearing flip-flops.
Surface also features the ability to recognize physical objects that have identification tags similar to bar codes. This means that when a customer simply sets a wine glass on the surface of a table, a restaurant could provide them with information about the wine they’re ordering, pictures of the vineyard it came from and suggested food pairings tailored to that evening’s menu. The experience could become completely immersive, letting users access information on the wine-growing region and even look at recommended hotels and plan a trip without leaving the table.
Surface computing at Microsoft is an outgrowth of a collaborative effort between the Microsoft Hardware and Microsoft Research teams, which were struck by the opportunity to create technology that would bridge the physical and virtual worlds. What started as a high-level concept grew into a prototype and evolved to today’s market-ready product that will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live. It’s a major advancement that moves beyond the traditional user interface to a more natural way of interacting with information. Surface computing, which Microsoft has been working on for a number of years, features four key attributes:
• Direct interaction. Users can actually “grab” digital information with their hands, interacting with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard.
• Multi-touch. Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger like a typical touch-screen, but up to dozens of items at once.
• Multi-user. The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience.
• Object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.
Surface is essentially a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a table, topped with a 30-inch reflective surface in a clear acrylic frame. A projector underneath the surface projects an image onto its underside, while five cameras in the machine's housing record reflections of infrared light from human fingertips. The camera can also recognize objects placed on the surface if those objects have specially-designed "tags" applied to them. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by placing and moving tagged objects. Surface has been optimized to respond to 52 touches at a time. During a demonstration with a reporter, Mark Bolger, the Surface Computing group's marketing director, "dipped" his finger in an on-screen paint palette, then dragged it across the screen to draw a smiley face. Then he used all 10 fingers at once to give the face a full head of hair.
Using the specially-designed "tags" on objects, Microsoft Surface can automatically offer additional wine choices tailored to the dinner being eaten based on the type of wine set on the Surface.
A commercial Microsoft Surface unit is $12,500 (unit only), whereas a developer Microsoft Surface units costs $15,000 and includes a developer unit, five seats and support. However Microsoft said it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in 2010.
INNOVATION BY AMAZON
Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader, an embedded system for reading electronic books (e-books), launched in the United States by prominent online bookseller Amazon.com in November 2007. It uses an electronic paper display, reads the proprietary Kindle (AZW) format (as well as several public formats), and downloads content over Amazon Whispernet, which uses the Sprint EVDO network. The Kindle can be used without a computer. Whispernet is accessible through Kindle without any fee.
The internal memory of the Amazon Kindle can hold approximately 200 non-illustrated titles. Users can download content from Amazon in the proprietary Kindle format (AZW), or load unprotected Mobipocket (PRC, MOBI) or plain text content. Amazon offers an email-based service that will convert HTML, DOC (Microsoft Word), PDF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP documents to AZW.[ It also supports audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or on an SD card.
Users can select reading material through the Kindle or through a computer at Amazon Kindle store and can download content through the Kindle Store. The Kindle Store is accessed through Whispernet, over Sprint's EVDO network, which Amazon provides free of charge. New releases and New York Times bestsellers are offered for approximately $10. Classics like Bleak House sell for around $1.99. The first chapters of many books are offered as a free sample. Subscriptions to newspapers cost between $5.99 and $14.99 per month, magazines between $1.25 and $3.49 per month, and blogs for $0.99-$1.99 per month.[9] Users can send documents to a conversion service which will send a Kindle-formatted file to the device directly for $0.10 or to a personal e-mail account for free. Users can transfer converted documents from a computer to the Kindle via a USB cable or an SD card. Access to Wikipedia is offered at no additional charge.[
The device comes with electronic editions of its owner's manual and the New Oxford American Dictionary. The Kindle also contains several free experimental features. These include a basic Web browser.] Users can also play music from MP3 files in random order in the background. Operating system updates are received over the air and installed automatically. The user can bookmark, highlight and lookup content. Pages can be dog-eared for reference, notes can be added to relevant content, and text can be highlighted. While a book is open on the display, menu options allow users to search for synonyms and definitions from the built-in dictionary. The device also remembers the last page read for each book. Pages can be saved as a "clipping", which is a text file containing the text of the currently displayed page. All clippings are appended to a single file, which can be downloaded over the USB cable. Text is fully justified but without hyphenation. Text can, however, be displayed left-justified via an undocumented feature. The game is available on Amazon Kindle.
On the release day, the Kindle Store had more than 88,000 digital titles available for download, but that number has steadily increased. Amazon's first offering of the Kindle sold out in five and a half hours and the device remained out of stock until late April 2008. At launch, the device retailed for $399; Amazon subsequently lowered the price to $359.
Amazon does not sell the Kindle outside the United States as Whispernet only works in the U.S. Plans for a launch in the UK and other European countries are being delayed by problems with signing up suitable cellular operators
Concurrently with the Kindle device, Amazon launched the Digital Text Platform, a system for authors to self-publish directly to the Kindle. Currently in open beta, the platform was promoted to established authors by e-mail. Authors can upload documents in several formats for delivery via Whispernet and charge between US$0.99 and $200 per download. The authors receive 35% of revenues based on their list price, regardless of discounts by Amazon.[
Post a Comment