4 ms·

Most Innovation Never Happens

26 points by chrbutler 5y ago

peterburkimsher 5y ago
I also had a Minidisc player, which I used for a year between a Rio 600 and an iPod 5GB. The analogy between a merging traffic jam and progress is interesting, and I agree with the conclusion that the iPhone has made all mobile devices become quite similar. It's been a decade of images (touchscreens, cameras) not sound. Musicians succeed on YouTube (TV) because they're pretty, not because their music is good. The iPod (and radio) were great for "ugly" or shy musicians. What's the next innovation in audio? I think it's directional speakers. Imagine lying in bed and listening to music without headphones, but not disturbing others. Drivers could be getting notifications (turn right in 600 metres) without interrupting conversation. Musicians could have a monitoring speaker that doesn't interfere with their pickups. Sirens could be pointed at a particular driver to ask them to pull over. Zoom calls could be held without headphones, yet still with some privacy. Adverts could be directed only to people standing in front of a billboard. Louder areas of a concert/church could use directional loudspeakers to help hard-of-hearing listeners. Noise cancelling might even be possible, with an omnidirectional microphone listening to someone snoring, but a directional loudspeaker cancelling that for one lucky person. Although they've got lots of applications, I don't know whether directional loudspeakers are the next innovation for audio. But I do think that music will fuel the rise of the next tech leader, just like the iPod built Apple, and the Walkman built Sony.
- avidiax 5y ago
  https://www.soundlazer.com/what-is-a-parametric-speaker/ https://www.soundlazer.com/what-is-a-parametric-speaker/ Speakers already exist that do what you describe, although there is a physical limitation that ultrasound has to be used achieve extreme directionality, and it is distortion that is audible.
  - peterburkimsher 5y ago
    Sounds like an area that's ripe for innovation :) The original iPhone's camera was pretty rubbish, especially the front-facing one. I think there's a huge opportunity for the first company who puts ultrasonic speakers into mobile devices.
kumarvvr 5y ago
I am confused by the article. The author cites a technology that seemingly demonstrates the concept of a "jam". But clearly, technology moved on, because all the benefits of the minidisc (re-writeability, compactness, reliable playback) were met by flash storage. Its also imperative that the lack of enthusiasm for minidisc must have other market / human factors at play. Also, when it comes to the iPhone Jam, the author does not spell out what is at the end of the jam.
- calvano915 5y ago
  Simply leaving out the pricing for the media and equipment makes it convenient for the argument. Other factors as you mentioned also factor in to the outcome.
- pfranz 5y ago
  CDs were launched in 1982 and the paper they link to about the tech behind Minidisc was published in 1983, but Minidisc wasn't brought to market until 1998. The assertion is that Sony's (and the public's) focus on CDs prevented them from bringing Minidisc to market until it was too late to gain traction even with a giant advertising budget. I agree there are a bunch of other factors for Minidisc's failure. The replacement you mention, flash storage (or those mini spinning hard drives that went into the first iPods), weren't viable until closer to 2003.
ksec 5y ago
Well MiniDisc was certainly popular in Japan and parts of Asia. In the UK most people dont understand why you want a better "cassette" where you have to "copy" from CD. The compact design wasn't enough of a selling point. But then somehow MP3 picked up. I also thought Zip and Jazz were not really competing. They are aiming at different market. And I really wish there is a consumer version of Jazz. Right now I have stack of external USD HDD for it. ( And I still haven't figure out what to do with the multiple copies of files in multiple disc along with storage on NAS etc... it is just too much hassle ) The sine wave part I couldn't understand. Mostly because my brain and thinking pattern looks at everything with S curve.

26 points by chrbutler 5y ago

I also had a Minidisc player, which I used for a year between a Rio 600 and an iPod 5GB. The analogy between a merging traffic jam and progress is interesting, and I agree with the conclusion that the iPhone has made all mobile devices become quite similar. It's been a decade of images (touchscreens, cameras) not sound. Musicians succeed on YouTube (TV) because they're pretty, not because their music is good. The iPod (and radio) were great for "ugly" or shy musicians. What's the next innovation in audio? I think it's directional speakers. Imagine lying in bed and listening to music without headphones, but not disturbing others. Drivers could be getting notifications (turn right in 600 metres) without interrupting conversation. Musicians could have a monitoring speaker that doesn't interfere with their pickups. Sirens could be pointed at a particular driver to ask them to pull over. Zoom calls could be held without headphones, yet still with some privacy. Adverts could be directed only to people standing in front of a billboard. Louder areas of a concert/church could use directional loudspeakers to help hard-of-hearing listeners. Noise cancelling might even be possible, with an omnidirectional microphone listening to someone snoring, but a directional loudspeaker cancelling that for one lucky person. Although they've got lots of applications, I don't know whether directional loudspeakers are the next innovation for audio. But I do think that music will fuel the rise of the next tech leader, just like the iPod built Apple, and the Walkman built Sony.

avidiax 5y ago
https://www.soundlazer.com/what-is-a-parametric-speaker/ https://www.soundlazer.com/what-is-a-parametric-speaker/ Speakers already exist that do what you describe, although there is a physical limitation that ultrasound has to be used achieve extreme directionality, and it is distortion that is audible.
- peterburkimsher 5y ago
  Sounds like an area that's ripe for innovation :) The original iPhone's camera was pretty rubbish, especially the front-facing one. I think there's a huge opportunity for the first company who puts ultrasonic speakers into mobile devices.

kumarvvr 5y ago

I am confused by the article. The author cites a technology that seemingly demonstrates the concept of a "jam". But clearly, technology moved on, because all the benefits of the minidisc (re-writeability, compactness, reliable playback) were met by flash storage. Its also imperative that the lack of enthusiasm for minidisc must have other market / human factors at play. Also, when it comes to the iPhone Jam, the author does not spell out what is at the end of the jam.

calvano915 5y ago
Simply leaving out the pricing for the media and equipment makes it convenient for the argument. Other factors as you mentioned also factor in to the outcome.
pfranz 5y ago
CDs were launched in 1982 and the paper they link to about the tech behind Minidisc was published in 1983, but Minidisc wasn't brought to market until 1998. The assertion is that Sony's (and the public's) focus on CDs prevented them from bringing Minidisc to market until it was too late to gain traction even with a giant advertising budget. I agree there are a bunch of other factors for Minidisc's failure. The replacement you mention, flash storage (or those mini spinning hard drives that went into the first iPods), weren't viable until closer to 2003.

ksec 5y ago

Well MiniDisc was certainly popular in Japan and parts of Asia. In the UK most people dont understand why you want a better "cassette" where you have to "copy" from CD. The compact design wasn't enough of a selling point. But then somehow MP3 picked up. I also thought Zip and Jazz were not really competing. They are aiming at different market. And I really wish there is a consumer version of Jazz. Right now I have stack of external USD HDD for it. ( And I still haven't figure out what to do with the multiple copies of files in multiple disc along with storage on NAS etc... it is just too much hassle ) The sine wave part I couldn't understand. Mostly because my brain and thinking pattern looks at everything with S curve.