http://tidbits.com/ Jeff Porten shares an interesting insight from a talk by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson — we can identify abandoned or stagnating technologies when examples of that technology remain cool decades later. How might this inform our view of today’s cutting edge devices? en-us Copyright 2012 TidBITS Publishing Inc. Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EDT Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EDT editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) editors@tidbits.com (TidBITS Editors) http://tidbits.com/images/tb_logo_152x55.png http://tidbits.com/ 55 152 TidBITS badge http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16219 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 11:39:29 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16219
You're a tech enthusiast but not an economist, so your statement is forgivable.

A state-mandated patent system in no way resembles a free market, so you're actually criticizing the state-regulated market. (E.G. patents on cellular technology can limit speed).

If you want a higher wireless speed, then limiting the content of websites through add-ons like AdBlock+ would improve your speed. But AdBlock+ is provided through the extremely free market of the Internet--compared to the significantly less free market of the US economy.

There are more examples, but your sentence is too short and vague.

Balkanization? Balkan music is awesome. (Something 'Balkanized' may actually be more in-line with customer preferences and efficient.

Please feel free to email me about markets.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16218 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:26:55 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16218
With Bluetooth headsets, my objection is that it's another thing to carry around, which can get entangled in things in my handbag. I don't even carry headphones to listen to music.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16216 Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:05:09 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16216 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16205 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:13:16 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16205
My main point is that quite often, superior technology does NOT become the new standard that everyone expects it to be. Bluetooth headsets are a great example, I think. I would have predicted that these devices would virtually take over the interface to mobile phones. Instead, it's a very nerdy thing to wear, these days. Not to mention the awkwardness of stepping up to a urinal next to some guy who's wearing his on the other side of his head. How was *I* supposed to know he wasn't talking to me? :-/]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16203 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:26:30 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16203 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16202 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:23:40 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16202 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16201 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:07:08 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16201
I'm also uncertain how good it can get in some ways, since people have enough trouble understanding what's said, and computers will have to do even better to not be frustrating.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16198 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:14:10 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16198 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16197 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:09:46 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16197
Another conundrum is that programmers often prefer vi and emacs over "cooler" programs like Textmate. Why? because they're ubiquitous and because reaching for a mouse actually slows them down and gets in the way, when compared to seemingly archaic keyboard shortcuts.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16196 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:32:16 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16196 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16194 Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:10:04 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16194 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16191 Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:09:17 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16191 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16190 Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:08:23 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16190 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16188 Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:00:40 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16188 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16184 Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:37:55 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16184 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16151 Fri, 12 Oct 2012 06:38:55 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16151 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16138 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:15:07 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16138 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16137 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:41:14 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16137 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16130 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 09:10:48 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16130 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16124 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 03:14:47 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16124 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16117 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:14:43 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16117 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16115 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:06:00 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16115 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16113 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:02:36 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16113 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16111 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:39 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16111 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16109 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:58:45 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16109 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16107 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:44:26 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16107 http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16106 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:35:23 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16106
Good piece though. Thanks.]]> http://db.tidbits.com/article/13321?rss#comments_16104 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:54:08 EDT http://tidbits.com/article/13321#comments_16104