This is inspired by several gadgets that receive too much hype for having such little demand. It will also highlight one gadget that is one of the biggest trends since the digital camera revolution.
1. Amazon Kindle
Useless Factor: Paying to read blogs, ugly design
The kindle is one expensive gadget at $400. On top of that, you have to pay at least around $10 a month for papers, and $1 or $2 to read blogs. Why would you do that when you can access this type of content online for free? The whole thing is just completely unrealistic for the mainstream audience, especially since you would have to buy 40 e-books to get your moneys worth. It’s definitely not useful for anything outside of reading books (especially not photo-heavy books) as the “browsing” experience and graphics gives you a nostalgic feeling of the late 90’s.
Further proof that the Kindle is useless: have you ever actually seen a person use it in real life? I take the BART every day, and the iPod to Kindle ratio is about a 10:0.
2. Microsoft Zune
Useless Factor: It’s Not an iPod
Do you remember when the Zune was first released in stores last November? Probably not since there certainly wasn’t a single line formed for it anywhere. Even though the second generation Zune is a lot more attractive than the first release people called the “plastic brick,” I still wouldn’t spend $240-$399 on a device that’s not nearly as cool and flexible as the iPod line. Perfect, yet one more Microsoft product you can’t use with your Mac…or your PC for that matter.
3. Ford Sync
Useless Factor: Ford + Microsoft = a $395 bad idea
I hate to bash two Microsoft products back to back, but can you really blame me? Ford’s game plan on boosting sales of their unsold car inventory by introducing Ford Sync is very sad, to say the least. Even the cheapest of cell phones already have voice recognition technology, which isn’t even a hugely sought after feature- the iPhone doesn’t have it and nobody cares. And the convenience of hands-free – isn’t that what the blue-tooth is for, and for a lot cheaper? The only useful thing about the Ford Sync is maybe the fact that you can browse through your music using voice command, and have your text messages read out loud to you. Great.
Let’s just say that the day I decide to buy a new Ford because of the Ford Sync, and so I can hook up my Zune to my Ford Sync – is the day I’ll buy the Amazon Kindle.
4. Macbook Air
Useless Factor: $1799 – $3,098
The Macbook Air is a completely stripped down laptop where you have to sacrifice standard laptop features, speed, and hard drive space for thinness that can fit into a manila envelope. This YouTube parody of the Macbook Air commercial says it all. So unless you’re a heavy traveler and you would use this as a secondary laptop, it’s not worth it.
The Gadget We Can’t Live Without:
The GPS Device
Bragging Factor: It helps you get places.
Last year GPS systems hit a sort of “tipping point” as retailers everywhere started selling them like hotcakes, now that they are widely affordable. Amazon attributed “best ever” holiday profits party to GPS sales. GPS is no longer limited to the luxury car owner overpaying for the added feature; now the average person can afford one.
And with gas prices heading higher, I think we can all afford to get a device that saves us from driving around aimlessly when we’re lost. You can get solid GPS devices by the best brands for reasonable prices like the TomTom One 3rd Edition for $192, or the Navigon Portable GPS for $129. If you’re willing to spend a little more and want the best GPS device, you can see the top rated GPS systems here.
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
hope this is what you wanted posted
February 25th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Ema: I think the Amazon Kindle will take off, because most people are into following popular trends, even if it expensive. Suzy Orzman made a comment the other day on her MSNBC program that most people spend money just to stay popular and in the game, even if they can’t afford it. So, yes, $400 for a Kindle is super expensive, but we need to consider social trends, and Amazon most surely is mainstream today, a major player, etc. Regards, Keith J, Author “365 Great Affirmations”.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I think the book is a work in progress. You have to keep in mind this is the first of it’s kind. There will be many many different versions that are more practical to come if this has any success.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
“So unless you’re a heavy traveler and you would use this as a secondary laptop, it’s not worth it.”
Um… yes, heavy travelers and people using it as a secondary laptop is exactly the target market for the Macbook Air. You nailed it right on the head. So why is it useless again? Oh, because it’s useless to YOU. I get it. Well here’s a news flash for you – there are a lot of people that are different than you are, and have different needs. The Air is absolutely not useless for those people, nor is it “over-hyped”. It was designed for a specific market segment, which you obviously identified but failed to acknowledge.
Calling it “useless” is ignoring the fact that it does fit the needs of some people perfectly, and it really doesn’t do justice to the product. I have no use for a tractor, so therefore tractors are useless. Sound familiar? The Macbook Air was not designed to please everybody. That’s what the Macbook and Macbook Pro are for. But that doesn’t mean the Macbook Air is useless, does it?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Brad, Thanks for posting your opinions. The Ford Sync is actually a strategy of Ford’s to pick up sales in their unsold car inventory:http://jalopnik.com/cars/industry-news/ford-only-loses-380-million-happy-days-are-here-again-320509.php
June 11th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I love your list
I also love the fact that you pointed out Microsoft products not working with ANYTHING, including stuff that they were designed to work with. I know people think that Apple is snobby, expensive, and stupid… but the stuff WORKS.
July 8th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Great Article. I agree with you on all of them.