Posted in Blog, Computer Industry, Education, Metaphor
Last week, after 244 years, Encyclopedia Brittanica announced it would be discontinuing the physical production of the iconic encyclopedia. Given the popularity (not to mention the breadth and accuracy) of Wikipedia, it’s not really much of a surprise. It is, however, a wonderful metaphor for the future of information in the sense that information wants…
Posted in Aging, Agriculture, Analogy, Business, Computer Industry, Education, Future, General, Jump the Curve, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Unlearn Strategy, Zenzizenzizenzic
If something doubles just ten times it is one thousand (1024 times to precise) larger. This is an important concept to grasp if you want to better contemplate the future. Why? Because no fewer than nine technological trends—semiconductors, data storage, bandwidth, genomics, gene sequencing, robotics, nanotechnology, brain scanning and scientific knowledge—are doubling anywhere from every…
Posted in Advertising, Business, Computer Industry, Creativity, Culture, Education, Future, General, Health Care, Internet, Jump the Curve, Manufacturing, Marketing, Media, Politics, Television, Unlearn Strategy
Take a look at the pictures to the right. What's wrong with them? The answer would seem pretty obvious: they are upside down. But that is wrong. They are only "wrong" from your perspective. From outer space there is no up or down, so the globe can just as correctly be viewed from one perspective…
Posted in Business, Computer Industry, Creativity, General, Health Care, Jump the Curve, Stories
In my 2008 book, Jump the Curve, I dedicated an entire chapter to the topic of “unlearning.” It is my contention that the pace of technological change is occuring so fast that not only it is essential people learn new skills, they must also dedicate an equal amount of time to unlearning old skills and…
Posted in Automobile, Business, Computer Industry, Creativity, Health Care, Innovation, Unlearn Strategy
Posted in Business, Computer Industry, Current Affairs, Education, Energy, Future, Health Care, Jump the Curve, Robotics, Unlearn Strategy, Utility, Wireless
John Seely Brown, John Hagel and Lang Davidson recently wrote an article entitled ”The New Reality: Constant Disruption.” The basic premise isn’t new to anyone who has read my book Jump the Curve or The Singularity is Near, and that is that society is now headed into a new era whereby change is a constant…
Posted in Business, Computer Industry, General, Manufacturing, Marketing
According to this new study, the addition of an "add-on" can sometimes backfire and make a consumer less likely to buy the product. For example, in the case of a new MP3 player, if the company offers the customer an opportunity to purchase an additional 20GB of memory it might cause them to think that…
Posted in Communication, Computer Industry, Games, Innovation, Telecommunications
Microsoft has developed a cool new interface that allows consumers to control images on the front of the device (or phone) from the back. As devices get ever smaller, this seems like a natural evolution of where interface technology is headed. Will other device manufacturers be able to unlearn the current paradigm?
Posted in Computer Industry, Science
I have written before the amazing and growing power of supercomputers (here and here), but this article makes a compelling case that supercomputer simulation will soon become the “third branch of science” and that the growing power of these beasts will rival the invention of the microscope in its impact on science. It will be…
Posted in Black Swans, Books, Computer Industry, Defense, History, Internet, Military_, Neuroscience, Politics, Quotes, Robotics, Terrorism
In 2005, I wrote a book on General George C. Marshall entitled "Soldier, Statesman, Peacemaker: Leadership Lessons from George C. Marshall." One of my favorite quotes of Marshall’s is the advice he pounded into the heads of his junior officers: "Study the first six months of the next war." It was great advice in the…
