I enjoy old technologies. They are concoctions of matter organized in a way that once suited a need, but whose time has passed. In fact, I was enjoying just such a technology this morning when I unfolded the newspaper to read the business page. I could not help but notice two articles separated by the happy account of two brothers who had parlayed their gardening hobby into a long-term and growing business.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is in full swing in Las Vegas. I have attended this premier event in the electronics arena many times. Thankfully, I no longer need to enjoy the chaos and overwhelming challenge of trying to sift through the cacophony to find the important and relevant nuggets presented in massive displays or hidden in obscure booths well off the main floor.
The magnitude of effort many companies pour into this show is amazing. And not only the effort is impressive...the glimpse they provide into the future of technology is often the stuff of what was science fiction only a few years prior. The forward-thinking find the show incredibly exhilarating. This year, a myriad of drones, affordable 3D adaptations for cell phones, curving displays and self driving cars all carry us toward the future.
But what's this I see through my reading glasses? At the fountain of the future, Kodak is introducing a reborn Super 8 movie camera. I know I've been waiting for this...how about you? No? Maybe this is for Steven Speilberg and Quentin Tarantino, since they are so fond of shooting film.
I can just hear the Ungrateful 8 sequestered in a conference room in the bowels of Kodak Office:
"CES is around the corner...what can we announce?"
"Ya know, Boss, I was listening to 'Carry On My Wayward Son' on my record player the other day..."
"Eureka! That's it! We'll appeal to the same people buying vinyl records by coming out with a new film camera. The Millennials will love it! We'll rebuild the film business, boys!"
"So we'll bring back the Retina line of still cameras?"
"Not sure. I think maybe we need a twist."
"I hear most people like pictures that move these days."
"Comic book super-hero flicks are big."
"Perfect!" shouts the Boss. "We'll bring back Super 8!"
OK, so with microprocessors and optical sensors and the like, one could certainly build a fine consumer movie film camera with 2016 technology, but is anyone really clamoring to go to Walgreen's to process his film? And where will Walgreens send the film for processing? And what will the developed film be projected with? Heaven forbid that the experience will be sullied by digitizing the film and displaying the result electronically.
I don't have any answers. Neither does Fortune.
In the coincidentally (?) unrelated article on the other side of the page, layoffs in Research and Development were announced.
The company that saw well enough to capture the world's images for over 100 years is completely bereft of vision.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is in full swing in Las Vegas. I have attended this premier event in the electronics arena many times. Thankfully, I no longer need to enjoy the chaos and overwhelming challenge of trying to sift through the cacophony to find the important and relevant nuggets presented in massive displays or hidden in obscure booths well off the main floor.
The magnitude of effort many companies pour into this show is amazing. And not only the effort is impressive...the glimpse they provide into the future of technology is often the stuff of what was science fiction only a few years prior. The forward-thinking find the show incredibly exhilarating. This year, a myriad of drones, affordable 3D adaptations for cell phones, curving displays and self driving cars all carry us toward the future.
But what's this I see through my reading glasses? At the fountain of the future, Kodak is introducing a reborn Super 8 movie camera. I know I've been waiting for this...how about you? No? Maybe this is for Steven Speilberg and Quentin Tarantino, since they are so fond of shooting film.
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| Is my calendar in error? Is this April 1? |
I can just hear the Ungrateful 8 sequestered in a conference room in the bowels of Kodak Office:
"CES is around the corner...what can we announce?"
"Ya know, Boss, I was listening to 'Carry On My Wayward Son' on my record player the other day..."
"Eureka! That's it! We'll appeal to the same people buying vinyl records by coming out with a new film camera. The Millennials will love it! We'll rebuild the film business, boys!"
"So we'll bring back the Retina line of still cameras?"
"Not sure. I think maybe we need a twist."
"I hear most people like pictures that move these days."
"Comic book super-hero flicks are big."
"Perfect!" shouts the Boss. "We'll bring back Super 8!"
OK, so with microprocessors and optical sensors and the like, one could certainly build a fine consumer movie film camera with 2016 technology, but is anyone really clamoring to go to Walgreen's to process his film? And where will Walgreens send the film for processing? And what will the developed film be projected with? Heaven forbid that the experience will be sullied by digitizing the film and displaying the result electronically.
I don't have any answers. Neither does Fortune.
In the coincidentally (?) unrelated article on the other side of the page, layoffs in Research and Development were announced.
The company that saw well enough to capture the world's images for over 100 years is completely bereft of vision.
