Where Is Tech Going?

  • By Deane Ogden
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    I'm writing this from a consumer electronics convention in the South Pacific islands. If you're familiar with electronics trade shows, it's basically the CES of southeast Asia, only way bigger. There are easily twice as many people here than at any CES I've ever been to. It's a madhouse. Comprised of five halls, the convention center spans a massive 500,000 square feet, which is over twice that of the Anaheim Convention Center, where Ill see many of you in January 2012 for Winter NAMM.

    Some Observations

    I had a couple days to absorb this funhouse. I met with a lot of folks, learned many things I didn't know (or wasn't aware of) before, and just had a really great time. Here are a few of my own observations as I've walked around and drooled over all the shiny, flashy stuff.

    Asia Has Cooler Stuff Than We Do

    Asia just has infinitely cooler tech stuff than we have in the USA. Asian minds are still clearly the leading innovators when it comes to technology products. That might sound like a generalization, and I'm sorry if it does, but I think it's an honest one. The innovation is just there. The proof is in the pudding, and in this case, the pudding I've eaten today has been pretty damned tasty! I will say one thing: The belief that technology in Asia is "cheaper" is a bit of a myth. The price are a smidgen lower, but those savings are lost once you tack on shipping costs to the western hemisphere. I purchased a few things, all of which can be packed in my luggage for my trip back to Los Angeles, but if I were were shipping them to myself there, those products wouldn't be ultimately cost me any less than if I purchased them a year from now at Best Buy when they became available for purchase at home.

    Public Technology is No Longer Desirable

    People have become discouraged with public tech, therefore, companies are positioning to make private tech as accessible as they can, as quickly as they know how. In context, that means that it's officially too much of a pain in the asses for most folks to bother putting their pants on and head to the cinema or to wait in traffic to see Coldplay at a stadium… in the rain… 50 miles from their front door. Instead, what they really want is that exact same mind-blowing experience in the comfort of their living room, and they are more than willing to wait and save their dough until that's an affordable reality. Translation: By the time The Avengers hits Blu-Ray in 2013, watching it in your living room on one of the new Sony "planetarium" projectors and having it rattle your ass-cheeks as if you were straddling a space rocket to Venus will only cost you about 250 clams.

    Size Matters

    Smaller is sexier. Tiny is tantalizing. Little is luxurious. Micro is monumental. Size matters—bulky is out, nano is in. I saw a 64GB (yes, 64 GIGS) "thumb drive" that is thinner than a stick of Wrigley's Spearmint chewing gum (and about half the size), a digital SLR with the same specs as the Cannon 5D but about the size of an iPod Touch, and a cell phone that can do everything the iPhone 4S does (including full AI voice-activated assistance) with front-side flash and a 128GB hard drive… but it weighs less than a pack of Marlboro Lights.

    Trends Begin and End Quickly

    Because of the advancements in technology in Asia over what we have in America, it takes a lot to impress Asian people. Example: Gears of War III? Yawn. They don't give a crap. But... two little 10-year old boys in full mo-cap suits fighting in a fully projected green-screen environment (one a huge Transformer-like warrior, the other a giant monsterous-sorceror-slash-beast-thingy)... their crystal-clear, blood-spurting, sceptor-wielding images rendered to jumbo-tron… That crap draws a crowd of approximately 650 people in jaw-dropping disbelief. Including me.

    While here, my girlfriend surprised me with a new addition to my studio at the M-Audio booth. It was an awesome time at a very very cool convention. I have to say, though, that while I always look forward to NAMM in January, it will be a weird adjustment to bump back down to that size a show after witnessing the ridiculous massiveness of this one. Those of you who have ever been to Musik Messe in Frankfurt after having been to NAMM probably know what I mean. Same thing.

    What Does This All Mean for Creatives?

    I have no idea. I really don't. It might not mean anything at all. But, as I was perusing all this cool stuff I couldn't help but contrast what I was seeing up against what I have going on professionally. What are the ramifications of these trends? How do they affect what I'm planning for my next 14 months? Do they impact me at all? How about the shift away from public entertainment? The movies? The theaters? Gaming? Great... I just started a new gaming project! For me, it's all kind of a kick in the butt, to be honest. It's really making me look at my game-plan and assess future strategies. Where are these industries going to be in a year? How will they have changed... and more importantly, how will I need to change to stay competitive?

    I'd be curious as to what you think about it all.

    What's Your Take?

    This is a conversation we are having… a two-way street. I’d like to hear your ideas on how this folds into your creative process. Please leave a comment under any post. Names are optional, but I’m interested in real and meaningful discussions, so consider leaving your name if that’s also interesting to you. Thanks for stopping by!