Apple Corporation seems to always have something new to keep their name a popular topic. Even though the adjustments they made to their software are very minimal and there are already systems very similar out, every new launch from Apple a huge hype and gets attention from majority of people.

Every time a new software or phone is released by Apple, they have a huge Keynote that has viewers from all over the world. Apple does not spend money on the advertising for the Keynote but they are still able to have millions of viewers. The Keynote goes through the details of the new product, shows the product to the public for the first time, and finally gives the release date for the item. With the release date being in the near future, customers gain anticipation to get their hands on the product when it first goes public.

Apple now has a cycle for each one of its’ products so they are constantly introducing the next big thing. With this stable cycle, Apple is always able to keep their company on the surface and continue to be a popular brand. Although some may think Apple is making their previous products go out of date very quickly, the purpose of Apple’s constant cycle of upgrades is to make their product irresistible to the millions of people that have yet to buy the product. The cycle also manages to keep the competitors on their toes; when they come out with their first of a product similar to Apple’s, Apple is already ready to release the next generation of the product.

Apple is making their product cycles long enough to have customers with the past model upgrade at the time of release while maintaining the newest products constantly. Some people are ready for the upgrade when it comes out but even the people that are not will be intrigued by the newest release and pay the price to keep up with the latest and greatest from Apple. For example, Apple is at the 8^th generation of iPhones, but when the six came out there were still lines for hours the day of the release, even after some people participated in the online preorder that Apple offers.

Thus far the Apple product cycle has been able to keep the company pretty successful and at the top of the market. Apple is able to release the newest products without spending much on advertising and having a good turn out.

 

http://recode.net/2014/09/01/the-apple-product-cycle-comic/

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com

Motorola’s tattoos could replace passwords

LINK: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/10090863/Google-Motorolas-tattoos-could-replace-passwords.html

There’s a new technology on the horizon – a quite interesting one at that. This technology plans to remove the need to require passwords and replace them by simply with a phone being near the user’s body. The idea was suggested by Dennis Woodside, Motorola’s chief executive, at California’s D11 Conference on May 30, 2103. The tattoos were developed by MC10, an engineering firm in based in Massachusetts. The tattoos contain flexible electronic circuits that are attached to the user’s skin using a rubber stamp. Nokia has previously experimented with this, but Regina Dugan, Motorola’s senior vice president of advance research was a former head of the US Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The agency demonstrated the silicon-based technology that uses the bendable electronic circuits. It was initially designed for medical purposes, but Motorola is hoping for success with these “Biostamps” for consumer authentication purposes. Motorola’s has the notable expert on their team to get the pan implemented quicker than other companies.

Motorola is also investigating the Proteus Digital Health Pill, which is a computer chip that is powered by a battery using the acid in the user’s stomach. This was already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and was given approval by European regulatory in 2010. The pill creates a unique signal that gets picked up by devices outside the body, which could be used to verify a user’s identity. It’s been claimed that the pill can be taken daily for about a month.

Admittedly theses experimental ideas are not going to be on sale anytime soon, but Wooside has claimed Motorola has “tested it authenticating a phone, and it works.”
Former Google employee who now is apart of Motorola said, “Having the boldness to think differently about problems that everybody has everyday is really important for Motorola now. Authentication is irritating. In fact its so irritating only about half the people do it, despite the fact there is a lot of information about you on your smartphone, which makes you far more prone to identity theft.”

Motorola has already begun to enter the smartphone realm by preparing to launch the Moto X Phone in October. It will go on sale for much less than the iPhone and other smartphones in the market now. Motorola is behind but it just can’t simply compete by selling the same phone everybody else is selling at a cheaper price. It needs to exceed expectations and issue a technology that surpasses that of its competitors.

Although many people will be creeped-out by this, I think that it’s not only fascinating but that it can revolutionize the industry. I agree with the former Google employee; it is very irritating to have to log in with a password over 50 times a day. I am in fact so irritated that I do not have a password on my iPhone or iPad. Although some may believe that is a security issue, I make sure I have the devices either near me or in a locked area. The minute I discover my phone is in danger I quickly find a computer and lock it and erase its data. But that’s beside the point; it is a pain to go through authentication constantly. I think the idea needs much work and warming up to, but I think it’s fantastic. We already have very technologically advanced biometric systems in motion, so why don’t we get consumers to start using them to their benefit as well?

How do you think the company Motorola will do? What do think of this idea? Are there safety issues? Would you be willing to try it out?

SOURCE: The Telegraph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fellow college students just like us had an idea that had the potential to turn into millions.   The Mason jar has been popular among people and restaurants for use as a drinking glass.  But what about a cocktail shaker?  When college friends Eric Prum and Joshua Williams were playing around with a Mason jar last year, and transformed into a hip new cocktail shaker, they had no idea it would turn into such a hit.  Their Mason Shaker idea was made with a Ball Mason jar and fitted  with a custom lid representing the same structure as a cocktail shaker lid.   Last November, the initial order of the shakers were introduced at West Elm stores and thousands were sold out with in just three weeks.  In January, the sales of the shakers through the Internet and the West Elm stores had reached $250,000.

In January last year, these college buddies first came up with the Mason shaker and designed it.  Later in that following July, they came across this crowd-funding website called Kickstarter.  This site helps raise money for start-up businesses.  Their goal was to raise $5,000 to help manufacture and supply their product.  They shattered their goal of $5,000 by raising $74,738 from approximately 2,000 investors in as little as a month. 

This was not the students’ first entrepreneurial engagement.  Williams, who had a passion for food and drinks, started a catering and cocktails business with his fellow friend Prum.  During the company’s events they discovered how useful these jars worked well for creating their unique cocktail concoctions.

Previously, Prum was a designer and developer for a paintball company, so he took the knowledge gain from this experience and thought to design something with his best friend – a cocktail shaker.  These friends took their product design skills and knowledge to refine their Mason jar cocktail shaker invention.  Making over hundreds of tweaks and finally happy with the final prototype, they began their business.   Prum and Williams founded the W&P Design, a Brooklyn-based product design company.  Then they launched the Mason jar shaker on Kickstarter.  Prum was working as a full-time managing partner, while Williams still employed in his banking job, working as an adviser on product development and business strategy – 2 important operations management tasks.  Then they launched their product by a good deal with a home goods chain called West Elm. 

The company is already profitable, but it’s still very much in startup mode.   They are both hoping that through their skills and knowledge, they will achieve longevity in their business.

I believe these students turned a simple idea into a creative invention that became popular and profitable, but it maintained its profitability and exceeded it through knowledgeable decisions on operating their business.

Prum and Williams, a pair of wise college students made very intelligent and correct operations decisions in their start-up business to not only reach goals, but exceed them.  Their Mason jar shaker was a success and their future decisions will continue to show how successful the shaker can be and how their business will progress.

Source: Link

 

 

 

 

 

 

The objective of this blog site is to extended our classroom to the world! I would like for you to share personal reflections on the material covered in class – for example, what you learned that was new or surprising to you, examples of how you have seen the concepts or philosophies practiced in your jobs (either good or bad), discussion of interesting articles or news items about operations that you read in the newspaper, magazines, or on the Internet. 

I expect you to seek out relevant information from the Internet and other relevant web sites to supplement the class material and support your thoughts and interests.  You need to cite any sources that you use in the creation of your post.

Happy blogging!