innovation

Audio Innovations-Growth Stage

Posted on by spr1324czarate
Rock-It 3.0 OrigAudio

We have learned in our Management 301 class that every product is subject to a life cycle. In its early stage, called introduction, the product is designed, developed with attention to quality, short production and limited models. The next stage is growth, where forecasting is critical, the product goes through competitive improvements, and distribution is enhanced. Then the product goes through maturity, in which standardization takes place. Finally, the product declines, where there is a lower product cost, differentiation decreases and capacity is reduced.

 
There are several products in the market that we can see going through the life cycle, but I have found an interesting article that makes reference to good examples of products on growth stage. They are the OrigAudio products, such as cardboard speakers, headphones and golf-ball-size amplifiers. According to the article in the Chicago Tribune by Ronald White, these OrigAudio products started being developed by Chicago entrepreneurs Jason Lucash and Mike Azymczk. These two marketers got their products in the market and successfully accomplished to be listed as one of the best inventions in 2009 by Times Magazine, just after a short period of time of their introduction (White, Ronald).
During the introduction stage the process design and development were critical, as well as they had short production run. The article mentions that since they are marketers, they don’t know about engineering, so they have been looking for people that can complete their team by helping them to bring their innovating ideas to life. Now, in the growth stage the entrepreneurs have been working on enhancing distribution. One of their most important decisions was moving to California. According to the article, by moving closer to the Pacific, great benefits were acquired by OrigAudio such as; decrease on transportation costs of inputs from China. But mostly, because the region with core surf and skate crowd represents a good market for them, to increase sales. In order to accomplish their goals they have been and will continue hiring more employees. Also they are working in more innovating designs for their speakers, headphones and amplifiers (White, Ronald). Finally, they are forecasting to have $5 million on sales this year, a totally different amount than in 2010, when they had just $700,000 in revenue (White, Ronald). But it makes sense since they had $3.5 million revenue in 2012 .
Some other OrigAudio products in the market, mentioned in Ronald’s article, are:

  • The Fold and Play speakers, which looks like a Chinese restaurant, take out box.
  • The Rock-It, which according to the article, includes a piece of the size of a marshmallow peep candy.

It looks like these entrepreneurs from Chicago are doing a good job in the growing stage of their products, since they are working on the competitive improvements and options.
Do you think they will be able to stretch their products’ life cycle enough for OrigAudio to earn and keep a good place in the market?
What would be your recommendations for these entrepreneurs to maintain their business growing?

Source:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/la-fi-socal-design-20130510,0,5421129.story

Starbucks: Getting Big but Staying Small

Posted on by spr1323kpavich

“How do you get big but stay small?” Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, recently discussed the keys to the immense success and growth of the company. Focusing on operating with the goals of the small, 100 employee company that Starbucks began as is essential, no matter how large the scope of the company gets. Sometimes success can come from the simplest of goals; Schultz discloses that the secret to “getting big while staying small” is focusing on customers as individuals, one cup of coffee at a time.

When it comes to strategy and operations decisions, Starbucks is obviously not competing for cost leadership. Every time I grab a latte and see that my total is $5.14, I flinch a little at the cost. Then when my coffee is handed to me, I breathe it in, take a sip, and say, “Oh, but it’s so worth it.” Hence, their success, for the quality and product differentiation of  a Starbucks cup of coffee is what keeps loyal customers coming back day after day. With suppliers of the highest grade coffee from 30 different countries, Schultz provides that Starbucks’ greatest goal is “to stay committed to our coffee core.” Not only do they maintain the best quality coffee by doing this, but they also ensure that their each and every action is sensitive to the needs of both the environment and the farmers. Treating the farmers as partners supports one of Starbucks’ most fundamental missions, to maintain the importance of every employee as an asset to the company. Further considering the environment, the recycling efforts and introduction of reusable cups are constantly improving.

With companies that have such continued success as Starbucks, I often assume that they got big and then just stayed that way. But, in reality, a commitment to innovation as well as social perception is essential to truly growing as a company. Starbucks has no shortage of either; with more product lines, global expansion, and ethical efforts than virtually any other coffee supplier, the company ensures that they provide they next best thing before anyone else. From K-cups to the newly released Vismo system, VIA ready brew coffee to the new Veranda blend, customers always have a fresh taste to try. In addition to trying these coffees, thousands of customers also tried a new way to purchase it. The Starbucks mobile app allows for purchases and account management.

Whether the motivation is impeccable quality or the convenience of a store being located on every corner, the numbers prove that customers think very highly of Starbucks. With global revenues of $13.3 billion in 2012, reflecting a 14% increase from the prior year, Starbucks is hitting record highs in sales.

If you are a Starbucks addict, do you take into consideration the ease of mobile technology or the benefits of the loyalty program when buying coffee? Or do you remain loyal simply because the coffee tastes that good? If you steer clear of Starbucks, would the environmental or social efforts have the ability to make you reconsider?

 

Sources:

Starbucks CEO Schultz on Digital Innovation: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/04/24/starbucks-howard-schultz-innovators/2047655/

Starbucks: FY 12 Annual Report: http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518&p=irol-irhome

Going Nuclear: Building the World’s Largest Puzzle

Posted on by erytych

An international nuclear fusion project, known as Iter, has been making progress by finally gaining approval for the design of a component that will be one of the most challenging to install. In a forest of Provence in the south of France, there has been the construction of a site that’s purpose will be to harness the nuclear power of the sun and stars. 34 nations have joined together in what is known to be “the biggest scientific collaboration on the planet.” If this project succeeds, then global energy demand will increase by three-fold, and it will change our world that has been struggling with the fight against climate change.

This highly complex fusion reactor will be built with about a million individual parts and each component will come from different regions built around the world. Then it will be assembled “like a giant Lego model” in a building near the site. These individual parts can get as big as small houses, and the building they’re assembling it at is equal to 81 Olympic-sized swimming pools. I already cannot imagine what it will take and has taken to bring so many countries together and decide what is going to be built where. It reminds me back to one of our first classes where we made the paper fortune tellers and how it took majority of the class to work together and complete the project.

 

Complexity of Iter has been proven through the length it had taken to reach the initial stages of construction. The earliest start time for this project dates back to 1985 with meetings and discussions between the nations. Today, scientists involved have claimed it will still take another ten years of building work and an extra ten years after that for testing the reactor before it can go online. If you were one of the managers on the team for this project, how would you being planning and creating a Precedence Diagram? Do you think there could be multiple critical paths in a project like this? One of my concerns about an enormous project is the time it takes to complete it. Over time, information becomes stale and the technology used becomes outdated because of the changing markets.

A critical phase of the project is injecting plasma, a super-hot electrically-charged atomic fuel, and it is scheduled for November 2020; unfortunately, because we do not live in a perfect world, there have been delays that pushed this phase back to October 2022. An unforeseen circumstance where a worker left a towel on one of the superconducting cables became compressed within the coil causing extra work by scraping off the debris left behind. I believe this is a perfect opportunity for the project managers to consider crashing this project because it is becoming behind schedule. Do you think that crashing a critical path in such a big project dealing with nuclear reactors would be a good idea to enable them to finish the project by the due date?

 

Links: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/one-giant-leap-for-mankind-13bn-iter-project-makes-breakthrough-in-the-quest-for-nuclear-fusion-a-solution-to-climate-change-and-an-age-of-clean-cheap-energy-8590480.html

Be GREEN, or be SQUARE!

Posted on by suhanip301s12

More and more customers now are looking for companies to be transparent, but it’s kind of hard to be competitive and sustainable at the same time.  Companies are now using value chain processes to get the job done fast.  They are not only focusing on suppliers but also taking into account By-Product-Synergy, which is “taking waste from one part of the production process and using that waste in order to generate a new product.” But how can companies become more sustainable if only “80 percent of management uses just 20% of the available opportunities?!”  The remaining 80 percent is where management needs to focus the rest of their energy.

It’s crucial for management to set goals and assess their risks, thereafter they can easily seek out opportunities for future improvement.  The first step to become a transparent company is to implement a sustainability program, and of course to develop a strategy.  The next step is to identify the companies “main processes and map data throughout the value chain.”  By using life-cycle-assessment software, the companies will have a more clear idea of how to lower their costs.

A similar approach was taken by ThyssenKrupp (FWB: TKA), a German elevator company.  Since ThyssenKrupp uses a considerable amount of steel in the manufacturing process, they thought the operational aspect had the greatest environmental impact. To their surprise,  the “company’s elevators themselves left a greater carbon footprint then their manufacture or any of the company’s other operations.”

As a result, ThyssenKrupp dramatically changed their product line after implementing a sustainability program.  They made the following changes to their products and services:

  • Elevators use LED lights which reduce energy consumption by 80%, and automatic fan and light shutoff which reduces CO2 emissions by 193,000 tons per year.
  • Getting rid of harmful chemicals used to manufacture the elevator.
  • Using petroleum based biodegradable fluid, with a vegetable-based option called “enviromax.”
  • Elevators are equipped with regenerative technology, meaning that the energy generated from the braking system is put back into the building.

In a way the article gives motivation to other companies who are taking their first steps towards becoming a transparent company.  It gives them few ideas and pointers on “unlocking supply-chain opportunities.” It’s important for different industries to decipher various ways to be more environmental friendly.  After all, there is more to being sustainable than just showing off your environmental initiatives.

Do you think ThyssenKrupp can take additional measures to make their company more sustainable?  Or better yet, are there any companies that you want to see become transparent in the near future? How would they need to change there operations?

Links:

http://www.thyssenkruppelevator.com/Sustainability/products-services

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/04/26/whirlpool-thyssenkrupp-supply-chain-transparency?page=0%2C1

https://opsmgt.edublogs.org/2012/06/28/transforming-waste-into-profit/

 

If Time Heals Wounds, Why Do We Still Use a 93-Year Old Band-aid?

Posted on by spr1332gfleytlikh

Band-Aids; we have all used them, from minor scrapes to cuts and even bug bites. We see them at the doctor’s office, the hospital, and the pharmacy. Generally, Band-Aids are the same: a piece of gauze surrounded by an adhesive strip. Though they do come in all shapes and sizes, we usually see and experience them looking like this:

That’s right! They were invented in 1920, which in turn makes the Band-Aid 93 years-old. They were created by Earle Dickinson and manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. What is interesting to look at is the innovation of the Band-Aid over its long life span. We have Band-Aids that are for large wounds, ones that wrap around, others with built in antiseptic on the gauze pad, and even little circle ones for small cuts. The product itself has undergone changes, but understandably, the process remains the same, attaching a gauze pad to a piece of tape (later a vinyl adhesive) and covering it in crinoline to keep it sterile. This process is done regardless of shape and size, and for the antiseptic ones, there is one extra step in the manufacturing process to add the disinfectant.

Enter Tsai Cheng-Yu and Hsu Hao-Ming. They have created the new Band-Aid, the AmoeBand. It claims to be more comfortable thanks to it being adjustable with perforated edges as well as a pH sensitive gauze pad which will tell the consumer whether or not the wound is infected. This design is a drastic change from the original that is mass produced. How could a company compete with this product, if it’s popular with consumers, if they have to change their whole process design of manufacturing?

AmoeBAND

Think of how much money would have to be spent either creating new manufacturing facilities or altering current ones. Even further, this process would have to be planned, designed, tested, and eventually perfected. The AmoeBAND adds the necessity to purchase pH sensitive gauze and add a manufacturing step to ensure the perforations. It is easy to understand from labs in class that a process is never perfect and differs. While each AmoeBand manufacturer may believe they have the fastest process, another may have a cheaper process. There are a lot of factors that will go into actual implementation of this product, if it were to become popular amongst consumers.

However, before all that, there will be the need to convince upper management of companies that this is the product of the future, a product that will reap larger reward, and could be easier to manufacture. That will take research, development, and sturdy planning. Band-Aids have not changed much since the 1920’s, so this could revolutionize the industry and push forward innovation.

Do you think a product like this could be produced by companies to net a positive gain? Would the AmoeBand even catch on with consumers?

 

Sources:

Mary Bellis: http://inventors.about.com/od/bstartinventions/a/bandaid.htm

Article:

Cristina Lindblad: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-14/reinventions-band-aid

Google- Future and Change

Posted on by spr1332khsieh

Over the past year Google has been on a shaky path.  Google’s mobile sector did horribly compared to Apple.  Major competitors were constantly outperforming Google’s productivity and sales.  Despite the threats Google has faced, the company is not worried about their competitors.  According to the article, Google’s shares rose 26% over the past year while their major competitor’s (Apple) shares fell 36% from the previous year.  Google is very optimistic about the future.

 

Google C.E.O., Mr. Page, still holds his head up and says “As C.E.O., it’s also super important to keep focused on the future,” Mr. Page said. “Companies can tend to get comfortable doing what they’ve always done, with a few minor tweaks. It’s only natural to want to work on things you know. But incremental improvement is guaranteed to make you obsolete over time, especially in tech.” (New York Times)

 

I definitely think this is the right attitude to have.  Many companies think of great ideas but then after time they lose the innovation that drives customers wanting more.  Especially since technology is constantly changing, it is so important to keep pivoting ideas.  Google is currently focusing on different strategies and future technology products to help Google gain the creative edge against competitors.  Major projects that Google is thinking about launching are cars that drive themselves and glasses that connect to the internet also known as Google Glass. (Talk about a major headache).  But these ideas are what keep people talking and coming back to see what is going on.  Companies need to keep changing their ideas in order to be successful.

Also the C.E.O. of Google knows that introducing new products  and sales are very important to the business, but that is not the only thing to focus on.  He is a firm believer in control.  He states that the “its core business is being run more efficiently”.  Controlling staff, spending, quality will all impact the company as a whole.  By focusing on efficiency, that will improve the overall quality of the company like we discussed in class during the red bean experiment.

According to the article it seems that the C.E.O. of Google is very proactive which is a good management and leadership skill to have.  He knows that the main focus is quality, which is an important aspect to a company.  He consistently works very hard at improving quality and puts an emphasis on change.  Whenever Google faces a problem or a potential threat, Google responds actively in order to fix the problems.  They focus on the issues head on in order to reduce the possibility of any future threats towards the company.

 

Hopefully Google will really follow through with their future products and have a better year than last year.  I cannot wait to have a car that drives itself!

 

Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/19/technology/googles-earnings-beat-expections-but-revenue-does-not.html?ref=technology

Is the Oil-Tanking Industry Sustainable?

Posted on by spr1322cleahy

Due to the poor economy, the oil industry is having a rough time enduring transportation costs from country to country.  For decades, oil tankers have been the main source of transportation, carrying up to two million barrels of oil between the Middle East, Asia, and the United States. Unfortunately for the oil tanking business, operation costs over the past few years have been much more expensive than they have been in the past.  This increase in price makes the shipping of the popular and much demanded natural resource nearly impossible and not worth it.  Unlike what is usually the case, globalization in this situation for example is more costly to this particular industry than it would be to drill into our own soil.  The only problem is that we find a larger supply of oil in foreign countries than we do our own.

To get an idea of how much this is costing the oil firms, analysts look at the forecasts from previous years.  This collection of data has shown that the industry has lost more than $26 billion dollars in the past four years, and operation costs are higher than ever.  To operate one of these extremely large vessels, it costs anywhere from ten to twelve thousand dollars per day.  In 2007, operation costs peaked at $309,601 per day.  That is unbelievable! Because these carriers are only making roughly $7,000 a day, there is a huge deficit.  While such oil companies continue to lose so much money daily, they cannot possibly stay in business.  The supply chain is not working in favor of firms; therefore, sustainability of the business comes into question.  So what should these oil tanking firms do?  How can they cut costs?  Is it possible to adjust the supply chain or is it a lost cause?

I think that at such a loss like this, the amount of ships in operation should decrease drastically, causing less expenses to be paid.  That is the only way they can keep their heads above water, although they are already sinking in debt.  New York’s Overseas Shipholding Group filed for bankruptcy last year, and I am sure they will not be the last to do so.  I feel for these dying companies because many of them entered into contracts before the economic crisis occurred, and now they are stuck in a failing industry, losing more than they gained from the contracts to begin with.

Other possible options for consumers that effect the oil firms is innovation.  It is not uncommon to see on TV or read in the newspaper alternatives to oil resources.  At the Chicago Auto Show every year, concept cars are on display that use battery powered systems to replace oil.  These are more cost efficient and do not require the use of oil tankers.  What do you think will be the result of the oil industry failing?  How do you think consumers should react to this? How do you think the government should react to this?

Sources:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323741004578418652461117968.html

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=686&q=oil+tankers&oq=oil+tankers&gs_l=img.3..0l7j0i5l3.1094.2780.0.2865.11.9.0.2.2.0.99.568.9.9.0…0.0…1ac.1.9.img.jaBIJkaaITU#imgrc=UIoFamHBsuSHxM%3A%3B47hJKcJOVD494M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.shippingherald.com%252FPortals%252F0%252FVessels%252Foil-tanker.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.shippingherald.com%252FAdmin%252FArticleDetail%252FArticleDetailsTankers%252Ftabid%252F102%252FArticleID%252F8877%252FNordic-American-May-Double-Oil-Tanker-Fleet-as-Asia-Spurs-Demand.aspx%3B1190%3B1074

 

 

(Virtual) Food For Thought: Virtual Supermarkets

Posted on by spr1312ckim

During this day and age, there are two main themes behind our technological advances as a human race: innovation and convenience. Almost everything is available via the Internet and accessible with our computers or smart phones. We can shop for clothes, order dinner, pay our bills, and do a lot more using our handheld devices. The newest addition to our already impressive lineup is a virtual supermarket. I know what you’re wondering, does this mean I will have to eat virtual food? The answer is no, virtual supermarkets have the same end goal as ordinary grocery stores: you get your produce in your fridge as expected.

Virtual supermarkets started in Japan and South Korea by Tesco Homeplus, a British grocery company. They are strategically located in subway stations alongside the walls and are set up as regular grocery stores, but instead of actual products, there are pictures of the items with a QR code beneath them. Users scan the QR codes with their smart phones and add the items to a virtual shopping cart. Once all of the products are in the cart, the shopper places the order and is charged through their credit card. The groceries then arrive at the person’s doorstep the next day. Virtual supermarkets eliminate the hassle of actually visiting a grocery store, physically carrying the items, and they also save a lot of time for shoppers.

The U.S. has caught on to the craze by introducing virtual supermarkets in Chicago, Boston, New York, and other major metropolitan areas. Peapod, a U.S. grocery company, has taken the initiative by setting up  virtual supermarkets in subway stations just like Japan and South Korea. So far, there has been positive feedback from the younger generation, but  older people prefer to physically visit the stores. This shows that we are truly in an age of innovation and convenience, or that we have become extremely lazy.

An advantage that virtual supermarkets have from an operations management perspective is the management of inventory. By not having the inventory physically present, the products won’t sit on the shelves and companies can place orders for certain items based on the online demand, eliminating backlog.

I believe that having virtual supermarkets is a step forward in the right direction, but this step lacks some benefits that are present when physically being in a store. When I was younger, I used to always accompany my mom to the grocery store and she would tell me how to pick out the ripe fruits, or how to tell similar vegetables apart. She knew exactly what she was getting by touching and feeling the products. Another missing component to virtual grocery shopping is taste-testing the food. Many times we are not certain about what to buy and by trying a sample, we decide whether or not to purchase the product. That is one advantage that places like Costco will have over virtual supermarkets.

Virtual supermarkets define innovation and convenience, but are not for everyone. Would you ever consider using one, and if so, do you see virtual supermarkets replacing physical grocery stores in the future?

Sources:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/virtual-grocery-shopping-and-v-158354

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/01/peapod-virtual-grocery-st_n_1929756.html

http://www.zdnet.com/virtual-supermarket-shopping-with-a-smartphone-4010022941/

 

 

High-Speed Internet: Is it Still High-Speed?

Posted on by spr1311pfudala

This past week Google announced that they are expanding Google Fiber to Austin, Texas. Google Fiber is Google’s version of high-speed Internet, which can download at up to 1000 Mb per second, and digital cable television service. This is 100 times faster than any other Internet provider. Google Fiber also gives you one terabyte of storage, which can be used to record up to eight HD TV shows simultaneously. Google provides you with a brand new Nexus 7, that you use as a remote to control your TV.

Google Fiber is currently only being provided in Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO. Future cities that will have Google Fiber are Westwood, KS, Westwood Hills, KS, Mission Woods, KS, Kansas City North, MO, and Kansas City South, MO. Google offers three prices for Google Fiber:

Google Fiber Network Box
  • Gigabit + TV: $120/month ($300 construction fee waived)
  • Gigabit Internet: $70/month ($300 construction fee waived)
  • Free Internet (5 Mb): $0/month (for at least seven years) + $300 construction fee

These higher Internet speeds would eliminate those irritating YouTube buffers and would speed up downloading/uploading files. However, are the benefits of Google’s high-speed Internet worth the cost? It is estimated that it cost Google $11 billion to install Google Fiber nationwide, 20 million homes. That comes out to roughly $550 per home. With Google waiving the $300 construction fee, it would take five monthly payments of the highest-priced service, Gigabit + TV, to pay for the installation of Google Fiber to a home. Google would not start making a profit until five months after installing the service to a home. That is a long time to make a profit. This could prevent expansion to other cities.

In order to receive support from city politicians and residents, Google will install Google Fiber to public institutions for free. Hospitals, schools, community centers, and libraries will get Google Fiber installed for free. The rollout of Google Fiber also creates jobs in the Austin area and creates economic growth.

But is Google Fiber really necessary? The current U.S. average Internet speed is 7.2 Mb per second. While 7.2 Mb is not ultra-fast, it is still quite fast. Should Google not be focusing on expanding Internet access globally? Google should focus their Internet operations strategy on providing access to areas where it does not exist. We can wait for Google Fiber until everyone has access to the Internet first.

Should Google be waiving the $300 construction fee? Is this a smart way to gain customers or is Google only increasing its own expenses? Why is Google only expanding Google Fiber from town to town and not expanding nationally at one time? How are other Internet service providers going to compete with Google Fiber and its amazingly fast speed? What would you do with download speeds of up to 1000 Mb per second? Overall, does Google have good product strategy and project management in regards to the rollout of Google Fiber?

Sources

Analyst: Google Will Spend $84M Building Out KC’s Fiber Network To 149K Homes; $11B If It Went Nationwide: http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/08/google-fiber-cost-estimate/

Austin Next City for Ultra-fast Google Fiber: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-04-09/austin-expected-to-be-next-stop-for-google-fiber

Google Fiber: https://fiber.google.com/about/

Google Fiber Expands TV, Internet to Austin, Texas: http://www.abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/04/google-fiber-expands-tv-internet-to-austin-texas

Residents and Businesses Excited for Possibilities Google Fiber Brings: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/residents-excited-for-possibilities-google-fiber-brings

US Internet Speed Lags Behind S. Korea, Latvia: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/science_tech/us-internet-speed-lags-behind-s-korea-latvia

 

Facebook Home for Mobile Users Innovative? or a Flop?

Posted on by spr1331abarrios

Facebook wants to takeover your computer, tablet, life, and now your Phone?

The sole objective for Facebook Home is to immediately let you gain access to the social network with just a simple look at your phones screen, and this works without you physically running the app or even unlocking your phone. So in simple words, from your locked screen you’ll be able to see your news feed, posts, and full screen photos posted by friends—not to mention you will also have the ability to comment and like the items you stumble upon.

Facebook Home
Facebook Home “Start Up Screen”

So how exactly is this innovative/different as to other phones with normal software? A Facebook Home equipped phone differentiates itself from other phones as you turn on the screen. You will see the time and a small circle at the bottom of the phone displaying your current profile picture. If you don’t touch the screen, your news feeds, known as Cover Feed (in Facebook Home), will start displaying and automatically scrolling from one post to another. There is also the option of manually swiping through the feed just incase you come across something interesting. On the bright side each post takes up the entire diameter of the screen, giving you the perfect visual. If a photo is posted then it will lighten up the screen and you have the option of double clicking to enter your comment or to add a like. If it’s a text post, the author’s photo will appear transparent in the background. If you swipe your finger to the right, you now engage in Facebook Messenger, where you can directly speak to your friends, while also seeing and receiving your SMS texts.

If your friends are boring and you’re really not an avid Facebook user then I can see this being very pointless and annoying to you. But if your obsessed with Facebook and constantly stalking an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend or cant get enough from just having it on your computer, then Facebook Home might be right down your alley. Then again, the option for Facebook Home is 100% optional when buying a new phone, so Facebook still allows the customer choose whether they want to adapt to Facebook Home or just use the normal app.

iPhone users, you like the idea? Well unfortunately Facebook Home is an optional feature for Android users only. It won’t be running on any Apple products because apple does not allow other companies to take control of the main functions. Though in Apples basic settings you are allowed to sign into you Facebook and Instagram and be able to share content easily. But that’s as far as it goes with Apples strict policies.

Do you think Facebook Home is differentiating the brand in the right way or setting up for a flop in the mobile world? Was it a bad decision to make software that has opted them from the biggest mobile manufacturer, Apple? What are you thoughts?

 

References:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323550604578412664150862712.html