On Jun 3, 2008, at 2:39 PM, pauric wrote:
My question is still unanswered so let me turn it around.
I did answer, but because your base definition of "innovation" seems to preclude a product that can address the kind of need I mentioned, you negated the answer I gave. The Spyder is the first transportation vehicle I could see myself using instead of a car. That's innovation that I can see that could affect me also a personal level. I don't want a bicycle or motorcycle instead of my car for a variety of reasons, but the Spyder could actually be the kind of thing that gets me to stop driving my car 100% of the time.
You also seem to exclude what has to happen at the engineering level to make such a motorcycle possible. More info:
http://spyderryder.brp.com/spyder-community/en-CA/BlogEntry.html?EntryID=6c1e3a9d-3c8e-4932-af30-55c6cc1b6ec0
I do not see cross breading as innovation; e.g. sticking wheels on a skidoo. Great product design? yes. I do not see Suzuki, BMW or Harley fearing for their market anytime soon.
Whether it changes an entire market is not part of the definition of innovation. It's nice to have but it's certainly not a pre-requisite. Dean Kamen's Segway PT is easily innovative, if ultimately not a market changer or market breaker. How many three wheeled motorcycles are on the market? And if the Spyder increases the concept of transportation that is not a car but more than a motorcycle, shouldn't that qualify?
And maybe the market is still too early for this sort of thing, maybe not. But if it has any chance to succeed... the timing is certainly better considering that gas prices are getting a lot of people a lot more serious about what they drive to and from work.
A while back you called the Apple Air 'innovative'. Great product design? yes. At the time I felt loosing weight & functionality shouldnt be labeled 'innovation'.
What you seem to miss is the engineering and industrial design feat behind the Apple MacBook Air, along with the attempt on Apple's part to push a new product approach that is a few years ahead of everyone else. That being a laptop that is *entirely* wireless save for an occasional power chord. The ability to cram all that and the full power of a MacBook into that form factor and push full reliance on a wireless connection *IS* innovative for the laptop market. Regardless if you or I my find the need for one. (And as I said then, I won't buy one because I already have a MacBook Pro. But if I didn't, I'd easily consider the Air.)
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