I want to talk about weird tech for a minute. A lot of strange and wonderful pieces of technology have come across our desks over the years. More often that not, they’re the purview of the startup. Small companies are more nimble and willing to take risks. That’s a big part of the reason the entire smartphone industry converged on the smartphone factor. It’s also why a lot of laptops seem to look like MacBooks these days.
With shareholders and boards holding their feet to the fire, corporations are less willing to take big risks. Such ideas also tend to get gummed up in layers of bureaucratic red tape. It’s a bit like attempting an evasive maneuver with a giant ship. It’s difficult, ill-advised and can end very badly.
