2005-07-19

White elephants: double vision LCD, tailor sized jeans


So many white elephants in the business world, yet the good ideas do not always get the funding they deserve.

I am talking about Sharp's new double vision LCD TV. Neat idea, unrealistic business sense. It has long been known that LCD view is directional. I myself have thought about the 2-angle view idea as well when I was shopping for a LCD monitor 8 years ago. But when you apply this to a TV set, do you expect people wearing headphones? I am not sure if it is a good idea for TV until we find a way to implement directional sound (through polarization filter or other means?). Nevertheless, this being from a Japanese consumer electronic company, down the road they will think about something cool and useful. Kudos to the engineers though.

This reminds me of Levi's internet ordered jeans around 1999. MBAs were fascinated by the idea. I thought it was just a tiny niche fitting the remnants carved out by the standardized size segments. I did not hear about that gimmick much again. Instead, I watch teenagers folding up their oversized jean trunks and they seem to think it looks cool.

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