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View Full Version : Why Does Asia Get All the Cool Stuff First?


Jason Dunn
12-13-2004, 04:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/archive/2004/12/09/gadgetgap.DTL&type=tech' target='_blank'>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/archive/2004/12/09/gadgetgap.DTL&type=tech</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Cell phones that do everything but make toast (although appropriate attachments are probably available from third-party accessory vendors). Gigapixel digital cameras. Laptops so tiny that "My dog ate my homework" is once again a valid excuse. And, of course, the most incredible toilets in the history of humankind. Some of these devices eventually plod over to U.S. shores months or even years after they've become obsolete in Japan. But many never arrive here at all. Why is it that Japanese manufacturers (and, increasingly, those in Korea and China as well) have such a death grip on consumer-electronics cool? And why are Americans deprived of the choicest fruits of this technological bounty? The answers to these questions offer an intriguing look at how culture shapes technology -- and vice versa."</i><br /><br />This is a fascinating article - if you're ever wondered why Asian markets routinely get the cool technology first, this article answers that question. It's a mix of cultural, economic, and infrastructure issues - and after reading this article, I'm left with the distinct impression that this is an issue that won't be changing in the next 50 years.

possmann
12-13-2004, 04:57 PM
Great article and so sad but true (for those of us stuck - and I do mean stuck - in the US). We the consumers (again here in the US) certainly have 0 impact on technology improvements and driving developers to making things better/easier to use and compact. We think of limitless expansion capablities and endless resources - sigh....

Don;t get me wrong, I love the US - just not how anti-global or satisfied with mediocracy we are...

end o rant

Kris Kumar
12-14-2004, 02:09 AM
The article was PhD thesis material. :-)

Definitely an interesting read.

I *don't* think I can appreciate the pace at which the manufacturers put out new tech in Japan, I don't think I want my gadgets to be outdated even before I have received the credit card statement. Also it sounds like the market in Japan is not restricted to sticking with standards or standardizing technology.

On the other hand I agree that the North American market is a slow adopter.

But the ideal market is somewhere in between. ;-)