Bringing new technology to market!

Chapter_7 explore the various methods used to evaluate and choose innovation project.
I found an article that is about the smart phone and their impact on our lifestyles and culture. A growing number of auto and electronics companies are creating systems that put touch screens, and the ability to talk and text, right into the dashboard. In the near future, a significant percentage of new cars on the road are expected to come equipped with the ability to update Facebook statuses by voice and even surf the Web from the driver's seat.
Developing new product and service is time - consuming. It is also extremely risky. Firms have to make difficult choices about witch project are worth the investment. Most of new product developments require quantitative and qualitative methods.
I do believe that, in quantitative method, this is a viable project. People are always willing to pay for cars especially if it brings an extra system that makes it safer and easy to the driver to do what many of them are already doing -- using their smart phones while driving. Ford, General Motors and several other automakers are already investing in this system. I believe that this project will bring increase cash flow and consequently produce a positive NPV. However, this technology raises some questions: How these 'infotainment' systems are going to affect how people drive? How drivers are going to integrate these systems into their driving environment? Those are qualitative questions that General Motors need to answer.
Website:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/10/19/smartphone.cars/index.html

iPad

Some people still doubt the iPad's chances for success, but current sales rates suggest that the device could rank among top consumer electronics categories within a year. I found an interesting article about Apple iPad – Fastest Adopted Consumer Electronics Device Ever!
Apple's ability to deliver great products is unparalleled in consumer tech. As we already know, Apple reinvented the tablet market--that is, the iPad is much more than an e-reader that competes with Kindle--and brought touch technology to mobile devices. The iPad's current sales rate is 4.5 million units per quarter, McGranahan added, predicting that sales of the device will be about $9 billion in 2011. According to an analyst note, and tablet computers are likely to become the country's fourth-largest consumer electronics category, after televisions, smartphones and notebooks.
The Apple iPad is proving to be one of the most successful consumer electronic devices of all time. Despite much derision at its time of launch, the iPad is now selling faster than the iPhone and leading the way in the worldwide tablet revolution. In this case being the first mover for the apple ipad is bringing a huge benefits for apple, however there´s a lot to be learned from the mistakes of the first mover. Samsung, Toshiba, and Viewsonic recently announced tablets running Android 2.2 OS that will support Flash. It will be interesting to see whos going to win the tablets market.
The growing popularity of iPad is also seen as a threat for the traditional PC market. Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn had said in September that the iPad had cannibalized more than 50 percent of the company's laptop sales. Whether or not iPad is cannibalizing the computer market, but their is no denying the fact that other company's will find it really tough to dent iPad's dominance.
Article: http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/apple-ipad-fastest-adopted-consumer-electronics-device-ever