Milking the consumer

For a long time now we have been sold on homes that will automatically do many things for us, cars with additional safety features, health aids for the elderly, the list goes on.   Yet so far nothing much has arrived.  Most of the new stuff we get are simply slightly improved versions of what has been around before.   Like MP4 players came from MP3 players which came from CD players which came from tape players which came from radio players and remember that there were also incremental steps in each of these as well.    Pretty much the same but updated, slowly, with new technology.   There is plenty of development and prototyping but nothing bringing things to mass market unless it can be done within very small budgets.  Nobody seems to be working on mass producing the new exciting stuff nowadays because it is too risky. Not risky as in we may not be able to do it but risky as in we won’t get an exceptional ROI (Return On Investment).

So when I read articles like this where it talks about the future of homes and how they can predict what you want to do it makes me very frustrated.   Yes, it can be done and very easily in fact, (if you want one and have the money let me know) but it will be a time coming because nobody is doing very much to mass produce the technology.   Inventors come out with this stuff but they cannot afford to take it to mass market because it requires too much resource.  Those that can afford it don’t want to be the first because they now that it takes a lot of up front investment and the Japanese will improve on it quickly and so they won’t get a good ROI before it is obsolete.  This makes them bring it to market slowly so each new release can charge a premium but still leave the potential for a newer release with the same premium.   Slowly but surely and with maximised profits.  So at first only the rich people can have homes this, people like Bill Gates with his high tech 6 million dollar house (hum the tune for six million dollar man here).   If you had the money you could do it too and much cheaper than Billy Boy as his, being a few years old now, is using old technology.

Personally I think that is because the little people cannot afford to get involved any more and the big corporations want to get the biggest bang out of their investments all those years ago.   The little guys are not able to compete due to all the legislation in place on small businesses and get pushed out every time.  One of the downsides of capitalism when governments give them too much power.

So thank you very much for showing us all these concept models of things that would improve our lives, make us healthier, safer and more comfortable whilst we all know it will be another thirty years before we get this unless you want to go all geeky and do it yourself or have plenty of cash to spend so a geek can do it for you.  That is why the best security systems, homes, cars, Home entertainments systems are all set up by geeks with specialist services.  They use the latest technology, it costs a lot but only because you won’t find it in your local DIY place because nobody mass produces it.