I'm not following a lot of companies now-a-days given my depature from the markets. But I always like to keep an eye on a few companies that I've followed for a long time (especially if an opportunity to re-enter the markets becomes too good to pass up - DOW 7,500 anyone?)
Logitech is one such company.
As you may well know, there are 10 variables I track with regards to how this recession we are in will ultimately end and one of them is innovation.
Let's face it, innovation has been at a stand still for the past 10 years. Apple and LCD/LED televisions are about the only innovations in the market, and as far as innovation goes it's pretty low-scale with basic upgrades to existing products.
What caught my attention today though was that Logitech has unveiled a solar powered keyboard (MSRP $90 CAD). Now this sucker looks slick.
The first video above was done by Logitech. Good on them for having a nice surround sound on the marketing front - nice web page, images and some video to boot. That said, I prefer the second video which is done by an average Joe - something about the straight goods versus a rehearsed script that goes over much better. And for some reason the keyboard looks much slicker in the second video (most likely the result of the first video having very soft lighting). Take note PR folks, you don't have to create super professional videos for them to have value. There's no reason any product launched today should not come with a video, even if it's video-cam quality.
Anyway, this definitely counts as innovation to me. This is the first product in a long time that has me wanting to fork over my money to replace something I already have. Right now I'm using a CRAPPY Microsoft keyboard. I wanted to buy a Logitech keyboard a while back, but for some reason could not find any decent models in the store (I should have just ordered online).
Logitech's gear has always impressed me over the years and hands down they are my first choice for PC peripherals (in my opinion, buying anything other than Logitech is an absolute waste of money - as evidenced by how annoying this MSFT keyboard is that squeeks when I hit the keys).
The only negative on this new product is that it's getting next to no media coverage. The only explanation for this is that Logitech must simply not be putting the effort in on the PR front. This is also a great example of how important PR people are, media coverage doesn't just 'appear' no matter how great, new or innovative the product is (with a few exceptions for companies like Apple who when they sneeze everyone catches a cold).
I like Logitech's Web site as well - clean, two-tone, easy to navigate. It could be better of course, but it's not bad (RIM should consult with Logitech for cleaning up the disaster that is the blackberry web site).
To sum up, it's great to see a company truly innovating. Imagine if every vendor made their products solar powered (I'd pay a 20-40 per cent premium on a product if it meant never having to plug it in and use up energy). One company innovating isn't enough to change my views on this recession we are in, but it's definitely nice to see. Now if only other companies would start innovating we'd be out of this mess in no time.
Oh, one last thought...
I remember back in the days when executives were the only one's with blackberries and everyone else wanted one. With smartphones now available to everyone within a corporation, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years the new 'cache' comes from PC peripherals.
Instead of having people saying to their friends 'Oh ya, the company I work for gives us a Blackberry when you join.' - which, 10 years ago, would be met with a response of shock and awe, but today is met with a yawn- I could see new devices such as solar powered peripherals becoming the new differentiator, the new 'wanna, gotta have' if you will.
In the future I could see "Oh ya, the company I work for sets us up with all solar-powered PC equipment and instead of a computer they give us a tablet and a tablet docking station. I'm totally mobile and powered by the sun!" Such statements may just evoke the long-lost sense of awe in others that we had back in the early 2000's.
Logitech is one such company.
As you may well know, there are 10 variables I track with regards to how this recession we are in will ultimately end and one of them is innovation.
Let's face it, innovation has been at a stand still for the past 10 years. Apple and LCD/LED televisions are about the only innovations in the market, and as far as innovation goes it's pretty low-scale with basic upgrades to existing products.
What caught my attention today though was that Logitech has unveiled a solar powered keyboard (MSRP $90 CAD). Now this sucker looks slick.
The first video above was done by Logitech. Good on them for having a nice surround sound on the marketing front - nice web page, images and some video to boot. That said, I prefer the second video which is done by an average Joe - something about the straight goods versus a rehearsed script that goes over much better. And for some reason the keyboard looks much slicker in the second video (most likely the result of the first video having very soft lighting). Take note PR folks, you don't have to create super professional videos for them to have value. There's no reason any product launched today should not come with a video, even if it's video-cam quality.
Anyway, this definitely counts as innovation to me. This is the first product in a long time that has me wanting to fork over my money to replace something I already have. Right now I'm using a CRAPPY Microsoft keyboard. I wanted to buy a Logitech keyboard a while back, but for some reason could not find any decent models in the store (I should have just ordered online).
Logitech's gear has always impressed me over the years and hands down they are my first choice for PC peripherals (in my opinion, buying anything other than Logitech is an absolute waste of money - as evidenced by how annoying this MSFT keyboard is that squeeks when I hit the keys).
The only negative on this new product is that it's getting next to no media coverage. The only explanation for this is that Logitech must simply not be putting the effort in on the PR front. This is also a great example of how important PR people are, media coverage doesn't just 'appear' no matter how great, new or innovative the product is (with a few exceptions for companies like Apple who when they sneeze everyone catches a cold).
I like Logitech's Web site as well - clean, two-tone, easy to navigate. It could be better of course, but it's not bad (RIM should consult with Logitech for cleaning up the disaster that is the blackberry web site).
To sum up, it's great to see a company truly innovating. Imagine if every vendor made their products solar powered (I'd pay a 20-40 per cent premium on a product if it meant never having to plug it in and use up energy). One company innovating isn't enough to change my views on this recession we are in, but it's definitely nice to see. Now if only other companies would start innovating we'd be out of this mess in no time.
Oh, one last thought...
I remember back in the days when executives were the only one's with blackberries and everyone else wanted one. With smartphones now available to everyone within a corporation, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years the new 'cache' comes from PC peripherals.
Instead of having people saying to their friends 'Oh ya, the company I work for gives us a Blackberry when you join.' - which, 10 years ago, would be met with a response of shock and awe, but today is met with a yawn- I could see new devices such as solar powered peripherals becoming the new differentiator, the new 'wanna, gotta have' if you will.
In the future I could see "Oh ya, the company I work for sets us up with all solar-powered PC equipment and instead of a computer they give us a tablet and a tablet docking station. I'm totally mobile and powered by the sun!" Such statements may just evoke the long-lost sense of awe in others that we had back in the early 2000's.
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