Sit-Flat Paper BagsSure, sit-flat paper bags are not the condensing steam engine, the telegraph, pneumatic tools, or the dynamo generator but they represent something new: a woman entrepreneur. After realizing the hassle of bags that would not stand Margaret Knight set out to create a machine for a bag with a flat bottom. She worked with three … Continue reading "Sit-Flat Paper Bags"
NickelodeonNickelodeon’s were the original movie theaters. Many had gaudy facades but, inside, they were dark dank rooms with wooden benches to watch short movies. Movies ran on a reel and people could watch as long as they wanted, or as long as they could stand the oftentimes filthy interiors. Possibly because Nickelodeon theaters are successors … Continue reading "Nickelodeon"
Voice Over IP (VOIP)Voice Over IP (VOIP) transmits voice calls over the internet, allowing people to speak to one another. Invented in 1995, VOIP came about after countless seemingly more complex inventions including web-based video. Interestingly, the likely reason for the late invention date is incentives. Businesses believed that the internet would work well for broadcasting, displacing other … Continue reading "Voice Over IP (VOIP)"
Chlorofluorocarbons “Freon”Freon is the brand name of a Chlorofluorocarbon gas. It replaced other refrigerant chemicals that were more toxic or volatile, including ammonia. Throughout the 20th century, Freon became the dominant refrigerant gas. The team that invented Freon was led by Thomas Midgley, Jr., who earlier had invented leaded gasoline. It was a joint venture between … Continue reading "Chlorofluorocarbons “Freon”"
Roll Film & Roll Film CameraKodak’s original camera contained plates. Later versions contained one-hundred exposures; customers would take their pictures, mail in their camera, and the company mailed back developed pictures and a refilled camera. Roll film changed all that, vastly lowering the cost and complexity of photography and eventually enabling the creation of movie film. Ordinary people could purchase … Continue reading "Roll Film & Roll Film Camera"
RadioEarly radio transmitted Morse code over the air, not sound. Transmitting Morse Code was much less expensive than wired lines. In the mid 1880’s Heinrich Hertz published the results of experiments proving an ability to transmit electromagnetic waves, later known as radio waves. His work was purely scientific. Both Tesla, in the US, and Marconi, … Continue reading "Radio"
Pneumatic Tires1845 Robert Thomson The wheel is a seminal invention, widely regarded as one of the most important in human history. However, early wooden and stone wheels were far less useful than their modern air-filled rubber counterparts, the pneumatic tire. Despite their ubiquity today, it’s amazing that the pneumatic (air-filled) tire initially went all but unnoticed. … Continue reading "Pneumatic Tires"
Repo LoansRepo loans are a type of loan, typically from one bank to another, with a very short term for repayment. One day repo loans are common. Despite the name, “repo loans” have nothing to do with repossessions. Background Repo loans came about after the US finally chartered a single, all-powerful central bank in December 1913. … Continue reading "Repo Loans"
Hot Air BalloonThanks to a stunt by the Montgolfier brothers, people finally flew. Well, actually a few animals left the ground but people weren’t far behind. The balloon wasn’t especially practical, since it couldn’t be guided, but led the way for future innovations plus allowed a new perspective on the world. Despite that it was more of … Continue reading "Hot Air Balloon"
- Blue Ocean Strategy Basics – Buyer Experience Cycle
Put yourself in the shoes of your buyer The Buyer Experience Cycle (BEC) is a superficially short and often overlooked blue ocean exercise. In the books, tutorials, and even the tool itself, the BEC is always coupled with the Buyer Utility Map though they’re separate parts of the exercise. In short, the BEC is a … Continue reading "Blue Ocean Strategy Basics – Buyer Experience Cycle"
Blue Ocean Strategy Substack: Examples, Explainers, Cases, & ThoughtsHere is a list in reverse chronological order of the articles in our substack blog, Blue Ocean Thinking. It’s filled with explainers, cases, thoughts, articles, and the occasion recipe related to blue ocean strategy. Screenwriting & Startups: SimilaritiesTwo Fields Separated At Birth Financial Bubbles BlowInnovate Something Read Blue Ocean Example: Pastrami for ElvisA Noncustomer Example … Continue reading "Blue Ocean Strategy Substack: Examples, Explainers, Cases, & Thoughts"
DNA SequencingDNA sequencing creates a map of DNA. The process reads DNA like a computer reads a hard drive. Eventually, the technology will allow scientists to understand and manipulate life functions. In 1955, Sanger discovered how to sequence DNA, which would later win him the Nobel Prize. He is one of four people in the world … Continue reading "DNA Sequencing"
Turing Complete Electronic Computer, ENIACBackground Commissioned in 1943, partially functional in July 1944, but not entirely finished until Feb. 1, 1946, ENIAC is the first all-electronic general-purpose Turning complete computer. Engineers built ENIAC to calculate ordinance tables. Eventually, von Neumann used the computer to perform calculations for nuclear weapons and break ENIGMA encrypted messages. Built at the University of … Continue reading "Turing Complete Electronic Computer, ENIAC"
Automation: Robots in Real LifePart I, “Automation Armageddon: a Legitimate Worry?” reviewed the history of automation, focused on projections of gloom-and-doom. “It smells like death,” is how a friend of mine described a nearby chain grocery store. He tends to exaggerate and visiting France admittedly brings about strong feelings of passion. Anyway, the only reason we go there is … Continue reading "Automation: Robots in Real Life"
AirplaneWilbur and Orville Wright invented the airplane with their first flight in 1903. Urban myth describes an easy story where the bicycle mechanic brothers built an airplane from spare parts. In reality, the innovation was a long, slow, methodical, and extremely dangerous project. Background People had been building various forms of fixed-wing gliders for years. … Continue reading "Airplane"