5 of the biggest technology fails
TRANSCRIPT
5 Technology FailsFor every one technological revolution, there are many
technological failures.
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1. The Facebook Phone
The Facebook Phone, officially known as the HTC First was released just two years ago when HTC teamed up with AT&T to
create a phone that came preloaded with Facebook on the homepage.
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1. The Facebook Phone
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1. The Facebook Phone
It really didn’t offer much more than the free Facebook app already did.
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1. The Facebook Phone
It really didn’t offer much more than the free Facebook app already did.
You couldn’t buy it unless you were an AT&T customer or willing to become one.
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1. The Facebook Phone
It really didn’t offer much more than the free Facebook app already did.
You couldn’t buy it unless you were an AT&T customer or willing to become one.
Embarrassingly, less than a month after its release the phone went from $99 to $0.99 in an attempt to get rid of
stock. Shortly after it was taken off the market.
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2. Google Glass
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2. Google Glass
A pair of glasses that connected to the internet and overlaid images and graphics over what the
wearer sees.
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2. Google Glass
A pair of glasses that connected to the internet and overlaid images and graphics over what the
wearer sees.
It was going to “re-imagine how people interact with the world.” – It didn’t.
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An impressive technological achievement.
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An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
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An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
Low sales and mediocre reviews.
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£1,000 pound price tag.
An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
Low sales and mediocre reviews.
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“Geeky” looking device.
£1,000 pound price tag.
An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
Low sales and mediocre reviews.
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“Geeky” looking device.
£1,000 pound price tag.
An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
Low sales and mediocre reviews.
Only available for a few months in the UK before Google announced they were
taking it off the market.
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Google are reinventing it for business use.
“Geeky” looking device.
£1,000 pound price tag.
An impressive technological achievement. Controversy over wearing them in public
places such as cinemas and restaurants, due to the camera.
Low sales and mediocre reviews.
Only available for a few months in the UK before Google announced they were
taking it off the market.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
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3. Nokia N-Gage
In 2003 Nokia were the world’s largest maker of
mobile devices.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
In 2003 Nokia were the world’s largest maker of
mobile devices.
This was also the same time that handheld
gaming consoles were at their peak in popularity.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
In 2003 Nokia were the world’s largest maker of
mobile devices.
This was also the same time that handheld
gaming consoles were at their peak in popularity.
So, Nokia decided to marry the two and came up with the N-Gage – a
mobile and games console hybrid.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
There were major design flaws.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
There were major design flaws.
It was awkward to hold when having a phone conversation as the speaker was on the edge of
the device.
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Image source
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3. Nokia N-Gage
There were major design flaws.
It was awkward to hold when having a phone conversation as the speaker was on the edge of
the device.
The buttons were not designed well for gaming as the number pad had to be included.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
There were major design flaws.
It was awkward to hold when having a phone conversation as the speaker was on the edge of
the device.
The buttons were not designed well for gaming as the number pad had to be included.
To switch the game cartridge you inconveniently had to remove the battery.
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3. Nokia N-Gage
There were major design flaws.
It was awkward to hold when having a phone conversation as the speaker was on the edge of
the device.
The buttons were not designed well for gaming as the number pad had to be included.
To switch the game cartridge you inconveniently had to remove the battery.
Only 3 million units were sold over 5 years so in 2010 Nokia took it off the market and closed
down the N-Gage game store.
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Oakley tried their hand at wearable technology
back in 2005.
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Oakley tried their hand at wearable technology
back in 2005.
They came up with the Oakley Thump, which
were sunglasses with an MP3 player built in.
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Where did it all go wrong?
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Reason number 1: Unattractive. Just look at them!
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Reason number 1: Unattractive. Just look at them!
Reason number 2: The ear buds were uncomfortable due to sharp edges.
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Reason number 1: Unattractive. Just look at them!
Reason number 2: The ear buds were uncomfortable due to sharp edges.
Reason number 3: Operation was very simplistic. You had to shuffle until you found a song you liked, you couldn’t make a playlist or
even have a song on repeat.
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4. Oakley Thump Sunglasses
Reason number 1: Unattractive. Just look at them!
Reason number 2: The ear buds were uncomfortable due to sharp edges.
Reason number 3: Operation was very simplistic. You had to shuffle until you found a song you liked, you couldn’t make a playlist or
even have a song on repeat.
Reason number 4: The price tag! This music playing ear wear would set you back between
£260 and £360.
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5. Microsoft Kin
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5. Microsoft Kin
The Microsoft Kin was a mobile phone line aimed at younger
people that are heavy social media users.
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5. Microsoft Kin
There were 2 models – Kin ONE (left) and Kin TWO. Both had a pebble shaped screen that
slides up to reveal the keyboard.
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5. Microsoft Kin
There were 2 models – Kin ONE (left) and Kin TWO. Both had a pebble shaped screen that
slides up to reveal the keyboard.
Microsoft invested approximately $1 billion developing the Kin platform.
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5. Microsoft Kin
The Kin phones never took off – the software was slow and lacked feature such as a maps,
calendar and appointments app.
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5. Microsoft Kin
The Kin phones never took off – the software was slow and lacked feature such as a maps,
calendar and appointments app.
At a time when touch screen phones were taking over (2010), the Kin phones seemed to
be behind the times.
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5. Microsoft Kin
The Kin phones never took off – the software was slow and lacked feature such as a maps,
calendar and appointments app.
At a time when touch screen phones were taking over (2010), the Kin phones seemed to
be behind the times.
The phones were overshadowed by more technologically advanced devices and they were taken off the market just 48 days after release.
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To Conclude…
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To Conclude…
Not all of these ideas were bad – just missing something. Timing and
relevance to target market perhaps were
off.
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To Conclude…
Better luck next time!
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To Conclude…
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Department technology blog.
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