Tech firms: start doing, not just previewing
Engadget reports on HP rattling on about flexible display Palm devices. Phil McKinney talks about the great display technology that will “change what we think of in form factors, both in products from Palm with flexible displays, and with HP”. That’s great, so where are these devices? Oh, they don’t exist yet, except as a concept in people’s heads, or perhaps as devices sitting in a lab.
People moan about Apple’s secrecy, but here’s the thing: when Steve Jobs goes on stage and starts talking about something, it’s almost always because he has something to show. He’ll talk about something revolutionary, then he’ll show it to you, say how much it costs and when pre-orders are going to start.
If only others would follow suit.
On the other hand, companies such as Palm have to work harder than Apple does at the moment (with good reason) to demonstrate that they are innovative, relevant and vibrant. My guess is that these tech demos are less about ‘hey, guys, come and buy our great Thing!’ as they are about reassuring investors that good, interesting, _newsworthy_ things are still being done.