Comments on: The spectacle of technology

By: Dana Byerlee

Dana Byerlee — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:38:40 +0000

” ‘fetishization’ of funding announcements” Love this. You always find such unique and spot-on ways to articulate the complex social/ cultural behaviors going on out here

By: Paul Gupta

Paul Gupta — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:12:46 +0000

I agree with you. Although this is my first time reading here, so I have no opinion of the author…

Anyway, they focus on what’s profitable instead of what’s going to change things. Which generally means cheaper technology. Which…is less profitable for the big tech companies.

I wouldn’t call it deviant, but it is just business. I wish there was more independent tech news out there, but it’s easily eclipsed by the more profitable news.

By: Steve K

Steve K — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:54:58 +0000

Secret to success (short term); create a need (or desire) and fill it. Or at least the illusion that it’s going to be filled. The days of ‘building a better mousetrap and the world beating a path to your door’ are long gone. To borrow Canon’s tag line “image is everything”. Or maybe it’s more important to ask “Where’s the beef?” Silicon valley has gone though a lot of cycles of innovation and re-inventing itself with world changing products. And almost as many cycles of vaporware that made a few rich quickly but fell like a house of cards because of the hype.
But that has long been the bastion of the finagler. If you’re not smart enough to come up with some game changer, there’s gullible people to be found who will invest in magic bean farms for awhile.
I admire that you see this and publish it. I would hope that a function of the press would be to critically and honestly evaluate press releases and the latest hype. The mark of a great reporter has always been the ability to sift though all the stories and present the actual facts.

By: David Repas

David Repas — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:06:25 +0000

I think that search for innovation by entrepreneurs has too often become a secondary goal – or a superficial one. It’s now mostly about the financial transaction – whether that be a fundraising event or quick flip acquisition. That focus may make sense if you’re investor, but not if you’re trying to build a company of real value.

By: Om Malik

Om Malik — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:56:21 +0000

Amen to that.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:58:20 +0000

I hate how much I agree with you on this one — not because I dislike agreeing with you, but because I love technology innovation and don’t like the industry’s infatuation with “what’s hot” instead of what’s truly innovative.