23:11
aaronchua
Image via WikipediaEver since I read reBang's post on product design 2.0, I can't shake off the feeling that this is going a very rich area for new forms consumer products. However, I can't place my finger on what to do until I bump into Olinda, a social radio (Nabaztag is another example). It is the moment where the lightbulb in my head suddenly turns on.If I read rebang's post correctly, a truly 2.0 product has to reflect, enhance and even transform the social experiences of users (either cooperative or competitive). It is to understand that such Experiences are the driving forces behind massive adoption, not merely being able to connect to the Web.
Following from the above, I wonder if there is an opportunity here to be a form of boutique product company that specialises in creating affordable items that are designed from the ground up to be 2.0. One way is to design products for existing online communities (Moo Cards is a great example of how physical products are tied into online communities, although it is not 2.0 enabled). The physical product can then enhance the virtual social experiences of the users.
Top of head, I am trying to brainstorm on the type of products that can be 2.0 enabled to fundamentally changed its value proposition.
i) Weighing machines: Similar to Nike+, let your weighing machines transfer your daily weighing results to a site where you can track, compare, do mashup, share et al your results. Moreover, the machine should have displays or buttons that allows users to instantly compare their weighing results against the average of your height, friends, country et al the moment you step on the machine.
ii) Digital photo frames: While there are a number of digital photo frames in the market, there are not many that are 2.0 enabled. Even if they 2.0 enabled, the most common functionality is sharing pictures among friends. I believe there can be richer experiences. What about the ability to unlock virtual items based on the numbers of photos you have uploaded to your frame? These items can then be used to enhance or disfigure your friend's pictures in their digital frames. Alternatively, consider the simple ability of a button to only display the pictures your friends are currently displaying in their digital frames
I am sure there lots of ideas but I can't think of any right now. The bigger problem is how do I interrrelated the concepts above with the business models of markets, networks and communities. Maybe an API for users to create their own applications on these products?
Posted in: startup business ideas
