Patrick Boyle On Finance Tech Bros Inventing Things That Already Exist
Sep 12, 2024
The tech industry is full of faux innovations, with entrepreneurs rebranding old products. From reimagined buses to absurd gadgets like smart hydration bottles, the discussion brings humor to the irony of 'new' ideas that aren't really new. Comparisons are drawn between tech advancements and historical solutions, underscoring a cycle of repetition. Furthermore, smartphone dependency raises concerns about mental health, while misleading app marketing fuels discontent among users.
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WeWork's Innovation
- Pre-2010, shared office spaces lacked IKEA furniture and free beer, a major risk to humanity.
- WeWork arrived, offering these amenities, backed by Masayoshi Son, showcasing how innovation can be unclear.
Reinventing the Bus
- Tech bros repeatedly reinvent existing concepts, like the bus, with services like Lyft Shuttle and Uber's shared rides.
- Even Elon Musk proposed the Boring Company's Loop, a less efficient, smaller-tunnel version.
Unnecessary Tech in Food
- The Hydrate Spark, a glowing, internet-connected water bottle, tracks water intake, exemplifies unnecessary tech.
- Soylent, a meal replacement shake, addresses food as an engineering problem, ignoring enjoyment.