The Innovation Age and the Cloud Economy Are Enabling Entrepreneurs to Reimagine Markets
by Ryan Allis
“We hope to rewire the way people spread and consume information… We think a more open and connected world will help create a stronger economy with more authentic businesses that build better products and services.” -Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, Letter to Potential Shareholders, May 2012
As we move into The Innovation Age, everything is changing.
The always-on Internet is recreating the world to be much more efficient and seamless as we build a global network of connected sensors and connected minds with a global human identity at its core.
The human race is being pushed forward. Together we are creating a better world. A sustainable world. A globally prosperous world. A connected world. A de-centralized world in which despotic genocidal dictators can no longer gain the legitimacy needed for sustained power.
The Cloud World of 2014…
Connectivity in 1994 was a landline. Today it’s a pair of glasses that can connect to 3 billion cloud users.
In the world of 1994 we had telephone booths, faxes, and desktop computers. In the world of 2014 we have cloud services for everything.
The world is moving from no-one having access, to only a few having access through direct-ownership, to everyone having access on-demand at a lower cost. No longer do we all need to own a car, records, and a video library.
All we need is a laptop, a smartphone, and the cloud and we can get access any service anytime. Soon every government service too will be delivered via the mobile cloud.
You can monitor your heart rate and sleep via an Android smart watch. You can check your blood sugar via bluetooth-enabled smart contact lenses. Every device will be connected the cloud and managed remotely. The “internet of things,” it is called.
Beautiful and easy services are revolutionizing pretty much everything. Here’s a table comparing 1994 with 2014:
Category |
1994 |
2014 |
|
Books |
Printed |
Kindle, iPad, Nook |
|
Cameras |
Film & Development |
Device-Integrated, Synced to Cloud |
|
Cars |
Self-owned |
GetAround, Zipcar, Lyft, SideCar, Uber |
|
Channel Changing |
Remotes |
Hand Gestures |
|
Check Out |
Cash Register |
Square + Tablet |
|
Citizen Action |
Faxes, Calls |
Change.org, Sumofus.org |
|
Communication |
Postal Mail, Fax, Landlines |
Smartphones, Email, SMS, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Kik, SnapChat |
|
Contact Management |
Rolodexes |
Connect, Google Contacts, Smartr, LinkedIn Contacts |
|
Doctors Appointments |
Phone Call |
ZocDoc, One Medical |
|
Event Planning |
Mail & Telephone |
EventBrite, Facebook Events |
|
Fashion |
Expensive Boutiques |
RentTheRunway, Gilt |
|
Food Delivery |
Phone Call |
Seamless, GrubHub |
|
Fitness |
Gym |
Nike FuelBand, FitBit, Jawbone Up, Basis |
|
Funding |
Friends & Funding |
Kickstarter, Fundable, Indigogo |
|
Global Outsourcing |
Plane travel |
Crowdflower, Exec, ODesk, Elance, Guru, SmarterWork, Freelancer |
|
GPS |
Not available |
GPS Device-Integrated, in the Cloud |
|
Information Storage |
Storage Cabinets |
DropBox, Box, Google Drive, SkyDrive |
|
Job Searching |
Fairs & Resumes |
LinkedIn, The Ladders |
|
Knowledge |
Encyclopedia Britannica |
Wikipedia, KhanAcademy, CodeAcademy, Udemy, SkillShare, Coursera, iTunes U, OpenCourseWare |
|
Lending |
Banks |
LendingClub, Prosper |
|
Locks |
Deadbolts |
Lockitron |
|
Maps |
Printed |
Google Maps, Bing Maps |
|
Marketing |
Direct mail, phone book, billboards |
Paid search, social ads, video ads |
|
Movies |
Blockbuster |
Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Hulu |
|
Music |
Cassettes & CDs |
Spotify |
|
News |
Television, Radio, & Newspaper |
Twitter, Flipboard, Prismatic |
|
Note Taking |
Notepads |
Evernote, Google Docs, Notely |
|
Picture Storage |
Photo Albums |
Facebook, Flickr |
|
Plumber |
Phone Book |
HandyBook, Angie’s List |
|
Product Design |
In-house |
Quirky |
|
Reviews |
Word of Mouth |
Yelp |
|
Scrapbooks |
Hand-created |
|
|
Shopping |
Mall |
Amazon, Instacart |
|
Signatures |
Pens & Fax |
Docusign, EchoSign |
|
Social Network |
Bar, Alumni Reunion |
Facebook, Instagram, Google +, LinkedIn |
|
Task Management |
Post-its |
Trello, Asana |
|
Tasks |
Classifieds |
TaskRabbit, Zaarly, Zirtual |
|
Television Content |
Cable Subscription |
Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, iTunes |
|
Textbooks |
Buy them at a bookstore |
Chegg, Amazon Textbook Rental |
|
Thermostats |
Analog |
Nest |
|
Traffic-Information |
Radio |
Waze |
|
Wallets |
Leather |
Google Wallet |
|
Watches |
Swatch & Rolex |
Pebble, Basis |