Believe the Hype?

So many people talk about things they just don't understand. Some are even proclaimed as experts on topics that clearly elude them a bit. In their insecurity, they like to try to drag others down with them, or, just make others look bad so they don't look so bad themselves. That's why you need to trust yourself, be comfortable with moving into new territory, and ignore those who want to be negative just to be negative. I love these quotes from people looking to put down the iPhone; I think it illustrates the point nicely:

Marketing "expert" Laura Reis: "If the iPod is the biggest success of the 21st century then iPhone is likely to be the biggest flop of the 21st century." (http://ries.typepad.com/ries_blog/2007/06/what_is_driving.html). How a "branding expert" could miss Apple's appeal, not to mention track record, I just don't know.

Pundit John Dvorak: "There is no likelihood that Apple can be successful in a business this competitive." (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/apple-should-pull-plug-iphone/stor...). OK, Dvorak likes to stir the pot.

Ed Colligan, CEO of Palm: "We've learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone. PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in." (http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/9110/colligan-laughs-off-iphone-compe...). I don't think Ed realized how long Apple had been working on the iPhone behind the scenes.

Microsoft employee (thankfully) Richard Sprague: "So please mark this post and come back in two years to see the results of my prediction: I predict they will not sell anywhere near the 10M Jobs predicts for 2008." (http://blogs.msdn.com/sprague/archive/2007/01/18/java.aspx). Uh, Richard, they crossed the 10M line in August of 2008, well before the end of the year. It's this kind of thinking that puts you at Microsoft.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance." Of course, Mr. Ballmer has his own agenda, but still. I don't think he can honestly say that the iPhone doesn't have user experience down over any Windows Mobile product. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2007-04-29-ballmer-ce...). While Microsoft does a few things really well, they have to be jealous of Apple on some levels. Especially after releasing Vista to poor results.

There are plenty more pre-release-iPhone nay-sayers out there, but those were some of my favorites. Particularly because they come from fairly well known people, all considered experts in their fields. Experts. What do they know? Technology advances tend to come from the smaller, lesser known places these days, not big established organizations. Larger companies need to let their employees work independently, and independents need to keep up the innovation and quest for something better.

I really do think that many people know in their heart they may have a good idea, but just can't bear to take a risk on it, or fear looking foolish. All of the evidence says to act otherwise. Just a thought.