
  The next big thing will start out looking like a toy - prakash
http://cdixon.org/2010/01/03/the-next-big-thing-will-start-out-looking-like-a-toy/
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newhouseb
I may be more than a little biased, but this post _screams_ Augmented Reality.

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rdrimmie
But does anyone actually dismiss Augmented Reality as a toy? Current
implementations are generally at a toy level, but isn't the concept of obvious
benefit?

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stcredzero
Why aren't GPS with POV displays considered a crude precursor of augmented
reality?

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stcredzero
Another sign: the US military uses it in the field. Augmented Reality falls
into this category.

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prat
I remember in early 2000s when two-wheeled segway by Dean Kamen was on the
verge of launch, it was secretly presented to a few ultra rich guys and was
declared as even bigger than the PC. The opposite was true though in this
case, this toy never took off.

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ryanwaggoner
I know hindsight is 20/20, but I have a hard time envisioning the thought
process that led to such a declaration. The damn thing costs as much as a good
used car and offers few benefits over walking or riding a bike but comes with
a host of limitations. I still don't understand the appeal.

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timcederman
The reason so many things start off as "toys", is because engineers desire
technically sweet problems to solve, not user needs. What engineer doesn't
love solving a problem, just because it hasn't been solved before?

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nostrademons
Well, that and any big new thing that's _not_ a toy quickly gets crushed or
acquired by an established company.

Engineers invent non-toys all the time. If those inventions are at all useful,
someone will pay big bucks (either to the engineer or to a big team of
competing engineers) to have it.

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pmiller2
The headline immediately made me think of this:
[http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/...](http://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm)

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dotcoma
so, it's twitter!

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olefoo
Twitter was the next big thing a year ago. At this time time they are
officially a big deal.

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rooshdi
Yes, Twitter has passed the "next big thing" torch over to Foursquare.

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olefoo
That's the GoWalla ripoff? ;-)

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tfincannon
It's not a "toy", it's a "minimum viable product".

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zackattack
Well I mean, toys are also fun to use and if something is going to cross the
chasm then it needs to be accessible enough for the mainstream and everybody
likes toys.

