Wednesday, June 3, 2009

What the world can learn from....Video games

Yesterday I watched the E3 press conference from Nintendo. It was awesome. But first, for those who don't know what E3 is, it is a video game conference where new ideas and games are introduced to the world. For example, Nintendo showed off Super Mario Bros Wii, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and a new finger pulse recognizer. But Microsoft introduced a camera that is motion sensored so your movements, without controllers, can be captured on the game. Sony introduced Wii like controllers but a little more refined. All just great stuff. I am excited for Nintendo's announcements and Sony's as well. But the reason I am saying all this and how the world can learn from them is because of continuous innovation!

GM and Chrysler really showed how stupid companies don't continuously improve. First, they don't make cars more economical. GM thought that making the Hummer more accesible would lead to big success, while Hyundai came from nowhere to become a huge player in automobiles just because they made their cars better and offered more to the customer. And yes, I would love to buy an American car. I would prefer it. But there is one HUGE problem with that. They are not as reliable, dependable, or as well made as foreign cars are now. Why is Toyota and Honda leading the Hybrid charge? Why is Toyota the #1 car maker in the world now? Continuous innoviation, that is why. This is why I love where I am working at CBH Homes. We constantly try to find ways to improve and see how to make things better. They tell us to read and to learn more things. To become educated in all kinds of things and use that learning in the company.

But here is what we can learn from video games. When a new system comes out, for example this generation of Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii, we all require a sense of improvement or we won't buy it. The Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 both got HD graphics and helped bring along high definition. The Wii brought motion controls. This is why people are buying the systems. Not only that, the companies think of new ways to use these systems. Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 all have downloading video capabilities, Xbox 360 has Netflix access, Playstation 3 has the new Home program. The Wii is trying to get there, but the keyword is TRYING!! They know that if they can add to the power of their current systems and the cost to the customer will go down, then it is a win win for everyone! Why can't other companies do this? Why can't GM just say we aren't coming out with a new model of GMC Sierra and focus on refining it and cutting the cost on it so that they can offer incentives to customers? Why can't Citibank just see that in order to keep business, they should drop their interest rates and helping people will bring them more business instead have to wait for the President to sign a law to make them do it? Just think, if the world was run by video game companies, could our financial situation be better? Just think about it!

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