Here’s a good case study that illustrates just because technology allows you to create something new, it doesn’t mean there’s enough of a return for people to embrace it.
A few months ago, Therma Blade – with the help of hockey superstar Wayne Gretzy – unveiled a new skate blade that uses on-board electronics to heat up to five degrees celsius. The idea, in theory, is it will give you better grip on the ice. Gretzky glowingly described it as “the most significant advance in skate blade design in at least 30 years”.
It turns out the Therma Blade, which costs a whopping $400 for a set, failed to impress five NHL players who give them a whirl. Chicago Black Hawk Martin Lapointe said: “I wouldn’t buy them”.
Ouch.
Therma Blade’s biggest problem is the return on investment doesn’t seem big enough to convince hockey players it’s worth the investment. Of course, it wasn’t that long ago that people dismissed the idea of spending $200 for a composite stick only to see composite sticks force wooden sticks in near-extinction.
Maybe Therma Blade, which took inventor Tony Web five years to develop, will find commercial success but it strikes me as a technology that may not find a home with consumers – much like Bluetooth has failed to grab much of a foothold.
Technorati Tags: Skates, Hockey
