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Downes and Mui argue that the dominant trend behind the proliferation of killer apps is a combination of Moore's Law, which states that the processing power of the CPU doubles every 18 months, and Metcalfe's Law, which observes that the value of a network increases dramatically with each node that's added to it. These two laws are fundamentally changing how businesses interact with each other and with their customers. To exploit these changes, the authors outline 12 points for designing a digital strategy to help you identify and create killer apps in your own organization. The book includes dozens of examples of how killer apps were discovered and implemented.
Unleashing the Killer App provides an excellent framework for rethinking the nature of business in today's wired economy. No matter the size of your company or what it does--health care, publishing, or fast food--there's probably a killer app lurking somewhere. This book will help you find it. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
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The co-authors divide their book into three parts: Digital Strategy, Designing the Killer App, and Unleashing the Killer App. In Part I, there is a brief discussion of one "killer app" in the Middle Ages, the stirrup, which added mounted cavalry to the battle equation. The "lowly stirrup" played a singular role in rearranging the political, social, and economic structure of medieval Europe.
In The Lever of Riches, Joel Mokyr identifies countless other "killer apps" throughout history such as paved streets and sewerage disposal; the lever, wedge, and screw; the heavy plow and three-field system; the weight-driven mechanical clock; spectacles; the printing press; the steam engine; the telegraph; the bicycle; ...each of which also had a truly profound impact.
To repeat, Larry Downes & Chunka Mui concern themselves with the technology of transforming information into digital form. Thus in Part I, they examine the "killer app", explain what they call "the new economics", and then shift their attention to the nature of a digital strategy.
... Read more ›One thing that really annoyed me thoughout the book was the author's attempts to create then overuse something called Metcalf's Law and Moore's Law out of a couple of common sense observations. In each chapter, the authors constantly refered back to Metcalf's Law and Moore's Law as if these "laws" are on the same plateau as some created by Einstein. Both Metcalf and Moore are intellegent, excellent inventors, and astute businessmen, but I would never try to create some "law" out of a couple of common sense observations. After reading this book, I envision the authors having statues of Metcalf and Moore in their offices that they kneel in front of daily for inspiration.
My opinion, don't spend your own money on this book. Borrow it or get your company to pay for it.
Killer Apps are not just a recent digital age phenomenon. They have manifested in past in the form of inventions like arch, pulleys, the steam engine, lightbulbs; and have impacted the society in a huge way. The authors in this book have done a fantastic job of describing the characteristics of true killer apps and have aptly illustrated the degree of impact they can have on the society.
Given the breakneck pace of revolution in technology, the chance of killer apps springing up from previously unknown corners has increased manifold. This book is a must read not only for those newbies starting out their first venture, but also for those seasoned and successful entrepreneurs who wish to reap further benefits by keeping an open-mind in recognizing these killer apps as they evolve.
The 12 principles outlined for designing killer apps really make one think, and, their association with real life examples could not have been more appropriate. Although this book mentions technology as the harbinger for killer apps, it leans more towards strategy than technology itself. So if you are looking for some cool new technology it may not be the best place.
Although a slightly old book, it was, is, and will be very thought provoking because it addresses some fundamental aspects of developing a winning business strategy. The only place where the book falls short is when it refers to some examples like Pointcast as the killer app.
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