Fueling Innovation – The Difference Between Show and Performance

I just noticed a particular dichotomy.

For years I have watched videos come out of Microsoft that show some pretty amazing stuff.  Here is the latest one I saw:

SHORT VERSION

EXTENDED VERSION

Yet, when you think of innovation and doing things differently, we don’t think of Microsoft.  We think of Apple.  Personally, I haven’t seen any PR videos like this from Apple.  They just deliver.  And Microsoft tries to play catch up.  And, honestly, when I see these type of videos come from them my thought is, “That would be VERY cool, but it probably won’t happen.  Not from MS, anyway.”

Why is that?  There are obviously some incredible ideas coming from both companies, but what it is about Apple that brings them out and MS that suppresses them?

Then I got thinking – How much am I playing in the same-old-same old and not getting out and really innovating?  I know I need to do better.  But then there are times when I am wildly innovative.  (I need to tap that more.)  What fuels that?  What suppresses it?

Any ideas?

Tagged as: apple, Microsoft