[Unleashing the Killer App] [Author: Downes, Larry] [April, 2000]

by Larry Downes

The authors show entrepreneurs and corporate executives how to identify, develop, and bring to market successful products through "digital strategies" based on using the Internet and the value of creative chaos.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Technology, Economics

Paperback

First published April 22, 1998

Reviews

[Eddie Chee]

Presented by GE CIO Mike Stout

[JDennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of fun to read where our heads were at 25ish years ago

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book due to being a part of a technology services company that had tied it's services to Microsoft.

The authors define a "killer application" as "a new good or service that establishes an entirely new category and, by being first, dominates it, returning several hundred percent on the initial investment." As they explain, the primary forces at work in spawning today's "killer apps" are both technological and economic in nature. "The technology we are concerned with is the transformation of information into digital form, where it can be manipulated by computers and transmitted by networks."

Since many technology service companies fall into the trap of trying to become a product company, the book helped me see how different the business models were and how trying to morph into a product company was not a great solution for challenges we were encountering. At the time, many technology service companies had gone this route and with the dot com bust, we were glad that we had largely stayed out of that world.

As it related to advising clients who were trying to develop killer applications, there were many key insights in the book.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read it for school. It was still ok.

[Reba · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book for anyone. It shows examples of killer apps or ideas that have made lots of $$, and the impact of technology on many industries.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading during my MBA coursework, this book introduced me to the idea of disruptive innovation. The text is available online at http://www.killer-apps.com/

[Tom Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably a fantastic book in it's day, but it's a bit dated now. (It's information on how to harness the power of the internet for your business...and it was written 10 years ago...)

[Lori Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

An optional-read book on managing technology strategy for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs.