Bob Cringely talks about a Video iPod and iTunes Movie Store in this week’s I, Cringely.
<p>He also mentions one of my own favorite companies, <a href="http://www.microvision.com">Microvision</a>. Disclosure: I still own one share of stock, valued at a bit under $6. I was going to make lots of money buying early with these guys in the 90’s. <img src='http://blog.bfccomputing.com/wp-images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' /> </p>
<p>Microvision makes retinal scanning technology - their displays paint images on your retina directly. It’s a controlled application of photons whereas most display technology puts out a huge number of photons from a fixed location and then lets random distribution get those photons to your retinas. They’re very big in manufacturing and military applications.</p>
<p>Anyway, Bob thinks they’re going to build the video display device for the iPod. At first I thought, “Yeah, right.” I’ve been waiting for an affordable Microvision display for what’s going on a decade. Bob talks about something he saw in SEC filings, so I decided to take a look, as he’s more often than not insightful on such matters. It turns out you don’t need to go further than the press releases to see what’s happening. </p>
<p><a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114723&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=689261&">First Release</a>: <i>Microvision Announces New Light Scanning Display Architecture for Simulating Wide Screen</i><br />
This is perhaps the most significant press release from Microvision to date – they’ve managed to use low-cost LED’s to drive their technology and they can do 1080p HDTV resolution. A benefit to the LED system is ‘everybody’ is afraid of using a Microvision because it shines a laser on your retina. We all know lasers blind people and get shot out of the Death Star, so we’re terrified to use a Microvision. But the Death Star never used an LED.
<p>OK, now for the <a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=114723&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=727487&">Second Release</a>: <i> Microvision Names Willey President, Consumer Solutions; Move Follows Company’s Announcement of Breakthrough Design for High Definition Wearable Display</i><br />
Remember how I said the last press release was the most significant to date? Scratch that. This one is. Here we have the President of the company, Steve Willey, resigning his position to head up the consumer division. Yeah, that’s right. They’re brining in a guy from GE to take over the President/CEO role, starting tomorrow, but already Willey is over working on the consumer side. I’ve never heard of a company president demoting himself to work on a project. This has to be something incredible for Microvision.
<p>The video iPod would qualify.