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The Best Tech You Can't Get in the US

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the iphone-not-withstanding dept.

DigitalDame2 writes "The US isn't always on the cutting edge of technology. We see a new product release that has just the blend of styling and features we've been looking for, but alas, it's only available overseas. From the Thanko MP4 watch to Sony's OLED TV, these are the hottest new gadgets to drool over, that you can't get here."

2 of 354 comments (clear)

  1. The US by king-manic · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The US isn't always on the cutting edge of technology. I was at a Canadian librarians IT conference last week and the speech on the second day was given by a Californian librarian considered by her peers as on the cutting edge. Like getting a lecture about technology from a Luddite. Her notions of technology were a good 20 years behind everyone else in the room and a good 25 years behind the actual technology. The audience was appalled at her patronizing attempts at "friendly jabbing at Canadian self image" with down right insulting jokes and her apparent hate of her IT guys and IT in general.

    The US is a mixed bag, on average it's far behind the technology curve. It's not population density because Canada is less dense but more in touch with technology. Some areas and industries are cutting edge but the average American seems pretty low on the tech literacy totem. At least from my interactions with Americans on trips there and on visitors here.
    --
    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
  2. Re:Wait, what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well, I've had some business dealings with Americans, and here's what I've found:

    - They appear to really believe that "the customer is always right" without any limitations whatsoever, and that I should be willing to compromise absolutely anything to satisfy unreasonable requests. I'll happily go out of my way to keep customers satisfied when my product fails, but I've also been called an "asshole" because I wouldn't replace a device for free, including the cost of shipping, that an American customer's kid had run through with a knife.
    - They're not very friendly. When I receive e-mails or phone calls from American clients, the e-mail almost never starts with "hello" or any other greeting, and the phone conversations usually start with "yeah, I'm..." They also just hang up when they're done talking, and there's often no "goodbye" or anything.

    Personally, I've never been stifled by the U.S. patent system or anything, but I do find dealing with U.S. customers to be trying---they tend never to be satisfied, and they treat me like the enemy because I'm at this to make a living. I like to think of myself as a fair businessman, but I never get the feeling that I'm viewed that way by my American customers.