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Happy Monday!
Curse and Coffee friends,
Today, we explore how Kodak hid its invention of the digital camera.
Hit reply and let us know what you think (we read all of your kind words).
Coffee at the ready…
The Big Sip
The take: Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, then told the inventor to shut up about it until 2001.
What happened: A 24-year-old engineer named Steven Sasson built the world's first digital camera from scavenged parts. When he demoed it, executives didn't ask how it worked. They asked why anyone would want to take a picture this way, "when there was nothing wrong with conventional photography."
Why it matters: Kodak patented the technology, then shelved it to protect film profits. Thirty-seven years later, they filed for bankruptcy. The company that invented the future was killed by the people running it.
What to watch: Every boardroom where someone's pitching something that threatens the cash cow. This story never stops repeating.
The camera was painted blue because that's what colour paint was lying around. The decision to bury it was more deliberate.
Sponsor Break
Before we slurp into today’s brew…
Here are some wordies from today’s sponsor.
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