After a trip to India, Matt Dalio made a clever connection that could change the way the emerging middle class live their lives -- at least digitally. He noted that while most families had televisions, they couldn't afford a computer. Thinking slightly outside the box, Matt Dalio decided that a television could double as a computer screen with the right peripherals. That's where Endless comes in.
Matt Dalio designed a $169 computer that is "loaded with around 150 apps—from health and farming to Wikipedia—that can work offline, so if someone has a spotty Wi-Fi connection, they can keep working," writes Fast Co Exist. Simple to use and update, it addresses the desire for readily available information without a sophisticated infrastructure already put in place. Yet it doesn't address lack of electricity, hence targeting the burgeoning middle class.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Television-based Computing
- There is an opportunity to develop affordable and user-friendly computer systems that capitalize on a pre-existing television infrastructure.
- Offline App Market
- There is potential for growth in a market for apps that can work offline, catering to regions with limited Internet access.
- Affordable Technology for Emerging Middle Class
- Developing and marketing affordable technology solutions that cater to the needs of the emerging middle class presents an opportunity for innovation.
Where This Applies
- Tech Manufacturing
- Tech manufacturers have an opportunity to develop affordable and user-friendly computer systems that utilize television screens, catering to consumers with limited access to traditional computers and adequate Internet infrastructure.
- App Development
- App developers have an opportunity to create a market for offline-enabled applications, satisfying the needs of consumers with limited access to the Internet.
- Emerging Markets
- Companies that work in emerging markets have an opportunity to develop and market affordable technology solutions catering to the needs of the emerging middle class, including TV-computers with offline pre-loaded apps.
