Technology changes fast. What was relevant 5 years ago is no longer in fashion today. This brings the question to mind:

Do we have to stay updated with bleeding edge tech to stay relevant in this age?

Keeping up with new tech is one possible way of coping. Chapter 9: Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology from Range provides another approach.

Alternative to Race Against Cutting-Edge Tech

Instead of trying to keep up with the new tech, we could also fall back on existing technology that has lost its luster. Existing technologies are cheap, battle-tested, and won’t change rapidly soon (making it easier to build knowledge and hire experts).

This strategy was used by Nintendo back in the 1970s. While competitors focused on color displays, Nintendo focused on providing gameplay on a watch! An engineer at Nintendo got this idea when he noticed someone fiddling with their pocket calculator on a train.

But just sticking to old tech won’t be enough to beat the cutting edge. You also need innovation. That’s where lateral thinking comes in. You need Range to connect old ideas from multiple disciplines to create something new.

Conclusion: Impact on Perception

Frankly, when I picked up the book Range, I didn’t expect it to have so many nuggets of wisdom. It’s answering so many questions I didn’t even know I had in mind!

I don’t spend time on trends in technology. It always made me feel a bit worried. A sinking feeling that I might become obsolete in 10 years. But trying to keep up with the latest tech just seemed so stressful. I know some people love doing that, but not me.

I am feeling less worried now. It’s good to have alternatives in life and I feel like I now have another arsenal in my toolbox. While learning something, I no longer have to worry if it’s new or old, cause both have value.

Given the above, I would rather learn things that I find interesting, which may or may not be cutting-edge than solely focus on new stuff.

Whether to learn new or old tech is a personal choice. I am sure some people love exploring the unknown and pioneering the latest techs. We need both kinds of people in this world. It’s good to have a book that highlights these points so nicely with examples!