Tag Archives: environmental scan

We are finally getting flying cars!

The future has finally arrived and science fiction has come true. After years and decades, we’ve been teased about the possibility of flying cars. Is it finally time? Has the car in “Back to the Future” finally been built?  

Kinda. Under experimental status, Alef Aeronautics’ flying car (Model A) now has permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to test its car/plane in the sky/on the road. But, the vehicle also needs to meet National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration standards.  

Model A has been designed to drive on streets and take off vertically to fly above traffic. While not yet available, Interested customers can pre-order their flying cars and be placed in a priority queue for the low fee of $1,500 (the final estimated price is $300,000).  

Model A can be driven on regular roads; it fits into normal driving lanes and even fits into a regular parking space or garage. On the ground, the car has a 200-mile range. When ready to fly, the car takes off vertically, allowing drivers to fly above obstacles yet still remain stable due to a unique gimbaled design. It has no exposed propellers, 110-mile range in the sky, and works similar to a drone (no wings!).  

Alef is not the only company exploring flying cars. Another company, ASKA, also has been cleared by the FAA and has started flight testing. ASKA’s A5 is hybrid with batteries and can use premium gasoline. This vehicle does have wings, six independent rotors, and a parachute. It also have vertical takeoff and landing, and can enter an airfield by driving through the gate. It already has reached $50 million in pre-orders.   Let’s fly away…      

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Poll students: What are their thoughts about flying cars? Any interest in owning one?
  2. View Alef Aeronautics site: https://alef.aero/
  3. Play Model A video: https://youtu.be/E5YRh8vLjLU
  4. View ASKA’s site: https://www.askafly.com/
  5. Play ASKA A5 video: https://youtu.be/d7lA3Ibv1MA 
  6. Discuss the components of a situation analysis: company, general industry, trends, key competitors, technology, legal, etc.
  7. Ask students what data they would want in order to make marketing decisions for Model A and ASKA A5.
  8. Divide students into teams. Have each team use laptops to do general research to answer the questions above. (ex: overview of industry, size, growth, new technologies, environmental impact, etc.)
  9. Debrief the exercise by compiling information on the white board. Does this give a good picture of the situation?

Source: The first flying car, ‘Model A,’ approved by the FAA and it’s 100% electric. (3 July 2023) CNN; FAA clears ASKA’s flying car. IEN Staff (June 30,2023).  

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities

Apple Launches Vision Pro Headset for VR/AR

It’s finally here (well, nearly here). Apple recently launched a new AR/VR headset, the Apple Vision Pro to be available in 2024 for $3,499. The new product enters the growing AR/VR entertainment market, but also takes it a step beyond the capability of other devices.

Users navigate the device using their voice, eyes, and hands for a seamless view of digital content. Apple calls it a spatial operating system with familiar icons. The headset also allows viewers to see others in the room through its glass, and a turn of the button lets others see the wearer’s eyes too. This feature helps lessens the isolation caused by wearing the headset for long periods of time.

It also contains a 3-D camera for recording videos and photos, or to immerse yourself in a video. The headset can transform any room into a personal theater for viewing movies, shows, and games.

The physical headset has a glass front and aluminum frame on a soft headband. It has a cable that attaches to a small battery pack that can be slipped into a pocket. The company wants the headset to be used for both work and entertainment and it automatically connects to a Mac so that wearers can take over their desktop when wearing it.

It has already received great reviews, but that $3,500 price puts it out of reach for many people.

Are you interested?

 Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Poll students: What has been their experience with VR/AR headsets to date?
  2. View a product demonstration: https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/
  3. A longer introduction video is available on the same site. Have students spend some time online viewing details about the product.
  4. Divide students into teams and have each team develop a profile of a target market for the product. Include demographics, psychographics, behaviors, values, attitudes, etc.
  5. Based on the target market profile, what makes this product unique for these customers?
  6. Divide students into teams. Have teams research how this headset compares to other VR headsets from Meta, Magic Leap, and Sony.

Source: Chen, B. (6 June 2023). A first try of Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro Headset. New York Times.; Gershgorn, D. (5 June 2023). Everything Apply announced at WWDC2023: Vision Pro VR headset, new Macs, and More. New York Times.; Panzarion, M. (5 June 2023). First impressions: Yes, Apple Vision Pro works and yet, it’s good. TechCrunch.

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities

Netflix Ends DVD Service

It’s been a long time coming, but Netflix has announced that after 25 years and 5.2 billion discs, it is ending its DVD-by-mail business segment.

We can still remember how innovative Netflix was when it started its mail movie rental business using its trademarked red envelopes. Just select a movie and add it to your queue, get in the mail, and return it whenever you want. No late fees. No postage required. No driving to stores. Genius.

Netflix truly was a pioneer, first in mailing DVDs directly to homes, then in recognizing that viewers would move to Internet streaming services. At its peak in 2003, there were an estimated 20 million Netflix subscribers receiving movies in the mail.

Today, Netflix has 232.5 million subscribers around the world and is the market-leader in streaming entertainment. The company continues to evolve services, adding a tiered payment system that lowers the price for viewers willing to watch advertisements. It also plans to crackdown on password sharing starting the new tier in four markets – Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. Netflix has stated that the revenue growth in Canada is faster than in the U.S.

Netflix also attributes its growth to new seasons of existing shows, plus original series such as “The Night Agent” along with original films  such as “Murder Mystery.”

How do you watch movies?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Review Netflix in class. https://about.netflix.com/en
  2. Poll students: What streaming services do they have?
  3. Pick the top services named by students. Divide students into teams and have each team research a service, including company history, revenue, types of services, prices, number of subscribers.
  4. NOTE: As an alternative, teams could prepare a SWOT analysis for each company.
  5. Next, discuss the components of a situation analysis: company, general industry, trends, key competitors, technology, legal, etc.
  6. Ask students what data they would want in order to make a marketing decision for Netflix services. What data was used to determine it was time to cancel mailing DVDs?
  7. Divide students into teams. Have each team use laptops to do general research to answer the questions above. (ex: overview of industry, size, growth, new technologies, environmental impact, etc.)
  8. Debrief the exercise. What will be the next chapter in the entertainment streaming industry.

Source:  Sperling, N. (18 April 2023). Netflix will end its DVD service, 5.2 billion discs later. New York Times.

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities