Peer2Politics

Chris Anderson is a guru of the information age. Under his editorship, Wired, the voice of the digital world, has won zillions of prizes. His speeches on the economics of the internet command vast sums. He's a brilliant journalist; I know that, having worked with him before he was a big shot. But it is as an author that Anderson has gained most fame. He writes, broadly, about how digital technology has made the world a better place. His first book, The Long Tail, was hugely influential. In the bricks-and-mortar world, it said, in which the costs of marketing and distribution are high, companies make money by selling vast quantities of a few blockbuster items. In the digital world, in which the costs of marketing and distribution are low, companies can make money by selling small numbers of lots of different items.

Chris Anderson's answer: Aaron Khoo makes several good points in his post. In addition to that, it's good to remember that intelligent outsourcing is a smarter strategy than protectionism.

3D Robotics wants to be ready when commercial applications for drones explode. But it also wants to bring aerial robotics to the average user.

The much-anticipated XOXO festival kicked off this morning in packed upstairs event space of YU Contemporary Arts with a keynote fromChris Anderson, the former editor-in-chief atWIRED magazine, and author of the hugely-influential book, The Long Tail: Why the Future is Selling Less of More. 

Ex-WIRED editor, GeekDad founder, and DIYDrones bossman Chris Anderson talks about his interest in drones and robotics.

For those that missed out, Chris Anderson began public work on the concept of the long tail in 2004 with an article in Wired and plans for a book.

The movement is in its early stages, perhaps similar to the early computing movement of the 1970s, where a legion of enthusiastic amateurs are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. There are now amazingly sophisticated tools available for self-production, such as 3D printers, laser cutters and 3D scanners, which are completely redefining what someone can create in their own backroom or garage. And indeed there is huge growth in ‘maker spaces’ – shared production facilities further reducing the barriers to entry for your very own manufacturing company. Of course, these tools do not provide any real economies of scale – it would be impossible to mirror the efficiency and cost effectiveness of large-scale production facilities as owned by the likes of Foxconn. So whilst large-scale manufacturing brands may see some profit erosion, it is unlikely to be fundamentally impacted by Makers.

According to Chris Anderson, there are three stages in the evolution of his work with drones. First came the online community, DIY Drones, where hackers and makers swapped tips on how to build and fly all types of unmanned aerial vehicles. By 2009 it was clear there was enough interest from regular people who didn’t want to build a drone from scratch, but would love to fly one if they were for sale. So Anderson and his co-founder, Jordi Munoz, created 3D Robotics to manufacture and sell affordable, consumer-grade drones to the masses. The business grew quickly, and the company was selling $5 million worth of flying robots a year by the end of 2012.

Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More, explains why classic rock and pop hits make their way back into the Billboard and Amazon charts.