Kodak Bankrupt

[janoimagine]

Kodak was simply not able to move into the future; they couldn't transition from film to digital, even though they were among the most innovative companies in the world a generation ago.

Ironic isn't it ... considering it was Kodak who invented the first digital camera?

 

[Master Yoda]

Ironic isn't it ... considering it was Kodak who invented the first digital camera?

If Apple has taught us anything it is that being inventor of a product is almost meaningless.

 

[bhg469]

Economy aside; all the companies you listed are pulling huge profits. They aren't squeezed.

I'd love to see a forward thinking technology company take over Imagination. Heck, I wouldn't mind to see the worlds coolest Apple Store appear at Epcot. That is a pipe dream though.

How about foxcon? I'm sure they could do some sort of poor working conditions simulator.

If Apple has taught us anything it is that being inventor of a product is almost meaningless.

well they love to sue the pants off of anyone that even remotely comes close to their technology. Even kodak is recent victim to their patent lawyers. I'm not saying patents should be ignored but halting the sale of products in Europe based on photo shopped images of a product that is only similar in the fact they both make phone calls is a little out of control.

 

[RunnerEd]

If Apple has taught us anything it is that being inventor of a product is almost meaningless.

I've heard it said that the way to honor an innovator's memory is to NOT do things the way that person did but to continue their spirit of innovation. To me, the iPad 4 and the iPhone 6 will tell a lot about the direction Apple will take because, presumably, Jobs had significant input into the iPad 3/iPhone 5. EPCOT Center was WDI's venture from under Walt's shadow and, at the time of its opening, was extremely successful. The Imagination Pavilion has SO much potential and, without Jobs at the helm, I don't know of a company that truly embodies that name any more; they all seem like bottom line hounds that innovate only as much as needed to keep that growing. I would really like to see WDI sponsor it without handcuffs.

 

[RSoxNo1]

If Apple has taught us anything it is that being inventor of a product is almost meaningless.

You're right, the Zune really kicked the iPod's a$$...

 

[mkt]

You're right, the Zune really kicked the iPod's a$$...

You are aware that Apple did not invent the MP3 player.

 

[alphac2005]

GM went bankrupt and they are still sponsoring a pavilion.

The problem with Kodak is post-bankruptcy, what's left? Nearly all of their digital ventures have been unsuccessful. They sold businesses over the past several years including their digital medical imaging division. My guess is that they end up being bought like Motorola Mobility (Google's in the process of completing the purchase) for their patents and being absorbed into a parent company.

GM has successful products and the bankruptcy reorganized their finances and essentially their way of doing business. So, the sponsorship is worth the ad dollars and millions of people seeing their products over the year at Epcot. With Kodak, the reason they sponsor at WDW is for their consumer products, which have failed in the marketplace (even though some of their stuff has been actually very good in quality), so there doesn't seem to be a point to spend the millions of dollars with no return on investment.

It'll be interesting to see who replaces Kodak in their various sponsorships because the odds are going to be extremely low that they stick around. Bankruptcy gives them the ability to break any of these sponsorship contracts with the judge's approval, which just happened with the Kodak Theater.

 

[bhg469]

You're right, the Zune really kicked the iPod's a$$...

Having used both I can honestly say my zune blew the ipod out of the water when it came out.

True apple came out with a large capacity player before most people but it wasn't the best.

The built in wifi sync was something the ipod didn't do for years after the zune's launch. Wifi song sharing was amazing. The software is still on my computer because its so much nicer to use than itunes and zune pass was an amazing music service. And i know it doesn't matter but apple puts so much stock into things looking pretty, itunes is really ugly and boring in comparison.

The problem? Microsoft can't market a product to save their lives. The same problem with windows phone 7. The software is really as good or better than anything out there, its just that microsoft cannot get it across to anyone. Live tiles and widgets are sooooo much nicer to use than any feature on ios.

You are aware that Apple did not invent the MP3 player.

Shocking isn't it?

 

[Master Yoda]

You're right, the Zune really kicked the iPod's a$$...

Just FYI...Apple did not invent many of the products that they sell. For the most part, Apples entire strategy has been to take an existing product and improve it. The ipod, iphone, ipad, OSX, even the beloved PC are all refinements of existing products.

 

[Silver Figment]

I've heard it said that the way to honor an innovator's memory is to NOT do things the way that person did but to continue their spirit of innovation. To me, the iPad 4 and the iPhone 6 will tell a lot about the direction Apple will take because, presumably, Jobs had significant input into the iPad 3/iPhone 5. EPCOT Center was WDI's venture from under Walt's shadow and, at the time of its opening, was extremely successful. The Imagination Pavilion has SO much potential and, without Jobs at the helm, I don't know of a company that truly embodies that name any more; they all seem like bottom line hounds that innovate only as much as needed to keep that growing. I would really like to see WDI sponsor it without handcuffs.

Well said.

 

[NoChesterHester]

This was my thinking! Wouldn't it be awesome to see what Apple could do with a whole pavillion! If they could go all-out (as-if, huh?) it'd definitely be beyond any of our imaginations. Or maybe not. If only Steve Jobs could've done it...

Plenty of the creative brain trust at Apple remains without Jobs. I'd love to see how their architects would freshen up the pavilion.

 

[Jeffxz]

I remember hearing somewhere that Kodak owns the Figment character, but I can't seem to find anything online that backs this up.

Can anyone confirm if this is true?

 

[uklad79]

I remember hearing somewhere that Kodak owns the Figment character, but I can't seem to find anything online that backs this up.

Can anyone confirm if this is true?

You sure that's not just a figment of your imagination?

 

[uklad79]

Plenty of the creative brain trust at Apple remains without Jobs. I'd love to see how their architects would freshen up the pavilion.

Sir Jony Ive designs most Apple products I am not sure what he would do with the pavilion other than add touch screens (which everyone here hates) and some curves and white or black paint all over everything.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Sir Jony Ive designs most Apple products I am not sure what he would do with the pavilion other than add touch screens (which everyone here hates) and some curves and white or black paint all over everything.

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designs their stores.

I'd say while they have a branded similarity, no two are identical. Very creative. Excellent.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I remember hearing somewhere that Kodak owns the Figment character, but I can't seem to find anything online that backs this up.

Can anyone confirm if this is true?

Shared intellectual property. Disney cuts a check to Kodak for any Figment plush sold.

I don't understand how IP transfer in a bankruptcy works.

 

[raymusiccity]

Ironic isn't it ... considering it was Kodak who invented the first digital camera?

Yes. It was an 8 pound wonder ! It's also ironic that they shelved the digital camera because their marketing 'experts' warned them that the digital camera would cannibalize their photo processing and film sales worldwide ! :brick:

 

[TheDisneyMagic]

Having used both I can honestly say my zune blew the ipod out of the water when it came out.

True apple came out with a large capacity player before most people but it wasn't the best.

The built in wifi sync was something the ipod didn't do for years after the zune's launch. Wifi song sharing was amazing. The software is still on my computer because its so much nicer to use than itunes and zune pass was an amazing music service. And i know it doesn't matter but apple puts so much stock into things looking pretty, itunes is really ugly and boring in comparison.

The problem? Microsoft can't market a product to save their lives. The same problem with windows phone 7. The software is really as good or better than anything out there, its just that microsoft cannot get it across to anyone. Live tiles and widgets are sooooo much nicer to use than any feature on ios.



Shocking isn't it?

I completely agree with you, long time Zune user with both the original, Zune HD and now on WP7, the product is far superior (well except lyrics on the Zune) to the Apple counter parts, Microsoft just didn't push enough, you couldn't walk down a street or turn on a TV channel without seeing an advert for an iProduct or watch a Hollywood movie without dozens of iProductPlacement and it works, people are very much influenced with this and the "cool" factor.

Microsoft and other companies are now starting to realise this with the Lumia adverts from Nokia advertising Windows Phone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S II adverts for Android, they are everywhere!

On topic though, I would love a new sponsor at Imagination to bring new life to it, Figment is my favourite character and the original attraction was and still is my favourite ride experience ever.

I would love to see a company such as IBM take over or even Microsoft that have such diverse portfolios take over, looking at some of the products from their research labs could work so well in this pavilion.

 

[bhg469]

I completely agree with you, long time Zune user with both the original, Zune HD and now on WP7, the product is far superior (well except lyrics on the Zune) to the Apple counter parts, Microsoft just didn't push enough, you couldn't walk down a street or turn on a TV channel without seeing an advert for an iProduct or watch a Hollywood movie without dozens of iProductPlacement and it works, people are very much influenced with this and the "cool" factor.

Microsoft and other companies are now starting to realise this with the Lumia adverts from Nokia advertising Windows Phone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S II adverts for Android, they are everywhere!

On topic though, I would love a new sponsor at Imagination to bring new life to it, Figment is my favourite character and the original attraction was and still is my favourite ride experience ever.

I would love to see a company such as IBM take over or even Microsoft that have such diverse portfolios take over, looking at some of the products from their research labs could work so well in this pavilion.

microsoft surface would be a great feature in a location such as that.. I however would love to see google. As a company I feel like they belong in epcot. Google labs are always cranking out neat products and ideas and as a consumer I just feel like they are just getting started to wow us in the hardware department. My only complaint is that they allow too many companies to use android and do a bad job with it. I guess that is one of the few downsides to an open source OS.

Come on Disney Google in 2013!

 

[Kamikaze]

Kodak was simply not able to move into the future; they couldn't transition from film to digital, even though they were among the most innovative companies in the world a generation ago.

More like, no one is buying cameras any more. Everyone is using a smart phone for pictures. No way for Kodak to make much money on that.

Yes, there are those that buy DSLRs, but Kodak (and the other camera companies) made their money on the consumer, not the prosumer.