Why won't new technologies translate?

Why do personal technologies that take off in Asia fail in the US? One reason may be commuting differences.

People in both locales have long commutes. But Asians tend to do their commuting via public transport. That's conducive to silent button-pushing and steady focus on learning the complexities of, say, a new mobile phone.

In the US, folks stick doggedly to car commutes. In a car, steady yakking may be OK. But visual distractions and concentration on something other than traffic is dangerous. Hence all the recent alarm over texting while driving.

Which means, according to Bill Moggridge, founder of the design consulting firm IDEO, that even the spiffiest new technology may not translate.

Thanks to Erica Naone, blogging at EmTech09.