It seems that most innovation is aimed at getting more of the same for the same price, rather than making the experience with the product better.

Every time I see an ad for a new car, it seems to have more airbags, more electronic gizmos to go wrong the day the warranty ends, but who really needs it all to get from point A to point B reliably, comfortably, at a modest cost, which is the point of having a car.

Surely it is time to innovate backwards, do less, strip the glitter, simplify.

I used to shave with a single blade, now I am a poof unless I shave with five, my stringy beard is not five times tougher than when I was 21, just a bit more gray worked its way in.

Two businesses, Gillette and Intel have led the way in adding features that they think will give them a marketing advantage through differentiation, and then  turning them into benefits.

For a funny, sarcastic view of the trend to complication, follow the link to the Onion site, and have a laugh.