A smartwatch and a city car now run the same playbook

How software turns hardware into platforms.

A product becomes a tangible the moment software lets it keep learning after it ships — adapting to need and earning revenue from services that didn’t exist at the moment of sale. Tangibles is the strategic playbook for that shift.

By Yoel Frischoff · Product strategist · Now on Amazon — eBook, paperback & hardcover

Front cover of Tangibles: How Software Turns Hardware into Platforms by Yoel Frischoff — a smartwatch and a city car split across one image Available now · Kindle

This book is important at this time because the tech community has over-rotated so heavily toward software that it no longer appreciates the points being made here.

Geoffrey Moore Author of Crossing the Chasm
6strategic arcs
25chapters
12+free interactive tools
0registration required

// WHAT'S INSIDE

Six arcs. One playbook.

From the hard truths of hardware to the business models that compound — each arc carries first-person cases and a framework you can run as a free tool.

I ARC I · HARDWARE CHALLENGESWhy hardware is still hard

Long lead times, capital intensity, and irreversible manufacturing — and why connected augmentation became a survival response, not a luxury.

Better PlaceiRobotTesla vs. BYD
II ARC II · INFRASTRUCTURE FOUNDATIONSWhat makes hardware evolve

Digital interfaces, connectivity and firmware-over-the-air, sensing and edge intelligence — and the power budget that decides where compute can live.

EyeClickHomeFreeSensibo
III ARC III · VALIDATION CYCLESLearn early, commit late

Cut the cost of being wrong before tooling and inventory harden the mistake: the Decoupled MVP and a seven-stage Lean Hardware Funnel with kill gates.

SharkNinjaRabbit / HumaneEspro
IV ARC IV · POSITIONINGWin the meaning first

Buyers must grasp what kind of thing a product is. The Positioning Audit and the Three Axes of Disruption decide adoption before launch.

DysonAppleSwatch
V ARC V · PARADISE LOSTThe new obligations

The expanded attack surface, the global regulatory baseline, and the societal costs — repair hostility, remote lock-in, data as liability — that become law.

Jeep UconnectMiraiJohn Deere23andMe
VI ARC VI · BUSINESS MODELS & MOATSAdvantage that compounds

The seven-layer Tangible Stack, recurring revenue and NPV, and the AI watershed that compresses the build loop and extends what shipped products can do.

NespressoOuraiRobot

// RUN THE BOOK

The frameworks, running as free tools.

Every framework in the book runs here as an interactive tool. All free — no registration, no email wall.

Explore all tools →

// ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yoel Frischoff, product strategist and author of Tangibles

Yoel Frischoff

A product strategist with over 35 years in industrial design, engineering, and technology management. Through his consultancy TheRoad, he helps hardware companies become service-connected platforms.

He mentors product managers through Google for Startups, Product League, and other international programs.

35+ years in hardware Founder, TheRoad Google for Startups mentor Product League

// FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the Tangibles companion site?

It is the companion site for the book Tangibles by Yoel Frischoff. It offers free strategy tools and per-chapter references for product managers building connected hardware — covering validation, security, positioning, business models, and recurring revenue.

What free tools does the site offer?

Free tools: an IoT Security Scorecard (a 19-question audit aligned with ETSI EN 303 645), an IoT Security Requirements Generator, a Regulatory Landscape mapper for connected products, and an interactive Battery Discharge Curves comparison.

Are the tools free to use?

Yes. The tools are free to use in the browser; some let you export or email your results after entering an email address.

Which security and regulatory standards do the tools cover?

ETSI EN 303 645, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the UK PSTI Act, IEC 62443, and ISO 27001, among others.

Who is Tangibles for?

Product managers, heads of product, and product-strategy consultants working on connected hardware — IoT, smart devices, robotics, mobility, appliances, and medical devices.

Where can I buy the Tangibles book?

Tangibles is available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover editions — links are on this page.

// GET THE BOOK

Get Tangibles today.

The eBook, paperback, and large-format 8×10″ hardcover are all available on Amazon now.

Checkout & delivery handled by Amazon

eBOOK · KINDLE Available →
PAPERBACK Available →
HARDCOVER · 8×10″ Available →