Tales from the Technology Graveyard ...

The iPhone, iPods and Blu-ray players are all new technologies that have touched our lives, but what about the innovative products that didn’t make it?. Let’s visit the Technology Graveyard and pay our respect to the top five technological "advances" that are no longer with us.

• Number 5 - Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard - I must admit when this product came out I was impressed and I thought this would actually catch on. Much like the keyboard debate that exists in the mobile device world, people were reluctant to part with the tactile feel for typing.
• Number 4 - iPod Toilet Paper Holder - I really don’t think this is an Apple approved product. This product is purely foolish and it leads me to wonder - how this ever made it to production.
• Number 3 - Toshiba Gaming Helmet - Gaming enthusiasts are always looking for a way to enhance their gaming experience. But unless you have strong neck muscles, this idea was definitely not going to work. This helmet looks like something right out of a bad "Back to the Future" flashback!
• Number 2 - Betamax - Sony’s first videocassette format hit the market in 1975, but lost a fierce marketing/format war to JVC’s VHS format. After a few futile attempts to save the format it was retired. Oddly enough, VHS has now been retired and it seems that DVD’s are quickly being replaced by blu-ray technology. Who can keep up?
• Number 1 - The Segway - Do we really need to say anything here? This invention was supposed to revolutionize the way we commute. The hype was obviously better than the reality and only 50,000 units have been shipped to date. Although the product has been around since 2001, the company is still not profitable and deserves its place in the "Technology Graveyard".

I am sure that there are many others, so take some time and reflect on some of the current technological "innovations" that are destined to be buried in the Technology Graveyard.