Usually an invention lives a five-step curve:
Technology explosion: it's the crazy idea, the birth of something that can revolutionize a market, or people's lives. During this phase it is useless to open the wallet: you cannot buy anything yet.
The peak of expectations: following the wave of the first publicity given to the idea, some private individuals or some interested companies begin to evaluate the opportunity: this is where we usually understand if something works or not.
Ditch of disappointments: it is the quagmire in which a technology that many companies try to make profitable ends without succeeding: the perception of the public becomes a little negative. It can still happen that someone works the miracle, but it is not to be hoped for too much.
Spreading Hill: after the hitches of the 1st generation of products, the new improved releases of the 2nd and 3rd generation give rise to a cautious optimism.
Productivity plain: With better features and higher efficiency, innovation finally becomes mainstream and people start adopting it on a permanent basis.
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to put it with a graph:
We have tried to put a number of current or recent technologies on this curve, to see more or less at what stage they are: perhaps we were a little optimistic (wireless power could need many more years for its adoption) but things like Internet TV, Cloud, Tablets… well… are really 'next'. Take a look for yourself and let us know what you think. (and click on the image to enlarge it, of course):
