Update: After reader feedback, we've added five additional products. Thanks for all the comments.
Here we are just days away from closing out the first decade of the 21st century, which means a lot of publications are in look-back mode, taking stock of all the good--and bad--things that happened over the last 10 years.
The Gizmondo in its heyday.
(Credit: ImageShack)Before we get to the list, let's get the parameters straight. This isn't a list of all the most spectacular tech failures. I chose to exclude dot-coms, corporate debacles (AOL-Time Warner), search engines (i.e., Cuil), and assorted other Web 2.0 flame outs (I'll let Webware handle that). No, this is a roundup of gear, the stuff that turns on and off, the stuff I've been covering for almost 10 years at CNET (yes, I started in 2000).
It's also important to define just what a flop is. In my book it's simply something that was really hyped but didn't live up to its promise or expectations. And while the word "flop" has a negative connotation, we here at CNET have a lot admiration for the designers, engineers, and everybody else who put their heart and soul into bringing these products and technologies to the world. Some of them didn't deserve their fates. They were ahead of their time or just marketed poorly. Whatever the case, we appreciate the vision, risk taking, and hard work that went into creating these things.
But enough sentimentality (I meant it, really). Let's get to the biggest tech flops of the decade. If you disagree with any of them or have more to suggest, please post a comment. If we missed any clear candidates, we'll modify the list.
Click on any image to start the slideshow. (Note: The list is in chronological order).
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Apple)
Recently, with the help of some of the editors here at CNET, I put together list of the biggest tech flops of the decade. Since I'm not a negative guy at heart, it was only a matter of time before I came up with a more positive spin on the whole tech-products-of-the-decade concept that's all the rage as we approach the end of '09.
Once again, I've enlisted the help of my fellow editors, so while my name may appear at the top of this list, it's really a collective effort. That said, you can blame me if you don't like the picks.
As always, feel free to suggest your own picks. If you make a good case, we'll update the list and make some changes. Also, let us know what your top five picks are in order of innovation and influence.
Click on any image to start the slideshow and see the picks (they are listed in alphabetical order).
Editors' note: Updated on November 23, 2009.
A few years ago, we used to do a feature highlighting some of the top DVDs that made your home theater really look and sound like one. Well, with Blu-ray in full swing, we thought it high time to come up with a similar roundup of our favorite Blu-ray Discs that will help show off your home theater in all its glory.
While my face is at the top of the column, the list was compiled with input from editors John Falcone, Matthew Moskovciak, and David Katzmaier, who look at a lot of content in their day-to-day testing of products. We also keep an eye on AVS Forum's Blu-ray picture- and audio-quality threads and have always appreciated the site's "tier" rating system.
This list is not set in stone, and we'll be adding and removing discs as new ones come out. As always, feel free to make comments and suggest your own personal favorites. They may get added to the list in the future.
Also: If you're someone who likes demoing your system and skipping around between scenes, you'll want a fast Blu-ray player. Right now, the fastest players we've tested are the LG BD390, Sony PlayStation 3, and the Samsung BD-P3600. Though not quite as fast as its step-up sibling, the Samsung BDP-1600 is among the fastest sub-$300 players we've tested. (See CNET's full list of best Blu-ray players.)
Click any of the images below to start the slideshow.
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The ultimate PC speakers?
(Credit: Harman Kardon)Just came across this hot little number on Amazon: a set of Harman Kardon PC speakers made out of glass. They don't appear to be available quite yet, but Amazon is taking pre-orders at $999.99.
Harman's made other clear speakers in the past, including the well-received SoundSticks II system, but these are the first to use glass--and the GLA-55s really make a statement. From some angles they have a gem-like quality, from others--namely in profile--they look almost alien in nature.
While these speakers are obviously about design, Harman's also touting the GLA-55s' "impeccable" sound quality. (At $1,000, they better sound good, right?) In fact, Harman claims it's "arguably the best 2.0 speaker system ever engineered" with numerous proprietary technologies that empower the speakers to create "clear and accurate high-impact sound with a large soundstage."
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The side view has a more alien vibe.
(Credit: Harman Kardon)Whether glass is the best material from which to fashion speakers is debatable, but Harman says its glass enclosure material is "the same as what is used in bulletproof glass." The material is put through an "annealing" process, which "includes baking each enclosure at 80 degree C for 4 hours."
The company adds: "This process provides increased dimensional stability by realigning the molecular structure of the enclosure material. To further enhance performance, the GLA-55's enclosure has a variable wall thickness which creates a stiff and resonance free enclosure. The net result of the annealing process and variable wall thickness enclosure is increased bass performance and a reduction in unwanted distortions and resonances."
Needless to say, I'm excited to get my hands on a pair. But I'm not so sure that in this economy people are as excited to drop a grand on these guys. Comments?
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