Quote:
Originally Posted by RHWright
The market doesn't always pick a superior product or act wisely. Often, it is a "good enough" solution that is a lowest common denominator, one-size-fits-all solution.
The technology landscape is littered with good/great products that don't find or hold onto a market. BetaMax. Palm/WebOS. Sega Dreamcast.
The "market" also tends to favor cheapness, ease of access, and other factors over pure technological superiority.
Value of any product or service is individually subject, but it's why we get dominance (more generally, not just in technology) by WalMart, McDonald's, etc. and other low-pricetag retailers.
Tablets may "win" in the end, not because they are better readers, but because they offer an overall value in cost, flexibility, features, etc. that the big pool of consumers value.
Personally, I value the reading quality on my e-Ink reader. If this does become a niche market, I hope someone stills sees the value in serving it.
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Hits the nail on the head. In the end, the product that has the lowest price, is the easiest to use or does more almost always wins, even if there are other products around that are clearly better at the task at hand.
Betamax / VHS
IDE / SCSI
USB / Firewire
Trinitron / "Bulb" tubes
IPS & (S)PVA / TN LCD-panels
Organ / Keyboard
In all of those cases the first product is clearly the most powerful, but the second is clearly cheaper, easier to use, or both, and thus the second product wins.
"The Market" seems to favor mediocrity, EXCEPT when a product brings some sort of status with it. Then, everybody wants it, regardless of price, features (or even, lack thereof), or alternatives.