Next big things that never lived up to the hype, failed, or disappeared without a trace... What do you remember??

[mistyoptic]

Like the disc camera, they took VHS and made it twice a sh!t whilst claiming it was better.

Betamax is different story. It failed as a home video format because it was a professional quality format, far superior to VHS and remained popular (in the industry) until digital video came along.

My experience was that it WAS better than the VHS of the time. YMMV

 

[TheDoctor]

and V2000

Ah yes. The format that came third in a two-horse race.

 

[wakemalcolm]

Yep a lot of Porn was shot on Sony Betacam

But mostly "paused" on VHS. The Betacam was literally a means to an end.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Betamax is different story. It failed as a home video format because it was a professional quality format, far superior to VHS and remained popular (in the industry) until digital video came along.

I don't remember the contest between Betamax and VHs (lot of other things on around the early days of VCRs, but wasn't recording time also a big aspect to the retail success?

 

[StuAff]

^^^Full possible length thread title that^^^ 😆

EDIT: Who shortened it? 🤦‍♂️

Anyway, Segways for a start, but there will be many, many other things, like Advantex cameras, iPods, Blackberries, etc.

What do you remember?

iPods were most definitely not a flop. 450 million sales over 20 years, and laid the groundwork for its (eventual) replacement, the iPhone. Which did for Research in Motion (Blackberry) as well, of course.

 

[Webbo2]

iPods were most definitely not a flop. 450 million sales over 20 years, and laid the groundwork for its (eventual) replacement, the iPhone. Which did for Research in Motion (Blackberry) as well, of course.

I’ve still got a working ipod, it’s got a cracked screen but I occasionally use it on the turbo.

 

[JtB]

My first car (an Austin Allegro) had a few things that didn’t quite live up to the hype such as a square steering wheel and hydro gas suspension.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My first car (an Austin Allegro) had a few things that didn’t quite live up to the hype such as a square steering wheel and hydro gas suspension.

and the Austin Allegro???

 

[mistyoptic]

and the Austin Allegro???

Was eclipsed by the Alfasud in terms of aesthetic and driving pleasure. Sadly turned to rust as you watched

 

[Profpointy]

Like the disc camera, they took VHS and made it twice a sh!t whilst claiming it was better.

Betamax is different story. It failed as a home video format because it was a professional quality format, far superior to VHS and remained popular (in the industry) until digital video came along.

A little side-note on Betamax: when both formats were kind-of rivals Betamax did well in Port Talbot for whatever reason, and all video shops catered mainly for Betamax. It remained as a small island for the format for a few years after VHS had won elsewhere

 

[Tenkaykev]

My first car (an Austin Allegro) had a few things that didn’t quite live up to the hype such as a square steering wheel and hydro gas suspension.

I worked at " The Austin " in Longbridge on the Allegro line.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I do keep 250,000 OS maps in the car.

We keep a UK road atlas in ours.

Sat Nav is great but an atlas gives more context in unfamiliar parts of the nation. Especially for planning longer excursions, etc.

 

[mistyoptic]

I worked at " The Austin " in Longbridge on the Allegro line.

You must have been one of the few. Wasn’t that Red Robbo’s era?

 

[Dogtrousers]

We keep a UK road atlas in ours.

Sat Nav is great but an atlas gives more context in unfamiliar parts of the nation. Especially for planning longer excursions, etc.

Especially when the motorway gantries say there are delays between junctions X and Y. I don't have a clue about junction numbering even on motorways I drive regularly. Time for the passenger to get the map book out and find junction X.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

and V2000

Plus Capacitance Electronic Disc