The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Palm and Sprint have been sending out notices of the new Palm Pre smartphone competitor to Apple's iPhone.  The Pre won't be available for several months, but both firms are already hitting people's inboxes with messages about its features and purported superiority to the iPhone.  I signed up for e-mail notification once the phone actually become available in Sprint stores, and almost immediately began eagerly anticipating the undefined date when that happens.

Then, last evening, I wandered into a Best Buy store in San Rafael, CA, and found myself checking out Apple's latest products to compare my now six-month-old MacBook Pro to the newest models.  Then it hit me: people used to do exactly what I was doing with the Pre and by going into Best Buy to see what was new.  Only they did it with the new model year of American-made automobiles. 

So, even though times have changed, we are still doing much the same thing: checking out new models to see what cool features and advanced styling are available.  Only now, in 2009, we do it with electronics and not with cars.  Cars, on the other hand, have become dull; more of a way to get someplace than something that embodies coolness and style.

The point is that any industry that can drive interest and enthusiasm the way electronics does (and autos used to) is, by definition, hot.  And no industry (or entertainer or store) can stay hot forever.  Coolness has a shelf life.