Top 10 Tech Toys That Flopped

New technologies that were ballyhooed, but didn't live up to their hype
Posted Jun 26, 2007 6:10 AM CDT

  1. CueCat: A cat-shaped device that would scan magazine barcodes and send you to corresponding websites. No one bit.
  2. DigiScent's iSmell: Sending scents across the internet turned out to be a stinky idea.
  3. DIVX: A special system to play DVDs that destruct after one viewing. Obviously a keeper.
  4. E-books: If only it was more portable and durable . . . like a book.
  5. Facial Recognition Systems: Would have been brilliant if it had worked.

  1. Microsoft Bob: Everyone enjoys a lecture from a smiley faces, right?
  2. Network PC: Most people just went ahead and bought a real computer.
  3. SoftRAM: Doubled how much memory your computer thought it had while actually adding nothing at all.
  4. Speech Recognition: Humans and computers are still not speaking each other's languages.
  5. Web TV: Surf the web on your TV?  No thanks.
(More technology stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X