Innovation - A brief example of a don't

In 1998 Motorola rolled out the 'Iridium', this new mobile phone, as the company declared, was to revolutionise providing un-interrupted wireless communication anywhere in the world regardless of terrain or country.

However, Motorola had got it wrong. It was a complete flop. In its rush to emrace a new technology, they had over looked its many drawbacks: heavy, needed an array of attachments, couldn't be used in a car or indoors - exactly where jet-setting executives needed it.

At $3,000 a pop, users couldn't see the compelling reason to switch from their current $150 handsets.

As the tale illustrates, it hapens to the best of us. Sometimes a new technology is rushed to market too soon or in the wrong place or at the wrong price.