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Technology hype is unjustified, excessive discussion and usage of a technology or concept. Hype (or hyperbole) is a common marketing technique in the information technology industry and other technology industries.
Hype can also sometimes be created spontaneously.
There is usually hype at the introduction of any new technology, but only after some time has passed can it be judged as true hype or justified acclaim.
Because of the logistic curve nature of technology adoption, it is difficult to see at this point whether the hype is excessive.
The two errors commonly committed in the early stages are:
- fitting an exponential curve to the first part of the growth curve, and assuming eternal exponential growth
- fitting a linear curve to the first part of the growth curve, and assuming that takeup of the new technology is disappointing
Similarly, in the later stages, the opposite mistakes can be made relating to the possibilities of technology maturity and market saturation.
In an extreme form hype does not relate to an actually existing product. Software that is hyped before it exists is sometimes called vaporware.
Hype can be generated both by companies seeking financial investment or gain from their emerging technology, or academic researchers seeking notoriety for their research. In the latter case, the popular media almost never questions or does proper due dilligence on claims by academic researchers. Almost daily we read reports of a new "breakthrough" which "could" make (cancer, hunger, poverty, pollution, terrorism...) a thing of the past. The fact that an academic researcher makes the claim is enough to get top coverage in the popular media.
Cold Fusion is probably one of the best examples of hype, and how the popular press will report without question conclusions that would never survive peer review.
Hyped technologies have included (in roughly chronological order):
- Computers (in inappropriate uses)
- Paperless office
- Microsoft's Windows operating systems, particularly Windows 95
- Push technology
- Sun's Java programming language
- Network computers
- Year 2000 problemThe year 2000 problem (also known as the Y2K problem and the millennium bug was a flaw in computer program design that caused some date-related processing to operate incorrectly for dates and times on and after January 1, 2000. It turned into a major fear
- AppleApple Computer, Inc. is a Silicon Valley company based in Cupertino, California, whose main business is computer technologies. Best known for its range of Macintosh computers and, more recently, its iPod personal audio ( MP3 and otherwise) player and iTun's iMacThe iMac is a line of all-in-one Apple Macintosh computers produced by Apple Computer, aimed at the consumer and education market. History The original iMac was unveiled on May 7, 1998 by Apple Computer and went on sale in August of that year. Some strong
- Dot-comDot-com (also dotcom or redundantly dot. com companies were the collection of start-up companies selling products or services using or somehow related to the Internet. They proliferated in the late 1990s dot-com boom a speculative frenzy of investment in companies
- Segway
- Tablet PCA Tablet PC is a computer shaped in the form of a notebook except with the capabilities of being written on through the use of digitizing tablet technology or a touch screen. A user can use a stylus and operate the computer without having to have a keyboas
- The InternetThis article is about the Internet the extensive, worldwide computer network available to the public. An internet is a more general term for a set of interconnected computer networks that are connected by internetworking''. WWW information network structu generally, especially in commerceElectronic commerce or e-commerce consists of the buying, selling, marketing, and servicing of products or services over computer networks. The information technology industry might see it as an electronic business application aimed at commercial transact and education
- Free software community's Linux
Other hyped technologies outside the IT industry have included:
