Every year Gartner, one of the leading technology analyst firms, produces what they call "The Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies". It's a chart plotting the position of various technologies on the Hype Cycle curve.
The Hype Cycle is a theory proposing that technologies follow a series of stages in their lifecycle: Technology Trigger (the invention and initial use), Peak Of Inflated Expectations (when the hype is vastly outstrips reality), The Trough of Disillusionment (when everyone realizes the hype outstrips reality), The Slope Of Enlightenment (when brave experimenters figure out how to really use the technology) and finally the Plateau of Productivity (when everyone can make good use of the tech).
Via Fabbaloo
