"And yet, despite the many disappointments to businesses and investors alike, it's a mistake for either group to think the high-tech meltdown whitewashed the economic impact of all technological innovation. It's just that business models don't change overnight. So although the volume on the hype machine is now a faint crackle, there are some technologies once labeled 'disruptive' that are entrenching themselves, if only quietly, in corporations and society at large. And the opportunities remain significant.
"Broadband wireless data communications is making instant access to information anytime, anywhere, a reality. The open source movement, which encourages the free exchange of software for the Linux operating system, is transforming corporate IT departments. And the venerable phone is now tapping directly into the Internet, nearly eliminating long-distance fees and threatening upheaval in the telecom industry.
"You may not be aware of it, but these technologies are here, they're being used by Canadian companies--and they may yet live up to their billing..."
