Adverts may feed the kittie, but the manufacturers of devices (must be a better term) can change the whole environment, and forever.

Remember the old fight b/w VHS and Beta? Transition from 8-track to cassette to DVD? HDTV to....3DTV?

I also get a little miffed when games come out that only run on X upgraded platform, almost a planned obsolescence that forces us to constantly buy expensive "new stuff". Wait 6-12 months and it's outdated.