Re: Betamax - Betamax quality wasn't actually that much better.
Really the success of VHS was down to more suppliers of VHS players (Sony licensing I guess) and so video hire shops (remember them?) stocked way more VHS titles, leading to positive feedback. Same for availability of grumble flicks. Er, allegedly.
On notable failures we should also list Sony for its various attempts at forcing propitiatory tech on the world in the face of better/cheaper alternatives:
1) Mini-disk player, good idea in many way but way too expensive. DRM. Struggled to displace audio cassettes. Both died when SSD came along.
2) Memory sticks.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
