From a recap of a Neil deGrasse Tyson talk:

Tyson’s theory is that technology retains its coolness factor so long as it remains best-in-class. Therefore, whenever the coolest objects in a particular technology are decades old, that’s an immediate notice that we have essentially abandoned that technology.

It's a simple but still appealing theory, that coolness can be used as a way of carbon-dating timeless and breakthrough technology and also to see which sectors we've abandoned.

The tech gadget I owned that elicited the most adoring throngs of people when I first purchased it is still the first iPhone. To me, no product embodies all that the modern Apple is about than that first iPhone. I wish I hadn't lost mine.