Reading about Amazon's Fire smartphone made me think about another doomed product launch

Transcript to 1:06.  This.....is the 1958 Edsel.   The car that presents originality and elegance never seen before in any car at any price.  And presents them in 18 different models.  

This expensive-looking car is one of the Edsel's Ranger series, a 4-door, ice-green sedan styled like a hardtop that sells for no more than some models of America's low-priced cars.

The turquoise-and-white convertible that you see driving up now is one of the Edsel Pacer series with elegant Edsel styling throughout, such as these Edsel contour seats that are scientifically designed to give you separate back and shoulder support for an overall feeling of luxurious comfort that means hour upon hour of fatigue-free and enjoyable driving.  And the back of the front seat is divided in a new way that gives the middle passenger a full back rest so you ride more comfortably than you have before. 

 

What was once a flop is now a collectible.

I doubt The Fire will follow this path.

Amazon Cuts Struggling Phone's Price to 99 Cents.  (The New York Times, 9/8/2014)

Lackluster sales and sealed lips.  The Fire, released in late July, is an expensive venture for Amazon. Thousands of employees worked on it for four years. Analysts initially expected sales of one million to two million units in the first year. 

[snip]

Amazon does not release sales numbers for its devices and declined to comment for this article.



"I've been on this earth 9 years.  I've never seen anything like it,"  sez Lil Pudge.