Gadget ecosystems - Keep it open?!

Apple first started building a device ecosystem. We saw a trend where people were slowly buying more and more products from apple once they had got their first one. In most cases, people who started with an ipod, moved to iphone, then bought the mac followed by the ipad (looks like iTV might be the next). What ever said and done one of the reason was that they connected and worked together well. Seems like now everyone wants to follow suit, gadget ecosystem has been the theme at CES 2012.

While the minority pushes it to be an open system majority wants to keep it a closed system, rather i meant while the major gadget vendors wants to have it closed, small time vendors are pushing for an open inter operable device ecosystem. But this time signs seems to be ominous, seems as if customers might be the looser on this new trend. Seems like consumers would eventually get in to vendor lock when buying devices. It would be interesting to see this race on whether the consumers power will thrive or whether if manufacturers power would thrive.

I will do my little by pushing to have a open inter operable gadget ecosystem by buying devices which will work with many of the others - I do this not because I am committed to this cause but because I always pick the most cheapest choice when buying any of this.  :D Building ecosystem seems to be the newest mantra for all technological companies - we are bound to hear more about them over the next few years given that the mayan calendar has a bug and Iran and US doesn't throw nuclear bombs at each other!