I think that sums it up, my take on chronology goes something like...

First generation - things like the SL110 that demonstrated the technology was viable, and paved the way for...

Second generation - identifying the defects (in implementation) and offering a number of good/excellent products, which in turn paved the way for...

Third generation - the marketing and cost-cutting guys found ways to present the "technology" in ever-cheapening successor products.  Exploiting Joe Public's gullibility and propensity to believe that they can get something for nothing.

Which is a path we can see all too often with boys-toys products of all varieties.