After the dot com meltdown, a lot of companies relaxed and extended the runway of their existing technologies on the assumption that the economic downturn had slowed innovation. They perished when innovation came roaring back. We are seeing companies fall into the same trap today. Surviving the downturn has been hard enough, without layering on the additional challenge of innovating during a capital drought. My view is that we are seeing history repeat itself. Brace yourself - the market took a time-out, but watch now for new products, heavy competiton, and doom for the complacent.