The iPod in digital music, the Playstation 2 in videogames, the BlackBerry in portable e-mail: some of the technology industry's biggest recent successes have been built around closed systems with a tight connection between hardware, content and services.
According to the industry's received wisdom, these closed systems are characteristic of new technology markets in their infancy. The tight connections make life easier for consumers, who otherwise would find it hard to tap into the new digital applications and content.
