The top wireless turkeys of 2010

Phil GoldsteinIt's that time of year again: Families will soon gather for turkey, stuffing and a big side of football, and the Fierce editorial team is thinking of turkeys. In our third-annual review (see the 2008 and 2009 lists) we decided to take a look back at the companies, products and strategies that fell short--and in some cases, simply imploded.

This is our list of the top wireless turkeys of 2010--the products, ideas and business strategies that either failed to meet expectations or were so poorly executed that they flopped with the consumer.

Some of these turkeys are bigger than others, which is why we have ranked them on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the biggest calamity. Some turkeys on this year's list, like the Nexus One, were qualified flops, in that they did achieve some measure of success before ultimately folding. Others, however, had fewer redeeming qualities.

As in years past, this year's list includes a mix of devices, products, strategies and concepts that definitely did not get good marks from consumers (and probably their creators as well). We know it's never nice to point out the faults and failures of others, but we believe that the wireless industry might learn from the foibles of those on this year's list.

While this list is by no means exhaustive, it does include some of what we believe were the biggest flops of 2010. As always, we welcome your comments and criticisms. --Phil

P.S. Please be sure to check my colleague Jason Ankeny's Mobile App Turkeys of 2010 list in FierceMobileContent.