Stages of Technology / Disruptive technologies

  New technology is adopted in stages.   Most of us on the internet that may be reading this have seen technology adopted over the years.  It fits the following bell-curve



Lets look at my previous examples of digital cameras.
Innovators were pre 2001
early adopters were up to 2003
Early majority up to 2007
late majority up to 2010
Laggards up to 2013.

I dont know of a single film user any more...

I believe bitcoin to currently be in the late innovators to early-early adopter stage?

What other technologies can you think of, and what were their adoption rate?

There are small technologies -
   Plasma TVs
   Facebook
   Maps (I think my mom still uses paper maps)
   Media (newspapers, movies, etc)


There are also HUGE technologies
   Airplanes
   The internet
   Gas engines
   Medicine
   Nuclear power
   Computers
   Electricity
   Telephones
 
So is Bitcoin a HUGE technology, or a small technology?   I dont really know... nor could I even guess?   If small, it will just be another means of payment, similar to paypal, Visa or debit cards.   If HUGE, it will be the most disruptive technology to ever hit planet earth.  Governments around the world will fall as they lose control of their monetary system, which they have had control of since the days of Rome.

I truly, honestly have no idea which one it is, but would encourage people to prepare for both.

How about this?   What was the last HUGE technology we had?   It seems we've had one every 20 years or so

1832 - telegraph
1879 - light bulb
1908 - airplanes
1928 - penecillin
1945 - first nuclear energy
1968 - man on the moon
1971 - first microprocessor
1989 TCP/IP (the internet)

We have a historical basis for major advances every 20 years or so.... so whats next?  Its 2013, what is next?   Facebook?  I wouldn't call that major.   Smartphones are pretty major, but really just a extension of the cellphone, which is an extension of the telephone, which is an extension of the telegraph.

I'm talking about BRAND NEW technologies.   If we stick to the 20 year rule of thumb, the technology is around us today, but in a very very very infant form.... here are some it could be

-bitcoin (of course)
-3d printing
-nano-robotics
-something in medicine (i dont really follow it closely but I know they can grow human parts in test tubes)
-space transportation, or commercialization of space

The interesting thing about bitcoin, is that you can invest in it at this very very infant stage.