Show of hands: who remembers WebTV? It was a great idea that was ahead of its time. Today, though, it seems like every product under the sun is Internet-connected, whether there’s demonstrable benefit or not. Sure, there’s an in-dash computer in a Ford F150 pickup allows service techs to browse the web. Is that a good idea?

Tech companies are struggling with the question of whether it’s gadgets or services that consumers want. As the New York Times observes, “If the most exciting thing about your phone or truck or TV is the Web sites you go to and the software applications you download, then the device itself is less important.”